2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST FXLRST: First-Year Milwaukee-Eight 117 Softail Performance-Touring Model

The 2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST was not simply a Low Rider S with luggage bolted on. It was Harley-Davidson’s factory answer to a style of motorcycle that had been built for years outside the factory gates: the West Coast performance bagger, influenced by club-style Dynas, FXR nostalgia, long-distance riding, and the practical appeal of a fixed fairing with hard bags. In factory form it combined the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine, the post-2018 Softail chassis, inverted front suspension, dual front discs, a frame-mounted fairing, and lockable saddlebags.

As the first model year for the Low Rider ST, 2022 is significant because it established the FXLRST identity inside the modern Harley-Davidson range. It also marked the arrival of the 117-cubic-inch Milwaukee-Eight as standard equipment in a non-CVO Softail performance-touring package, which made the bike important to riders who wanted factory performance and weather protection without moving into a full Touring-platform bagger.

Best Known For: The 2022 Low Rider ST is best known as the first-year FXLRST, pairing the Milwaukee-Eight 117 with an FXRT-inspired frame-mounted fairing and hard bags on the modern Softail chassis.

Quick Facts

The following table concentrates on the factory-level information most useful to an enthusiast identifying, comparing, or inspecting a first-year Low Rider ST.

The key point is the combination, not any single part. Harley-Davidson had offered Softails, Low Riders, large-displacement Milwaukee-Eights, detachable luggage, and batwing-style touring equipment before; the FXLRST mattered because it assembled a focused version of that recipe around the 117 engine and a frame-mounted fairing.

Why the 2022 Low Rider ST Matters

The Low Rider ST arrived at a moment when Harley-Davidson’s performance image was being reshaped from two directions. On one side were King of the Baggers and MotoAmerica-linked performance-touring builds, which made fast Harleys with luggage culturally visible again. On the other were long-running club-style customs built from FXR, Dyna, and later Softail platforms: tall bars, mid controls, aggressive suspension, quarter or frame-mounted fairings, hard bags, and engines tuned for real road speed rather than pure show.

The 2022 FXLRST gave that vocabulary a factory part number. It was visually indebted to the FXRT Sport Glide fairing era, but mechanically it belonged entirely to the Milwaukee-Eight Softail generation. That distinction matters: the ST was not a nostalgic replica of an FXR, nor was it a Road Glide in smaller clothes. It was a modern Softail Low Rider S derivative with weather protection and cargo capacity, aimed at riders who wanted a quicker, leaner, more elemental touring Harley.

Historical Context and Development Background

By the early Milwaukee-Eight Softail period, Harley-Davidson had already consolidated the Dyna and Softail lines into the 2018-up Softail chassis. That move was controversial among Dyna loyalists, but it gave Harley a stiffer frame, hidden monoshock rear suspension, and a platform capable of supporting a wide spread of models. The Low Rider S became the performance-oriented standard-bearer within that architecture.

The Low Rider ST built directly on that foundation. Its frame-mounted fairing echoed the 1980s FXRT and later FXRP visual language, both of which had developed a strong following among riders who valued stability, wind protection, and a purposeful stance. The ST’s hard bags were not full-dress touring panniers; they were part of the bike’s stripped performance-touring brief, giving useful storage without converting the machine into a FL Touring model.

Its competitor landscape was partly internal. Buyers cross-shopped the Low Rider S, Sport Glide, Heritage Classic, Road King Special, and Road Glide Special depending on whether they valued weight, luggage, weather protection, two-up touring, or the Touring-platform feel. Outside the Harley-Davidson showroom, the broader market included large-displacement cruisers and baggers from Indian Motorcycle, particularly models that blended American V-twin torque with more sporting chassis intent.

Engine and Drivetrain

The defining mechanical feature of the 2022 Low Rider ST is the Milwaukee-Eight 117. In this application it is an oil/air-cooled, 45-degree V-twin with four valves per cylinder, hydraulic valve adjustment, electronic sequential port fuel injection, and the rigid-mounted, counterbalanced architecture used in Softail Milwaukee-Eight models. Factory literature listed peak torque at 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm; Harley-Davidson did not publish a factory horsepower figure in the same way for the U.S. model, so dyno-derived horsepower numbers should not be treated as factory specifications.

The Milwaukee-Eight’s engineering brief is different from the Twin Cam era that preceded it. Four-valve heads, improved combustion control, dual spark plugs per cylinder, and the single-cam layout gave Harley a more thermally managed and emissions-capable big twin while preserving the long-stroke feel expected from a large Harley V-twin. In the Low Rider ST, the 117 gave the chassis a level of standard-engine authority that previously would have been associated with Screamin’ Eagle parts or CVO equipment.

