BIKE TEST

Stuart is wearing an XRH helmet, Ugly Fish glasses, H-D jacket, M2R Aero gloves and Draggin jeans.

HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET 500

ON THE STREET: A MINI V-ROD WORDS STUART WOODBURY PHOTOS THE BEAR

“THAT H-D BADGE GOES A LONG WAY AND WILL DO SO IN THE MANY THOUSANDS OF STREETS
THAT WILL BE SOLD”

The world was shocked when Harley Davidson announced that the factory was going to make a 500 and a 750cc liquid-cooled motorcycle. The reaction was similar to the way the V-Rod was received; many stalwarts thought H-D had lost its way and traditionalists criticised the Motor Company for making another bike that was “different” from the way a Harley “should be” and what size engine it should have.

Of course they were all conveniently forgetting the many smaller-capacity bikes with varying engine configurations that H-D has built over the century-plus that it’s been operating. I mean, consider that during WW2, Milwaukee even built a thousand horizontally-opposed BMW copies!

The new bikes, of which we will only get the LAMS approved Street 500s, look a bit like a mix between a V-Rod and a traditional Harley. When we got word that the first Street 500s had arrived in Australia, I jumped on and took it out for a spin. It is actually more V-Rod like than “traditional” Harley, but that’s fine.

I have no doubt H-D dealers across the country will be crying out for stock as these bikes fly off the showroom floor.

Housed in the tubular steel frame is an all-new liquid-cooled “Revolution X” V-twin engine, claimed to thrive on high temperatures and heavy traffic. This is a good thing, of course, seeing that the bikes are built in and for India, as well as for us. Liquid-cooling helps maintain temperature and performance as the sixty degree cylinder angle and 4 valves per head offer plenty of low-end torque, especially for the bike’s capacity. And the Revolution X does like to rev, just like its big brother V-Rod.

A 6-speed gearbox is well matched to the characteristics of the engine, with both being quite smooth in operation.

The clutch on the other hand was originally a bit too jerky for my liking, but once the engine got hot, it did work okay.

Braking is a disappointment. The front brake has little power and even with a hard squeeze, you still wonder if it’s going to help you stop. The rear does have an adequate amount of power and rather than relying on the front as the main brake, it was the rear I called on to do most of the stopping for me.

Build quality is my other concern with the Street. It is quite roughly finished off in many areas. There is wiring that could be routed better and the paintwork is not to the standard I would expect of the H-D brand, just to name a couple of things.

Sure, this bike has been built to a price point, but look at other motorcycles at this price and even cheaper ones – they are better finished. I doubt whether this will affect sales overall, but it may disappoint some potential owners.

Yes, the Street 500 is built in India.

Should that matter to quality? No. I’m sure H-D has its own quality control procedures in place to ensure the product meets their targets; perhaps the bikes we have received so far in Australia were from early batches which were still being sorted out.

Handling is smooth and the bike is well suspended. You have preload adjustable twin shocks on the rear if you feel you need a bit more support, but I’m not especially light and I like the way the Street rides bumps, and turn in is very light and stable. At 206kg, the Street is very easy to manage for just about any sized rider.

Without the accessory screen, it changes the entire “look” of the Street.

Centre stand comes standard.

A low seat at 709mm will suit many, as will the mid mounted footpegs – mostly those under 185cm. At my 195cm, I felt cramped, but the shorter Bear liked how the seating position is set up.

Styling is very much mini V-Rod. A skinny big front wheel, “fat” rear wheel and a short duck tail are all reminiscent of H-D’s powerhouse. Even the Michelin tyre pattern is the same as the V-Rod’s,complete with Harley-Davidson logos.

The radiator is probably as neat as you could get it on a cruiser like this and the shape of the tank is nice.

Accessories are extensive, as you would expect from Harley. Our test bike had an accessory screen which looked quite nice. I didn’t see any forward controls, which would allow taller riders to be comfortable, but I have no doubt someone will make a set for the aftermarket.

Despite some downsides, the Harley Davidson Street 500 will sell like badges at a HOG convention, especially at the remarkable $9995 ride away price tag.

Chuck a pipe on it and let the Revolution X engine bounce soundwaves across the city, just like an open-piped V-Rod’s does. Many customisers will also want the badge on the tank to make the basis to create a cool ride – that H-D badge goes a long way and will do so in the many thousands of Streets that will be sold. If you want one, I suggest getting your order in as soon as you can. There might be a long wait…

SPECS HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500

PRICE: $9995 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years,unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 8000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled V-twin cylinder,4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BORE x STROKE: 69 x 66mm
DISPLACEMENT: 494cc
COMPRESSION: 11.0:1
POWER: N/A
TORQUE: 40Nm @ 3500rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, 37mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable, travel 140mm.Rear, twin-shock, adjustable preload,travel 89mm.
DIMENSIONS: Seat height 709mm,weight 222kg (wet), fuel capacity 13.1 litres, wheelbase 1534mm
TYRES: Front, 100/80/R17. Rear,140/75/R15
FRAME: Tubular steel
BRAKES: Front, 292mm discs with dual-piston caliper. Rear, 260mm disc,dual-piston caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.03 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 260km
COLOURS: Black Denim, Fire Red,Vivid Black
VERDICT: MINI “V” HAS ARRIVED

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