To HD Purists. New Street 750. KID's BIKE after CHICK's BIKE?

What are your thoughts about the new Street Series? Some says, it might punch a hole in Jap cruiser's sales... Some says it will punch a hole in Harley Davidson's image...
Me? Well, considering that HD have made a scooter, and few 125cc motorcycles; I don't think it'll affect HD's image... Its a nice move IMO to attract young people towards the brand and I see no problem in that... Besides who hates to say: "Yo! I've got a Harley!"
Anyhow, Its a nice looking bike albeit a bit small physically for anyone over 5'10... And since I'm 6'2; I'll prefer The Vulcan 900 or a clean looking air cooled V-Star 950 cause they've got the dimensions and presence of an HD Softail and costs well under $10k! Cruisers are all about "BIG" and The Kawasaki & Yamaha ticks just that!!! Can't say that for The Street....

I'm not an HD owner or purist, but IMO, HD missed an opportunity to start positioning themselves to expand beyond their cruiser/bagger base by offering a practical, mid-displacement standard with a lightweight, responsive chassis to compete against the Bonneville and its derivations, something that evoked their dirt trackers of the past but went beyond being merely image bikes to offer a truly competent platform for future variants. The current faithful wouldn't touch it, but they won't have much use for a 750 cc cruiser either.

That's exactly mine opinion. Imagane a 500/750 cc road king, switch back or softail heritage classic That would be spot on for me!

Yup. Something like this, IMO.

I dunno...Ascot and Street looks pretty close to me. I never thought that until you posted the picture of the Ascot. I think HD came pretty close to what PalePhase said they should have done.

Correct if I missed the point.

LOL @ "Jap"

I don't think a lot of people remember or care about Aermacchi or HD scooters nowadays. I know about them and I barely care at all.

Otherwise, I'm waiting to ride one so I can write it up and flesh out my thoughts.

I'm a HD owner not a purist, I thinks it's good when a MOCO makes a new model even if I don't buy one. I sort of like the new HD's except what I've read about the lack of ground clearance. Chicks bike well to me any bike that a chick owns is a chick bike. Kids bike, any kid that can afford a new bike I'll take my hat off to them, I certainly couldn't afford a new bike when I was kid.

I have had Harley's in the past, and they make nothing I want now.
The new bikes are a good thing I would think, lots of power for the motor size, lower prices.

They have not made a good standard motorcycle in a long time though, and still don't, and likely never will.

Lighter weight, low center of gravity, 5 inches of suspension travel, frame size to fit a 6 foot person with mid pegs.

I think the solid mounts were the last good bikes in the sportster range, then they turned into mini big twin semi chopper looking things, low, low seat, forward controls, goofy handlebar setup, heavy, very little suspension and heavy. And low.

The new bikes have more power, and are cheaper, but they are still heavy, small and low.

The VT500 Ascot is so far ahead of it's time. 35 degree v-twin 500, lots of smooth power to 8k, shaft drive, liquid cooled, and 6 speed, along with dirt track styling similar to the XR750.

My lovely wife has one and loves it. It is near bullet proof.

It will be fun to test ride one of the 500's or 750's , you just never know ,they could turn-out to be the next big thing for HD .

Why would they do that?



They made a standard in 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012... GREAT bikes but They didn't sell very well.

Yeah…but if HD is reading this, I'm one customer who only owns a Harley because they built a STANDARD.

First time I ever walked into a Harley shop was to look at the new XR1200. It appealed to me.

Came close to buying one, but bought a touring bike instead, which has turned into a bike a really really like.

I like the possibilities of the Street 750, and I really like some of the pics of modded ones I've seen.

Cakeeater

Don't we already have this thread somewhere else?
Just sayin'.

An XR750? Tempting... But as someone else have mentioned HD did had a standard bike recently in U.S lineup, it was called XR1200X and had a 100BHP 1,200cc engine from Sportster. It didn't sell well so HD have discontinued it along with Road Glide for the year 2014. Price was around 12K and that put it in the realm of Ducati Monster 1100 EVO, MV Agusta 1090 Brutale and Triumph Street Triple 1050.
That probably explains why HD chose not to built a standard... It won't sell well, trust me... We are in minority...

my thoughts=
what does big have to do with a standard mid-sized street bike?

Not at all. I really hate my Kawasaki.

I was raised in a Harley household, and I think a lot of members here weren't. When you talk to a 'Harley guy' about what kind of bike is a good starter bike, you will basically hear them describe the new streets, although they may not realize it. You 'need' both feet flat on the ground when still sitting. You 'need' to be able to stand over the bike. Etc. When I bought my first bike I was advised, by my dad no less, not to use the front brake. I rode a year before I bought my first helmet, he told me that you didn't need one anyways. He told me not to wreck, so (somehow) I didn't. I vividly remember peeking around my sunglasses riding home at night because the headlight sucked. Didn't have clear glasses, or even realize such things were made. I used to ride through town as much as possible those nights, because the streetlights made it easier to see.

Those are the people that will buy the new bikes. I helped my girlfriend's brother change a tire on his 2004 Sportster last year, it still had plenty of tread but was dry-rotted because it was original. Just the front, the back still looked 'good enough' :huh He's thinking of trading it in for a bigger bike now, and I'm sure it won't get ridden either.