There’s no better feeling like rocking up to somewhere – whether it’s at the worksite or a social gathering – on a Breakout Harley-Davidson. The iconic motorcycle brand is back and ready to meet all your urban exploring needs with the 2023 Breakout.
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THE BEAST WITHIN
It’s taken 10 years of perfecting for Harley to present Aussies with the newest Breakout, and boy does it show. Performance is at the top of any modern biker’s shopping list, and end-to-end performance is what you get.
It comes out-of-the-box with a Milwaukee-Eight® 117 V-Twin engine, which sports improved torque and displacement with precision oil/air cooling. Harley-Davidson’s Motorcycle Management Vice-President Luke Mansfield said a 117 powertrain was the natural go-to for the new Breakout.
“When we’re thinking about motors and bikes, we’re trying to match the character of the motor to the bike,” he said.
“When we went to refresh Breakout, there was really no choice but the 117 – that was the natural fit because it gives the performance for the customer who’s after a muscular motorcycle.
“People are very fixated on displacement. There’s lots of different ways to work with various displacements and add loads of different character.”
A 18.9L fuel tank will keep you enjoying the road for longer and has a low-profile console shape to lengthen the bike. Airflow has been heavily improved via the Breakout’s high-performance camshaft and Heavy Breather air intake. While the Heavy Breather’s exposed filter is forward-facing and allows for strong mid-range torque, it more importantly gives off a ripper hot-rod vibe. Wanting to just ride around the streets looking like a boss? Now you can, right from the get-go, thanks to the 2023 Breakout coming standard with cruise control and using Harley’s Softail® chassis, which gives the rider the classic look of a hardtail, but reduces the weight without any added stiffness to the riding experience.
UP FOR A ROAD TRIP
While the Breakout is the urban rider’s ultimate companion, there’s nothing stopping you from bulking it up for a weekend getaway or tour.
“This is a bike that thrives in pro urban riding,” Luke said.
“But I will say, in terms of customisation, that we see a lot of riders fitting windscreens, racks and luggage.
“You can easily tour on one of these, especially with the 117. It’s got very long legs, so if you get this bike on the highway doing long distance, you’ve got the five-gallon tank, you’ve got the 117 powertrain – this is going to do well on longer journeys.
“I think a lot of customers are looking for a bike to ride around with their friends, then when the opportunity comes up for those longer journeys, this is a great bike for that – it’s very versatile in that respect.”
So don’t be afraid to unleash this machine on a nice open highway.
RIDE THE LIGHTNING
The 2023 Breakout comes with plenty of style upgrades that make it stand out from other more pedestrian motorcycles. It comes with a polished stainless-steel handlebar with a riser that’s 19mm taller than the previous incarnation.
This allows for easier handling of the Breakout with improved reach to controls. Its 26-spoke cast-aluminium wheels look absolutely sick, with a gloss-black finish and machine detailing.
That chrome finish extends to rear-fender supports, side covers, muffler shields, turn signals, mirrors and Heavy Breather, with Harley going all out on the shine-factor. This was something Luke said Aussie Breakout diehards were yearning for. He added that when it came to designing the new Breakout, it was the Aussie rider who was foremost in Harley’s mind. “As one of the most popular motorcycles in the Australian market, this cruiser is designed to rule the street with style, ease and power – we can’t wait to see riders embrace all the Breakout® has to offer,” Harley-Davidson ANZ Managing Director Nigel Keough said.
TO PIMP, OR NOT TO PIMP YOUR RIDE
It’s no secret: we as a nation love customising a Harley. Whether it’s a minor paintjob or a full-blown workover to make it your own, customising has been a major plus for Harley owners. From release, however, the Breakout comes in four classic, yet fresh, looks: vivid black, Baja orange, black denim and atlas silver metallic. Along with all its new features, Luke said users should be pretty pleased with the Breakout from the get-go.
“It’s a bike for people who like to stand out, and I think those are the same people who like to customise,” he said.
“We don’t push that, but I think our customers pull it, which is fantastic, and you never know which model is going to light up people’s imagination.”