Harley-Davidson

New Harley-Davidson 'Deadwood' Softail for North America Only

Described as being "inspired by Post-War Garage Customizers and the Spirit of the Sturgis Rally," Harley has added a new north America only "black sheep" addition to its "Cruser portfolio" [Softails!] with the introduction of the Deadwood model, a motorcycle that "taps into the raw, stripped-down look popular with many riders immediately following World War II. 

"The new Deadwood motorcycle celebrates this era with a rugged persona that evokes the spirit of the solo rider" and is slated for a public debut at the Sturgis Rally in August.

"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," said Bjorn Shuster, Harley-Davidson Head of Design. 

The new Deadwood Softail - "stripped down vintage style".

"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."

Harley's news release stated that the Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic V-Twin engined Deadwood is "stripped of ornamental trim and bright finishes, the powertrain, 2-into-1 exhaust, rear fender struts, handlebar and riser, hand and foot controls, fork covers and front end, signals and headlamp bucket are all finished in deep black. To highlight the V shape of the powertrain only the lower rocker covers and pushrod tubes are chrome plated. Denim Black paint covers fuel tank and front and rear fenders. The five-gallon teardrop fuel tank is topped with a black console holding a five-inch diameter instrument.

"Laced wheels with black rims reinforce the period styling. A tuck-and-roll solo seat with a laden seat height of 25.5 inches exposes the rear fender giving the Deadwood motorcycle one of the lowest seat heights of any 2026 Harley-Davidson model. The Deadwood model is not equipped with saddlebags, revealing the rear portion of a Harley-Davidson Softail chassis designed to mimic the clean lines of a vintage hardtail frame. Lowered rear suspension and a chopped detachable windshield give the Deadwood model a slightly slammed profile."

Additional features of this "stripped down" special include rear under-seat monoshock with hydraulic pre-load adjustment; rear suspension travel of 3.4 inches; dual-bending valve 49 mm forks; single front disc brake with 300 mm rotor; single rear brake with 292 mm rotor and tubeless laced wheels with cast aluminum rims that enable Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS).