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The 10 Best Harley Davidson Night Train Models of All-Time

The Harley Davidson Night Train

The Harley Davidson Night Train is a member of the Softail model of motorcycles. It made its appearance in 1998. Through the years HD has made significant changes with upgrades and updates that have followed an evolutionary path that found favor with enthusiasts of the variant.

It was lauded as a comfortable and highly attractive bike after making its debut on the market and it gained an immediate following of admirers.The low seat hight and electric starter combined with a 56 hp engine and single disc brakes in the front and rear were welcomed at the time of its release.

Some changes increased the popularity of certain model years and editions, while others were not as popular. Here are the 10 best Harley Davidson Night Train models of all-time for your contemplation.

10. 1998 Harley Davidson Night Train

1998 Harley Davidson Night Train

This bike was the first to make its debut and the Softail was noted for its comfort and the innovative design that made it look like a hardtail bike. It was powered by a 1338 cc twin cam engine.

Riders loved the aesthetic because it had the appearance of a vintage chopper, yet it came equipped with a dual seat for passenger comfort, which was good for short trips, but it got uncomfortable during longer excursions. The bike quickly earned a reputation for reliability plus it was attractive and fun to ride.

9. 1999 Harley Davidson Night Train

1999 Harley Davidson Night Train

The 1999 Night Train retained the same V2 four stroke engine with the same 56 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 71.5 lb ft of torque at 2300 rpm. The engine was paired with a 5-speed belt driven transmission.

The top speed of this bike was 96.3 mph with a run from zero to 62 mph in just 6.9 seconds.It came in at a curb weight of 646 pounds with 43.1% of the weight in the front. Some versions of this bike came with an adjustable seat height. It had a generous sized fuel tank with a capacity of 5.20 gallons for long trips, and the electric starter was fairly reliable.

8. 2000 Harley Davidson Night Train

2000 Harley Davidson Night Train

The 2000 was a popular model year thanks to an upgrade in power. The new bike was equipped with a twin cam 1450 cc engine that delivered more power. The upgrade brought in more interested parties. This was the beginning of the evolutionary journey of the Night Train model as future years would see yet more innovations.

7. 2001 Harley Davidson Night Train

2001 Harley Davidson Night Train

Serious bikers were happy about the new updates added to the 2001 Night Train. Although it remained the same aesthetically, new standard features were added. The HD security system was a welcome addition that made it safer to leave your bike in the lot when running a quick errand in town.

6. 2002 Harley Davidson Night Train

2002 Harley Davidson Night Train

In 2002, HD added yet another mechanical feature. The new fuel injection system was thrown into an already impressive mix for the era. Fans of the model were happy that HD was making habitual upgrades that improved the performance of the bike. It gave them something to look forward to with the majority of the new model years produced.

5. 2005 Harley Davidson Night Train

2005 Harley Davidson Night Train

Things stayed the same for the most part between 2002 and 2004, but the new 2005 model year would bring yet more forward progress in the evolution of the bike. The switch to a larger rear tire that was increased to 200 mm was a welcome change that improved stability and handling.

4. 2006 Harley Davidson Night Train

2006 Harley Davidson Night Train

In 2006, the Night Train received yet another upgrade in the engine. The old 1450 cc twin cam 88 engine was swapped out for a twin cam 96 1580 cc engine. This was paired with a 6-speed gearbox.

The addition of power with the clean and sleek lines of the Night Train made it one of the most popular bikes in the Softail lineup. This was a bike that was ideal for taller drivers with longer legs and arms. It was designed for comfort of this group while shorter drivers were better off with a different model.

3. 2004 Harley Davidson Softail Night Train

2004 Harley Davidson Softail Night Train

The 2004 edition of the Softail Night Train has received a popular vote that lands it in the 45th position out of 65 reviewed in its class. Overall, it gets a 4 out of 5 star rating as a used motorcycle and a 5 star rating for performance.

Hailed as a high quality motorcycle that is reliable it has retained is value coming in at a retail selling price in mint condition for just under $15,000. The only ding this bike has on its otherwise stellar record is for ride and comfort.

It's best for taller riders and for making short trips versus long hauls.What was new for 2004 was the addition of the new electronic sequential port fuel injection system. This took the place of carburetion.

2. 2003 Harley Davidson Night Train

2003 Harley Davidson Night Train

The 2003 Harley Davidson FXSTB/FXSTBI Night Train featured a black on black version with a custom Badlander seat with stainless steel drag bars set atop of 6-inch risers. A favorite feature was the blacked out engine and the one piece hefty fuel tank.

Wrinkle black and texture black covers were applauded because of their aesthetics. The front wheel was laced and the rear wheel disc. Forward foot controls were popular and to top it all off the blacked out tank console, oil tank, air cleaner and rear fender supports gave it a dark and pleasing aesthetic.

This was a lighter version with a dry weight of just 633 pounds and an unladen running weight of 672 lbs. For this edition, buyers had a choice of a fuel system 2 carburetion or an electronic sequential port fuel injection, which would become standard fare in the next model year.

1. 2007 Harley Davidson Night Train

2007 Harley Davidson Night Train

The 2007 Night Train received is biggest upgrade of all time. The engine had been downgraded in 2006 to a 1442.15 cc, but this model year gave it a 1584 cc displacement along with the standard fuel injection system. This upped the torque to 87.9 ft lb at 2,750 rpm. The other important upgrade was the addition of a 6-speed gearbox.

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Benjamin Smith

Written by Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith is one of the managing editors of Moneyinc. Ben's been focusing on the auto and motorcycle sector since 2005. He's written over 1000 articles in the space and continues to learn about it each day. His favorite car is "any Bugatti" and he's a die hard Harley Davidson fan.

Read more posts by Benjamin Smith

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