Harley-Davidson Breakout Review; Power And Presence Galore

NDTV

19-05-2025

If you pick up a dictionary and look for the meaning of 'Breakout', you will find that it means 'a forcible escape', say from a prison. Or it can mean something which found sudden and massive success. But the Harley-Davidson Breakout that you see here, well, the name suits it because it is an escape from traditional Harley design and so, a breakout. I rode this motorcycle for a few days and it is difficult to not fall in love with it, despite its obvious flaws.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Design
Alright so, one of the biggest draws of owning any Harley-Davidson motorcycle is the way it looks. And the story is the same yet different with the Breakout. Same, because the kind of presence and visual appeal that this motorcycle has is unlike anything on the road. And why is it different because, the way the motorcycle looks is a huge departure from how other Harley Softail motorcycles look.
The 21-inch front wheel, raked out front end, a custom-looking LED headlight, and tear-drop shaped fuel tank make for a distinct design. In the middle, down below, you have this vast expanse of gleaming chrome and the two-into-two exhaust, which just looks so heavy metal. At the rear you see the off-set number plate and the chopped fender which shows off that massive 240 section tyre in all its glory. The other highlight is the 'Heavy Breather' air filter which sticks out, but not like a sore thumb. The Harley-Davidson Breakout looks more like a custom motorcycle than a model that would have rolled off an assembly line. I absolutely love the way it looks.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Features
Now the Breakout gets a decent set of features, which include ABS and traction control along with a small negative LCD screen mounted on the handlebar, which shows all the required info, although it is a bit difficult to read under bright sun.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Ergonomics
Sitting on the motorcycle is quite easy, since the seat height is a scant 665 mm. You seat low and you reach out to the handlebar, which is nice and wide. The footpegs are placed forward like it is on a cruiser. But if you were to drag it out of a parking lot, you will need solid strength because it weighs in at 310 kg. But does it disappear on the move? We are about to find out.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Engine Specifications
It gets a 1,923 cc V-Twin also called the Milwaukee-Eight 117, which refers to the cubic-inch capacity. The behemoth of an engine is air-cooled, and it makes about 102 hp at 5,020 rpm along with putting out a mind-blowing 168 Nm at a relatively low 3,500 rpm. To put that into perspective, the Tata Nexon petrol, with a 1.2-litre engine makes 170 Nm at up to 4,000 rpm.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Performance
Riding the Breakout literally makes you feel like the king of tarmac. The motorcycle pulls like a freight train. The sheer ferocity with which the motorcycle accelerates is something that you need to experience in order to believe it. You do feel vibrations on the handlebar and the footpegs but there is nothing that feels overly intrusive, except the loose fuel filler cap, which was sort of annoying. Also, shifting gears feels like an occasion. The metallic clang, with which the gear slots, well, to me, it feels satisfying. And if cruising at triple digit speeds is something that you like, the Breakout can do that with relative ease.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Ride & Handling
Despite its sheer size and weight, it is not like you will be left with a sour taste as far as dynamics is concerned. The suspension is surprisingly decent, more so than the current crop of 650 cc motorcycles from Royal Enfield, I daresay, and yes, the motorcycle does take some time to lean, but when it does, you will start scraping your footpegs within no time. And don't expect to change directions on a dime, of course. One also has to be careful while negotiating big bumps, because I did end up scraping the underbelly a couple of times. The ground clearance is hilariously low at 115 mm.
Now, if you want to go long distances on the Breakout, you will have to be mindful of the windblast which will surely play spoilsport about a couple of hours into the ride, unless your backside is not protesting already and your fingers aren't feeling tired from the pulling in the heavy-set clutch lever.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Price and Rivals VO
This is the 2024 model of the Breakout and it is priced at Rs. 31 lakh (ex-showroom). While the 2025 model is listed on the company website, the price is yet to be announced. Yes, the Breakout is definitely expensive considering that you can buy the Ducati Diavel V4 for Rs. 27.2 lakh and the Triumph Rocket 3 for Rs. 22 lakh, both being significantly cheaper.
Harley-Davidson Breakout: Verdict
Riding the Harley-Davidson Breakout is an event. It has exceptional street presence and incredible pose value. The best part is the happy 'king of the world' feeling that it offers when you ride it. Because you know that all eyes are going to be on you. If you are a Harley owner or plan to own one, the Breakout in particular, then all the inherent flaws and that hefty price tag won't make a difference to your purchase decision.
Photography: Rakesh Singh