2022 Harley-Davidson FXRST Low Rider El Diablo First Ride

Harley-Davidson has just unveiled the 2022 FXRST Low Rider El Diablo, the second member of its exclusive Icons Collection. Built on the 2022 FXLR Low Rider ST, El Diablo models feature a heavily flaked and paneled paint job inspired by American West Coast customs, as well as the Harley-Davidson Rockford Fosgate in-fairing audio system. The FXRST Low Rider El Diablo will be limited to 1,500 serialized models worldwide, with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $27,999.

The El Diablo’s engine and chassis are no different than the standard FXLR ST. So this means 94.89 hp and 114.79 lb.-ft. of torque from a 117ci Milwaukee-Eight V-twin and the capable and comfortable Softail chassis. But paint and audio have a powerful effect on the overall presence of a machine. The ST in Gunship Gray or black feels muscular and understated, but El Diablo feels more like a show bike. Sure, it has the same hot-rod character as the base model, but now the bike broadcasts that attitude in new ways, both visually and sonically.

Inspiration for the El Diablo’s paint scheme comes from the original 1983 FXRT finishes, and a modern custom movement happening on America’s West Coast. Often called West Coast style, club style, or tall-bike style, this cult of customs is defined by aggressive ergonomics and high-performance upgrades, typically focused around a twin-shock V-twin platform. If you’re thinking of the Born-Free Show, or even hot-rod vans and lowriders, you’re on the right track.

But there is more too, as Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson’s VP of design and creative director of motorcycles, explains.

“I remember the early ‘80s, skateboarding, it was punk rock, custom van culture with incredible paint schemes like this, lowriders with paint schemes like this, and a lot of the status quo being questioned,” Richards says. “What’s interesting about FXRT is that it’s a bike that was really questioning the status quo of Harley-Davidson at the time. There are all these things that were kind of aligning in terms of the narrative of the motorcycle, so we just decided to lean into that era with the paint, the bike—it made sense. We really wanted to celebrate Low Rider ST and how popular this bike has been.”

Harley-Davidson debuted its Rockford Fosgate–developed audio system as an accessory available for the Low Rider ST, but it’s a standard part of the El Diablo package. The system features two 5.25-inch speakers and two 1-inch tweeters putting out a total of 250 watts. The system is designed to work by pairing directly to your phone or other device’s Bluetooth, not to the bike, so to speak.

Audio is loud and clear, but other than having a separate Bluetooth remote or a phone mounted to your handlebars, there’s no way to control playback. I have had bad experiences with my phone mounted to the handlebars, so for me, this meant that I had to either wear a Bluetooth audio system on my helmet, which sort of defeats the point of speakers, or start a playlist and crank up enough raw volume to ensure clear audio on the highway; so I was that obnoxious guy blasting music way too loud as I made my way to the on-ramp. We hope for better integration from a factory stereo motorcycle sound system and a solution that doesn’t rely on the user’s device as the sole means of control. Ripping loud system with deep rich lows and crisp clear highs is especially cool to use when parked.

El Diablo models are built one at a time with hand-applied paint from Gunslinger Paint Shop, the outfit known for painting a large number of CVO components. Deep reds fade into bright ones; hand-painted pinstriping separates light panels from dark.

Riding the El Diablo around discreetly before it was even announced proved easier than some other pre-embargo motorcycles, so well does it blend into custom culture here in Southern California. As we rode through the Santa Monica Mountains crossing into Malibu, the El Diablo glowed in the afternoon light, gold and red hues shining as we carved into and out of the sun on Mulholland Drive. Everything we love about the ST is present, but seeing this wild paint every time I looked down simply felt cool—flashy, premium, and exclusive.

Creating desirability and focusing on profitability in H-D’s most successful segments—touring, large cruiser, and trike—are clearly laid out in The Hardwire, Harley-Davidson’s 2021-2025 strategic plan. Models in the Icons Collection are to be produced in limited numbers for a single year only, with a maximum of two Icons per year. This limits risk for The Motor Company while creating a sense of urgency around new and exclusive models.

A badge on the gas tank’s dash shows the El Diablo logo with its horns and tail. Beneath it is a number plate, ours was 1148/1500. On the rear fender, a painted badge designates this model as a member of the Icons Collection. So much of the V-twin market is how the motorcycle makes you feel. At the extreme, choppers are not great motorcycles but they do evoke a specific and strong feeling parked or in motion. The Low Rider ST is a great motorcycle, and this special paint and exclusive touches combine with the standard stance and design to add up to something more. “You have to pay attention to function and form, and you also have to pay attention to emotion,” Richards says. “It’s something that Willie kind of beat into our heads.”

According to several Southern California Harley-Davidson dealerships, 2022 Low Rider ST models have been selling before they reach the showroom floor, many dealers having waitlists in the double digits. “In the 15 years that I’ve been full time in the vehicle sales department here at Laidlaw’s Harley-Davidson, the Low Rider ST has been the highest in-demand motorcycle that I’ve ever seen,” says Matt Laidlaw, general sales manager at Laidlaw’s Harley-Davidson.

2022 FXRST Low Rider El Diablo models are expected in dealerships by fall of 2022.