The 500/750 Street motor isn't a scaled down V Rod motor as some would suggest. The biggest immediate differences are:

The Street motor is a single overhead cam engine that uses roller rockers and screw and lock nut valve adjustment. The V Rod motor is a double overhead cam shim under bucket system that will rev higher and require less frequent valve train maintenance. The upside for the Street is that with screw and lock nut valve adjustment, the cams don't need to be removed.

There are other differences as well, but clearly they're not from the same design sheet.

 

I see it all the time. It's funny what egos get people to do. And from my experience Harley people are in the top 5 for doing stuff driven by ego. Is it really that cool to act a fool. Lol

 

I think the Street series is a good move for HD. It's much more likely to get younger, ie. less affluent riders into the HD fold and....

The world motorcycle market is MASSIVE compared to here. Millions of motorcycles, often as necessary transportation. Hell, in most of the rest of the world a 750 is very big bike. Harley's got a chance to get a slice of a much bigger market, so why not?

 

After all most of the people you see chugging along in videos of some of the world's largest and most congested cities are on mopeds.

 

If HD doesn't innovate and offer a wider variety they will fade with the fading baby boomers. Women are currently the fastest growing market in the US. The Street 750 is a bike that new riders, and smaller riders, can handle.

 

Dude, Africa is like that. Swarms of the damned things. I've seen traffic jams consisting of nothing but mopeds, a donkey-drawn cart or 2 & a couple goats shut down a 6-lane road.

 

I am an older relatively new rider with a Street 750. I would highly recommend the Street! It's lighter weight and nimble. I know the new Bonnevilles are now liquid cooled like the Street and will most likely be weighing more. The Street has plenty of power and is plenty for a new rider to handle.