2008 Harley Softail Crossbones

2008 Harley Softail Crossbones

HARLEY-DAVIDSON CROSSBONES (2008 - 2012) Review

8

At a glance

Owners' reliability rating:	5 out of 5 (5/5)
Annual servicing cost:	£300
Power:	75 bhp
Seat height:	Low (30.2 in / 766 mm)
Weight:	High (700 lbs / 318 kg)

Overall rating

Next up: Ride & brakes

3 out of 5 (3/5)

Harley's Cross Bones is the perfect antidote to a tough week at work. It's so comfortable, thanks to its wide, beautifully padded, hand-stitched sprung seat and rubber-topped footboards that you could almost fall asleep on it; something the whisper-quiet exhausts would unfortunately let you do, if you weren't careful.

It looks the part and the 'Springer' front end adds to the coolness of this Harley-Davidson. It doesn't have as much grunt as you'd expect from such a big (1584cc) motor, but it's happy just to plod along all day in the sunshine at 50mph; it's ideal cruising speed with an open-faced helmet. You can't help but smile when you ride the Harley-Davidson Softail Cross Bones and it makes you feel special.

All this loveliness comes at a price, though and costing close to thirteen grand, it's certainly not cheap, especially when you consider it's a single-seater. Try selling that to your missus.

Ride quality & brakes

Next up: Engine

4 out of 5 (4/5)

Weighing an elephant-like 317.5kg (what the hell do they make these things out of, it's 7.5kg more than two Honda CBR600RRs?), the Harley-Davidson Cross Bones simply squashes any bumps it goes over, so ride quality is actually very good. The soft suspension and sprung seat serves to make things even more comfortable on bumpy roads. But the sheer weight of the thing means that braking has to be done very early to avoid obstacles. The stronger of the two brakes is the rear. Corners need to be caressed and not attacked, and in a perfect world (like in the US) avoided altogether. A low seat makes the job of paddling the Harley around easier and helps the low-speed handling. This is a cruiser, pure and simple, so low-speed riding is what the Cross Bones is all about.

Engine

Next up: Reliability

2 out of 5 (2/5)

It's a big shock to experience the motor for the first time. The big V-twin looks huge, it has a gargantuan 1584cc capacity and it's no doubt responsible for most of the galactic all-up weight, but despite all of its massiveness, it's whisper quiet and lacking any real get up and go. Adding some loud pipes to bring the Harley-Davidson Cross Bones alive is a must for this machine. As well as being quiet, the motor is unbelievably smooth for a Harley, although the gearbox is a clunky affair, like the gear selector inside the 'trannie' has been swapped with a sledge hammer. Cruising along in top gear at 50mph is what this engine does best.

Reliability & build quality

Next up: Value

4 out of 5 (4/5)

Generally the Harley-Davidson Cross Bones is well screwed together and nicely finished, although build quality in some areas isn't quite up to scratch, with niggly things like side panels and exhaust bolts coming loose and falling off, if you don't keep your eye on them. With a big engine that's barely stressed, reliability shouldn't be a concern.

Value vs rivals

Next up: Equipment

2 out of 5 (2/5)

The Harley-Davidson Cross Bones costs £12,706 for a solid colour and £12,850 for pearl, which is a lot of cash for not a lot of bike. As nice as it is to ride and as cool as it is to look at, you're paying through the nose for the Harley badge and all it stands for (its history, heritage and marketing spin) here. The engine and chassis are very low-tech and you only get one seat. When you think you can get a technology-packed Ducati 1198 for a grand less, you'll realise that the Harley Cross Bones is terrible value for money. You can buy an equivalent Jap cruiser for a lot less, but it won't come with the badge. Find a Harley-Davidson softail for sale.

Equipment

3 out of 5 (3/5)

For your hard-earned you get a maintenance-free belt drive and a hand-stitched leather seat and tank strap. Up front, conventional forks are replaced with a coll, old-school 'springer' front end and you can see it bobbing up and down when you cruise along, which is different. Acres of chrome, a cool paintjob and beautiful styling add to the appeal of the Harley-Davidson Cross Bones, but aside from that, the equipment level is quite low, given the price. Compare and buy products for the Harley-Davidson Cross Bones in the MCN Shop .

