Back in 2008, Harley-Davidson had manufactured a special line of motorcycles, sort of a crossover between their vintage hardtail and a Softail. The fun part is it was more of a cruiser. They called it Crossbones. The XB was a four-stroke V2 custom motorcycle. This Harley classic bobber built in their Softail platform was first announced in January 2008 in San Antonio at the Harley-Davidson winter dealer meet-up. It was inspired by their early Knuckleheads and Panheads, which pretty much shines through the design.
The Harley-Davidson Crossbones is the definition of nostalgia, simpler times, and all good things of the past. You couldn’t help but smile while you were on the XB. In words (as per Motorcycle Specs) of Bill Davidson, the VP- Core Customer Marketing of the company, only Harley-Davidson could have made this bike and we can not agree more.
After the war, many Harley owners had started modifying their motorcycles. They used to strip their bikes of everything they thought useless, which often included front brakes too. The 2008 FLSTSB Softail Crossbones was an attempt in the same vein, albeit it was much safer and way more comfortable. The exterior was unique and stylish, which is why the Crossbones stands out from all the other Softail models. Its distinctive springer front end suspension, chopped front fenders, and ape hanger handlebars rendered it a retro look. Unfortunately, the model did not prove to be successful. The Cross Bones was killed after a brief stint of three years and discontinued in 2011.
The Harley-Davidson dark customs motorcycle, Softail Crossbones is a blast from the past. This retro-styled classic bobber was way ahead of its time and must be brought back already.
If you are a Harley enthusiast, you know what we are talking about. The Harley-Davidson FLSTSB Softail Cross Bones was cool, comfortable, and efficient, and we think it’s high time that the XBones should make a comeback. Read through the end for a full story.
The Harley-Davidson Cross Bones Was Ahead Of Its Time
The Crossbones was a blend of chopped custom innovation with raw style. While on one hand post-war styling cues were pretty evident, the XB was also loaded with a bold personality and free spirit a combination of which is highly sought after by the modern generations. An incredibly smooth, fun, and comfortable ride quality took the experience several notches higher. Since it was inspired heavily by the old chopper bikes, Cross Bones was an assembly of everything great in the early Harley Davidson models.
The hand-stitched seat sat high at 26.6 inches and gave a good view. The seat was wide and heavily padded, which made for excellent comfort value. The Harley-Davidson Softail Crossbones came equipped with a 1584 cc air-cooled, twin-cam 96B V twin counterbalanced engine paired with a six-speed manual cruise drive transmission. It could hit the maximum torque of 93.7 lb-ft at 3000 rpm (the 2011 model year). The XB felt most comfortable on a sweet speed of 55 mph to 65 mph, which was decent for a cruiser. Unlike most other Harleys, this dark customs bike was incredibly quiet and adds to the nostalgia. However, the major highlights were its style, looks, and comfort. Of course, all of this could be modified according to the current taste of buyers and the Crossbones will still be as good.
According to Chicago Tribune, the Crossbones was a slick ride and was one of the easiest bikes to ride. XB was way ahead of its time, which was probably why it could not be as successful as it could have been.
More People Appreciate The Harley-Davidson Crossbones Now Than When It Was Launched
Crossbones was aimed at soldiers who had recently returned to their civilian lives and were looking for a no-nonsense machine that was fast and comfortable but also not short on thrill by any means. Honestly, this mentality holds for the buyers (young or not) of any generation, today more than ever.
Crossbones was badass and had a little something for everybody. However, it is also not for everyone, and we XB lovers are more than okay with that. Ironically, now that they have become so rare, more people are realizing how cool the springer looked. It’s kind of sad that Harley-Davidson does not produce the springer front end anymore. That old school look of the Crossbones was just stunning. It took you back to simpler, happier times. To be fair, the craze for the Crossbones never really left us, a fact which is for all to see on the gazillion online forums where people have been pronouncing their XBones love for years, asking to make a comeback.
With its minimalistic approach and raw, old school style, the XB is a throwback to the glorious, passionate past. If the Harley-Davidson Softail Crossbones is brought back now, it is sure to break all sales records. Harley could maybe put it on a slim, and it would be a sure shot recipe for success. Not only the fanboys, but young thrill-seekers will love it too. Yes, it is going to be ridiculously expensive, but then good things do not come cheap.