Primary drive is by chain inside the primary case, with a wet multi-plate clutch. The six-speed Cruise Drive gearbox and belt final drive are familiar late-model Harley-Davidson components, valued less for novelty than for durability and low-maintenance road use. The final belt is central to the bike’s touring usefulness: clean, quiet, and more owner-friendly than chain drive for the mileage profile this machine encourages.

Engine and Drivetrain Specifications

These are factory-published or widely documented specifications for the first-year FXLRST powertrain.

The 117’s importance in this model is not just displacement. It gave the Low Rider ST a distinct factory hierarchy above the 107- and 114-powered Softails that had defined much of the Milwaukee-Eight era. For collectors and buyers, the original 117 specification is one of the first things to verify because engine modifications are common on these bikes.

Chassis, Suspension, and Braking

The Low Rider ST uses the modern Softail chassis introduced for the Milwaukee-Eight generation, with a concealed rear monoshock that preserves a hardtail-influenced silhouette while offering contemporary rear suspension control. It is a very different structure from the old FXR rubber-mounted frame and from the discontinued Dyna architecture, despite the visual and cultural references often attached to the ST.

The frame-mounted fairing is central to the bike’s road behavior. Unlike a handlebar-mounted screen or fork-mounted nacelle, the ST’s fairing does not add steering mass in the same way, which suits high-speed highway use and the straight-line stability expected of a performance-touring Harley. The hard bags are integrated into the stance rather than appearing as detachable afterthoughts, and the bike’s visual mass sits low and rearward around the 16-inch rear wheel.

At the front, the inverted fork and dual discs distinguish the ST from softer, more traditionally styled Softail models. The braking package was not designed to make the machine feel like a sportbike; rather, it gave the heavy, high-torque cruiser a more convincing margin when ridden quickly with luggage and highway speeds in mind.

Chassis and Equipment Specifications

This table covers the hardware most relevant to identification, buying, and comparison with related Harley-Davidson models.

The ST’s chassis specification explains why it attracted riders who might otherwise have built their own FXRT-style Softail. The factory package already supplied the expensive and visually dominant components: fairing, bags, 117 engine, inverted fork, and dual front brakes.

Riding Experience and Mechanical Character

The 2022 Low Rider ST starts and idles like a modern emissions-controlled Harley, not like a carbureted Evolution or early Twin Cam. The button-start ritual is simple, the fuel injection trims away much of the old cold-start fuss, and the Milwaukee-Eight settles into a lower-frequency pulse with less mechanical clatter than many earlier big twins. The engine’s counterbalancing in the Softail chassis removes much of the harshness that would otherwise come from rigid mounting a 117-cubic-inch V-twin.

On the road, the 117 is about immediate roll-on force rather than a dramatic top-end rush. The torque arrives early, and the six-speed gearbox lets the rider keep the engine in that broad middle range where the motorcycle feels most natural. The clutch and gearbox have the deliberate Harley feel: not delicate, not vague, and best used with a firm boot rather than a tentative toe.

The fairing changes the motorcycle’s personality. It gives the ST a planted highway character and reduces the fatigue that comes from hanging onto a naked big twin at sustained speed. At low speeds the bike remains a heavy Softail with saddlebags and a long cruiser footprint, but the mid-control riding position and upright bar relationship give it a more assertive stance than a laid-back touring cruiser.

Braking and cornering should be understood in the correct context. The ST has more front brake and suspension authority than many traditional Softails, yet it is still a long, heavy Harley-Davidson cruiser built around torque, stability, and road presence. Its best rhythm is fast open-road riding, not pretending to be a middleweight sport-tourer.

Identification and Originality

The first identification point is the factory model code: FXLRST for the 2022 Low Rider ST. Collectors and buyers should confirm the motorcycle through its title, VIN documentation, factory build information, and dealer paperwork rather than relying on appearance alone, because Low Rider S models can be converted with aftermarket or factory-style fairings and bags.

Correct first-year ST equipment includes the frame-mounted fairing, locking hard saddlebags, Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine, inverted fork, dual front discs, and Low Rider ST-specific touring-performance presentation. The 2022 colors commonly associated with the standard ST were Vivid Black and Gunship Gray. Bronze-finish wheels and dark finishes are part of the model’s visual identity, though any used example should be checked against factory build records if originality matters.

Common changes include exhaust systems, intake assemblies, ECM calibration, camshaft upgrades, taller windshields, audio additions, suspension changes, seat swaps, handlebar changes, lighting accessories, and luggage hardware modifications. None of these are unusual on a Low Rider ST, but originality-sensitive buyers should treat removed factory parts as important. A lightly modified bike with the original exhaust, intake, seat, screen, bags, and documentation retained will generally be easier to return to stock specification.

