I swear that if you had asked me 2 years ago I would have told you that the Mother Factory would probably release, sooner or later, a Softail Bobber. It was so evident. Not only because the retro trend was in full swing, but because nothing screams more Harley than a Bobber. For example, sketch a bobber. Show it to anyone you want anywhere in the world, even to non-bikers, and ask which brand it can be? Harley will almost always come up. The new Softail model, inspired by early Knuckles and Pans, was announced at the Harley-Davidson Winter Dealer Meeting in San Antonio. With the retro look of a Springer front end and other post-war era bobber styling cues like a sprung solo seat (2 positions),half-round rider floor boards, gloss black round air cleaner cover and chopped front fender, the Softail Cross Bones rides with a black and polished Twin Cam 96B power train, 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission,and a Softail suspension.The FLSTSB Cross Bones is available in premium custom graphics with wicked striping and paint featuring new Dark Blue Pearl, Dark Blue Denim,as well as Vivid Black, Black Denim, Olive Pearl and Pewter Denim. MSRP starting at $16,795. Harley-Davidson Dark Custom
New Harley-Davidson Cross Bones. Darker Than Dark
Published by January 23rd, 2008 in Builders and Editorial.38 Responses to “New Harley-Davidson Cross Bones. Darker Than Dark”
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Remove the Harley name on the gas tank, and it’s a 10,000 bike. Build your own bobber for cheaper.
Right you are, Patrick !
Besides : a duck tail fender on a bobber ???
And how about that oversized engine ?! As far as I remember, the only real bobber is a knuckel bobber.
Thanks but no, thanks.
Geronimo : Thanks man !, I thought I was the only person that has a problem with that rear fender !.
That rear fender blows!!!
Interesting that they did not use the rear fender from the Rocker or Rocker C. Seems to me that would have flowed better with the styling.
I think they did a good job. It was about time. As far as the fender one could change it. That fender back in the day was highly used. I bought my first HD in 65 and have not only watched the changes I did my own work. A bobber is any bike you cut up and chopped down. Be it a BSA, Triumph or what ever. A knuckle was a bonus. Still is.
Chrome all that springer, air cleaner cover, headlight and ape hangers.Change the fender. Put on some alloys, a king queen seat with a tall sissy bar, shed that ugly denim paint and you’ve got an old school winner.
Yikes… Doesn’t Harley do focus groups anymore? Can’t believe that back fender would have made it past many people….. And yeah, the “blacker than black” thing is getting a bit tired……
A million times better than that pig ugly Rocker.
Harley does nothing from scratch, and that fender–shared by all of the so-called “bobtail” models–is the only sheetmetal they have to wrap a 200mm tire, besides the Fat Boy fender, and that would look really queer.Taken all together, it was a smart move on their part for 2008, considering how bizarre and undesirable the Rocker models are.
Well in IL there is a big buzz about the Rocker, everyone I’ve talked to in person says it looks great I haven’t seen it yet but I’m looking forward to it. Did anyone know the Cross Bones bike was even in design, if so is there a pro-street chopper in the works because thats what I’ve heard. This bike isn’t my style but with a few tweeks it might be awesome and last time I checked rear fenders are keep and simple to replace. Just my thoughts.
I’m sorry,buy that Nike is just flat out bad. Styling is bad, the stance bad, the riding position is way too high and you’ll feel like a dumb @$$ for paying that much for it.
just got one in vivid black-a beaut to look at and ride-added 14″ black apes and a tall and wrapped pipes-happy a kid with this fun ride-nimble and sports like on the road. have an 06 deluxe thats become a part time ride since i got the crossbones- cant express how sweet this baby rides and feels
this is by far the biggest sleep within the last five years of development. the bike is awesome…just a few minor tweaks..and this bike is a total grand slam. congrats harley.
Got one myself handles great gets a lot of great comments.Gonna tweak it a little bitseat saddle bags and pipes.Have fun in the sun.
