Harley-Davidson Breakout Review: Fantastic, But Set Your Expectations Right

The world of motorcycles is a fascinating one. There are so many kinds of it that there’s one to suit everyone’s need, yet, motorcyclists can’t have enough. In this world, there’s one motorcycle manufacturer that firmly holds its own – Harley-Davidson. Over the years, even the mighty HD has dared to cross boundaries and experimented with different kinds of formats. However, the Harley-Davidson Breakout is a stark reminder of their strengths and absolute mastery of the cruiser motorcycle format. But before we dig into how the motorcycle is on different parameters, it is important to understand what it is in the first place.

Harley-Davidson Breakout Review: What is it?

Loosely, a cruiser motorcycle. You won’t be wrong if you call it so, but if you want to be specific, it is a chopper. And this distinction is of utmost importance for you to truly understand the Breakout and judge it fairly. You see, the best way to judge a bike is to start with its intent. Adventure motorcycles are meant to take the path less travelled, sportbikes are to chase the ten-tenths around a racetrack and cruisers, in the larger sense, are meant to munch miles with ease, highways being their preferred playing ground. Choppers, on the other hand, have one purpose – to make an impression. So, if I were to sum up the Breakout based on things like cornering abilities, touring capabilities and so on, it would be unfair on the motorcycle.

The rise of choppers and the popularity of the Harley-Davidson culture go almost hand-in-hand. A huge fat rear tyre, rigid frame and a long raked out front end is the quintessential image of an American Badass on two wheels. Of course, this format takes us into the world of fat wheel custom choppers and eye-watering prices, but that’s a story for a different day. This is the early 2000s we are talking about, and towards the end of the decade, Harley would come out with the Rocker C – their take on what a chopper should be like, practically inventing the ‘factory chopper’ genre. It came with a funky rider seat which could be folded out to ‘unwrap’ the rear seat! Surely, not many would remember that, but it’s worth looking up.

It was good, but it was Harley’s second attempt that gave us one of the most popular fat wheel factory choppers of all time – the Breakout. Fast forward to today, and the Breakout sticks to that design theme and continues the legacy.

Harley-Davidson Breakout Review: Great Story, but how is it today?

Let’s start with the fat rear tyre, perhaps the biggest draw of this motorcycle. It’s a full 240-section unit, wider than even the fanciest cars or SUVs you can think of! Next is the insane 1,923cc, 45-degree V-Twin air- and oil-cooled engine! In full display with exquisite attention to detail, no less. Add to that a slim front-end design, a massive 34-degree rake, shotgun exhausts, a 2.3-metre length and over 300kg of weight (in running order) – you get the idea. Thankfully, it has a decently sized 18.9-litre fuel tank – unlike the puny tanks in custom choppers. It’s a motorcycle that will appeal to the purists in every sense.

At a standstill, it looks like a million dollars. But when on the move, it is every bit a typical Harley – butter smooth drivetrain, oodles of torque at the slightest twist of the throttle and that addictive, dominating riding stance that makes you feel like the king of the road. For perspective, it makes a mind-bending 168Nm of torque, and surprisingly, Harley even quotes the horsepower numbers for this one at 100bhp. You sit with your feet stretched out with a little bit of reach to the almost flat handlebar. Its rip-it-and-grip-it ride experience is equal parts intimidating and utterly, utterly addictive. The almost 1.7-metre-long wheelbase and the fat rubber means the motorcycle is slow to turn, and u-turns will have to be planned well in advance. But a bike that gives a lack of confidence it is not, and the ride quality is surprisingly good!

On the features front, you have a minuscule 2.14 inch (yes, you read that right) LCD instrument cluster which gives you bare-minimum information at a time, but the complete set so long as you are willing to toggle through the menu set.

Harley-Davidson Breakout Review: Verdict

And well, that’s about it. The motorcycle is fairly simple and a refreshing throwback to what motorcycles are all about – the experience, the image and the personality that comes with it. Let’s face it, the experience of motorcycling is subjective and very thematic too, if I may say so. Off-road riders, enduro riders, supermoto riders, track riders, long-distance haulers… the list can go on. If you judge the Breakout based on its specifications, features and brochures,  you’ll be committing a grave mistake. But if you kick it old school and go for a test ride, that is when you will appreciate what the motorcycle has to offer.

It has everything that you would want from a bike like this. An engine called Milwaukee-Eight 117, massive displacement of 1,923cc (litre-class cylinders, almost), an air intake called ‘Heavy Breather’ and tyres that are called ‘Scorchers.’ It even has the eye-watering price tag and an unmistakable road presence! The motorcycle may not do a lot of things and could be seen as ‘too simple,’ perhaps. But it leaves you with a lasting memory. So, let’s play some Rock n’ Roll and take in the view with bikes like these while we can, before the ugly ADVs take over completely. Motorcycling is subjective, remember?