2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout Review: 11 Fast Facts

August 29, 2025

When the Harley-Davidson Breakout debuted a dozen years ago, it was an uncomfortable yet stylish Pro Stock-inspired cruiser with a Twin Cam 103B engine to propel it down the road. The rider had to sit in a challenging V-shaped seating position to create the desired profile to onlookers. The ergonomic issues were addressed a couple of years ago. This year, the Softails enjoy major upgrades, and the 2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout comes out as a big winner.

The new Breakout boasts a Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom motor. The 2025 Softails get Milwaukee-Eight 117s in three different tunes—the high-performance H.O., the mid-range Custom, and the casual Classic. The Motor Company engineers saved the H.O. for the Low Riders, so the Breakout has to settle for a motor that cranks out 126 lb-ft of torque at 3000 rpm—30 lb-ft more than the original Breakout—and 104 unbridled horses at 4800 rpm. While the Breakout didn’t get the brawniest 117, there’s still plenty on tap for acceleration in any situation, including steep hills on highways. Power comes thanks to the increased displacement, Heavy Breather intake, new cylinder heads, an upgraded intake manifold, and new mufflers. The 117 keeps temps in check with an oil cooler assisting the traditional air cooling.

Three power modes make the most of the 117’s power. While big-inch H-Ds never lacked torque, they were never particularly fast revvers, and that was the main limitation to acceleration. The new Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom changes that with Sport mode, which is supported by Road and Rain modes.

While the Sport mode adds a bit of torque at lower and higher revs, the big change is how quickly the 1923cc V-twin spins up. Grab a handful of throttle in Sport mode aboard the M-E 117 Custom, and you will want to make sure you have a good grasp of the grips as you’re pushed back in the Breakout’s comfortable stepped seat. It’s a beast as the torque is fed to the 240mm Michelin Scorcher mounted on an eight-inch-wide 18-inch rim. The dragstrip-inspired styling is now matched by the power output.

Road and Rain mode are there when you aren’t trying to impress anyone, including yourself. Road mode tamps the throttle response down, while delivering nearly as much power. There’s no way you’re going to call Road mode slow, though, so respect for the throttle is still required. Still, it’s a calmer ride for when you’re in traffic or simply not in a hurry. We didn’t ride in the rain, but we clicked it into Rain mode. That reduces throttle response further, while ramping up the electronic safety net.

Although you might not expect nannies aboard a Harley-Davidson Softail, they’re here—fortunately, they don’t take over and ruin the experience. All of the electronics are cornering-aware, including traction control, engine drag torque control, and ABS. Traction control can be turned off, while the other two features are only adjustable by changing power modes. I cranked the throttle all around Los Angeles with traction control on and off. I didn’t notice any difference, so I left it on, just in case I hit a patch of sand, dirt, or water, which can happen in the Hollywood Hills. Older H-Ds implemented ABS crudely, with intense pulses through the controls. That’s gone, and the ABS does its job without drawing undue attention to itself.

Along with the electronics package comes a new dash and switchgear. The Breakout has a four-inch round display that is LCD rather than TFT—disappointing, given the bike’s list price starting at $23,099. Regardless of the technology faux pas, the LCD is easy to read and uses the same power mode pictograms that debuted on the first water-cooled Sportsters. The angular switchgear is an improvement over the previous organic design, with the most significant upgrade being the turn signal switches. The power mode button is located on the left half of the right turn signal switch, with the horn positioned in the same spot on the opposite side of the handlebar. While we’re talking about handlebar controls, the brake lever is adjustable. A powered USB-C port and plugs for heated gear are standard. The lighting is now all-LED, and the 5.75-inch round headlight is a new addition.

New springing improves the handling of the 2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout. While dual-rate or progressive wound suspension springing sounds good, and often is, it wasn’t the best path for the Softails. The soft part of the springing would blow through too quickly when riding aggressively, leaving only stiff action. Straight wound springs replace the fancy coils, and that means predictable and linear suspension action at both ends. This especially helps in cornering and braking, as everything happens as anticipated. Ride quality is not quite as plush on reasonable-condition streets and roads, as the initial action is stiffer. However, that’s an acceptable trade for the overall result.

When discussing the Breakout’s handling, it’s all about straight-line stability rather than cornering prowess. No doubt about it, the Breakout likes going straight, and all the chassis numbers support that—64.2-inch wheelbase, 34 degrees of rake, a fork angle of 36 degrees, 5.7 inches of trail, and a 130/60-21 front tire. Point it forward and off it goes, as fast as you like, while staying composed. Having said that, cornering isn’t all that bad. With a 21-/18-inch wheelset, cornering clearance is decent. Sure, the 240 rear tire is reluctant to initiate a turn. However, once heeled over, it has a planted feel due to so much rubber on the road. The 21-inch front tire is 130mm wide, so there’s a decent contact patch, and it works well enough if you keep your cornering aggression in check—easily accomplished with the Breakout’s feet-forward ergonomics.

The Breakout loves its 292mm rear disc brake. With a curb weight of 681 pounds and the velocity the 117 motor is capable of producing, you’re asking a lot of a 21-inch front wheel, a single 300mm front disc, and an axially mounted Harley-Davidson caliper—that’s where the brake pedal comes in. The Breakout is one of those bikes where I use the rear brake as the primary method of deceleration, tapping into the front brake when I need more stopping power. The enormous rear disc and 240 rear tire are up to the job 99 percent of the time you need to slow down.

Chrome is the new Black. Chrome is now trending after a move toward black, and the Breakout is only available in a chrome trim. There are five color choices, and they all look sharp. Billiard Gray is the base MSRP color, although it’s unlikely anyone would make that assumption based on appearance. The subtly two-tone Midnight Firestorm will set you back an additional $1300 and is the most expensive color choice. My time on the bike locally was with the yellow Centerline colorway, and it consistently turned heads, earning me two thumbs up within a mile of picking it up from the H-D Fleet Center in Southern California.

The 2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout is almost a mainstream bike. The original Breakout was a bike where you had to suffer to be cool. The current ergonomics are much more accommodating to the human body, thanks to a pulled-back handlebar, so you can look great without paying a price in comfort. The Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom motor and the accompanying electronics package make the Breakout more aggressive while simultaneously making it more civilized. That’s not an easy trick to pull off, and the designers performed it flawlessly.

Action photography by Bryan 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 Faster 3 Rideknit

2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout Specs

ENGINE

Type: Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom V-twin
Displacement: 117 ci (1923cc)
Bore x stroke: 4.075” x 4.5”
Maximum power: 104 horsepower @ 4800 rpm
Maximum torque: 126 lb-ft @ 3000 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 49mm fork; 5 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Spring-preload adjustable shock; 3.4 inches
Wheels: Cast aluminum Front wheel: 21 x 3.5
Rear wheel: 18 x 8
Tires: Michelin Scorcher 11
Front tire: 130/60-21
Rear tire: 240/40-18
Front brakes: 300mm disc w/ 4-piston caliper
Rear brake: 292mm disc w/ floating 2-piston caliper
ABS: Standard

DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES