2015 Harley-Davidson Street 500/750: Futureproof Hogs?
Pretty ugly bike. Don't really see anyone going, "WOW I want that". But I'm not a bike guy.
Liquid-cooled 500cc and 750cc engines
$6,700 or $7,500 respectively
Available second quarter of 2014.
2015 Harley-Davidson Street 500/750: Futureproof Hogs? - Popular Mechanics
Harley-Davidson has a tempestuous relationship with youth. Sure, they own nearly half of the heavy motorcyle market for those under 35 and are the best selling brand in America for 18 to 34 year-olds*. But when it comes to lighter bikes for younger folks, the Motor Company also has miles to go, especially considering their entry level Iron 883 Sportster, the brand's lightest and cheapest bike, tips the scales at a portly 562 lbs and runs $7,999.
In an attempt to seal the deal with kids and ensure their Wall Street streak continues, Harley recently announced their first new platform in 13 years with the Street 500 and 750 motorcycles. The bikes depart from their big displacement/air-cooled roots with liquid-cooled 500cc and 750cc engines, and will start at $6,700 and $7,500 respectively when they become available in the U.S., Italy, Spain, Portugal, and India in the second quarter of 2014. Even bigger, though, is the fact that the Motor Company is thinking globally enough that the Street models for other markets will be built at their facility in Bawal, India.
If you find the idea of a non U.S.-built hog hard to swallow, fear not: the Street 500 and 750 motorycles destined for the U.S. and Canada will be built right in our backyard, at Harley's plant in Kansas City, Missouri. And lest you suspect that all Harleys are built equally, think again: Street 500 and 750s for the stateside market boast steel fenders and fuel tanks, while the Indian versions use composite materials. "We spent thousands of hours with interviews and focus groups to get this one right," a Harley rep reassured Popular Mechanics.
Whether or not these new motorcycles are sweet enough to become the next big thing with bike-crazed youth remains to be seen. But the effort behind building an all-new platform at an affordable price point certainly speaks to Harley-Davidon's strident efforts at remaining relevant.
Pretty ugly bike. Don't really see anyone going, "WOW I want that". But I'm not a bike guy.
Liquid-cooled 500cc and 750cc engines
$6,700 or $7,500 respectively
Available second quarter of 2014.
2015 Harley-Davidson Street 500/750: Futureproof Hogs? - Popular Mechanics
Harley-Davidson has a tempestuous relationship with youth. Sure, they own nearly half of the heavy motorcyle market for those under 35 and are the best selling brand in America for 18 to 34 year-olds*. But when it comes to lighter bikes for younger folks, the Motor Company also has miles to go, especially considering their entry level Iron 883 Sportster, the brand's lightest and cheapest bike, tips the scales at a portly 562 lbs and runs $7,999.
In an attempt to seal the deal with kids and ensure their Wall Street streak continues, Harley recently announced their first new platform in 13 years with the Street 500 and 750 motorcycles. The bikes depart from their big displacement/air-cooled roots with liquid-cooled 500cc and 750cc engines, and will start at $6,700 and $7,500 respectively when they become available in the U.S., Italy, Spain, Portugal, and India in the second quarter of 2014. Even bigger, though, is the fact that the Motor Company is thinking globally enough that the Street models for other markets will be built at their facility in Bawal, India.
If you find the idea of a non U.S.-built hog hard to swallow, fear not: the Street 500 and 750 motorycles destined for the U.S. and Canada will be built right in our backyard, at Harley's plant in Kansas City, Missouri. And lest you suspect that all Harleys are built equally, think again: Street 500 and 750s for the stateside market boast steel fenders and fuel tanks, while the Indian versions use composite materials. "We spent thousands of hours with interviews and focus groups to get this one right," a Harley rep reassured Popular Mechanics.
Whether or not these new motorcycles are sweet enough to become the next big thing with bike-crazed youth remains to be seen. But the effort behind building an all-new platform at an affordable price point certainly speaks to Harley-Davidon's strident efforts at remaining relevant.
first thing I thought of too.
