Although they look identical, the 750 felt like a completely different bike to me. I have not seen an official horsepower spec for the 500, but have seen online claims in the mid-30s, so the 750 has about 20 more. This is a large increase, but the way the power is delivered also feels different. On the 750, you can feel the V-Rod heritage coming through. Revs build quick, but I was also able to do a full roll-on from low RPM without downshifting, and there was only a slight delay before the bike went. With the snappier throttle response, everything felt different. You could hit the throttle hard enough to stand the bike up coming out of the corners, and the larger displacement helped with engine braking going in. I would love to do some brake and suspension upgrades and take one of these out to NOLA Motorsports for a track day.
I enjoyed riding them both. I would consider buying a 750 for city riding especially, but I also know people who have done some long hauls on them. The 500 is a much better starter bike than the Buell Blast had been, with a lower seat height and better riding position. It’ s a good bike for a new rider.
These bikes are aimed at a younger market that is less driven by nostalgia for the old bikes, and the world market, and that is reflected in the design. I think Harley would sell a lot more of them here if they went with more traditional styling, like a peanut or small fatbob shaped tank. Maybe this was done to preserve the identity of the larger bikes, and I’ m sure it will work in other markets, but in the USA a more“ Harley” look would probably go over a lot better. The current tank kind of looks like it wasn’ t mounted properly to me, the way it is raised in the rear. The seat was comfortable enough, but it was pushing me forward. I would want to cut back the foam to move my seating position back a couple inches. I also found the bars oddly flat. These are easy fixes, though, and fitting a new bike to yourself is always necessary.
I thought the fork boots looked out of place, they seem to go with an older style that these bikes have little of. I would also prefer to have the little fairing colormatched on the bikes that were not gloss black. These are all minor quibbles, personal opinions, and easy fixes.
Overall, I think these bikes are long overdue. Harley hasn’ t had a lightweight bike in over 40 years, and I think missing out on that new rider market has cost them market share over the years. Traditional Harley guys may complain they don’ t look Harley, are too“ Foreign” or too small, but for the markets these are intended for, I think the Motor Company has come up with a pair of winners. by Frosty and Barry
SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Liquid-Cooled Revolution X 60 ° V-Twin
Model Street 500 Engine Displacement 494cc Bore Stroke 69 mm x 66 mm Compression Ratio 11:1 Fuel System Mikuni Single Port Fuel Injection, 35 mm bore Transmission Six-speed MSRP $ 6,849
Model Street 750 Engine Displacement 749cc Bore Stroke 85 mm x 66 mm Cooling Liquid-Cooled Compression Ratio 11:1 Fuel System Mikuni Single Port Fuel Injection, 38 mm bore Transmission Six Speed MSRP $ 7,549
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