[rwp-review id=”0″]
It’s a funny world we live in. About three weeks ago I had to give my car in to the shop for some much-needed care – turns out I’d worn out the master cylinder in the clutch pedal. Good news was that the car was under warranty. Bad news? The part wasn’t available and meant that I’d have to keep my car in the shop for two weeks.
As we do in the social media realm of self-promotion and self-pitying, I posted this on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/malizomg/posts/10153786019271287
The next day, this happened.
https://www.facebook.com/malizomg/posts/10153788604221287
Before I proceed any further I’ll acknowledge that I live a charmed life and I’m well aware of that. Wanna thank the boys at Harley Davidson MENA for their assist – absolute legends and lifesavers!.
The Street 750 is Harley Davidson’s new entry-level motorcycle aimed at the new bike rider who wants to get a great street bike, but isn’t confident enough yet to invest in a heavy cruiser. The bike is billed as something to ‘shred the streets with’ and the time I spent on the 750 was a mix of a lot of urban/city riding (which is the preferred area for this bike) and some highway riding, so I got to experience a wide range of drives. In the week that I had it, given that it was my primary mode of transportation, I put a cool 500kms on it.
The first thing you’ll notice about this motorbike is that it feels a bit short – the seat sits at just above 28 inches, so feet on the pedals, my knees are right up there with the low-slung fuel tank. However, that’s not a problem really – I’m 6’0 and I found the seating position to be very comfortable, handlebars within natural reach and only a slight rear-set bend on my knees. Since this is meant to be an urban bike, the ride position is great for short trips. On long highway cruises, your butt isn’t enjoying it as much.
Looks-wise, the bike looks like a Harley Davidson for sure, but somehow, not as clean. It has lots of wires and cabling visible which could throw you off, but then, this IS a street bike. And I guess the lack of typical Harley Davidson look could be forgiven given the market this bike is fighting for – new-riders who are looking for a light, easy bike to ride. The bike I was riding was all-black and honestly, that should be the only color you bother getting it in.
Still, I loved how this bike looks. It’s simple, clean, stylish and looks great when parked. A sleek profile means that you always look good on and off the bike and the cafe-rider style front lamps are to die for. As far as street bikes go, I would much, much, rather hop onto this bike rather than a Royal Enfield Continental GT or a Triumph Bonneville.
Clutch down, feet up and moving, the 750 is agile and quick. Deceptively quick, even. The ground clearance is decent and the bike is maneuverable. Because you’re not as high as you could be, you are closes to the center of gravity of the bike, which means leaning in to make a turn is a breeze. At high speeds though (100km/h+) you do feel like you’re fighting the bike on curves and when driving on a windy day – which is why this bike is a bit cumbersome for highway riding. Of course, the argument there is that this is a Street 750 and that you probably wouldn’t be riding this on the highway to begin with – and that’s what I’d recommend too.
I live in Victory Heights and I work in Media City (about a 14km distance), so my ride to and fro is fairly urban with some short highway stretches. The 750 performed phenomenally in urban areas and was only slightly tricky to manage when on the big highways.
Let’s get to the engine – the cream of this bike. Fantastically torque-y performance with power across the entire RPM range give the 750 a very usable powerband. Whether you’re trying to overtake a vehicle or roll off from a stop, the engine is responsive and sharp. The best part though? It’s liquid-cooled. Unlike most Harleys, which are air-cooled, the 750 is liquid cooled, as it’s expected to be sitting in traffic a lot, which is a welcome relief from when I was riding a Fat Boy Special in the city. That was a great bike, but you better hope you’re not stuck in traffic on a Dubai summer day, cuz it’s going to get hot. With the 750, liquid cooling means that you can shred through traffic and not worry about your pants burning off.
Now, the folks at Harley will tell you that the engine feels and sounds like a regular Harley, but that’s not exactly true. Sure, if you add a proper aftermarket exhaust, you may hear the familiar roar of the V-Twin, but this engine is not like any Harley that I’ve ever ridden before. Which is not a bad thing – steady power building through the RPM range and crisp fueling mean that not only do you have a lot of power on tap, you’re getting some fantastic mileage too.
I’m happy to say that the brakes have also been improved – the previous model’s brakes were noticeably bad and another journalist wished me “best of luck with those brakes” when he heard that I was reviewing the Street 750. Lucky for me (and every future owner), the 2016 Street 750 has had a full overhaul of the brake system and with the new foundational brake system and brake rotors, I did not have any complaints with the stopping power on this little machine.
If I had to be critical, I would say that there were three things I didn’t like about the Street 750. First that it didn’t have the premium feel that you expect when you ride a Harley – visible cabling and at higher speeds the chassis vibrates quite a bit. The other thing I wasn’t too fond of was the second seat – sure this bike comes with ‘two’ seats, but you’d better hope your second passenger is quite petite. There isn’t much room for two adults to ride and while fitting a full sized adult on the back is possible, I wouldn’t like it to be me. So when buying this bike, bear in mind that it’s mostly a single-person carrier and on the chance you’re attempting to impress your crush with a ride on a Hog, hope that he or she isn’t too big because that may not end well for you and your romantic chances.
The main thing that I didn’t like about the 750 is the mirror placement. The mirrors are positioned in such a way that you can clearly see over your shoulder and therefore the lanes on either side of you, but not what’s behind you. I spent a lot of time trying to adjust the mirrors so that I could see if anyone was tailgating me but it was mostly impossible. Eventually I managed to have the right mirror show me a little of what’s happening behind me, if I tilted my head while riding, while the left mirror continued to show me nothing of what was behind me.
But then, there’s the price – you can pick up the Street 750 from any Harley dealership in the UAE for AED 26,000 as a lump-sum or put a deposit of AED 2,600 and pay it off monthly. Yes, it is ridiculously well priced. Almost everyone I spoke to about the cost had the same reaction, which was, “that’s cheap for a Harley!” And it is. It’s a 750cc, fast, maneuverable street bike that’s aiming for new riders, competing with the likes of Triumph Bonnevilles and other Café Riders/Bobbers. And in that category, it’s a sexy, economical bike that can, literally, shred the streets.
I was never late getting anywhere on this bike and I definitely got looks everywhere I went. Not the “oh he’s just another Harley guy” look. No, I was getting the “oooh nice bike” look. And if that’s the reaction you want, while not breaking your bank and still getting great bang for your buck, then look no further than the Harley Street 750.
