Team-BHP - My 1-star review of the 2016 Harley Street 750

Impulsive or not, irrespective of the motorcycle you buy, you must spend time riding it before making up your mind definitively about your 2 wheeled addition

A lot of people think moving over to a big capacity motorcycle would be similar to driving a reasonably powerful car. I mean, I am as much at home driving my slow poke Linea as I am my friend's BMW 3 series. But these bikes are a very different animal

Even at half their performance, they can scare the pants off someone new to riding these 40+ BHP'ers. I cant help but think about myself here. I bought the Duke 390 because I loved the mad rush of power; and thought I would commute everyday on it

Watched many YouTube vids to ride safe and was basically very very slow. First few months; I couldnt handle the bike well. She would heat up and I cursed it. I was unable to go "through the traffic" and ambled along like a car would - Except that I was sitting on a furnace instead of a comfy air conditioned cabin

Started thinking maybe I took the wrong decision. "Ok"; I said, "I will get another commuter type bike and leave the 390 for the weekend fun. But a voice inside me kept calling me an idiot, so thank god I did not spend that extra cash

I dont know when, but one day I just decided that I am going to stop complaining and ride my bike. I knew somewhere inside that the bike was not the problem, it was my skill level on 2 wheels and I need to get better if I were to enjoy this bike.... or any bike for that matter

Glad to say, I am so very happy with my 390. I have clocked close to 25000 kms on it and love it to bits. But if I were writing this statement a year and a half or so ago, maybe my views would be the exact opposite from what they are now

In short - Ride your motorcycle. There is nothing wrong with it. It is the rider that needs to up his / her skills and that is going to take time and practice .... and therefore patience

If not; the Hero Splendor awaits the warmth of your bum

I really don't know if I am eligible to comment on this thread, but still, here goes my two cents.

I guess your major issue is because what you dreamt of the motorcycle is a lil different from the reality .Of course riding motorcycles is great fun and it might arguably be the closest thing to make you feel alive. Now coming to the problems you face with the bike

1.overheating of the engine: I guess this is a case with many motorcycles with large engines. We have had a Desert Storm with us for close to an year and lemme tell you that even the RE gets heated up while you are in stop go traffic and/or idling the motorcycle. Even the Vespa at our office heats up while you go through start stop traffic. It's a case with many motorcycles with large engines. I guess these vehicles are not meant for idling and the traffic in our cities.
2.The braking:I've been fortunate to have a desert storm and also a Bajaj avenger in our family and from my experience both these bikes does require the application of fair amount of front brakes and I guess it's pretty much the same with long big bikes.And regarding the ABS, yes Harley should've provided it but at the same time it's something you already knew while you bought the bike.

3.Handling : One shouldn't expect a Harley to handle like a Ducatti right?. One buys a cruiser to cruise, you change directions by transferring your weight and that to me gives a lot of fun .Changing the direction by slowly transferring our weight is one of the biggest pleasures you get while you ride a bike.

4.Accessories: We've all been to showrooms haven't we. Give me one brand that sells great accessories at a reasonable cost.The bigger the brand is the higher the costs are going to be.While buying a premium product you shouldn't expect the accessories to be cheap right?.For example in car terms, you can't compare a BMW accessory and a Maruthi accessory. The bigger the brand the costlier it would be.

And the price is something I rather not comment about.Some say it's overpriced while some say a Harley at less than 6lakhs OTR is a steal. So it basically depends upon your take.

In my opinion don't sell the bike so soon .Ride it for a bit, enjoy the better parts of the beautiful bike it is and then I bet you'll be hooked.

Just my two cents,
Hope you enjoy the bike
Pai

@ Urban Nomad: You echoed all the phases I have undergone with my D390. I watched all the reviews for almost 1.5 years and gifted myself a D390 (Slipper clutch edition). After riding it close to 2500 mark, I sold it as I thought it is made for me and not as not as confirmable as my daily commuter Pulsar 150. So I sold the D390 with a loss. Somehow I failed to make the frame of mind to retain it as you did. It's been 2 month I departed from my new gen RD 350 (I always consider D390 as a benchmark as RD 350) I curse myself every day and I am going to pick up nothing else than 390 again. Probably a different shade to satisfy myself.

Bottom-line: Spend a good amount of time with new procession. Even RD 350 would have received lot many comments on mileage, weak breaking, Rapid Death, YamDoot etc. In spite of all these, still RD sellers are quoting 3 lacks for a 30 year old bike. I feel I have not covered enough miles on it to understand it better.