Particular attention should be paid to the fairing and bag installation. Because the ST’s identity is so closely tied to those pieces, damaged mounting structures, mismatched painted components, missing bag hardware, or poorly fitted aftermarket replacements reduce the value of the bike as a first-year factory ST. Paintwork should also be examined carefully, especially on Gunship Gray examples, because repaired or repainted panels can be difficult to judge from casual photographs.

Model Code and Variant Breakdown

The 2022 model year included the standard Low Rider ST and a limited factory derivative based on the same performance-touring idea. The table below separates the relevant first-year ST-related models from nearby Low Rider variants that are frequently cross-shopped or confused with them.

The Low Rider S comparison is the most important one for buyers. A Low Rider S can be accessorized to resemble an ST, but a genuine FXLRST is a factory model with its own identity, equipment package, and first-year significance.

Performance and Dimensional Specifications

Harley-Davidson factory data for the 2022 Low Rider ST emphasizes torque rather than horsepower. The documented factory torque claim is 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm. Factory-listed running weight is 721 lb, and fuel capacity is 5.0 US gallons. The Milwaukee-Eight 117 displacement is 117 cubic inches, or 1,923 cc.

Horsepower figures commonly found in discussions of this motorcycle are usually chassis-dyno results or publication test numbers, not a uniform Harley-Davidson factory rating for the U.S. specification. Likewise, acceleration and quarter-mile figures depend heavily on rider weight, launch technique, surface, weather, break-in condition, and whether the motorcycle remains stock. For a serious reference page, the factory torque claim and documented mechanical specification are more reliable than repeating scattered test figures.

Compared With Related Harley-Davidson Models

Low Rider ST vs. Low Rider S

The Low Rider S is the closest mechanical relative. For 2022 it also used the Milwaukee-Eight 117 and shared the performance-oriented Softail direction, but it did without the ST’s frame-mounted fairing and hard bags. Riders who want the rawer, lighter, stripped version gravitate to the S; riders who want highway use, storage, and the FXRT-influenced silhouette gravitate to the ST.

Low Rider ST vs. Sport Glide

The Sport Glide is often mentioned because it also combined Softail architecture with bags and a fairing. The comparison is misleading if treated too broadly. The Sport Glide’s detachable mini-fairing and bags place it closer to a versatile light-tourer, while the Low Rider ST has a more aggressive stance, fixed fairing presence, larger 117 engine in 2022 form, and a stronger connection to the performance-bagger/custom scene.

Low Rider ST vs. Road Glide

The Road Glide’s frame-mounted fairing makes it a natural visual comparison, but the two machines belong to different Harley-Davidson platforms. The Road Glide is a Touring-platform motorcycle, larger and more two-up oriented, with full touring structure and luggage capacity. The Low Rider ST is the leaner Softail answer: less touring mass, less full-dress equipment, and a more compact performance-cruiser feel.

Low Rider ST vs. FXRT and FXRP Ancestors

The ST’s fairing invites comparison with the FXRT Sport Glide and FXRP police models of the 1980s and early 1990s. That comparison is stylistically and culturally valid, but mechanically they are separate generations. The FXRT used the FXR chassis architecture and Evolution-era mechanical package, while the Low Rider ST uses a rigid-mounted, counterbalanced Milwaukee-Eight Softail chassis. The ST borrows the visual logic of the FXRT, not its frame.

Restoration and Ownership Notes

Because the 2022 Low Rider ST is a modern motorcycle rather than a scarce prewar machine, restoration is usually less about fabricating unobtainable parts and more about reversing modifications correctly. Exhausts, air cleaners, tuners, cams, seats, windshields, bars, and suspension components are frequently changed. A buyer seeking long-term collectability should value the presence of removed original parts and complete documentation.

Engine rebuild concerns are those of a high-output modern big twin. Service history matters, particularly where performance modifications have been installed. Cam changes, high-flow intake and exhaust systems, and calibration work should be supported by receipts from competent shops. Poor tuning can create heat, drivability issues, and premature wear even when the underlying Milwaukee-Eight platform is robust.

Fairing, saddlebag, and paint condition deserve more attention than they might on a naked Softail. The ST’s bodywork is expensive enough to affect the buying decision, and its identity depends on those parts being correct and properly mounted. Check that the bags latch and lock properly, that the fairing brackets have not been bent or improvised after damage, and that paint surfaces match under consistent light.

Specialist support is strong because the Milwaukee-Eight Softail platform has broad dealer, aftermarket, and independent-shop coverage. That availability cuts both ways: it makes ownership easy, but it also means many examples are modified heavily. Originality is therefore not rare in the absolute sense, but it is less common than casual market listings suggest.

