FIRST GLIMPSE of incoming production Harley-Davidson 1250 ‘Custom’ 

The next Harley-Davidson motorcycle to make use of the firm’s fresh 1250cc Revolution Max engine will be a production version of the ‘Custom’ prototype, it has been revealed.

Earlier this week the storied Milwaukee firm announced it would be presenting an all-new model on July 13, giving away precious little detail about its identity beyond it being ‘sportier’ than the Pan America (not a difficult stretch) and that it would be the next model to use the Revolution Max architecture that debuted in the aforementioned adventure motorcycle.

At the time we speculated it would be one of three potential new models, though in reality we were 90% sure it would transpire to be the production version of the ‘Custom’, a prototype design study that has been floating around the internet for a period that can be measured in years (plural).

The identity of the Custom - which we expect to wear a different name on its unveiling - appears to have been revealed in a short trailer where, in true teasing fashion designed to annoy journalists, a silhouette of the top half slowly unveils before being shrouded by H-D branding. Argh! (We've fiddled with the exposure for a closer glimpse)

We won’t have long to wait before we get to clasp our eyes on the real thing though and - excitingly for you out there - there is a chance for you to see it at the same time as us in the media if you sign up for the virtual launch. We can also send you the bumf and spec sheets to trawl through if you want to type an article for us too (joke… maybe).

Though we are well accustomed with the Custom, given Harley-Davidson has wiped out one board and replaced it with another since it was first revealed as a concept, we can probably expect a few changes to the design.

Other details might be made public prior to unveiling, including how ‘wholesale’ the engine is compared with the Pan America, or whether Harley-Davidson have altered the 1250cc size as it was planning to do with the shelved Bronx streetfighter, which used a 975cc version of the Revolution Max platform. 

Though the LiveWire and Pan America have courted a significant amount of attention in the context of Harley-Davidson’s future in the wake of a bruising few years financially, the Custom is arguably the more important launch in that it will blur the lines of H-D’s ‘bread and butter’ with the modern direction forged by those aforementioned models.

Indeed, this is a model that will need to cover a lot of ground for Harley-Davidson by keeping the loyal (but ageing) brand enthusiasts content, while attracting fresh (younger) eyes to the brand in order to keep its recent bounce back heading the right way.