Hey Amit,

First of all, I would like to thank and applaud you for this thread. What I will not do is comment whether this is a rant against a weak HD or a hastily and emotionally committed mistake at your end.

But what I will surely do is thank you for letting people know as to what are the major pointers that one needs to keep in mind while planning to buy such a biggie. I have read each and every post of the thread and trust me, I have captured a lot of information regarding such bikes. I have been using an Avenger for my city commute for the last 4.5 years and now know what all to check before going for a similar upgrade.

I understand that anyone who wants to move from a regular commuter to such a biggie would surely be fascinated by the power of the bike and the attention it gets. At least, the ones who have not had an earlier exposure to such bikes. And now, all because of your thread, people know what all to check before going for such a bike.

My takeaways from the thread are
1. Think of the purpose and reason before buying such a bike. And think again
2. Take a long test drive to check driving comfort (in terms of driving capabilities) and just not be happy with the power of the big engine
3. Check for the heating of engine, braking capabilities and other such items already discussed in the thread.

This thread reflects the beauty of T-BHP. All views, all reviews, all kinds of suggestions and ideas are welcome. Amit, your purpose is served. I have learnt a lot today.

That is one experienced truth from an unbiased owner. Thanks for finally putting it out.
I have known and rode with people who have been crazy about HD from childhood and defend the costly vibrator. Even I loved the look of their bikes but not the tiny ones which we Indians are buying in numbers.
Sadly buying the cheapest Harley is like insulting ourselves. That thing is a small little thingy between your legs, which gets lost between the thighs of most of the well nourished/tall bikers around.
Seriously it is too much money for a person who is looking for a practical option. Unless the money came easy and you are letting it go easy or you are ready to make compromises due to your affordability, picking the 750 is a big no.
You will be better off with a bullet 350 or 500 or least a 2nd hand HD.

The cost of buying entry level HD might sound cheap, but you should have a budget of 2 lakhs over it to make it friendly.

I own a Ninja 650 its an all rounder, I knew what I was getting into, still 2 things I hate about it is the heat it puts and no grunt engine.

No bike above 500cc where you sit on top of the engine is easy to ride inside the city, it fries your lower body, with a pillion women (not a girl) it fries your head also.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amitkb (Post 3927400)

Again, all the ownership reviews I read praised the Street 750 and effectively gave it a 5-star rating. I agonized for long before putting up this not-so-flattering review on Team-Bhp. This review is my small, and in all probability inadequate, contribution to this wonderful site. If you are reading this before buying the Street 750, my solace will be that at the very least I have given you an alternate view.

Thanks Amit for starting this thread and writing from heart. I am not going to write any technicalities about what should be the title of the thread. The points that you mentioned about owning a big bike, though gently touched elsewhere in other reviews, your version plasters the reality more accurately. Every one's mileage varies, whether they want to see them as non issues or deal breakers. To me, this single post changed my view point drastically.
This is my first post on this forum and I already saved several Lakh rupees and many thanks to you for putting this post up.
I drove scooters, bikes almost 10 years before I switched to cars and which I have been driving for the past 15 years with an over lap of both for 5 years. So with 20 years behind the wheels / handle bars and some money to burn, it is only natural for me as well to see what this hype or aura is all about. Being familiar with cars under 30lakh price, the other end of the spectrum left unexplored is the two wheeler side (barring luxury cars which are out of my reach at the moment).
With Harley Davidson legacy and such an attractive price point of around 5 lakhs, it did sound like the right entry ticket. After driving friend’s Fortuner way too many times and compared to my Honda city, there is barely any difference about using either of the vehicles in the city traffic. If any, Fortuner made it more comfortable. I am stuck with this thinking that an upgraded vehicle will always be better and so was keen to pick up Street 750 over the current Activa. All I thought was it is a heavier bike and more powerful which I thought I can handle. Of course, HD proudly says that Street is for streets (in simple words) and I am anyways not keen on high way riding as I just want to drive in city. I thought finally some manufacturer realised that there are people who want an upgraded option in two wheeler segment but might never do highways. I know that people want to talk about price or affording things, but for me it is more of practicality plus performance that would swing the decision.
Your review is spot on and given my purpose of city commute only, HD Street sounds like an oxymoron. May be the Street stands for no traffic jam street in a sleepy town in USA but for Mumbai or any other Indian city this does not sound like a Street bike.
I am seeing a huge amount of enthusiasts replying in this thread and for sure this enthusiasm is contagious! However, there might be several fence sitters like me who do not fully understand the woes of ownership of these big bikes and your post helps a lot.
I look forward to being active on Aprilla SR150 thread when it opens up!

