Test-Riding Harley-Davidson’s Deadwood Before Its Sturgis Debut
ByJosh Max Courtesy Forbes
Summary
Harley-Davidson is set to debut its 2026 Deadwood motorcycle at the 86th Sturgis Rally on August 7. A reviewer spent three hours riding the new model, praising its powerful Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic engine, comfortable ride, and "boss" feel. Closely related to the Heritage Classic but lighter at 686 pounds, the Deadwood boasts a slammed, postwar-custom look with a solo seat, smoked windshield, and black laced wheels. Its 1,923cc V-twin delivers 98 horsepower and 120 lb-ft of torque, offering excellent low-rpm acceleration. Priced from $17,999, it includes modern electronics like riding modes, cruise control, and cornering-sensitive systems, all while maintaining an analog-style display. Despite minor issues with finding neutral and footpeg size, the Deadwood is lauded for its looks, power, and unique "black sheep" character.
Harley-Davidson is debuting its all-new 2026 Deadwood motorcycle at the upcoming 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, running August 7 through 16 in South Dakota’s Black Hills. Of course my response to the company-sent email announcement was “Excellent. Can I drive one?” A swift “Yes!” came back. The next day, my leathers and I showed up to an address and bingo, I was rolling.
I spent three hours aboard the Deadwood, touring the Pacific Coast Highway, climbing and descending hills, crossing residential neighborhoods and working through heavy traffic.
Immediate impressions
It’s a Harley-Davidson, meaning it’s powerful, loud but not too loud, it’s comfy and you feel like a for-real boss. Mechanically, the Deadwood is closely related to the Heritage Classic but without the saddlebags, passenger seat, passenger pegs and touring emphasis. It weighs 686 pounds, 33 pounds less than the Heritage Classic, and carries its rider only 25.5 inches from the pavement. You can’t tell that it’s that heavy - the handling is very good as well as feeling like a lighter machine when you push or pull it into a parking spot.
A shortened rear monoshock contributes to its “slammed” stance. A smoked windshield, solo tuck-and-roll seat, broad 16-inch tires and black tubeless laced wheels give it that postwar-custom look. The low-rpm torque stood out in my test - you gotta love those quick goodbyes. Rolling on the throttle produces immediate forward motion - bingo - without requiring frantic downshifts or high engine speeds. Its happy place (or mine) is on the freeway, around 65 MPH.
The only available finish is Denim Black - which is fine - accented by orange tank graphics and a small amount of chrome around the engine. The result is leaner and less decorative than the Heritage Classic, although “lean” remains a relative term when discussing nearly 700 pounds.
Harley calls it the “black sheep” of its Cruiser lineup. The name also connects the bike to Deadwood, South Dakota, one of the historic towns surrounding the Sturgis rally.
Engine
You’ve got Harley’s Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic, a 1,923 cc air-and-oil-cooled V-twin producing 98 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque at 2,500 rpm. A six-speed transmission sends that output to the rear wheel. Mileage is about 47 MPG, and the tank holds about 5 gallons. It starts at $17,999.
Electronics
The Deadwood includes Road, Sport and Rain riding modes, cruise control, tire-pressure monitoring and cornering-sensitive traction and braking systems. The electronics stay mostly out of sight, leaving a five-inch analog-style speedometer and compact digital display rather than a large touring-bike screen.
The short windshield takes some wind pressure off the rider without hiding the road, even if you duck down. The floorboards suit the relaxed riding position.
The tradeoff for the dramatic stance is limited rear-suspension travel and 4.7 inches of ground clearance. You’ll notice the bumpy ride here and there, but we ironbutts are used to that.
Room for improvement
I was almost never able to coax the motorcycle into Neutral the entire time, instead doing that first-second-first-second-dammit tango. It’s also not a motorcycle for non-tall folks. I’m 5’9 with a size 9 shoe and the footpedals are designed for a much bigger foot.
Other than those two beefs, I thoroughly enjoyed the motorcycle's looks, power and flavor.
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