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Harley-Davidson’s Deadwood is a vintage bobber bike for the modern age
All the retro vibes with none of the retro drawbacks.
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is close, and Harley-Davidson isn't showing up empty-handed this year. The Milwaukee brand just pulled the wraps off its newest model, the Deadwood, which will get its first real-world introduction to the public at the company's booth on August 7.
So what exactly is the Deadwood? Think stripped-down bobber with a vintage soul but modern guts. Harley clearly leaned into old-school proportions here, and the round headlamp up front, flanked by auxiliary lights, gives the bike an unmistakable retro face. A tall windscreen sits above it all, finished in a smoked tint that ties in nicely with the bike's mostly blacked-out paint job. A few chrome touches, the Harley-Davidson badge, and some scattered reflectors break up the darkness just enough without ruining the moody aesthetic. Down below, the laced wheels (19 inches up front, 16 out back) add a splash of visual texture to an otherwise minimalist build.
Don't let the bare-bones looks fool you, though. Underneath that vintage shell, the Deadwood is running plenty of current-generation rider aids. Cornering-capable ABS comes standard, along with traction control and drag-torque slip control to help keep things composed under braking and throttle. Buyers can also option a tire-pressure monitoring system, and the bike offers three selectable ride modes: Road, Sport, and Rain.
Power comes from Harley's familiar 1,923cc Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin, good for 98 horsepower and 163 Nm of torque. That big lump sits in a Softail frame, which hides a rear monoshock to preserve that hardtail look without actually punishing your spine on every bump. Up front, dual-bending valve forks measuring 49mm handle suspension duties, while braking is kept simple with a single disc at each end.
Harley's head of design, Bjorn Shuster, explained the thinking behind the bike, tying it back to the brand's postwar roots. “The Deadwood motorcycle embodies that spirit of rebellion and individualism that was so prevalent following World War II, when many returning GI rode a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to experience excitement and freedom. At that time, very few vehicles could match the thrilling performance of a stripped-down war-surplus Harley-Davidson.”
Shuster also touched on the bike's name, noting that Deadwood carries its own rebellious history and a close connection to the Sturgis Rally itself. That connection shows up in the bike's tank graphics, which lean into a Western-inspired visual style meant to reflect the town's identity.
If you want to learn more about Harley-Davidson’s bikes here in the Philippines, visit MotoDeal.com.ph
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