Motorcycles

Harley-Davidson Street Rod delivers entry-level power boost

Harley-Davidson Street Rod delivers entry-level power boost
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action
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The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in Charcoal Denim color
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The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in Charcoal Denim color
Harley-Davidson retains the Street-series looks with the 2017 Street Rod
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Harley-Davidson retains the Street-series looks with the 2017 Street Rod
Harley-Davidson includes a small plastic aerodynamic screen, painted in matching color, as standard on the Street Rod
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Harley-Davidson includes a small plastic aerodynamic screen, painted in matching color, as standard on the Street Rod
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod mixes Street family genes with a touch of XR1200
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The Harley-Davidson Street Rod mixes Street family genes with a touch of XR1200
The red springs in the rear shocks stand out on the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
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The red springs in the rear shocks stand out on the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod is the third model to join the Street family
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The Harley-Davidson Street Rod is the third model to join the Street family
The two-up seat of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
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The two-up seat of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
Harley-Davidson designed the Street Rod for sportier commuting
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Harley-Davidson designed the Street Rod for sportier commuting
No changes in the Harley-Davidson Street Rod's instruments, apart from raising the maximum speed indication to 120 mph (from 110 in the Street 750)
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No changes in the Harley-Davidson Street Rod's instruments, apart from raising the maximum speed indication to 120 mph (from 110 in the Street 750)
New graphics on the fuel tank of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
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New graphics on the fuel tank of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
The small flyscreen of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod matches the bodywork color
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The small flyscreen of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod matches the bodywork color
Twin two-piston calipers on 300 mm disks with ABS as standard take charge of stopping the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
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Twin two-piston calipers on 300 mm disks with ABS as standard take charge of stopping the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
The locking cap of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod's fuel tank
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The locking cap of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod's fuel tank
New inverted 43 mm forks complement the aggressive looks of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
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New inverted 43 mm forks complement the aggressive looks of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
Two piggyback shocks with red springs for the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
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Two piggyback shocks with red springs for the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
The engine of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod has undergone an extensive redesign in the hunt for more power
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The engine of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod has undergone an extensive redesign in the hunt for more power
The redesigned air scoop of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
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The redesigned air scoop of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action
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The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action
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The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action
View gallery - 19 images

It may include the smallest capacity motorcycles in Harley-Davidson's lineup, but the Street series' newest arrival brings the kind of power that would compare directly with bigger models. The Street Rod introduces the High Output Revolution X engine, mated with upgraded equipment and sharper steering.

When Harley-Davidson first announced the Street series, it served two very important purposes. The 500 and 700 cc engine variants sound too small for a Harley, yet they excel at appealing to both younger riders and manufacturers' new holy grail, booming Asian markets.

With the addition of the Street Rod, Harley-Davidson simply adds a generous touch of spice to its entry-level lineup with the debut of the High Output Revolution X 60-degree V-twin motor. The evolved variant of the standard Street 750 engine features a heap of changes, including new gas-flowed cylinder heads with higher compression, sportier high-lift camshafts, a new exhaust system, and new throttle bodies fed via a larger air box.

The end result translates to an 18 percent hike in power and eight percent in torque – the latter set at 65 Nm (47.9 ft-lb) at 4000 rpm. Harley-Davidson does not mention exact horsepower figures but, given that the Street 750 produces some 58 hp (43.3 kW) in EU spec, on paper the Street Rod's output comes up around 68 hp (50.7 kW). This power reaches its maximum value at 8,750 rpm, which is around 1,000 higher than the standard engine, as the redline has accordingly climbed to 9,000 rpm.

The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod in action

In terms of styling, little has changed, but Harley-Davidson's suggestions of a sharper motorcycle are much more than simple marketing lingo. The suspensions now consist of 43 mm inverted forks and a pair of piggyback shocks, with benefits spilling over to the braking department as well, in the shape of a twin-disk front setup.

One of the most significant changes though is not very obvious in the photos. The Street Rod sports much more aggressive frame geometry, with fork rake reduced from 32 to 27 degrees. The rear tire is also taller at 17 inches (15 for the Street 500/750), lifting the bike's tail section in tune with the sharper handling that Harley-Davidson typically declares.

The end result is complemented with drag-style handlebars, bar-end mirrors, and several minor stylish details like the new logo on the 13.2 l (3.5 gal) fuel tank.

The Street Rod retails in USA from $8,699 (about €8.200), while in European markets its starting price flirts with the €10,000 (about US$10,600) mark. It will be available in black, charcoal, or olive gold solid colors, and a little extra cash buys silver pinstriping.

Source: Harley-Davidson

View gallery - 19 images
3 comments
3 comments
Milton
A great looking bike at a great price. But I wonder if they could bump performance with an EV version and still keep it under $10K. (I'm reminded of that awesome EV harley concept they showed off a couple years ago)
HaroldBalsac
If you're looking at buying this bike, you could save a lot of money by getting a Kawasaki Vulcan 750 instead. Similar, if not better, hp and torque figures and you could have one for a fraction of what the Harley costs. Of course, it would have to be used, (they were manufactured from 1986 to 2006), but if that doesn't bother you, there are good examples out there. My '87 is very spunky and still returns about 50 mpg.
possum1
for similar money you could get better HP and Torque numbers from a Triumph Bonneville, with the added bonus of handling. Good luck trying to spread your market base to younger riders, that is where the future of our sport is and it needs all the encouragement we can give it.