The dragster-inspired Breakout is a blinged-out muscle machine.

BY: TJ HINTON  COURTESY: TOPSPEED

After a three-year production hiatus on the Breakout platform that comprised the base-model Breakout and the Breakout 114, Harley-Davidson revisits the family for MY23 with the new Breakout 117 that pretty much rolls straight over into 2024. As a member of the Softail family, the Breakout 117 comes built around the factory's second-generation faux-rigid frame that mimics the look of the later model hardtails from the 1940s when solid rear ends and hydraulic front ends briefly overlapped. The result is a classic-looking machine with all the comforts of modern swingarm technology in an old-school package.

This bike is a showroom drag bike. Whether you go legit on a track or simply are racing from light to light is up to you. The two are not mutually exclusive in the least. It's almost like a CVO bike in performance, displacement, and electronics, just without the sticker-shock firewall. The Softail family first saw the light of day in mid-1983 with the 1984 release of the FXST Softail. This saw a slew of variants throughout the years, culminating in the first major rebuild in 2017 for a MY18 release on the second-generation Softail frame and a whole new set of new variants to go with it. The latest Breakout model has this new frame to go with its new engine and other goodies.

2024 Harley-Davidson Breakout

Expert Opinion: This new generation of Softail models ride and handle much better than the first Softail skeleton. That said, the engine and electronics on the Harley-Davidson Breakout 117 still steal the show. Passenger comfort takes a backseat to performance and presentation.

Engine:

1,923 cc V-twin

Torque 123 LB-FT @ 3,500 RPM

Transmission 6-Speed Cruise Drive® manual

Driveline RWD

MSRP $22,499

Horsepower 101 HP @ 4,750 RPM

Pros

• Powerful engine
• Stock safety aids
• Solid performance
• Low seat height

Cons

• Stock forward controls
• Could use adjustable forks
• Disappointing color choices from the King of Paint

What's New For 2024

Subjected to a ground-up rebuild, it isn't hyperbolic to say that nearly every bit of the Breakout saw updates during the reimagination last year. A new, second-generation frame supports this machine while addressing the issues that plagued the original Softail structure, such as poor handling and less-than-stellar comfort.

H-D's Mil-8 117 is new to the family as well with its soul-crushing torque and blistering acceleration. A new tank console arrangement and deep-scoop saddle redefine the cockpit area, and chrome replaces some of the blackout treatment to make this a brighter machine than its immediate forebear. The new year brings new color combinations with edgy, model-specific graphics.

2024 Highlights

• New comfortable and responsive chassis
• Large Big Twin engine
• Basic rider-safety electronics suite
• Antique frame geometry from the 1940s
• Bobbed sheet metal for minimal weight

2024 Harley-Davidson Breakout 117 Performance And Capability

H-D's relatively new engine family, the Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin, powers this new-for-'23 Breakout model. Displacement increased from 114 cubic inches to 117 cubic inches with a concurrent increase in power output. The 2024 Harley-Davidson Breakout 117 produces 101 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. That torque figure is up from 119 pounds of grunt for an incremental advantage over the previous gen.

This engine relies mainly on the air-cooling efforts of the cooling fins, but it also uses oil-cooling features for targeted cooling and extra heat dissipation through the oil cooler that rides between the frame's downtubes. Each of the two heads holds a quartet of poppets, hence the devilishly clever “Eight” element of this model's name, so it really opens up the combustion chamber for efficient induction and waste-gas removal. Bore and stroke come at 103.5 mm and 114 mm respectively, for a total displacement of 1,923 cc.

A 10.2-to-1 compression ratio will require the use of mid-grade gasoline to avoid knock/ping/run-on issues. The Breakout 117 top speed is around 120 MPH, though individual results may vary. Traction control comes as standard to help prevent the rear end from breaking loose upon rapid acceleration.

Performance Specifications

Design And Styling

Design and history cross paths on Breakout 117, in more ways than one. The frame doesn't just have a tricky triangular swingarm to mimic the old rigid frames, it has elements from the custom culture as well. There's some gasser/bobber action going on with a cut-down front fender and heavily bobbed rear fender that's as long as its support struts to waste not an ounce on unnecessary bodywork. Blackout and chrome meet in the middle to give the bike plenty of visual contrast and curb appeal.

The headlights use LED tech for its sheer lumen output and low power draw, but the factory sticks to good old-fashioned incandescent bulbs for everything else. There's a little pullback in the handlebar and riser setup, but not much. With the forward controls factored in, it forces the pilot into the windsock position, which may be a bit intimidating for newer riders and will be wearisome over long distances.

The five-gallon fuel tank gives it the legs for such long stretches with the classic teardrop profile and chrome tank console. A small LCD screen built into the handlebar riser cap takes care of the instrumentation for the ultimate benchmark in clean cockpits. It comes ready to carry a passenger right off the showroom floor.

Specifications And Dimensions

Chassis And Handling

Mild steel makes up the tubular frame that relies on a backbone and double-downtube/dual-cradle arrangement for its strength, and the engine is completely supported rather than doubling as a support itself. The fall from the steering head to the rear axle is one continuous line that mimics the old rigid frames. This allows for a dead-low laden seat height of only 25.6 inches off the deck, which will be very confidence-inspiring at stops, even for shorter riders.

Adjustable spring preload at the rear shock is the only suspension tweak found, but at least the front end is Showa's 49 mm Dual Bending Valve forks that deliver demand-driven damping variations for a ride that is far superior to just plain vanilla stems with no need to fiddle with little adjusters. Cast-aluminum rims run with the Gloss Black finish on the 26-spoke design, and come shod with Michelin Scorcher 11 hoops in a 130/60-21 ahead of a 240/40-18. That nice big front wheel also adds to the Breakout's old-school custom chops as well. As for brakes, a single front disc and four-bore anchor take care of business ahead of a two-pot caliper out back with stock ABS all around.

Chassis And Suspension

2024 Harley-Davidson Breakout 117 Price And Availability

MSRP on the 2024 H-D Breakout 117 starts at $22,499. That's for the Billiard Gray colorway. In a departure from the historical norm, the bike comes in Vivid Black, but it's not the base color. Vivid Black paint adds $350 to the total, but if you fancy the White Onyx Pearl, Blue Burst, or Alpine green packages, you can add $650 to the tally.

Pricing And Features

BY: TJ HINTON  SOURCE: TOPSPEED

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