Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hmmm awesome they finally updated their game...
Cool looks except for that hideous radiator and the air filter...
480 lbs is quite a bit for a 500cc bike.

I'll go with cool overall.

Gummiente wrote:While there is an obvious slant towards city riding with this particular model,

First, I don't think it's necessary to be apologetic about this aspect of the Street. It's not just an obvious slant towards city riding, it's their entire angle for this model, and that's my point. If they'd said something like, "...while still delivering enough high-end staying power to conquor the open road..." But no, their whole copy reads like they're selling a Segway rather than a motorcycle.

And I love how they introduce the idea of liquid cooling like it's brand new. Like the idea that people are riding in stop-and-go city traffic is just now coming to light, and HD is right there with innovations to answer the problem. It reminds me of a Subaru commercial from the mid-90's where the announcer is describing a limited-slip differential as though the device has only just been invented. Changes in a product or business model can't be called innovation when they come late in the trend. HD putting out a small-displacement liquid-cooled machine isn't innovation at all...

...it's playing catch-up.

JackoftheGreen wrote:Changes in a product or business model can't be called innovation when they come late in the trend. HD putting out a small-displacement liquid-cooled machine isn't innovation at all...

...it's playing catch-up.

Regardless, it just seems to me you're being overly sensitive about the whole "size" issue.

I voted cool.

I don't like the head light.

I think it's great they decided to put a smaller bike on the market. Not everyone can handle a big bike nor does everyone want a big bike.

With the price point on this, they will get a whole lot of new buyers.

I think the bikes themselves are just . . . ok. Cool enough. But the implications are awesome. Obviously, this bike is targeting whole new rider segments for H-D, whether they’re simply new riders, or just riders who are kinda interested in the brand but not willing to put up with certain perceived Harley attributes (price? weight? bulk? who knows).

As someone who isn't from NA, I think its also significant that this bike will appeal to a broader spectrum of riders around the world, who might want a Harley, but who might find that a traditional Big Twin is simply not as appropriate for their roads, climate, and/or traffic conditions. I really appreciate that a smaller (and hopefully more nimble) bike is just more fun on the narrow, twisty roads where I live, and water cooling is great for places with more traffic congestion than the US. I hope Harley will be rewarded for trying something different. Sadly, they often aren't (look at the V Rod, Buells, XR1200, the list goes on).

I voted Awesome, H-D needs an affordable motorcycle. It looks kind of like a modern version of the XLCR 1000 Café Racer, in the same way a modern Porsche 911, VW Beetle, or Jeep will have similar styling to the older versions despite having modern engines, suspensions, and brakes.

ZRex wrote:It looks kind of like a modern version of the XLCR 1000 Café Racer

Nailed it.

I voted: Awesome

But I can't believe (at this time) there are 12 fail votes. I know it's a different direction for Harley-Davidson, but it's a much needed direction. It's not the company "selling out" to the Japanese or making "un-Harley" bikes or ignoring the H-D faithful. What Harley-Davidson IS doing is bring the joy or owning a Harley to a vastly broader market of new and returning riders and to those who want a smaller cc bike. For that, I give them an awesome vote and I sure hope those who voted fail think about changing their vote as well.

But for the Street 500, what a great bike to start out on. Harley-Davidson's are well known to have character and style and a 500cc is a great size as a first bike, so why not own a H-D? I bet the other brands are shocked that H-D would offer such a bike as it puts their bikes squarely in the crosshairs. What has happened is a fundamental shift in the thinking at H-D to meet the other manufacturers head-on. Surely H-D can complete in this arena successfully.

Also I suspect Harley-Davidson is offering the Street line because they see how bad the economy still is and need to offer a product like this to keep the numbers up. But that's great news for the consumer, more choice = better value.

Don't forget, a 500cc was a good mid-sized bike not too long ago and a 750cc a heavy touring bike.

Again, AWESOME.

Mike

Breaking news (I think I'm the very first to have these 2 shots up on the internet): Harley-Davidson, Marvel and Total Motorcycle gives you a super-sneak preview of the new Captain America: The Winter Soldier” movie, SIX MONTHS before it's released! You will notice it is using the new Street 750 in the images.

Enjoy!

The Harley-Davidson Street™ 750, an all-new motorcycle revealed last week at EICMA, the International Motorcycle Exhibition in Milan, will be appearing in Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” movie. ©MARVEL





Mike

It might be a bit unfair (since he’s a big guy in a bulky costume) but Chris Evans (or his stuntman) makes this bike look tiny