Harley-Davidson Street 750 – The entry-level Harley you’ll want

When Harley Davidson entered the Indian market, no one imagined it to be so popular, but we’re sure the brand’s heritage has more to do with this. The American motorcycle brand was producing products in India until very recently – the Street Rod and the Street 650 in particular. These bikes made Harleys affordable, finding a lot of takers among enthusiasts. In 2014, Harley launched the Street 750, a motorcycle based on the brand’s new platform.

Look like a Harley?

To look at, the Harley-Davidson Street 750 looks likes a proper big bike but one that sits quite low. It has a lovely bikini fairing that houses that circular headlight. It can also be customised to suit your taste by removing the front fairing, which will have your headlamp exposed. The Harley-Davidson Street 750 is a muscular bike with good presence; it somehow manages to get lots of heads turning on the road. At the front, the telescopic fork pipes get rubber boots for protection, which is useful in our kind of riding conditions. The bike features a single instrument cluster with a speedometer showing a reading of up to 180kph. In terms of quality, Harley Davidson Bikes have ensured top quality, like the palm grips and the improved switchgear. The rear view mirrors don’t offer the best view though.

Let’s torque..

The design of the teardrop-like tank adds to the appeal of the motorcycle. And the fuel filler lid is lockable. The seat is wide and unique and the stepped tail will not have you mistake this bike for being anything else. Like we said, the finish on the bike is good, but can’t be matched with costlier Harley Davidson Bikes. On the updated 2017 model, this aspect was addressed. Powering the Harley-Davidson Street 750 is a four-stroke, 60-degree V-twin engine, displacing 749cc along with fuel injection. Harley likes calling the engine Revolution X and the motor comes with four valves per cylinder, all being chain driven. The huge radiator indicates that this bike is liquid-cooled. The engine produces 52bhp and 64.9Nm of torque. Power delivery is seamless with ample performance at the rider’s disposal, which is genuinely surprising for something like the Street 750. Power is channelled to the rear tyre via a toothed belt; this helps make the bike a silent one to ride, whilst also being more reliable compared to a drive chain.

The American brand has been burning the midnight oil to ensure the new-generation liquid-cooled Revolution X engine comes with the authentic sound, and as it turned out, the bike’s two-into-one exhaust gives out a nice rumble that is a hushed but can be replaced with an aftermarket exhaust for a louder thump. The clutch on the Street 750 is nicely weighted and works quite smoothly, while the 6-speed gearbox too, does not disappoint. The exhaust gets a satin black finish; perhaps some chrome on it would’ve looked better. Acceleration is strong; throttle response is prompt, helping the bike sprint to 100kph within 5 seconds. We managed a top speed of 175kph and it refuses to sound coarse at any given point, keeping vibrations at bay. Refinement leaves nothing to complain about and the bike reaches its limiter rather effortlessly. We like how easily manageable the engine is in traffic. Also, the 6-speed ‘box and the engine have been well matched.

And the ergonomics?

Harley Davidson Bikes have designed a cruiser-like wheelbase for the Street 750. You’re seated comfortably, nice and low with your back posture in an upright state; the feet-set-footpegs play a key part in this too. The saddle is comfortable and padded nicely too. Pillion comfort could’ve been that little bit better, considering there is very limited space at the back. The bike’s 7-spoke alloy wheels and front telescopic suspension, along with the rear dual shocks, take the weight of the steel frame build.

On tarmac

The ground clearance is better than all the big Harleys around, but the Street Rod betters it somewhat in this regard. Only by a small margin of course. Also, the bike gets increased suspension travel. Weighing in at 222kgs, the Street 750 is no nimble bike to be chucking around corners, but it’s quite manageable once you get a hang of things. The wide handlebars instil some confidence, and while ride quality is good, the bike corners well too. The Street 750 is shod with MRF rubber that provides ample grip at high speeds. Traction isn’t so bad either. Also, grab the latest info on new bikes, only at autoX.