Darkside Details On the FLSTSB Cross Bones

Old Bones

The Motor Company is quite adept at reverse-engineering past designs when conjuring up new bikes. Part of the already popular Softail lineup, the Cross Bones was an awesome example of this sort of retro-thinking design. Joining the Dark Custom ranks in 2008, the Cross Bones was an aggressive custom with a black matte finish and heaps of attitude. 

Bobber Heart

An offshoot of the Softail Springer, the Cross Bones was a styling exercise with all the right chops. Unlike the tall and skinny chopper styling of the Softail Springer, the Cross Bones was planted on a set of fat tires giving it a classic post-war bobber stance. A rebel at heart, the Cross Bones enjoyed a brief five-year run until it was pulled from production in 2012. 

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Complete Trend

The Cross Bones was a complete Dark Custom package. It arrived from the factory with a Twin Cam 96B, six-speed Cruise Drive transmission, solo sprung seat, half-moon foot boards, nostalgic round air cleaner, chopped front fender and vintage-looking pinstriping. Introduced in the early-2000s, Harley-Davidson Dark Custom is a unique styling lineup that caters to the un-killable murdered-out trend that is still popular today.

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Popular Custom

In a 2008 interview with The New York Times, Willie G. Davidson said that the “Dark Customs were meant to recall the bikes of the years just after World War II when riders took military-surplus machines and stripped away all the excess to remove weight.” Davidson continued, “Those bikes had a kind of a crude look. They took paint and parts off. They established a visual that remains very popular.” 

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Rebel Rebel

Inspiration comes from all sorts of places and the Cross Bones is no exception. In the same New York Times interview, Willie G. Davidson batted around the year 1947. While he owns a bobber of the same year, it is also notably the date of the infamous Hollister, California disturbance. Magnified through the press, Hollister served to forever solidify the 'cool' rebellious image of motorcycles. 

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Authentically Raw

The Cross Bones and other Dark Custom motorcycles are all about attention to detail. While Harley-Davidson uses terms such as “raw, bare-bones and stripped-down” to describe the Cross Bones, quality still tops the list. Kirk Rasmussen, the Motor Company's Manager of Styling explained that while the pinstriping is done on the assembly line, it maintains authenticity “right down to its imperfections...it is very old school.” 

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Patina Potential

The Cross Bones' matte paint is a Harley-Davidson trademark. Part of the paint's intended characteristic is to take on a personality through use over time. Ray Drea, Senior Director of Styling compared the Cross Bones finish to a favorite pair of old worn-in jeans. He explained, “One of the paints is called 'Denim.' It is designed to be roughed and rubbed off.”

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Next Generation

Looking to expand their client base, Harley-Davidson pitches Dark Custom bikes to the next generation of rider. Yet, it must be a tough job selling the 'rebel look' to the under-thirty crowd when 'Hollister' means Abercrombie & Fitch clothing. Doubly so with the current 'born-to-be-wild' customer resembling in-laws rather than outlaws, and who are more likely to be lawyers than lawbreakers. 

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Immersed Design

Marketing is an uphill battle, but Willie G. Davidson insists that the Motor Company is in touch with its customers. A regular at motorcycle shows and gatherings, he stated “The designs come from the people. We see thousands of bikes. We are so immersed in this culture that we know what is timely.” Despite its limited production run the Cross Bones left an unforgettable styling mark — one that was apparently intentional. 

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