2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob Review [13 Fast Facts]

April 4, 2025

The 2025 Street Bob returns as Harley-Davidson’s cheapest Softail Cruiser, now juiced up with a bigger motor and modern electronics that demand a test ride. The starting price for the 2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob is $17,199; for that, you get a motorcycle with an iconic barebones look that belies its capabilities. We’re always looking for a reason to ride this model, and we have good ones this year that had us primed for a spin or four. So, let’s hop on and rip through town and country.

The motor is always the centerpiece of a Harley-Davidson, and the Street Bob gets a displacement bump for 2025. The cylinders were bored out to 4.075 inches this year, making it a Milwaukee-Eight 117. Along with the bore job, there are new cylinder heads, intake ports, and intake valve seats, though you’ll have to tear down the motor to notice. Oil cooling has been added to air cooling for the V-twin, and the oil cooler is fairly inconspicuous between the frame downtubes. Power output numbers aren’t significantly different from the 114, though that’s not a big issue, as there’s plenty of power on tap.

The Street Bob gets the new Classic tune. That 120 ft-lbs of torque hits at just 2500 rpm. The torque kicks in early, making it a beast off the line. You’ll see 98 horsepower if you spin the V-twin up to 4600 rpm, but that’s beside the point. Ignore the model horsepower number, as this motorcycle is all about acceleration. The torque on hand means you’ll never feel wanting. It’s a powerhouse. On the freeway, the 98 horses are nothing to sneer at, as the new Street Bob hits 100 mph without much delay.

Power modes come to the 2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob. While purists may engage in teeth gnashing, mark me down as a supporter of the three modes—Sport, Road, and Rain. They make a huge difference in the power delivery, while also adjusting engine braking, cornering ABS, and cornering traction control. Yes, all those goodies as standard on the new Street Bob.

Sport mode rips and snorts. In rural areas or where I know the police are otherwise engaged, it’s fun to just let her rip. The throttle response is impressive, and the motor spins up rapidly. In town, you have to mind your Ps and Qs, as you can get in a lot of trouble without much effort. It’s one of those addictive feelings—tapping into 120 ft-lbs of torque and letting loose. In the canyons and on the open road, it’s a sure way to induce a huge grin—just twist that throttle.

Between stop lights, the Road mode keeps my license in my wallet—barely. The throttle response is silky in Road mode, though the 2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob is still no slouch on city streets. It will haul at a moment’s notice, though the revs don’t increase with quite as much enthusiasm. It’s fine for cruising on the freeway, though I do like the Sport mode’s response when I need to slip into a fast-closing open slot between cars. Whatever changes are made to engine braking, ABS, and TC between Road and Sport modes are hard to detect—the big difference is how quickly the rev count increases.

I only tested Rain mode in the dry, and it pads down the power noticeably. Of course, who doesn’t want more TC and ABS in the rain? We thank The Motor Company for delivering it as standard equipment. It’s a wet-blanket safety net I’ll take.

New switchgear gives you immediate access to power modes and traction control. That’s how we like it. The power mode switch is integrated into the right turn signal switch, while traction control gets its own on/off button. TC is on by default, and I see no reason to switch it off if I’m riding on pavement. Oh, and the new switchgear is a clear ergonomic upgrade.

Harley-Davidson swapped out the progressively wound springs used by the suspension, replacing them with straight-rate springs. This is one of those changes that you probably need a back-to-back comparison to feel. While the suspension action is good, I wouldn’t turn down additional rear wheel travel—you can only do so much with 3.4 inches, as it’s necessarily firm. The short rear wheel travel is most noticeable when dodging LA’s corruption-fueled potholes. When the pavement is merely rough, you get that visceral ride that many cruiser riders embrace. You feel the road, though the sharper edges are smoothed out. The comfy solo seat and fat Dunlop D401s also help reduce impacts on the rider.

When cornering, the straight-rate springs provide consistent action throughout the stroke, so there are no surprises. The Street Bob acquits itself nicely in canyons, with enough cornering clearance to satisfy most riders. Sure, Mid-mount pegs feel tight with my 30.5-inch inseam. However, you get used to it, and the clearance the peg position offers is a trade many riders will want to make. The taller you are, the less tolerant you’ll be of the legroom; short inseam riders won’t mind a bit. In contrast, the mini apes offer plenty of room for your arms to operate and give the ride a rebellious profile.

The 292mm rear disc brake is the go-to deceleration method. I get stick from sport bike riders every time I bring this up, but that’s the way it goes. The rear brake is powerful on the Street Bob. That massive rear disc soaks up all the pedal pressure you throw. The 300mm front matters, but it’s optional till you’re in a jam. Otherwise, that 150mm Dunlop’s broad patch cashes the brake pedal’s bold check. ABS is standard and not unduly intrusive.

The 2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob gets a new dash. This one makes me sad, but I understand why it was done. Previously, a minimalist Tech Riser LCD screen between the bar mounts was nearly invisible, which adds to the defiant attitude you project on the Street Bob. Now, there’s a small, traditional, round speedometer housing. The speedo is analog style, with all the displays needed with the new electronics package. That’s progress.

There are a few other less prominent changes worth noting. The round air cleaner is pure retro. My knee bumps it now and then, but it’s no bother—some riders will consider that a feature, not a bug. There are new levers, and they’re fat—the brake lever can be adjusted for distance to the grip. The clutch pull is heavy, even with the assist feature—hydraulic actuation could help. H-D has added a USB-C charging point, which is a bit unexpected. Lighting is LED—I can’t argue against that. Finally, if you want the modern tubeless wire-spoke wheels in the photos, that will run an additional $800—worth it, if you’ve got it.

As the least expensive 2025 Harley-Davidson Cruiser by a fair bit ($3300), the Street Bob feels like a great deal. It rides solid, not flimsy—$17,199 gets you the king of low-cost kicks. It’s got that raw, 1940s look with modern tech under the tank, and the updates only nudge the MSRP up $200. That might be the best part of the 2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob.

Action photography by Brian J. Nelson and Kevin Wing
Static photography by Don Williams and Kevin Wing

RIDING STYLE

Helmet: Arai Contour-X
Communications: Sena 60S
Jacket: Dainese Desert Tex
Gloves: Cortech Windstop Lite
Jeans: Alpinestars Sektor
Shoes: Alpinestars Fater 3 Rideknit

2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob Specs

ENGINE

Type: Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic V-twin
Displacement: 117 ci (1923cc)
Bore x stroke: 4.075” x 4.5”
Maximum power: 98 horsepower @ 4600 rpm
Maximum torque: 120 ft-lbs @ 2500 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.3:1
Valvetrain: Single cam w/ pushrods; 4 vpc
Exhaust: 2-into-1; catalyst in header
Cooling: Air and oil
Transmission: 6-speed Cruise Drive
Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ assist function
Primary drive: Chain
Final drive: Belt

CHASSIS

Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable Showa Dual Bending Valve 40mm fork; 5.0 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Spring-preload adjustable shock; 3.4 inches
Wheels: Black Annihilator cast aluminum (Laced optional, $800)
Front wheel: 19 x 2.5
Rear wheel: 16 x 3
Tires: Dunlop Harley-Davidson D401
Front tire: 100/90 x 19
Rear tire: 150/80 x 16
Front brakes: 300mm disc w/ 4-piston caliper
Rear brake: 292mm disc w/ floating 2-piston caliper
ABS: Standard