LAUNCH TEST – 2017 Harley-Davidson Street Rod
You know what a Harley-Davidson looks like: Big, burly and ridden by tough guys and gals (who are probably accountants Monday to Friday, but anyway…). So when H-D announced about four years ago that it was going after the urban/hipster rider and even learner riders with a bike measuring just 750cc and another with a mere 500cc, there was a lot of giggling to be heard. Especially when it was revealed production would take place in India!
But, with more than 35,000 of them sold around the world and the 500cc version the second best-selling road bike in Australia last year, the giggling has stopped. Now there’s a new version - still Indian-made - that threatens to take the ‘Street’ series to a new level.
Meet the Street Rod
The new arrival is called the Street Rod, which hardcore Harley fans may think they already read about when the Street series was launched in 2013, but that was the Street 750, which was a big brother to the Street 500.
The Street Rod, which only came to market this year, is not only a “bigger” brother to the Street 500, but a “badder” one, too, with a number of changes compared to the Street 750 (which we don’t receive here in Oz).
Though it uses the basic frame, driveline and even the fuel tank from the Street 750, the Street Rod is a different beast altogether. That starts with the styling which has elements of classic flat-tracker in it, as well as a compact, muscular look.
The steering-head angle has been pulled in from 32 to 27 degrees for quicker steering, which in turn shortens the trail and wheelbase. Lean angles have been improved to suit, with overall length at 2130mm and seat height increased to 765mm. The Street Rod also wears 17-inch wheels at both ends (17 and 15 on the Street 500 and 750), with chunkier rubber and triple disc brakes incorporating ABS.
The engine remains a v-twin (‘Revolution X V-Twin’ in Harley parlance), but the Street Rod unit gets twin throttle bodies, a bigger exhaust, flowed heads and a higher compression ratio; the aim is to get air in and out as quickly as possible. The improved breathing means there’s more power to be had, but you need to rev the new engine an extra 1000rpm (redline is now 9000rpm) to make the most of it. No hardship, in this case. The six-speed gearbox stays and the final-drive is a maintenance-free toothed rubber belt.
The nuggetty looks and good ground clearance (205mm) are great, but they come at a price in the case of the Street Rod. And that is a very cramped riding position for taller riders. The footpegs are so high you might miss them altogether on first acquaintance, and even when you do develop the muscle-memory to know where they are, long stints in the otherwise comfortable saddle will be compromised by having your knees bent at an extreme angle. An aftermarket (lower) footgpeg kit is sure to be a Harley-Davidson accessory in the not too distant future.
Nuts and bolts
The motor, however, is a darling. Unlike Harley’s big V-twins which use a 45-degree angle between the cylinders, the liquid-cooled Street Rod gets 60-degrees. But, crucially, it still sounds like a Harley and there’s even a few pops and crackles from the exhaust on the over-run. It revs sweetly and pulls well across a wide range of engine speeds, and while it will hit that magic 9000rpm mark, in most situations, you’re better off letting it live in the 3000 to 6000rpm zone, where it’s happy, torquey and stress-free.
Harley-Davidson has traditionally not disclosed power figures, but will admit to the engine dyno-ing in at 65Nm. That compares to 59Nm from a standard Street 750 and 40Nm from the Street 500.
From the feel of it, the power figure is somewhere around the 45kW mark, so it won’t rip your arms off, but it can destroy traffic (which is kind of the point of a bike like this). And 100km/h in top gear equals a smooth, unruffled 3700rpm, so it won’t hate a long-distance adventure either.
What’s it like to ride?
The handling is another highlight, with that sharpened-up steering angle contributing to a willingness to change direction while maintaining excellent straight-line stability and confidence. The improved suspension - which now consists of piggy-back shocks at the rear and USD forks - helps enormously and removes any looseness or slickness from the riding equation.
Certainly, this is one Harley that doesn’t feel heavy and/or cumbersome. And it can be ridden, er, spiritedly as a result. In fact, it’s one of those bikes that feels better the harder you go, as it tightens its responses as a form of pay-back.
The gearbox lacks the outright slick, oiliness of a Japanese-bike transmission and engaging first from a standing start can involve a bit of a clunk. Neutral is also easier to find while rolling to a stop rather than once you have stopped, but it’s never the easiest thing to locate. That wasn’t helped by a neutral light that sometimes decided not to play, even though the bike was, in fact, in neutral. That leaves you with an important question unanswered when pulled up at the traffic lights.
Is it all good news?
The ‘Made in India’ tag and its perceived lack of quality is one thing that has haunted Harley’s Street range since it was launched in 2013, but overall the Street Rod is a huge improvement, with visibly improved quality in areas that matter (like fit and finish).
Aside from the neutral/not-neutral light games, our other complaint would be the silly key-fob operated immobiliser which sometimes worked, sometimes didn’t, but always emitted a shrill whistle whenever the ignition was keyed on. Neighbours will hate it (and, inevitably, you will, too). Not that they’ll say anything, because that Harley-Davidson logo on the tank tells them all they need to know and is sure to help sell the Street Rod in the thousands worldwide. Whether that will translate to Australia is another matter, though, because while the Street 500 is learner-approved in most Australian States and Territories: at 750cc, the Street Rod is not.
