The newest addition to Harley-Davidson's Icon Collection program, the Low Rider El Diablo epitomizes elegance in the form of a hot-rod bagger

Harley-Davidson beefs up its Big-Twin cruiser line with a fresh take on the classic Low Rider in its 2022 Low Rider “El Diablo” model. Based on the '83 fixed-fairing FXRT, it carries a similar bullet fairing with hard-side panniers for a little storage. Custom paint and a Rockford Fosgate stereo complete the package of goodies.

H-D didn't pull any punches when it came to the power plant, so the El Diablo rolls with the powerful Milwaukee-Eight 117 on board. The Low Rider El Diablo produces 103 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. Max torque comes out at 3,500 rpm, but the majority of it is available lower in the rev range, so this engine has something to give as soon as it starts to spool up.

A single central camshaft rides in the nosecone like the older Big Twins had before the Twin Cam years. It actuates the four-valve heads via hydraulic lifters and pushrods that ride in the external tubes.

As usual for H-D, this mill runs in a long-stroke layout with a 103.5 mm bore and 114.3 mm stroke. This gives it a 1,923 cc displacement and a middling 10.2-to-1 compression ratio that will probably tolerate mid-grade gasoline just fine.

A chain-type primary drive sends engine power through a wet clutch, then through a six-speed transmission with a belt-and-pulley final drive. The combined drivetrain puts out a Low Rider El Diablo top speed governed at 107 MPH.

Engine control falls to the module and the throttle grip with no ride-control subsystems such as traction control and drag-torque mitigation. They aren't even available as optional equipment, so you can count on a fairly raw ride with excellent feedback and honest handling.

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The MoCo reached back into its own history for the El Diablo design, and folks, I think it's a real peach of a sled. Maybe I'm biased since I had an '89 FXRP police special that could have looked like this. Custom elements join with an old-school look on the new Softail frame. The new frame replaced the old Softail frame, then the Dyna, which itself replaced the original FXR platform. It has all the faux old-school charm.

A chopped-down front fender pulls double duty as a spoiler for the inverted front fork tubes. It rides under a frame-mount fixed fairing that is clearly influenced by the old FXRT bullet fairing. There are differences. The auxiliary light recesses outboard of the cyclops headlight are now fairing vents, and the glass – ground down and tinted – has a more custom vibe right off the showroom floor.

A small instrument display joins the Rockford Fosgate sound system. This gives you plenty of tuneage to share with the class and gives you your favorite background music for your highway adventures.

The blackout treatment is intense. It covers almost everything except the sheet-metal parts and the chrome/polished bits on the engine for more custom flavor.

It's a Low Rider, so the slammed seat is 28.3 inches off the deck. It's a solo saddle for a bit of an outlaw air to go with its West Coast looks.

Short panniers provide 1.9 cubic feet of secure dry storage, which is really cool looking, but it does reduce the El Diablo's utility as a long-range ride or a meaningful grocery-getter machine. This leaves it mostly as a Boulevard Bruiser that will look great down at the pub or wherever you go to see and be seen. I mean, you could add a tour pack on the back, but that will ruin the whole dark-side vibe the designers were going for.

Welded, mild-steel tubular members make up the frame on the Low Rider El Diablo, but it's the backstrap with its rectangular cross-section that really gives the structure its final strength. It's really the frame that sets the stage with its old-school faux-rigid architecture.

That strong backbone establishes a constant angle down from the steering head to the pointy swingarm ends, just like the hardtail sleds of old. However, in this case, it's a lie since the triangular swing cage delivers a modern ride with 2.2 inches (56 mm) of suspension travel.

Yeah, that's a little on the short side, but this is a Low Rider, and the achieved balance is through short-travel suspension components. It does provide for a max-safe lean angle of 31.3 degrees, which is pretty sporty overall. As for adjustment, the rear spring-preload tweak is the only thing going.

This frame comes in a double-downtube/double-cradle arrangement. It completely supports the drivetrain rather than using it as part of the structure.

Cast aluminum is the material of choice for the wheels that round out the rolling chassis. They come shod with Michelin Scorcher “31” rubber in a 110/90-19 ahead of a fat, 180/70-16 and with an “H” speed rating that will tolerate speeds up to 130 mph.

A pair of four-bore calipers bite the 300 mm front discs, while out back, a 2-piston anchor and 292 mm disc take care of business. ABS comes with the standard equipment package.

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The Harley-Davidson Low Rider “El Diablo” costs $27,999. That's MSRP, so out the door will be a bit higher, especially if you avail yourself of the full line of accessories. The only colorway has El Diablo Bright Red over El Diablo Red Metallic Fade.

The H-D Low Rider “El Diablo” comes with baked-in competition from a domestic source. Enter the Indian Challenger Dark Horse (pictured).

Indian sets up its entry with its own slice of Americana born of actual experience. The iconic War Bonnet fender ornament rides where it always has at the leading edge of the high-side front fender. It rocks its own fixed fairing as well, though it's a deal beefier than the relatively sleek El Diablo.

Power is comparable. Indian powers its entry with a liquid-cooled PowerPlus V-twin engine that produces 122 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque for an edge in ponies.

Indian compounds the pain for The MoCo with its lean-sensitive RIDE COMMAND pilot-support electronics for which The Devil has no answer. I mean, it could, H-D just decided not to chuck on its RDRS goodies, so here we are.

Suspension is vanilla across the board with neither bike sporting anything beyond the obligatory spring-preload adjuster on the rear end only. Indian comes off just a skosh prouder at the checkout with a $28,999 starting price for the base colorway at the bottom of the totem pole, and the $31,499 sticker on the two-tone option. It's rare for a competitor to beat H-D on colors, yet here we are.

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"Oh man, such memories of my FXRP. I could have set it up just like this, even though the West Coast thing wasn't quite where it is nowadays. I like this El Diablo a lot, but having ridden with small bags, it can be limiting in some ways. Oh well, they still make backpacks."

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, "There's only one color available for the El Diablo, but it's beautiful, so I'm not complaining about a lack of choices. Yes, this is the same engine as in the Low Rider ST, which is straight out of the CVO line. You know it's no slouch when it comes to performance and handling, but honestly, the El Diablo looks like a show bike."

TJ got an early start from his father and other family members who owned and rode motorcycles, and by helping with various mechanical repairs throughout childhood. That planted a seed that grew into a well-rounded appreciation of all things mechanical, and eventually, into a formal education of same. Though primarily a Harley rider, he has an appreciation for all sorts of bikes and doesn’t discriminate against any particular brand or region of origin. He currently holds an Associate’s degree in applied mechanical science from his time at the M.M.I.