Our Thoughts on the 2020 Harley-Davidson Lineup

By Cameron Vanderhorst - August 28, 2019

Harley’s theme for 2020 seems to be ‘something old, something new.’ We can dig it.

Earlier this week, we showed you the big changes for Harley-Davidson’s 2020 lineup. Now, I’m going to share my thoughts and opinions about the newest bikes – including the LiveWire.

We’ll start with the touring bikes. Now, personally, I’m not big into motorcycle touring. I like my bikes light and fast, and I rarely ride longer than a few hours at a time. However, I have a real appreciation for Harley-Davidson’s touring bikes – I think they’re the best in the business. The new bikes look to continue that tradition.

Touring & Tech

The high-dollar touring machines are typically the first bikes in the Harley fleet to roll out new technology, so let’s talk tech. H-D Connect is a subscription-based service that allows you to monitor your bike’s health from your cell phone, as well as get alerts when it’s moved while parked. It can even help out if your bike is stolen. The simple fact that this new technology exists is likely to be a theft deterrent.

I’m a maintenance geek – in fact, you could say that I like working on my bike as much as I like riding it. Since I’m the sort of person that fastidiously tracks motorcycle maintenance on my computer with spreadsheet software, being able to keep tabs on my bike’s mechanical condition via a phone app sounds great to me. Checking my bike’s oil life sounds like a lot more fun than playing Candy Crush as I kill time during my morning constitutional. You know what I’m talking about.

The Road Glide Limited is replacing the Road Glide Ultra, and it brings with it a new package. The Black Finish Option will replace most of the bike’s chrome with blacked-out trim. For as long as I can remember, Harley-Davidson touring bikes have been covered fender to fender in gleaming chrome. I’m not sure how I feel about blacked-out trim on a touring bike, but I’m excited to see what it looks like in person.

Another touring development that I’m excited about? A CVO Tri-Glide. I’ve been fascinated by Harley’s three-wheeled lineup for quite a while. While I love leaning into the turns as much as the next guy, I appreciate that these bikes exist to bring in new riders intimidated by balancing a heavy machine, as well as extend the riding careers of older motorcyclists. The fact that they apparently sell enough of these to warrant a CVO model is interesting. It’s a good sign for the company, I think.

Back to the ’70s

Speaking of CVO models, I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the ’70s throwback paint jobs on some of the new Harleys. The gradient red/orange graphics on the 2020 CVO Street Glide look spectacular. They remind me just a bit of Can-Am’s motocross racing bikes from the 1970s.

In the same vein, I really dig the red, white, and blue AMF-style tank graphics on the Iron 1200. A few years back, I’d considered going this route on my old ’00 Sportster street tracker project. Now I’m left wondering if I should just buy a new bike!

Throwback paint is cool, but what about a full-on throwback motorcycle? From the tank lettering to the spoked wheels, the black-and-gold 2020 Low Rider S reminds me of two classic Harleys I love from the late 1970s and early 1980s: the XLCR and the FXR. The reduced rake of the front handlebars may not look as sexy as some Softails, but it sure as hell looks sporty. I can’t wait for my turn behind the bars.

There’s another new bit of technology that’s worth talking about, too: RDRS. RDRS stands for Reflex Defensive Rider System, and it’s like traction control went to school and came back with a master’s degree. Simply put, it’s way more sophisticated than a system that simply cuts the throttle when wheelspin is detected.

The system works on acceleration, deceleration, and braking by monitoring the chassis and electronically controlling the brakes so that you always feel like you’re in complete control. I bet this will be really useful in the rain, or when your idiot neighbor blows their grass into the street instead of putting a bag on their mower like a decent human being.

Stick This in Your Fuse Box

You know what time it is – it’s LiveWire time. I had to put it at the end, to make sure that you’d read through everything else. As awesome and game-changing as the LiveWire is, the supremely cool Low Rider S does not deserve to get lost in the shuffle.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a LiveWire. Everything about the bike is totally unique. It looks like a streetfighter bike, but it looks beefy, chunky, and just flat-out substantial, too. If it could talk, you can almost imagine it telling all of the other electric bikes to “get outta my way, nerds!”

Oh yeah, I love that bikini fairing. I want to figure out how to mount one on something, I’m just not sure what yet.

I’ve ridden my fair share of electric motorcycles, and I really enjoy the smooth power delivery and instantaneous throttle response. The LiveWire looks to be a real contender in the electric motorcycle arena.

It’s got about 100 miles of range – great for city riding – and gobs of torque. It’s got angry gear whine. It’s named after one of the best Bon Scott-era AC/DC songs. Seriously, what’s not to like about this thing?

It may not have the range of a gasoline-powered bike, but that will come in time as the technology develops. For now, I’m content to blast from stoplight to stoplight, showing those 600-class sportbike punks the muscle of some real, American kilowatts.

Photos: Harley-Davidson