What Is The Harley-Davidson Low Bob?
We may get a hint at new business plan announcement
Harley-Davidson, and its new Chief Executive Officer Artie Starr, are set to announce their new business plan on May 5, and it’s expected a big part of the plan will focus on the Sprint, a new, inexpensive, entry-level model first teased last July by former CEO Jochen Zeitz.
While the Sprint should deserve attention — especially if it meets Zeitz’s target of a sub-$6,000 price tag — it did overshadow the fact Zeitz announced the Sprint would be joined by other low-displacement models, including an entry-level cruiser (which suggests the Sprint won’t be a cruiser). Zeitz also hinted at the return of an “iconic classic” model.
We can now confirm Harley-Davidson has filed a trademark application for “Low Bob,” which suggests it will be the name of one of these new models. Harley-Davidson filed for Low Bob with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office on April 30, and with the U.K.’s trademark office on May 1, both for use with “motorcycles and structural parts therefor.”
As usual, trademark applications only reveal an intended name for a new product, with little other detail. Still, know enough to make some informed inferences.
Judging from Zeitz’s comments, it’s likely the Low Bob will either be a new name for an “iconic classic,” or an entry-level cruiser. We lean towards the latter, as a “classic” bike would likely reuse an old name and not get a new one.
The Street Bob currently fills a role as the entry point for Harley-Davidson’s Softail family, even if its 1,923cc displacement and claimed 646-pound weight don’t fit many definitions of a beginner bike. A smaller version of the Street Bob, with the engine, and possibly the frame of the Sprint might fit the bill for an entry-level Low Bob.
But let’s say the Low Bob will be the “iconic classic” instead of a beginner cruiser, new name be damned. One possible theory is that the Low Bob could be the replacement for the Fat Bob 114 (pictured below), which was last offered in the 2023 model year. Another option is a Low Rider S with a more minimalist look. Either possibility would represent something on the sportier end of the Softail spectrum.
We expect to get some answers when Harley-Davidson announces its new business plan tomorrow, along with its Q1 2026 Earnings call on May 4.
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Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
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Yet another variation of the same old design. Yawn. . .
Boring from woke HD. Where is the power? Not all figgets are beginners, ya know.