Harley Davidson FXS Softail Blackline 2012 Service Manual

The Blackline arrived midyear in 2011 as a bare-bones addition to Harley's Dark Custom line, drawing on the bobber movement. It claimed the lowest seat height of any Harley, at 24 inches, lower than the Fat Boy Lo and the Sportster SuperLow. For 2012 it moved up to the bigger engine, which is what this listing covers.

Power comes from the rigid-mounted, counter-balanced Twin Cam 103B, an air-cooled 1,690cc V-twin with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection and an automatic compression release. It delivers a claimed 98.7 lb-ft (134 Nm) of torque at 3,250 rpm through a 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission with belt final drive. The rocker box covers, crankcase, primary cover and transmission side cover are gloss black powder-coat, the cylinders are silver with machined highlights, and the derby and timing covers are chrome. Some European-market 2012 bikes still ran the 1584cc Twin Cam 96B.

The styling is raw and narrow: black laced wheels with a 21-inch front, a gloss black smoothie rear rim with a 144mm tire, a Split Drag handlebar, and a new triple-clamp-mounted electronic speedometer. The gauge also shows a clock, dual trip meters, an engine diagnostics readout, a low fuel warning with mileage countdown, and a 6-speed indicator. ABS and the Smart Security System were optional.

Confirmed figures list a 24-inch laden seat height, 4.8 inches of trail, 24.4° right and 25.9° left lean angle, a 5-gallon tank, and 42 mpg in EPA testing. Dry weight is 638 lbs and wet weight about 682 lbs. Price started at $15,499.

Early-build 2012 Softails, including the FXS and FXS103 codes, were part of a recall for possible corrosion of the front brake master cylinder banjo bolt threads. It's worth checking that the free remedy was done on any example built between August 2011 and February 2012.

This factory service manual covers the procedures, torque specs, and diagrams needed to keep a 2012 Softail Blackline FXS running the way it was built to.