The new 2026 Harley-Davidson Deadwood is the latest addition to The Motor Company’s Softail lineup of cruisers. Closely related to the Heritage Classic, the new Deadwood leans heavily into Denim Black, positioning itself as a back-to-basics motorcycle priced at $17,999. Let’s go over what Deadwood is all about.
We’ll let Harley-Davidson Head of Design Bjorn Shuster have the first word: “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. As designers, we find this era of customization and personalization, the early origins of the bobber-style custom, to be very inspirational. Our second key source of inspiration lies directly in the name Deadwood, a place linked to both the Sturgis Rally and to its own rebellious history. The graphic design for the tank art evokes a Western visual language which personifies that location.”
With Denim Black paint and Black trim, few colors and little chrome make an appearance. You’ll see a few chrome touches on the Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic top end, and the Harley-Davidson logo on the tank is orange, but that’s about it.
Floorboards, wire-spoke wheels, a short windshield, and a tank-mounted, analog-style speedo reinforce the vintage feel. You get a nice platform for your boots, wind protection on the highway, and the black rims retain the advantages of tubelessness. The wheels also feature a tire pressure monitoring system.
Despite a stripped-down presentation, the 2026 Harley-Davidson Deadwood retains the latest electronic rider aids that have redefined the Softail experience. You get three ride modes — Sport, Road, and Rain — along with IMU-informed, cornering-aware ABS, traction control, and engine drag torque control. There is also a USB-C charging port.
The motor is the Classic flavor of the Milwaukee-Eight 117. It’s the most casual of the M8 tunes, putting out 120 lb-ft of torque at 2500 rpm and 98 horsepower at 4600 rpm. The Classic tuning is all about a broad torque curve delivered with a manageable throttle response.
The 2026 Harley-Davidson Deadwood will appear in public for the first time on August 7 at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. All you have to do is be at the Harley-Davidson event headquarters.
2026 Harley-Davidson Deadwood Specifications
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 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.3:1
Valvetrain: Single cam w/ pushrods; 4 valves per cylinder
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The 2026 Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory 1100 remains one of the purest expressions of excess in motorcycling, standing proudly as an example of two-wheeled wish fulfillment done right. There are no gimmicks, pangs of guilt, or disappointment in the Tuono V4 Factory; it is simply a damn good bike. Nic de Sena tells us all about why you need this exceptional motorcycle in your garage.
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This year, ARCH Motorcycle shocked the MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan series by capturing their first historic race win. To explore the massive behind-the-scenes effort that fueled this success, we sit down with Executive Producers John Stevens and Chance Wright, of the new six-part docuseries, Hooligans: The ARCH Racing Project with Keanu Reeves & Gard Hollinger. In this segment, they give us an inside look at the show, which follows ARCH as they transition from building custom bikes to entering the high-stakes world of professional racing. Joining us alongside is Brad Knight from technical partner BDO. BDO USA serves as the official race tech and consulting advisor for ARCH Racing. Their technology partnership centers around a bespoke, AI-powered race intelligence platform designed to drastically optimize the team’s track performance. The AI side of this project focuses on taking raw race and telemetry data and transforming it into immediate, actionable insights for the crew. It’s a fascinating insight into the new technology that helps make them faster on track.
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Our guest this episode is Paul Puma, President of the United States Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA) and a Relationship Manager for Wells Fargo Motorsports Division. He leads the organization in connecting riders with certified coaches to promote nationwide safety, skill development, and sport growth.
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Here’s quick reminder to check out our monthly digital magazine. It’s filled with everything you want to read on motorcycling, including some things you’ve probably not seen elsewhere. It’s absolutely free and you will find it on the Apple App Store and of course on Google Play as well.
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