So i was walking around the local H-D talking to salesman looking at used bikes for the girl, when he showed me the new 500 and 750. From what he told me they're lighter and little more powerful (liquid cooled engine) than the the sportsters. To me they look like metric bikes with their two into one exhaust, cheap looking square blinkers and radiator. Here's a link to H-Ds web page on them. Anybody know anything about them? And whats your opinion on them?

http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...es/street.html

 

Yes we know a lot about them. It has been discussed a lot here on the forum. The street bikes are a very good starter bike and a very good platform but it lacks style and it doesn't do any one thing well and therefore doesn't distinguish itself from other starter bikes. Most young buyers won't simply buy it because it's a Harley Davidson.

 

They remind me of a Honda Nighthawk.

On the other hand, the price is pretty low. With a low price, of course some of the stuff is going to be rather cheaply made.

If you remove price out of the equation, a Softail Slim is great bike for a smaller person or someone new to bikes or Harley's.

A sportster (choose from a dozen or so varieties despite the official names) is a lot simpler and will retain resale and trade in value better than 500 or 750.

Street Bob's also have an attractive price point.

It's all about what you can afford combined with what fits the rider. It's not like buying a car.

Personally, I think a used Honda VLX Shadow is a better buy than either of those small Harley's.

 

Cheap price, cheap parts is what i was figuring. Like i said I'm not shopping for me, I already have a street bob, the girlfriend wants a harley. We're looking at used sportsters so she can learn on it, and not worry about scratching it. The 750 just caught my interest at the dealer since it doesnt look anything like a harley and if people were actually buying them

 

Being gay aside, I get the impression Harley has made them to try and make in-roads in the European market. I don't feel they are going to get as many US customers for them versus their standard line.

 

Keep in mind, I have never ridden one of those new Streets, but just looking at them at the dealer, they look better online than in person.

I saw a charcoal satin Slim at the dealer last time I was there. It actually looked better in person than online. It's much too small for me, but I could myself riding something like that if I was still young and skinny.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...l#!three-sixty

The low center of gravity makes it an easy bike to ride, and especially easy to handle in a parking lot.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...l#!three-sixty

The price may be a bit more than what you want to pay right now.

My current bike is a 95 Heritage Softail Classic.

 

hahaha gay. That is the first thing i thought when i saw it. As far as the Slim is, I've ridden one (my mom actually has one) and the only thing I dont like about them is the floor boards instead of pegs, but thats just me

 

I 100% agree about the floorboards, but they're easily replaced. The Softail Slim is kinda a replacement for the Softtail Standard, which they no longer manufacture. Of course the Softail Standard didn't have the FLH front end, which is a huge difference. Now that I think about it the Breakout is probably more like the Softail Standard!!

 

Some people change out the floorboards in favor of pegs on a slim. It's pretty easy.

When I was younger, I was a pegs with forward controls guy. Now that I am older, and all the things that come with age, floorboards are more comfortable for long rides and allow me to move around and shift positions. Then again, long ago a Softail Custom (the ones from the late 80's / early 90's with 16" rear and 21" front wheel) and forward controls is what I lusted after. These days, I can't see myself riding anything but this old Heritage.

Regardless, what you may like or may fit you might not be quite the same thing that fits the girlfriend.

 

So true!! My close friend bought a Heritage and he has the bags, floorboards, and windshields, all stuff I thought was crap 10 years ago when I was a younger man I now find myself envious of!!