Quote:

Originally Posted by amitkb (Post 3927400)

.... and so I bought a bike too.

I reasoned you live only once and decided to splurge on a HD Street 750

Quote:

Originally Posted by saion666 (Post 3929475)

Sir, you got a Harley to buy loaves of bread/ fruits from the market!!!!
You wanted exclusivity in doing these and such exclusivity where a Bullet falls short!!!

My suggestion would be to join some Harley club and go on long rides. Let the bike grow on you. Yes, it would not solve the purpose for which it was bought but this is an opportunity for you to explore a whole new perspective, afterall we live only once.

You can always get the Activa for the bread shopping. Infact try the Suzukis/Yamaha/Hero/electric scooters as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VRPAI (Post 3931767)

Of course riding motorcycles is great fun and it might arguably be the closest thing to make you feel alive.

In my opinion don't sell the bike so soon .Ride it for a bit, enjoy the better parts of the beautiful bike it is and then I bet you'll be hooked.

I totally understand this emotion which is why I want to share my opinion here because if you were my friend (I wish you were just around the corner) or part of my circle I would not (don't know your financial side but too much to loose) encourage you to sell the bike so early till you experience all its shades to form a complete opinion.

Each product has its strengths and weakness, pick any, and here on TBHP itself you'll find opinions divided. I don't have any idea about HD, though IBW happens next to my house, the closest I've been to a HD is parked next to it at the fuel pump. So I know nothing about its strengths or weakness.

But I love motorcycling though over the past few years I haven't been riding as often as I'd like and just like you, prefer staying inside the cool confines of an ac cabin, in fact I hardly push open the sun roof cover as I feel the it affects the cooling inside, I don't know how I'll adjust to motorcycling but that flame is still there and I hope to return to biking soon.

You should give it another chance, let me share a couple of instances, my cousin who for long was wanting to get hooked to cycling picked a 35k cycle without much research but somehow didn't end up cycling enough despite the initial euphoria, he wasn't happy with his purchase decision, fortunately for him another friend because of him picked a cycle a few months down and now they together cycle regularly and there are others too who cycle along.

Another instance, my cousin who picked an Amaze was pretty disappointed from day one because most of his friends had German cars which were excellent in stability and cornering, I suggested he should swap to "S drive's" and though he still complains, he never imagined that he could improve on his situation, so is happier with this solution.

Like many have said earlier you need to be a passionate motorcyclist first before enjoying motorcycling, else any bike can make you uncomfortable if you look from practicality lenses, its almost like wearing formals and driving an open Jeep to work everyday negotiating traffic, dust and intense heat, you won't like it unless you love your jeep to bits.

I sincerely hope my response makes you feel better some way and you take up motorcycling as a passion, easiest way since you already have the passport, your HD bike, ask your dealer about friendly neighborhood HD folks and join them on few out of city early morning rides, request your wife to join as well, you can surprise yourself as it can be the best gift in your mid life once you start exploring and that's the question in the first place you wanted answers for that started all this chain of events.

You'll start enjoying life on a different plane, don't look at it critically but blend with the present and feel those moments when the breeze wafts over you. Sometimes biking is not just about the bike, its more, its about the feeling, the freedom, nature, adventure, bonding, thrills, laughter, it never was about comfort, never, and to some its not about the acceleration or top speed either.

Once you get to the overall package, its addictive, it'll definitely be fun. Maybe you should attend a bike festival. Who knows, maybe I'll catch up with you in Goa when you ride one fine day from Pune. As you said you live only once. I waited for the dust to settle so you could read my response in peace. Cheers to you and your Harley.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amitkb (Post 3927400)

[b]

I am a half-bald, 39-year-old and what does a half-bald, middle aged man do? He buys a bike, and so I bought a bike too.

It was because I wanted to make a statement. It may also have been because I had lost my mind. :)

Safety is a joke. No ABS + bad tires = Quick fishtailing and a life hazard. I had two bad scares when the bike was no faster than 40 kmph. Each time, I had to brake in a hurry and the bike fishtailed. I did not fall. Another problem is when you are riding on a smooth surface and you suddenly come upon either gravel/mud or water (a common occurrence on our roads), the bike loses grip and its very scary. You feel as if you’ve lost control of the bike and the bike wobbles. All this happens at low speeds too (< 40 kmph).

