Harley-Davidson has had a bit of a revolving door of future plans after the Motor Company underwent a major internal shakeup earlier in 2020. As part of that drama, much of the ambitious More Roads To Harley-Davidson initiative got Thanos-snapped out of existence, including the Bronx streetfighter model. The Custom 1250 was also presumed dead, but it just appeared on Harley-Davidson’s list of future models for 2021.
Jochen Zeits took over as Harley-Davidson CEO after Matt Levatich was ousted earlier this year. Some of his first actions were to let off the throttle on the More Roads program and to slash his own salary. The Motor Company’s list of future motorcycles also took a hit, as the list was reduced to the Pan America and LiveWire (the latter of which was already on showroom floors). The Bronx was delayed indefinitely, and the Custom 1250 simply disappeared.
As of now there is not a whole lot of information about the Custom 1250. It uses the new water-cooled Revolution Max engine from the upcoming Pan America — a 60-degree V-twin making 145 horsepower — and the site indicates it’s planned for 2021. In finer print, it notes the model may not be available in all markets. As of this writing, clicking the Learn More button on Harley’s Future Vehicles page goes to a page that doesn’t exist, which is strange.
The bike could replace a model like the Sportster, which is finding itself facing a strong headwind against emissions and noise regulations with its dated Evolution engine. The Sportster has been discontinued in Europe, and fans fear something similar will happen Stateside. The modern Custom 1250 could soldier on in a world of tougher emissions.
The bar and shield arguably can also use another model to fight the competition coming from Indian, and even Yamaha and Honda have been putting up a fight with competent cruiser models.
I really hope this one sees the light of day. I’m not sure if diversifying the lineup will help Harley’s bottom line, but I absolutely adore its ideas for future models. The Pan America looks straight out of a Halo game and while the Bronx still appears dead, this Custom 1250 looks quick just sitting still. Maybe my first brand new motorcycle will be a Harley.
We’ll have more information as it comes!