Introduced for the 2011 model year, this Harley-Davidson nameplate was used for the Softail Blackline, a factory custom built around the Softail family’s hidden-suspension chassis but styled to look far more stripped-down and old-school than the rest of the lineup. Harley-Davidson presented it as a minimalist long-custom interpretation: low, narrow, and visually cleaned up, with a deliberately dark, bobbed aesthetic that borrowed heavily from classic hardtail-era Harley styling while remaining a modern production motorcycle.
The Blackline occupied a niche between traditional cruiser and custom show bike. Rather than emphasizing chrome and touring equipment, it leaned into a lean profile, a low stance, and simplified bodywork. That made it appealing to riders who wanted a factory-built custom with a distinctive silhouette and a more aggressive, understated personality. Within Harley-Davidson’s Softail range, it stood out as one of the most stylized expressions of the platform.
The model remained in production through the 2013 model year, and Harley-Davidson’s own fitment and service materials identify FXS Blackline applications only for 2011 through 2013. After that, the nameplate disappeared from the lineup rather than continuing as a long-running series. As a result, it is remembered as a short-lived but highly recognizable Softail variant from Harley-Davidson’s early-2010s factory-custom era.