2016 Harley-Davidson Street 750 First Ride Review

How does it ride?

The Street 750 is a cruiser and it definitely feels like one. The riding position is very comfortable and then when you attach that laid back aspect to it, cruising becomes bliss. The bike has a well sorted suspension setup and eats up bumps pretty well. However, if you are someone like me who can change the living room bulb without the help of a stool, then you might need to think twice before you buy this bike. With a seat height of just 710mm, it is easily accessible for most of the Indians but not practical for some of us.

One of the major issues of the old Street 750 was its brakes. With this new model, Harley-Davidson has addressed this issue but there is a new one now - the rear brake is over sensitive. While it does the job of stopping the bike, the over sensitive bite locks the rear wheel most of the time. And this is quite dangerous during panic braking or if you are new to the bike. Make sure to feel and understand the rear brakes before you head out.

When it comes to performance of the Street 750, you won’t be disappointed. There is more than enough torque at your disposal all the time. The power delivery is linear and the Street 750 is capable of reaching 120kmph within seconds and will still have the juice to touch 150kmph. Gear shifts are smooth and accurate.

Anything else I should know?

Yes, you do! The Street 750 is offered in a new colour – superior blue. And trust me, the bike looks stunning in this paint scheme. The American manufacturer claims that they have improved the wire look routing but we managed to spot some loose visible ones. And if you love customisations, you have plenty to choose from and in fact, there is a loan provision from ICICI and HDFC banks too for this.

Why should I buy one?

Just like most of the Indians, you have a dream of owning a nice American cruiser. And the Street 750 is the perfect answer to that dream. In fact, after you own it, you might go onto own a bigger Harley and that’s how you arrive in life. This bike is not just practical but makes sense for the money you pay. With a price tag of Rs 4.52 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) - an increase of Rs 42,000 over the outgoing model, the Street 750 revolves around the value for money proposition belief and that’s all we want, don’t we?

Where does it fit in?

The 2016 Harley-Davidson Street 750 is the Achilles of the segment. There is the Hyosung Aquila Pro but lacks the aspirational value that the Street 750 offers. At the higher end of the spectrum, there is the Triumph Bonneville for now. But wait for a couple of months and you will see the new Street Twin but don’t expect its pricing to be as good as the Street 750.

Photography by Sanchit Arora.