"You realize you're comparing a 750cc bike to a 1200cc, right?"

Yes I do. Using your larger displacement theory, your Dyna or Softail, with a larger engine, is faster than the Kawa, right?

 

"I assure you (even if you don't believe it) that the Streed Rod was conceived and tested along with the first Streets."

100% false. Per Motorcyclist - " The Street Rod project launched not long AFTER the 2013 Street unveil and was officially in the hands of H-D’s Styling and Design studio by the start of 2014."

 

"Note: The Street is fully assembled in the Kansas plant then knocked down for assembly in India for the Indian market and other Asian markets. The reason for the partial knockdown is it avoids import taxes on finished goods. Some one got it back assward."

What???? Please do everyone a favor a check the net before posting this BS. One more time....

All Street family motorcycles for the US / Canada markets are ASSEMBLED ONLY at HD's Kansas City plant. They are assembled with parts outsourced from China, India, Mexico, Vietnam etc. NO manufacturing or machining is done on any Street related parts in KC. Assembly only - hence it is called a reverse knockdown.

ALL Street models for the international / Asian markets are assembled in India. Per Cycle World----

There seems to be some confusion online about where the new Harley-Davidson Street 750 and Street 500 models are going to be built. Perhaps because these small, liquid-cooled bikes (priced at $7,500 and $6,700, respectively) will become the entry-level Harleys when they arrive in the second quarter of 2014, more than a few people on our website have speculated that these first all-new HDs in 13 years will be built in the company’s Bawal, India, plant, the complete knock-down (CKD) facility that has been assembling bikes since 2011.
That’s partially true. But let’s be perfectly clear: All Street 750s and Street 500s for US and Canadian consumption will be assembled in the Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations plant in Kansas City, Missouri. On the other hand, all Street 750s and Street 500s for India, Italy, Spain, and Portugal (the only other markets at this time), will be built in Bawal, which has been expanded to a full manufacturing plant (for the Street models only) and uses parts sourced from all over the world.

Now who got it it back assward??

 

Using your logic would suggest that bikes like the Kawasaki Z800 and Ninja 650 suck because they runs 2 and 3 seconds slower in the 1/4 mile than a ZX10R. I never suggested that a larger displacement always makes a bike faster, but would you run a ZX6R against a ZX10R in a 1/4 mile and expect to win? In a case like this we have 2 bikes with different displacements that fall into the super sport category, one being the baby brother of the other. Of course the 1000 will be faster and more powerful than the 600. But different bikes are designed to do different things. We have different classes of bikes, super sport, standard naked, cafe, cruiser, etc, that are all designed for a specific type of riding. Surely you know this.

The Street Rod 750 wasn't designed to burn up the track in the 1/4 mile or to run record time lap times. It's an urban cafe style bike designed for normal every day riding. A more fair comparison would be the Triumph Street Twin, and even though the Street Twin has a larger displacement (900cc) it's 1/4 mile time is only 13.4, or maybe even the Honda CTX700 (13.9 1/4 mile). But who cares, because like the Street Rod, the Triumph and Honda weren't designed to be performance bikes to the degree the ZRX1200 was, which, by the way, has sport bike DNA.

You were comparing apples to oranges. Or at the very least strawberries to pineberries.

 

OK I'll give u the ZXR1200 non comparison. Another forum member mentioned the Slow Rod looked like the Kawasaki and I tied in the lack of performance.

So let's compare apples to apples. HD used the Yamaha FZ 07 and Ducati 797 and 821 as benchmarks for the Street Rod. As far as performance, fit and finish, quality and handling, etc. I'll let u be the judge. Consider a FZ 09 has a slightly higher msrp than the Street Rod it is a slam dunk what bike I would park next to my Night Train and CVO Street Glide. Nothing against HD but the bike is a piece of **** compared to the competition. And that is what u get when u outsource basically a complete bike from China, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, etc.

 

FYI - Per Cycle World ....

The tank is a holdover from the Street 750, and is raised and moved forward to work with the new, more aggressive rider triangle, but coupled with the mid-mounted controls (3 inches rearward vs. Street) it spoils the riding position. Being so wide, the tank doesn't allow you to cinch yourself on the bike like you would riding one of Harley’s benchmarks, the Yamaha FZ-07.

 

I'm not saying HD didn't use the Yamaha FZ-07 and the 2 Ducati's as a benchmark but I'm curious to know where you read this. I consider these 3 bikes in a different class than the Street Rod 750. Those three bikes are naked/street fighters, I consider the Street Rod more a cafe style bike, like the Triumph . But if HD's intentions were to go after the same market as Yamaha and Ducati is with the FZ-07 and the797/821 then I think they're going to be disappointed.

This is the way I see it, and I may be wrong. People who are looking at naked street fighters in the 700-800 cc range are usually the sport bike minded younger riders not quite ready to step up to a liter bike, or maybe just can't spare the extra $$ for one. Once they get a taste of, say an FZ-07, and are ready to upgrade they'll looking at something like a Z1000, or an FZ-10, or even a Monster 1200. Naked bikes, by the way, have been increasing in sales here in the US (it's about time) and super sports have been on the decline. Even the young guys are realizing that more comfort in a slightly more upright position is a lot more practical for everyday riding. Anyhow, I think people who might look to buy this Street Rod are cafe types, like the Triumph Street Twin and Moto Guzzi V7, who are maybe a little older and a bit more established. I guess you can say the hipster types. These are the types that I think are more likely to roll into a big cruiser sometime 5 to 10 years from now. And that's what HD want's because that's what they do.

I think this Street Rod is a great starting point and that HD and should soon come out with a 1000 or 1200 cc version. They should also focus on building a bad *** Scambler (Scamblers hot now).

As far as your statement about the Yamaha and Ducati's compared to the Street Rod. I'm still not sure it's a fair comparison but yes, all those bikes would out perform the Street Rod by a good margin. I just don't think that's the market HD is going after though.

 

08hayabusa: The first Streets were introduced for the 15 Model year not the 13 model year. And yes they were working on the Street Rod in 13 right along with the regular Street.

The info on the assembly in Kansas and the breaking down for reassembly came from HD press releases in 2015. The stated purpose was to avoid import taxes. Then the units would be sent to other Asian markets. I will take H-D's press releases over a magazine release.

 

all this rubbish.. for what? i went and rode it. it will smoke an 883 and give a 1200 a run for it's money. handles like a 2016+ roadster but, lighter. and sounds like a hamster doing sprints on a wheel.

great little bike. go try it if you havent. only issues i had with it were the finish, the right footpeg situation, and the metric style turn signals

 

"metric style turn signals"

Welp.... Guess I have to have one now. That's a deal sealer for me haha. Still having trouble getting used to these bmw-esque left/right nonsense.