Harley Davidson FLHC Heritage Softail 2025 Service Manual

Ultimate Motorcycling's own review calls out just how tricky it is to meaningfully update a bike this steeped in tradition — now in its 39th year, the Heritage Classic still needs to look right sitting still in a parking lot. For 2025, Harley answered that challenge by swapping the outgoing Milwaukee-Eight 114 for the all-new Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic, part of a comprehensive update across the entire Softail lineup that year.

The reworked 117 gains new four-valve cylinder heads, air/oil cylinder head cooling, and a contoured aluminum intake manifold, delivering a claimed 98 hp and 120 lb-ft of torque — 4 more horsepower and roughly a pound-foot more torque than the outgoing 114. A new two-into-one exhaust with a lightweight muffler delivers deeper, more resonant rumble, fed by a classic 9-inch round air cleaner with washable fiberglass filter media that keeps the vintage look intact despite the internal changes. Sport ride mode smooths the torque curve for consistent responsiveness across speeds, part of a broader electronics update that added selectable ride modes and cornering-aware safety systems absent from the outgoing model.

Ultimate Motorcycling's testing found the updated saddlebags a genuine improvement: now symmetrical at 45 liters combined, thanks to the switch to a single blacked-out exhaust, and still weather-sealed and lockable. The detachable windshield carries over as the model's signature trick — installed, it delivers a classic police-bike look built for highway miles; removed, the Heritage Classic recalls the discontinued Deluxe for a lighter, more urban-friendly ride. An updated monoshock with under-seat preload adjustment lets riders quickly dial in the suspension for a passenger or loaded saddlebags. Styling refinements include a redesigned tank medallion and new colors, including a two-tone Whiskey Fire/Vivid Black scheme, alongside optional laced wheels. Dimensions run 95.1 in. long with a 64.2-inch wheelbase, and 2025 pricing started at $22,999.