This nameplate first appeared for the 2016 model year as a high-output, factory-custom variant of Harley-Davidson’s Dyna lineup. It was positioned as the darker, more aggressive sibling to the standard Low Rider, with a stripped-down visual treatment, a performance-oriented stance, and a stronger emphasis on power and attitude than chrome and touring comfort. The original run was short, spanning the 2016 and 2017 model years before the Dyna family was phased out.
After that gap, the nameplate returned for the 2020 model year on Harley-Davidson’s newer Softail platform. That revival was significant because it was not just a continuation of the earlier bike’s mechanical package, but a reinvention of the concept for a different chassis and era. The modern version kept the low-slung, blacked-out West Coast custom character, but translated it into the updated Softail architecture with a more contemporary performance-cruiser focus.
In enthusiast circles, the model is notable because it bridges two distinct Harley-Davidson generations. The first version is remembered as one of the most aggressive factory Dyna customs, while the revived version helped establish the Low Rider S as part of the brand’s newer performance-cruiser identity. Rather than being a continuous unbroken model line, it has two separate production periods separated by several years, with the later version effectively reintroducing the nameplate in a fresh form.