In the meantime, the Street Rod will appeal to riders who want the Harley cachet but not the bulk, weight or price-tag. At $12,995 ride-away, the Street Rod represents pretty keen buying at this end of the market. Yes, there are plenty of alternatives at that price-point, but none that offer the same combination of flat-track cool and H-D tough. The only catch for Harley-Davidson is that the Street Rod might just prove to be a better urban/sporty bike than its established Sportster range.
SPECS - 2017 Harley-Davidson Street Rod
ENGINE
Type: 60-degree High-Output ‘Revolution X’ v-twin
Displacement: 479cc
Bore x Stroke: 85mm x 66mm
Compression Ratio: 12.0:1
Induction: Mikuni twin port EFI
Cooling: Liquid
Starting: Electric
Power: N/A
Torque: 65Nm @ 4000rpm
Exhaust: short 2-into-1
TRANSMISSION
Gearbox: 6-speed constant mesh
Final Drive: belt
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
CHASSIS
Frame: Steel tubular, rectangular-section backbone
Front Suspension: 43mm telescopic fork, 132mm travel
Rear Suspension: Twin remote-res shock w/adjustable preload, 117mm travel
Front/Rear Wheel: 7-spoke open cast aluminium 17-inch Fr/Rr
Front/Rear Tyre: Michelin Scorcher 120/70 R17 Fr / 160/60 R17 Rr
Front Brake: Dual 300mm disc w/two-piston floating caliper & ABS
Rear Brake: Single 300mm disc w/two-piston floating caliper & ABS
DIMENSIONS
L x W x H: 2130mm x 870mm x 1145mm
Wheelbase: 1510mm
Rake: 27 degress
Trail: 99mm
Seat Height: 765mm
Ground Clearance: 205mm
Weight: 238kg wet
Fuel Capacity: 13.2 litres
COLOURS
Vivid Black (w/silver pinstriping), Charcoal Denim, Olive Gold
PRICE
$12,995 rideaway
2-year, unlimited km warranty
harley-davidson.com.au
Rod Talk
As part of a broader discussion around current and upcoming Harley-Davidson bikes, JUST BIKES recently spoke to Adam Wright, Director of Marketing for Harley-Davidson Australia and New Zealand. Adam gave us the goss on the Street Rod shortly after its Aussie launch.
JUST BIKES: When the Street 500 came out, the 750 wasn’t going to be part of the lineup back then. What’s changed from then to now that you’ve decided to bring a 750 out, and particularly the Street Rod version?
ADAM WRIGHT: Well, we believe there’s a place in the market for the Street Rod. It appeals to a younger and more ‘sports’ sort of rider, so we wanted it.
We also feel there’s potential there for people who own a Street 500 to trade up to the 750. Especially for young adults and women riders who have recently acquired their licence. After having a Street 500 for a couple of years, the 750 is a good vehicle to trade up on to.
JB: Do you see the Street Rod being a bit of a “bridge” between a Street 500 and a Sportster or maybe a Dyna or Softail?
AW: Well, our numbers tend to show that people are trading up from Street 500s into [Dyna] Street Bobs. And then some go into a [Sportster] Forty-Eight.
But the Street Rod is a great vehicle, it’s got a lot of attitude and it’s got that sporty look and feel about it. It’s got the 750, obviously, but it’s got the High Output version of that Revolution X engine, so it’s got the bigger cams, flowed heads, the high compression, the high redline.
Overall, it’s an attractive package for $12,995 ride away and $13,995 ride away in NZ. So we believe it’s a well-placed product at the right price point.
JB: What’s the early reaction been to the Street Rod and what initial feedback has come your way?
AW: We’re just getting stocks into the market at the moment. Really, it’s about getting bums on seats and letting people experience it. So far, we’ve sold a number of Street Rods and those people who’ve purchased them are really happy with it. Once we get some more stock into the market, we can probably answer that question a little better.
JB: Will the Street Rod be subject to dealer customisation – like what you’ve done with other models in the past
AW: The dealers will customise, there’s no denying that, but it’s more the customers that tend to customise.
On the Street 500, for example, there’s a bunch of guys and gals in a Street 500 club now, that are pretty active on facebook. So we look at some of the trends that are coming out with what those types of customers are doing from a customisation perspective. I think we will see that follow suit with the Street Rod, no doubt. People will start to put rearsets on them, pipes, they’ll paint them up, they’ll put new seats on them.
And I guess that’s the joy of our brand – when people buy the vehicle, it’s a bit of a blank canvas and they customise accordingly to reflect their own attitude and image. I believe that’ll happen with Street Rod, as it does a lot of our other range of motorcycles.
JB: More specifically, will a few Street Rod-based customs be built up for display at bike shows and the like?
AW: Yes, definitely. We’ve got a burn for that sort of stuff, it’s great, we love it.
JB: I’ve noticed, a few years back, it was custom Sportsters, then it was the Street 500 that did the rounds of the shows, so I’m guessing that the Street Rod will be the next one to get a bit of bling and some customisation work for appearances at bike shows in the near future.
AW: Yep. ‘Watch this space’ as they say!
