Harley-Davidson's 2012 CVO Breakout limited-edition special sold out so quickly that we didn't even get a chance to ride one before they were all gone, but for 2013 the Motor Company has re-invented the Breakout as a standard machine, putting it right at the top of the Softail range, with distinctive finishes and specific components you won't get on other Harley models.
The new Breakout is long and low-slung, with a shaved tank console and drag bars to keep the profile low. Chunky 49mm forks and chopped mudguards balance out a 240mm rear gumball, while special 'gasser' wheels - 21” in front and 18” rear - echo the monster drag-racing Harleys of the 1970s.
130NM AT 3000RPM
But this bike is all about the engine, a black and chrome 1690cc '103B' counterbalanced V-twin, rigid-mounted in the frame, fed by electronic sequential port fuel-injection, and rated for 130Nm at 3000rpm.
Harley-Davidson styling manager Kirk Rasmussen put it this way: “With the Breakout we got down to motorcycle essentials, which means emphasising the engine and the wheels.
“The black and chrome engine visually pops out of the middle of the bike, and we chopped the mudguards to maximise the impact of the tyres - we wanted a lot of rubber showing.”
LOW PROFILE
To keep the profile of the 18.9-litre fuel tank - with its special glass-filled badges - as low as possible, it has a black leather centre trim strip and a chrome-plated pod just high enough to cover the wiring and vent tubes.
The speedometer is on the handlebar riser, just behind a new, curved drag-style handlebar finishes in gloss black.
The pillion section of the two-piece seat can be removed without tools for solo riding. Laden seat height is 627mm.
The Breakout comes standard with a anti-lock braking and a factory-installed security system; prices start at R231 000.