The story of the is one of rebellion and factory-custom innovation. Often described as one of Harley's "meanest" models, it carved out a legacy for riders who preferred "blacked-out muscle" over the typical chrome-heavy look of traditional cruisers. The Origin: The First "Night Train" The name actually predates the popular Softail model.
: Harley-Davidson introduced the original "Night Train" with the 1971 Super Glide , which mated a Big Twin chassis with a leaner Sportster front end. Night TrainHD
: It was the first time the factory officially built a bike with a "custom chopper" profile, featuring a 74 cubic inch Shovelhead engine and a unique fiberglass "boat tail" seat. The Evolution: The Softail FXSTB (1998–2010) The story of the is one of rebellion
: It combined a skinny 21-inch front wheel with a wide rear tire (upgraded to 200mm in later models) and a "Badlander" seat that sat the rider low and lean. Performance Upgrades : : Harley-Davidson introduced the original "Night Train" with