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When You See It, Harley’s New Street Rod Will Make You Want to Ride

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Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Yesterday Harley-Davidson unveiled its new Street Rod with a High-Output Revolution X Engine. This is Harley’s answer to the call for an American-made urban bike that can handle itself in the concrete canyons of America’s cities. I love the look of the new Street Rod. Harley Davidson wrote in their press release on the bike:

“We made this new bike look tough and aggressive,” said Harley-Davidson Lead Designer Chetan Shedjale. “This aligns with the environment our riders will experience this motorcycle in.  The inverted, black-anodized forks and triple clamps along with a new speed screen combine to add visual mass to the Street Rod front end. The increased ground clearance and new 17-inch wheels give the Street Rod an intimidating stance. Finally, a supercharger-inspired air intake and the deeper growl of the exhaust note draw attention to the High Output Revolution X engine.”

The High Output Revolution X 750 engine produces 18 percent more horsepower and 8 percent more torque than the standard Revolution X 750 engine (U.S. and Canada markets only). The new single overhead-cam V-Twin engine features a larger air box, a new dual-throat throttle body, revised four-valve cylinder heads and high-lift camshafts, and a higher-volume muffler. The compression ratio is bumped from 11.0:1 to 12.0:1, and the engine redline is increased from 8,000 to 9,000 rpm.

“We’ve improved air flow and then tuned this new engine to maximize mid-range torque,” said Weber. “It really delivers a punch between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm, power you can always feel and use in real-world riding situations. Liquid cooling helps maintain that performance and rider comfort in stop-and-go urban traffic.”

The new Street Rod chassis is engineered to match the performance of the High Output Revolution X engine. The front end features rigid 43mm inverted forks gripped by a lightweight aluminum triple clamp. Fork rake angle is tightened from 32 to 27 degrees to quicken the steering. Coil-over rear shock absorbers have an external reservoir to increase fluid capacity and improve control. The shocks increase the rear suspension travel by 31 percent, to 4.6 inches. A new swing arm is slightly longer to accommodate the taller ride height, and has new performance-inspired styling. Lean angle is increased from 28.5 degrees left and right to 37.3 degrees right and 40.2 degrees left. The Street Rod rolls on light-weight, 17-inch front and rear Split 7 Spoke Black Cast Wheels and new Michelin Scorcher 21 radial tires. Dual 300mm-diameter front disc brakes deliver confident stopping power. Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) and the Harley-Davidson Smart Security System are factory-installed options for the Street Rod.

“The Street Rod is the most nimble motorcycle in the current Harley-Davidson line-up,” said Weber. “Tires, wheels, suspension and frame geometry are engineered to work together and deliver handling that’s light and precise at all speeds.”

A new seat shape is designed to fit the rider’s contour, and seat height is raised by 3.7 inches, to 29.4 inches, to enhance the rider’s view forward over traffic. A flat, drag-style handlebar puts the rider in a fist-forward posture on the bike. The Street Rod also features new forged foot controls and aluminum foot pegs that are positioned for a comfortable seating position that also makes it easy for riders to get feet down to the ground at stops.

2017 #HDStreetRod | Harley-Davidson

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Richard C. Young
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