This year Harley have rolled out their Milwaukee-Eight 117 (or 1923cc if you are metric) engine to models outside their exclusive CVO range, where it has been reserved for since 2018.Īnd what a motor it is! The headline power figure may be a tad low at 101.6bhp but this V-twin is all about torque and with 125ftlb produced at just 3500rpm, it is a real grunt-monster. The ST isn’t a rival for a mile-munching full-dress Harley model, it is more a weekend escape bike, a fact backed up by the panniers.īoasting a combined capacity of 53.8-litres, the panniers feel a bit small (the left is bigger than the right) but have an easy internal release mechanism to remove them completely from the bike for a stripped-back look and sturdy chrome operating lever as well as an internal damper rod to control their opening speed and help prevent your pants spilling out in a car park. When you first sit on the ST the pegs do feel quite high, however it doesn’t take long to slot into this riding position and thanks to high bars it is comfortable enough to see off the 200-plus mile tank range, which is about all you need. The seat’s padding (solo, a pillion seat is extra and so are the pegs.) is also good and although it is rigidly mounted, the engine’s vibrations are more character-adding rather than intrusive, helped by twin balancer shafts. The frame-mounted fairing takes its styling from old Harley FXRT police bikes, another recent trend that custom houses in California have been replicating, and although the screen may appear a bit short it is effective and unpleasant turbulence is kept to a minimum (helped by the vents). The brakes, which have braided lines as standard, bite harder than you would expect on a Harley model and have more than enough stopping power with a good ABS system keeping you safe. Low speed control is pleasingly balanced and the ST feels very assured in bends – it’s not ‘ King Of The Baggers’ agile but it is reasonably quick-turning. The suspension’s increased height (12mm at the rear) means that while enthusiastic riding does see the rubber pegs drag, you aren’t concerned about a more solid metal item also grinding out quickly afterwards and damaging either your wallet when it comes to replacing the scraped item (it’s usually an exhaust!) or the bike should it lift a wheel. Inspired by the burgeoning Californian ‘tall bike’ movement, the Low Rider ST is a jacked-up mid-sized cruiser that sits the rider higher on the bike than a more traditional cruiser such as the Sport Glide while also increasing its sporting potential through improved ground clearance.Īnd the ST is certainly one of the sportier Harley models.
0 kommentar(er)
