Founded in 1903 by William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, the Harley-Davidson motorcycle brand has been around long enough to capture riders’ hearts and wallets worldwide. While the “Shield” has become an American tradition and a symbol of freedom and the open road, not every model that wore the logo impressed riders or stood the test of time.
Several were criticized for various reasons, whether it was about their lackluster performance, design flaws, or just that they got overshadowed and outshined by their siblings.
We toast to a nostalgic yet critical look at some discontinued Harleys over the years – models that were once part of a legendary lineup but faded into obscurity, and we don’t even miss them. Every model in this list taught the company important lessons that helped refine its lineup over the years.
Harley-Davidson Street 500
- Production Years: 2014–2020
That we don’t miss the Street 500 doesn’t mean we deny its existential contributions to Harley’s history. It was an entry-level Harley, which also made it the perfect candidate for the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy.
The company aimed to target younger riders and international markets with a strong demand for smaller, more affordable bikes. Apparently, the Street 500 would’ve been better off the street and focusing on its purpose as a training bike. 29 lb-ft of torque, really?
The failure to stay off the streets resulted in the bike flopping – discontinued in 2020 after just about six years. It simply lacked the power and build quality that people have come to expect from the Shield.
Harley-Davidson XR1200
- Production Years: 2009–2012
The Harley-Davidson XR1200’s failure to capture the American market must have taught the company important lessons on maintaining your lane. It was supposed to help Harley branch out from its traditional cruisers and touring bikes.
Instead, it bored riders with its awkward handling and uninspired design despite being inspired by the legendary XR750 flat-track racer. Seeing as the XR-750 was a dominant force in racing, people were right to hold the XR-1200 to high standards.
Unfortunately, a bike expected to bring sporty performance and handling to the Harley lineup failed in this mission. Should it have succeeded, it would’ve launched the Harley brand into the performance bike market, particularly in Europe.
Harley-Davidson V-Rod
- Production Years: 2001–2017
The V-Rod, like the XR1200, is another important lesson on maintaining your lane unless you absolutely can wing a successful experiment. In Harley-Davidson’s case, not even a collaboration with a big name like Porsche convinced its fanbase. They were not impressed by the V-Rod’s modern but strange, aggressive design.
Traditional riders and Harley purists couldn’t stomach its liquid-cooled engine – a bold departure from Harley’s heritage. On top of that, the V-Rod struggled with weight and ergonomics. Harley must have anticipated the fallout and ‘begged’ for understanding by naming the engine “Revolution.”
Unfortunately, Harley’s customers are as hardcore as they come, refusing to be sold even with the 1130cc V-twin’s wow-worthy 115 hp. Harley had never built an engine this potent, and the V-Rod was supposed to attract a younger, performance-focused demographic, competing with high-performance cruisers like the Yamaha VMAX and Ducati Diavel.
Harley-Davidson Dyna Fat Bob
- Production Years: 1991–2017
Fat Bob is a popular Harley motorcycle that many don’t miss. It is a popular bike, though not from fond memories. People will rather forget a bike named Fat Bob because it was literally too heavy to move its masses, seriously lacking agility and unable to provide the level of comfort you’d expect from a Dyna.
Needless to say, Fat Bob just wouldn’t go away. It trundled on for nearly three decades before it was over, produced from 1991 to 2017. Apparently, it served its purpose even though it clearly failed to resonate strongly with Harley enthusiasts.
Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 SuperLow
- Production Years: 2011–2019
It’s a surprise that the Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 SuperLow lasted eight years, produced from 2011 to 2019 and producing all of 50 hp. It wasn’t even good enough for the beginner riders it was aimed at, offering not just lackluster performance but also notably cramped seating.
The result is that the Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 SuperLow was so mediocre for a Harley that it couldn’t even impress the entry-level market it was supposedly designed for. SuperLow featured a lower seat height in anticipation for either kid riders or short ones. At least, we’ll remember it as one of the lightest Harleys ever built.
Harley-Davidson Buell Blast
- Production Years: 2000–2009
The Buell Blast reinforced just how much Harley-Davidson struggled to build beginner bikes that perfectly fit the brand’s essence. Offered under the now-defunct Buell Motorcycles brand (owned by Harley-Davidson at the time), it couldn’t replicate the style and performance the Harley brand is known for.
It featured a single-cylinder engine that felt ultimately cheap. What we can learn from these entry-level flops is that you either go all in or don’t even show up.
34 hp is underwhelming, even for a beginner bike. A more successful execution could’ve made the Harley-Davidson Buell Blast a gateway to Harley-Davidson’s more premium models.
Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide Standard
- Production Years: 1986–2009
The Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide Standard was a stripped-down touring bike that could’ve been one of the kings of the evolving touring market if it hadn’t lacked essential features too many.
It featured a minimalist design that riders within and outside the Harley ecosystem thought a letdown. It showed up without advanced electronics, a radio, or an infotainment system in an era riders expect more tech and convenience features.
Unsurprisingly, the Electra Glide couldn’t compete and was even overshadowed by its own cousins like the Street Glide and Road Glide.
Harley-Davidson Softail Rocker
- Production Years: 2008–2011
Here is Harley-Davidson trying yet again to expand its market beyond the traditional cruiser and touring segments. This time, it aimed the Softail Rocker at custom chopper enthusiasts, armed with a radical, stretched-out design.
Unfortunately, the Softail Rocker stood out from Harley’s lineup for the wrong reasons. The design and suspension setup polarized the market, and no one from either side of the divide was a fan of its impractical ergonomics and harsh ride quality.
The bike’s low ground clearance and raked front made it difficult to handle on uneven terrain or around corners, and its retractable passenger seat (Trick Seat) didn’t look good when deployed. At least, the Softail Rocker can go down in history as one of the most controversial models Harley ever built.
Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Sprint
- Production Years: 1961–1974
The Aermacchi Sprint is a series of motorcycles that Harley built in collaboration with Italian manufacturer Aermacchi. It turns out the Italian blood is the beginning of Aermacchi Sprint’s problems.
It was unreliable and lacked the American craftsmanship and power Harley and its American compatriots were known for. Harley had just purchased a 50% stake in Aermacchi back then, hoping to use the brand as a convenient cover to introduce America to smaller, more affordable motorcycles.
Consequent to being marketed as lightweight, sporty bikes, the Aermacchi Sprint used 250cc and 350cc engines that produced 18 hp and 25 hp, respectively. It stood little chance of success since Harley’s customers were drawn to larger, V-twin cruisers and touring bikes.
Harley-Davidson Baja 100
- Production Years: 1970s
Imagine a Harley-Davidson dirt bike. That’s exactly what Harley tried to pull off with the Baja 100 in the 1970s. The project was a commercial failure because the Harley-Davidson Baja 100 exhibited a crisis of identity.
It was a small displacement off-roader co-developed with Aermacchi and aimed at the growing market for lighter, off-road-focused motorcycles.
The heart was a 98cc 2-stroke, single-cylinder engine that produced 12.6 hp at 8,000 rpm. It even won its class in the 1971 Baja 1000 off-road racing. Unfortunately, the Baja 100 alienated Harley’s core customer base, who disliked its ‘foreign’ design and small, 2-stroke engine.
