1991 Harley-Davidson FXRT vs 2025 Lowrider ST: Progress or Regression?

By Brett Foote - December 31, 2025

Though these two Harley-Davidson sport touring bikes are 30 years apart, they share quite a lot in common – though also, many differences.

Harley-Davidson has been around for well over a century to this point, securing its position among the most iconic American companies of any kind quite some time ago. Over that time span, H-D has churned out plenty of great motorcycles, many of which are of the touring variety, but it has also executed changes to those models that are largely evolutionary rather than revolutionary. There are plenty of folks that would argue a Harley-Davidson made 30 years ago is better than a new one, however, which is an interesting notion.

In fact, that theory is one worth taking a deeper look at, and that’s precisely what the folks behind the YouTube channel Thrashin Supply opted to do recently by comparing a 1991 Harley-Davidson FXRT with a 2025 Lowrider ST. These two sport touring models share quite a lot in common despite this rather large age gap, including general styling cues, engine layouts, dual disc brakes, mid controls, saddle bags, and even pricing, if one adjusts for inflation.

What’s particularly interesting here is that the new Lowrider ST nets one more for that money – more creature comforts and modern tech, along with more power. The FXRT’s V-Twin cranks out a little over 57 horsepower versus the Lowrider ST’s Milwaukee-Eight and its 114 ponies, and that extra juice only comes with a weight penalty of around 28 pounds as well. The newer bike also has larger, beefier brakes with four-piston calipers to help slow it down more effectively – and ABS, to boot.

Interestingly, the newer Harley-Davidson has a thinner belt and a single-shock setup, rather than the thicker piece and dual shocks on the more vintage bike. There are also a multitude of other improvements that the Lowrider ST has in store compared to the FXRT, including the fact that it’s designed to run a lot smoother and not vibrate the rider quite as violently, which is a welcome evolution to many.

All of that shows up in the way these motorcycles behave on the road, too. The FXRT was “screaming” at 75 mph on the highway, meaning that our rider wasn’t keen to cruise along at a more rapid rate, while the Lowrider ST is easily capable of humming along at much faster speeds without breaking a sweat. The ergonomics on the newer model are much improved, and its creature comforts are undoubtedly a nice touch – not to mention the fact that it fires up and goes without too much fuss.

Ultimately, both of these Harley-Davidson motorcycles proved to be fun to ride and quite comfortable, but it’s clear that the 2025 Lowrider ST is the product of 30+ years of evolution at this point – it’s just a better performer and more comfortable (and perhaps reliable) machine, proving that H-D has made plenty of progress over the years even if its bikes may not look radically different.