Introduced in 1988 the Harley-Davidson Softail Springer is a retro model based on the Softail Standard. The FXSTS is a basic bike which pays tribute to the bikes of the post war years when Harley’s identity was truly established. The Springer front end is based on the 1948 model but the rest of the bike was completely updated. Paying tribute to its roots with the front end is what makes this bike. Dripping with chrome, the Springer front end carries a skinny 21 inch front wheel on stubby swing arms that are linked by pushrods to springs and a single damper up near the steering head. To keep the front brake from causing feedback in the suspension, the Springer’s lone front brake caliper is secured by a floating mount that isolates braking torque from suspension movement which makes for a great visual impact. The intense chrome front end stands in contrast to the clean understatement of the Softail rear suspension and lends the bike a raked look without actually having one. A traditional Harley-Davidson big twin resides in the Springer’s engine bay and is bolted directly to the frame for riders who want a true V-Twin experience. A 5 speed transmission and the belt drive are also standard features. This particular example is a 1 owner bike with 8,347 original miles that has been pampered since day one. It has been upgraded with a Corbin 2-up seat, a passenger backrest, a quick release windshield, a highway bar and it sounds just plain nasty ripping though it’s performance exhaust. It was just serviced which included having the carb rebuilt, a new battery, new plugs, a new oil filter and all new fluids. Considering the extremely low mileage and the fact that 1997 was the last year of the springer this one is destined to sell quickly. If you agree you better pick up the phone before it’s too late!