You all must be a bunch of young spoiled,whining,self-centered,instant gratifacation young punks.C’omon man,this bike is “bad ass & bitchin.Screw the fender!I remember riding on Indians & Harlys as a kid!Awesome machines.This bike is for old guys like me who remember when America was a Hell of a good country.Why don’t you all watch Easy Rider for a little education?I got a Cross Bones in my garage,fresh off the floor,& I’m here to tell you,it’s one HELL of a ride.God bless America!!
I love this bike! I get compliments all the time. If you don’t like the fender, don’t buy it! Also, for all you guys into chrome, save it for your 69 camaro…Back in Black!
Just brought my new Cross Bones home! WOW! Traded in my Ultra Classic, what a difference. Love this bike!! You guys who can’t afford a Harley stop whining!
I just test drove the crossbones and loved every mile I rode.I’m going to wait for the 09 so I can get my night rod paid off. I cant see how you can not like this thing.Its oldschool and badass
The name says it all.
I just sold my 87 Softail Custom (with 18″ apes) for 10 grand, just to make room in my garage for my new Crossbones. I’ve waited a lifetime for a stock bike like this. I’ve been building my Harleys for 36 years from scratch (I’m 54). I can finally walk into the Harley showroom and buy exactly what I would have built, if I could. “Indian Larry lives on”, through Willie G.
I bought the OD Green model. I was thinking 1942 WLA Liberator when I laid eyes on this bike. I had to have it. I traded in my 11 month old OD Green Nighster for this bike. The Nightster proved to be too small for me anyway. The Nightster, decked out, was one Wiked Kool looking bike.
On the CrossBones, I have added the pillion and half moon rear floor boards. I wrapped the heat sheilds(black), rather than remove them, and the chrome rear foot boards give it some contrast. Just like too much chrome, there’s also too much black out there… I will add the sissy bar, but rather than move the rear signal indicators, I will modify the bar bracket to fit around the indicators. I have added a couple of Willie skulls here and there for effect, and I will replace the handlebars with something that shoots up and then drops back down, or dog-bone and broomstick it. The rear fender doesn’t really fit, but I haven’t seen a bobbed one yet that I’m happy with. The rear on the Nighster is really something. Interesting how it was created. I may have to fabricate a fender of my own. I prefer the dull green, as on the Nightster, but the ladies like this gloss and pinstriping, I’ve noticed. Other than the minor details,
I Love This Bike !!
I would like to fabricate a setup for a spring rear seat, as a WLC had, but this might be hard to get used to looking at…
I just bought a 2009 crossbones and would like any info about keeping the stock pipes on, removing the stock baffles and installing baffles which will give it a much better sound than it has now and if it will affect the computer controlled fuel system.
Yea im 31 been ridin bout 10-15yrs with some down time here and there. i just grabbed the 09 bones…the fender i give 2 squrts about, the pipes sound like a jap bike. the ride is smooth. all in all im lovin the bike! but gotta change the pipes. its not a harley without LOUD pipes! although the neighbors love the quiet. but hey, i didnt get it for them! but yea SAMMY they gotta re-tune it when you put straight pipes…not sure bout just tha baffs?
is it possible to order a Harley cross bones with a rocker fender on it. i love this bike and about to order one but im iffy about the fender ?
Sammy,
I have the V&H Straight shot slipons on my ’09 Crossbones and they sound great, with no mods to the intake and pretty easy to do yourself.
I bet not one of you clowns even own one. I just bought one and it is cool as $hit. I also have a 1940 EL knucklehead that looks awesome to. The cross bones not only looks great it rides great better than ony streched out chopper and yah it is a Harley the best American bike built today.
Hey J Bones did you have to do anything else when you changed exhaust to V&H slip ons
awesome bike but the rear fender is sort of like ketchup on a dessert… remove it…
“Remove the Harley name on the tank and it’s a $10,000 bike?” What the heck are you thinkin? Maybe if you use used parts and an Ultima drivetrain……and carbureted with no warranty or backing and all new parts would be aftermarket……I hardly call that equivalent! It’s a Harley and a badass one at that….yeah, the back fender is cheesy, but swapping it is nothing. As far as “real” bobbers having a pan or knuckle…..Thats was true back in the day, but do you want to have to deal with the kicking all of the time, the knee pain and constant maintenance? Get real guys and quit yer whinin’ It’s a tough bike and Harley did a good job…..except for the rear fender.
couldn´t agree more with Shovelhead.
