It’s not just the engine, though, where the bike makers from Milwaukee have outdone themselves. The way this bike handles is also noteworthy. Unlike its older brethren, this is a motorcycle that loves to be tipped into corners and bends. So taut and reassuring is the bike’s dynamic abilities that we found ourselves scraping foot-pegs on more than one occasion without ever intending to! Quick changes in direction as one flicks the bike from left to right is also easily done. Speaking of flickability, one would have thought that a bike that tips the scales at over 220 kilos would be a chore in traffic. We were pleasantly surprised again at how easily manoeuvrable this motorcycle is even in peak city traffic, riding through crowded areas. Ride quality, frankly, isn’t superlative and at really low speeds over ruts it can feel as if it’s on the stiffer side, but it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. As the speed begins to rise, the ride quality improves a bit with the suspension seeming to work better at medium and high speeds.
So far as shedding speed is concerned (the bike reaches 160 km/h on the clock quite comfortably) the Street 750 stops quite well. Pull the right lever in and stomp down on the right pedal and you will find that there is enough and more bite from the twin discs with two-piston floating callipers. H-D have chosen MRF Nylogrip Zappers to shod the Street 750’s wheels with. The 100/80 R17 tyre up front and the 140/75 R15 tyre at the rear do a fine job with good grip on offer, further adding to rider confidence. Even under harsh braking during our road test’s customary brake test the tyres provided ample grip.
To sum this road test up then, we will return to the questions we had asked ourselves at the very beginning. What sort of a motorcycle is Harley-Davidson’s new Street 750? And, more importantly, given the traditional appeal of bikes sporting the famous bar and shield logo, will the Street 750 live up to the expectations of an aspiring Harley owner? The answer to the first is that the Harley-Davidson Street 750 is a brilliant all-rounder of a motorcycle. It’s the kind of bike that you can take on your long weekend rides – solo or with a bunch of friends. At the same time, it is practical and usable enough for you to be able to ride it to work every day. To the second question we say, it’s got enough of the Harley character and familiarity for it to merit the bar and shield badge. Only it’s now better with the higher levels of refinement and dynamic abilities. So, yes, this bike should live up to a majority of the expectations of aspiring Harley owners. To conclude, at Rs 4.66 lakh (OTR, Pune), the Street 750 is a steal.