Buyer and Restoration Inspection Points

The Low Rider ST is new enough that neglect and modification matter more than age-related decay. A careful inspection should focus on confirming the bike is a genuine FXLRST, assessing whether performance work was done properly, and evaluating the condition of ST-specific equipment.

The best examples are not necessarily untouched museum pieces. A well-kept ST with reversible upgrades, proper tuning records, and all original parts retained can be more attractive than a low-mile machine with undocumented engine work and missing factory equipment.

Collector and Market Relevance

The standard 2022 Low Rider ST is not rare in the way a limited-production race homologation motorcycle or prewar Harley is rare. Its collectability rests on first-year status, mechanical specification, and cultural timing. It arrived when the performance-bagger idea had become a visible part of American V-twin culture, and Harley-Davidson’s decision to build the FXLRST gave that movement factory legitimacy.

Collectors generally value originality, documented ownership, uncut or undamaged bodywork, stock engine configuration, and retained take-off parts. Low-mile examples in first-year colors with complete paperwork will naturally draw more interest than heavily altered bikes, especially as the model becomes easier to separate from later Low Rider ST production.

The 2022 Low Rider El Diablo occupies a different collector lane because of its limited production, Enthusiast Collection status, special paint, and audio equipment. It should not be treated as simply a paint option on a standard ST. For the regular FXLRST, the most meaningful collector phrase is not a nickname but a status: first-year Low Rider ST.

Cultural Relevance

The Low Rider ST sits at the meeting point of several Harley-Davidson traditions. It carries the Low Rider name, a badge associated with factory-custom attitude since the late 1970s. It uses fairing language that recalls the FXRT and FXRP machines admired by riders who valued function over chrome. And it belongs to the modern performance-bagger moment, when American V-twin riders began asking for more brake, more suspension, more power, and more road speed without abandoning the Harley-Davidson experience.

Its relevance is not military, police, or racing homologation in the traditional sense. Instead, it is cultural and commercial: the factory adoption of a rider-built style. That is often how Harley-Davidson history moves. The factory watches what committed owners build, absorbs the durable ideas, and eventually returns them as production motorcycles with warranty coverage and a dealer network.

FAQs

What engine is in the 2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST?

The 2022 Low Rider ST uses the Milwaukee-Eight 117, an oil/air-cooled 45-degree V-twin with four valves per cylinder and 117 cubic inches, or 1,923 cc, of displacement. Harley-Davidson listed factory torque at 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm.

What is the model code for the 2022 Low Rider ST?

The standard 2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST is identified by the FXLRST model code. Buyers should confirm the code through documentation rather than relying on the presence of fairing and saddlebags alone.

Is a 2022 Low Rider ST the same as a Low Rider S with bags?

No. The Low Rider S is a closely related performance Softail, but the Low Rider ST was a factory model with a frame-mounted fairing and hard saddlebags as part of its original equipment package. A converted Low Rider S may be similar in appearance, but it is not a factory FXLRST.

Did Harley-Davidson publish horsepower for the 2022 Low Rider ST?

Harley-Davidson factory material for the U.S. model emphasized torque rather than horsepower. Published horsepower figures commonly seen for this motorcycle are usually from independent dyno testing and should not be quoted as factory ratings.

What colors were associated with the first-year Low Rider ST?

The standard 2022 Low Rider ST was commonly offered in Vivid Black and Gunship Gray. Paint originality should still be checked against factory paperwork, especially on used examples with repaired or replaced bags and fairing panels.

What makes the 2022 Low Rider ST collectible?

Its appeal comes from being the first-year FXLRST, its standard Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine, and its factory interpretation of the FXRT-influenced performance-bagger style. Original, well-documented examples with intact ST bodywork and retained factory parts are the most meaningful from a collector standpoint.

What should I inspect before buying a used 2022 Low Rider ST?

Confirm the FXLRST identity, inspect the fairing and saddlebag mounting carefully, review engine-modification records, check that original parts are included, and verify service history. The most expensive mistakes are usually hidden crash repairs, poor tuning, missing factory equipment, or assuming a converted Low Rider S is a genuine ST.

Collector Takeaway

The 2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST matters because it captured a rider-built movement at the exact moment it was becoming too important for the factory to ignore. It translated FXRT nostalgia, club-style performance hardware, and long-haul practicality into a showroom Softail with the Milwaukee-Eight 117 already installed.

For the serious Harley-Davidson collector, the first-year FXLRST is worth watching not because it is scarce in the old-world sense, but because it is historically well placed. It is a production motorcycle that documents a shift in taste: away from purely cosmetic factory custom work and toward torque, braking, fairing function, luggage, and high-speed road use. The best surviving examples will be the ones that still show that original idea clearly, without being buried under the very aftermarket culture that inspired them.