Harley-Davidson, Inc. is set to revamp its Softail lineup with a slew of new 2018 models, Charles Fleming of The LA Times reports. The company told Fleming the new models are “already on their way to dealerships.”

The new bikes will weigh less than their predecessors and will feature new engines with more torque. Many will have improved lean angles so that they steer and corner better.

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The company has announced eight new Softails, according to Fleming: the Fat Boy, the Heritage Classic (formerly the Heritable Softail Classic), the Low Rider, the Softail Slim, the Deluxe, the Breakout, the Fat Bob and the Street Bob.

The Softail line has absorbed the Dyna line, leading to the discontinuation of the Sportster 1200T, the Del VROD Muscle and Night Rod Special, and the Wide Glide.

Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin engines will come standard on each of the new models. Those engines measure 107 cubic inches and boast 147 Nm of torque.

The larger Milwaukee-Eight 114 will be available as an upgrade on the Heritage Classic, the Breakout and the Fat Boy. That engine will pack 161 Nm of torque.

Harley has taken steps to reduce the vibration in both engines, Fleming says, thereby reducing RPMs during idling and limiting engine noise when the bikes are at rest.

Harley told Fleming the two engines are “the most powerful…ever offered” in its Big Twin cruiser category.

Each of the new models will also be equipped with a new chassis and new suspension.

Harley has seen sales drop as the core of its customer base continues to age, and the company is struggling to attract a younger generation of bikers. Many among the new generation prefer other bikes over Harleys, and the company’s dominance in the market is waning.

So, prior to rolling out its new offerings, Harley launched what it calls, per the Times, “the most extensive research and development program” in its history, which dates back to 1903. The company asked current as well as prospective riders to suggest improvements, and many of those surveyed asked for lighter bikes with better handling.

Harley delivered, but doubt remains as to whether the new bikes will precipitate a rise in sales.

“This model year lineup may not be enough to reverse Harley’s US retail sales declines, now in their third consecutive year,” said USB analyst Robin Farley, per the Times.

Harley sold 54,786 units domestically in quarter two of last year, and 49,668 in this most recent quarter. That’s a decline of 5,118 units (9.3%) year-over-year.

The company has made other changes in an effort to drag its hogs into the modern age. LED headlights and a USB port will come standard on all new models. Cruise control will come standard on the Heritage Classic and will be available as an add-on on all other models. Anti-lock breaks will come pre-installed on the Fat Boy, the Deluxe, the Heritage Classic and the Breakout, and will be optional on the other models.

Some die-hard Harley riders, Fleming says, have resisted such changes as electric starters and anti-lock breaking systems.

Perhaps in an effort to appease such customers, Harley has given the Heritage Classic, along with some of the other new models, a vintage look, featuring, per Fleming, “spoked wheels, blacked-out rims and period-correct headlight bezels,” among other “details.”

Like all Harleys, the new models will benefit from the company’s parts and accessories catalog. Riders will be able to modify seat and handlebar configurations and make other changes.

Fleming, who test-rode the Heritage Classic and the Fat Boy, says both of those bikes sit low, making them suitable for smaller riders.

The Low Rider and the Street Bob, each of which costs $14,999, are the most budget-friendly of the new models. The Heritage Classic and the Fat Boy are the most expensive of the new bikes; with the 114 engine, each of those bikes will cost $20,299.

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