As another example, the headlights are weak. By now, you know the spiel. The headlights are weak for a reason. It’s so you can buy Daymakers for Rs. 40000. This is criminal. Had I been the HD business owner, I would have made sure my customers have the best bike that their money can buy the day they buy it. No compromise on safety. Obviously, Harley does not think that way.

Amit

Amit, you said you bought a bike to make a statement, I am sure this HD makes a statement for sure wherever you take her. Technically she does what you wanted her to do.
Also even if you had all the gizmos on that motorcycle, safety will still be a joke, because on a motorcycle safety starts with rider skill.
No matter what someone or some manufacturer may tell you, ABS, Traction control and things like that will improve control on a motorcycle only by a few percentage points, they are not an alternative to rider skill.
Difference between a car and a bike is, you can fall!
If you can not use controls of a motorcycle as demanded by the situation, no amount of technology will stop you from being thrown off her back.
I have been on a motorcycle all my life and I do not consider myself a pro rider or whatever, but from my experience what I can tell you is that Fishtailing is not bikes problem, it is riders problem.
Specially people who have been driving around in cars for a long time, get foot brakes built into their muscle memory. Whereas on a motorcycle, if you do what you have been doing in your car, you of course get the tail sliding. That is why they keep front brakes and rear brakes on a motorcycle as two separate controls, because they serve different purpose.

On the headlights, I think headlights are homologation items, manufacturer cannot give you whatever he desires, Street is being exported to many markets and headlights are DOT as well as ARAI approved. They use standard 55/60W bulbs as provided in almost all motorcycle.
But of course they can always be better.
HD knows their target audience and know that people driving around in big cars are going to buy them just to kill their Sunday and feel good about being a biker.
There are a tons of options in aftermarket for almost everything you can put on a Harley Davidson, if you feel HD is ripping you off you don't need to go to them. Research on your own and get what you want.
Also MRF are not bad tires, that is absolutely rubbish.
If you compare MRF to a Michelin scorcher on other HDs of course they will be different, they also cost nearly 4 times the MRF tire.

Recently HD India has started riders training program, its called passport to freedom or something like that. You should join, I am sure you would enjoy motorcycling a lot more after that.

Reading this thread made me remember the quote from this month's Autocar India made by the writer while testing the new 1200 Custom and while himself riding a Fat Boy -

Quote:

"Riding a Harley-Davidson is not about just riding a motorcycle. It is not about hopping onto it to go to the market to buy a dozen eggs. It is not about using it for your daily commute sweltering in traffic, cursing the long time spent on the travel from your home to that daily jail that, since we live in an age where ‘political correctness’ has been put on a pedestal, has to be called your office.

Buying a Harley for stuff like this is as ridiculous and incomprehensible as going to the best steak house in town and being served cardboard and motor oil instead of meat and wine.

You buy a Harley to break free from the mundane, to celebrate camaraderie and the open road, to revel in the joy of not knowing what your final destination might be. You buy a Harley to answer that primal call of the open road. Because deep down at the very foundation of our DNA is the need and the necessity to wander and roam. Our planet was populated like that after all."

So all prospective Harley owner's, be aware.

Cheers...

Just came across this:
http://www.prweb.com/RELEASES/HARLEY...WEB8701137.htm

Quote:

Valenica, CA (PRWEB) August 06, 2011
Last week, a federal judge ruled that a class action lawsuit against Harley Davidson could go forward, siding with four bikers who claim their Harley Davidson motorcycles were defectively designed because their engines ran so hot as to pose a constant danger to riders of being burned and were therefore not fit for their intended use.
The complaint alleges that since 1999, Twin Cam 88, 96, 103 and 110 cubic inch engines in Harley motorcycles produce severe, excessive heat causing clothing to catch on fire, burn injuries and the danger of burn injury to riders and passengers as well as overheating causing premature engine wear and in models manufactured after 2006, transmission failure. Although Harley Davidson asked the Eastern District of California court to throw out the claims under state law, the U.S. District Judge sided with the bikers.

I never knew engines could get so hot, they could actually burn your clothes while you were on the saddle.

Hope Harley will refund your purchase voluntarily; ever since I heard Maruti was sending out a refund check after they reduced prices, to those who bought at higher prices, I've become very optimistic about the motoring industry. :D