Did I find a Harley-Davidson that sounds good enough from the factory?
You can just tell when a lumpy, lazy V-Twin goes thundering by. It sounds completely different from the high-strung inline-fours of sport bikes or the buzzsaw-report of a Ducati L-Twin. More often than not, the sound is the product of an aftermarket exhaust system. But I might have found a stock system that even the most dedicated Harley-Davidson motorcycle customizers could learn to live with and love.
Even die-hard aftermarket exhaust buyers may love the 2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S and its factory 2-1 system
H-D Homecoming was all about the music. If it wasn’t a parade of custom baggers, Dynas, and Softails, it was major music acts. Hank Williams Jr., Chris Stapleton, Sierra Ferrell, and Treaty Oak Revival were just a few of the names at the big show. Seldom, however, did you find a Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a stock exhaust system adding to the soundtrack.
It’s just one of those things. The brand’s fans and faithful buy a new bike and head right to the aftermarket for an exhaust system. But my bike for the weekend might not require such an expensive touch.
Years ago, I owned a Harley-Davidson Low Rider S. You know, back when it was a Dyna with tall rear shocks and peanut-butter-colored mag wheels. Its beating, thump-thump-thumping heart was a twin-cam 110-cubic-inch V-twin instead of the cooler-running Milwaukee-Eight in the newer model. It barked through a Basani Road Rage 2-1 exhaust system.
Fast forward a handful of years, and Harley-Davidson puts me on a 2025 model in Billiard Gray. Still an air-cooled twin, though this time it’s a 117-cubic-inch M8 pumping out 128 lb-ft of torque. Needless to say, it’s an improvement over the old twin-cam.
And instead of the 2-2 system from the previous model year, the 2025 FXLRS sings through a factory 2-1 system. Granted, it’s aesthetically, well, underwhelming. Instead of a heat-treated stainless steel or something similar, the entire system is black. That said, it does fit the overall look of the motorcycle in any of its color palettes, especially the Vivid Black or Brilliant Red.
More importantly, though, it sounds good. Good enough, in fact, that even habitual exhaust system buyers might think twice before swapping out the system. But that likely won’t stop Low Rider S buyers from poring over the internet and YouTube sound clips for their perfect system.
Better yet, the system is weight-saving over the outgoing model. According to H-D, the 2025 FXLRS sheds nine pounds off last year’s curb weight. All while making a better-sounding bike. Of course, you’ve got to pay to play, as the new LRS costs every bit of $20,000 before pricier paint options.
