Harley Davidson FXDR is a powerful bike that will draw attention everywhere

THERE comes a time in every biker’s life when they get the Harley itch.

At first you can ignore it by keeping yourself busy riding powerful sports bikes.

But eventually curiosity and neck ache will get the better of you and you’ll find yourself heading to the nearest Harley dealership.

The £19,855 FXDR would be a great place to park your bum. The styling is drag racing-inspired.

Drag racers need a huge rear tyre for lightning getaways, as much space between the front and rear wheels as possible and a massive motor that looks like it’s been borrowed from a speedboat.

The 114-cubic-inch motor is the star of the show, but only because thebrakes and suspension are the perfect supporting act.

Harleys used to struggle when it came to corners and stopping, but the 2019 Softail range (the FXDR is one of 14 variants) benefits from an all-new chassis, bouncy bits and brakes that bring about the biggest change in Harley-Davidson riding dynamics in decades.

In case you’re still wondering, 114 cubic inches equals 1,868cc and with great capacity comes great torque.

The Milwaukee monster belches out 160Nm of the stuff, catapulting you from traffic lights with real ferocity.

At anything north of motorway speeds, wind blast can be a bit of an issue.

But that’s easily sorted by slowing down and giving people a better chance to take a picture.

Be under no illusions, this bike is not one for shrinking violets and you should expect plenty of attention everywhere you go on it.

Be honest, though, you already knew that, that’s why you stopped to read this.

• John is the editor at SuperBike and presents Bike World on YouTube.