Specs
Engine size	1584cc
Engine type	1584cc 4-valve, V-twin
Frame type	Steel cradle frame
Fuel capacity	18.9 litres
Seat height	766mm
Bike weight	318kg
Front suspension	Non-adjustable
Rear suspension	Non-adjustable
Front brake	2 x 320mm discs
Rear brake	240mm disc
Front tyre size	120/70 17 in
Rear tyre size	190/50 17 in

Mpg, costs & insurance
Average fuel consumption	43 mpg
Annual road tax	£96
Annual service cost	£300
New price	-
Used price	-
Insurance group	15 of 17 How much to insure?
Warranty term	Two year unlimited mileage

Top speed & performance
Max power	75 bhp
Max torque	70.3 ft-lb
Top speed	90 mph
1/4 mile acceleration	13.2 secs
Tank range	182 miles

Model history & versions

Model history

2008 – Cross Bones introduced

MCN Long term test reports

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Read the latest report

Owners' reviews for the HARLEY-DAVIDSON CROSSBONES (2008 - 2012)

2 owners have reviewed their HARLEY-DAVIDSON CROSSBONES (2008 - 2012) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your HARLEY-DAVIDSON CROSSBONES (2008 - 2012)

Summary of owners' reviews
Overall rating:	5 out of 5 (5/5)
Ride quality & brakes:	3.5 out of 5 (3.5/5)
Engine:	4 out of 5 (4/5)
Reliability & build quality:	5 out of 5 (5/5)
Value vs rivals:	5 out of 5 (5/5)
Equipment:	4.5 out of 5 (4.5/5)
Annual servicing cost:	£300

5 out of 5 The perfect bike for me

15 February 2016

Year: 2009

Annual servicing cost: £300

This bike is a perfect town.cross country cruiser. I have had some work done--installed ProV power Commander auto tune, Long duration hi lift Andrews 57 cams and Vans-Hines two into one cross over exhaust. Last year (2015) took it on a 2100 mile ride across Oregon, Idaho, up into Montana through LoLo pass then back east across the Cascade expressway, back south and east into Ellensburg, WA, then through Yakima into the Columbia River Gorge then home to Portland, OR. Longest day was 500 miles from Missoula, MT to Ellensburg--no sweat for this 68 year old. I love this bike.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

Heavy bike so braking lead time is to be considered. Rides very well

Engine 5 out of 5

Now that its tricked up without being bored out this thing runs like a raped ape.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

15,000 and one flat tire, and replaced filed brake light hydraulic switch

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

I get 28-34 MPG town, 42 MPG country at 70 MPH, due to cam and a twisty wrist.

Equipment 5 out of 5

I am happy with Dunlops even in the rainy NW. And I love the Harley leather saddle bags for the cross bones--look good and easy to install. Also have a windscreen and retro textured grips,

Buying experience: Bought with 5k on the clock from a dealer--took 3 weeks in February when sales were slow.....they were asking $18 in 2010--got it for $14K

5 out of 5 I LUV X Bones

19 April 2010 by mrmarklin

As a two year owner of this motorcycle I can say it's a great motorcycle, and good value. Let's touch on some areas that are not in the above review. Everywhere you go you get attention because of the solo leather seat and the springer front end. The bike flat out looks cool, and with the optional pillion and sissy bar would be a chick magnet if you were so inclined. On a trip throught the four corners area of the US (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah) the bike was a major attention grabber. A gas jockey left his cash register the hear the bike start (I have had the pipes modified), Italian tourists took photos of the "chopper" at the four corners monument actually posing near the machine, and at Glen Canyon dam near Page, Arizona German tourists actually videotaped me leaving the parking lot area riding helmetless, and revving the motor. So far there has been a lot of consumer satisfaction. Consumers need to understand that buying your Harley is only a starting point for upgrades that may be necessary to comfortize and individualize one's bike. It's true that this bike is heavy, does not like very twisty roads, is slow and ridiculously expensive. Even more expensive now that I have installed Rinehart Racing crossover pipes, and bored the engine out to 103". This cost around $5K USD. Now I know this sounds ridiculous, because it's not a lot faster compared to Jap sport bikes, and the handling didn't improve. But the cool quotient went off the charts with the sound of these pipes, and it looked cool before. On the several trips I have taken the ride has been just fine. The softail motorcycle is very comfortable, and long days can be had in good comfort. I use the stock seat and springs so far with no complaints. My longest day so far is over 300 miles and there were no major comfort problems. I do have a detachable windscreen for comfort at higher speeds. I take issue with the quality rating above. I have had nothing fall off the bike so far, and I don't know what sidepanels they are talking about because Harley's don't have 'em. While the Harley is no knee dragging bike, it's holds very well in sweepers, and is very stable at speed on the highway as well. The 103 engine gives it better passing power at the top end as the bike revs past 3000rpm. Value: Yes, Ducatis are on a par, and Jap cruisers can be had for half of this amount-but would you really want to be seen on a Jap Cruiser?? Trust me: no one cares about Jap cruisers. Ducatis are great, but we are really talking apples and oranges. Harleys are built for reliability and (relative) simplicity. The motor is weak but it serves the purpose of going from A to B and will break all known speed limits here in the US. Plenty of torque at the low end for a satisfying feeling off the line considering the weight of the beast.

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

Engine 3 out of 5

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Equipment 4 out of 5

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Harley-Davidson Cross Bones- action shot

2008 Harley Softail Crossbones

Source: https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/harley-davidson/crossbones/2008/

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