I’ve got an ’08 “Cross-Bones” I purchased new in march of last year. I’m 57 yrs. old and I can tell you this is one bad-ass ride and all of you lil’ wussies that are knocking this bike have never even sat your little tender tush on one.
This has to be the coolest bike I have seen. I`m with ya on the fender. The fat tires ,springer front end, tractor seat, Woooah!! Damn sexy! Get some apes, different pipes ( fishtails ), some cool graphics, bigger headlight and I`m sold! Actually I`m already sold, I just can`t afford to spend kind of money.
To all you guys that own one,…Lucky Buggers!!
Ok about the fender i got a after market yaffee fatty,, hooked up a side mount plate holder bullet signals fwd controls x pipes and yaffee pit coolers bars,,,, p pad for the wife and a lepera barebones,,,, also had the pin stripping and skull buffed out by a local painter and got the 1956 tank emblems put on ,,,yes it took some mods but i love it,,, almost bought a grandeur bobber but stuck with hd,,,,,And like EVO BLOCK HEAD Said i walked in and bought something i would build,,,, So now actually own a deuce and a C.B.,,,,,
CROSS BONES……. ROCKER. The thinking behind this bike is FANTASTIC…… The Design of this bike is STUPID!…… First is the BLACK ONLY Springer Front End…. Then the bottom triple tree is inverted tilting the front end in toward the frame….It looks like it ran into a wall………. If they FIX the front end so it has a little rake to it, then it would start to look like an old bobber!……. The SEAT is stupid too……The look is right but the springs make it look like a poor mans seat…… The seat should be sitting down low or use a bigger (wider) seat as they did back then…….. They should offer a chrome option for the Wheels, Engine, and everything else thats painted black…….. The Idea is Fantastic……. But in looks, It looks like Kawasaki or Honda made this bike…. But then again, The Metric bikes are starting to Out Style Harley These days as it is……. THE ROCKER…… KAWASAKI DRIFTER (Indian clone) had this same rear suspension in 1999….So this is not a new thing…. Harley stole it from Kawasaki……. As for the design of the Rocker….. It makes me wanna PUKE…… Who was dropping hits of LSD that gave the Go-Ahead for this bike to be built…..That guy should be horse whipped!….. Either way…….If I was rich, Id buy a Rocker and a Cross Bones and store them away for 50 years….THEN and ONLY then will they be worth the price they are asking for these ugly bikes….To think, Harley KILLED THE HERITAGE SPRINGER and THE SOFT TAIL SPRINGER in order to give us the Rocker and Bones…….. WILLIE G, you dont look good with egg on your face……………… The Victory motorcycles are looking better & better to me every day……. I want to buy my first brand new bike and leave every Harley Dealership thinking about buying one of the trade-ins instead of a new bike……. Even the Bike Glide and road king now have NON MATCHING FRONT AND REAR FENDERS!!!!…..Instead of making both new fenders, Harley just made a wider rear fender to fit the bigger rear tire……… Its like running a spoke wheel in the back and a Fat Boy wheel in the front……Scheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech.
AND I HOPE ALL YOU POSERS DON’T LIKE IT!………………Let your crying begin
silly fools…..this bike is sick….i bought a 2008 crossbones as soon as it was available…..in the last two years i have put 18,000 miles on it….and have loved every minute…..as soon as i got it….i jacked up the handlebars with 16″ apes….swapped out the pipes for vance and hines short shots, added a big sucker air filter, and a power commander….also added some saddle bags….i’ve taken a test drive on nearly every harley in stock….and the crossbones is by far the sweetest…..i’ve also owned yamahas, suzukis and kawasakis….NOTHING comes close to the crossbones….for power, looks, or pure fun…..and everwhere i go….people are sweatin it. if you can’t afford it, don’t cry…..get your —- to work…..my crossbones was worth every penny!
the fender has got to go ….