Howdy
Thanks for tuning in on my honest long term review of my 2017 Harley Davidson Street Rod or XG750A or the XG as I call it.





I purchased this bike for I ride, well allot. On average I cover around 20-25K miles a year on my motorcycles. I live in Vermont so I only get 8 good months of riding and 4 months of cold not so great riding.... So miles rack fast when the weather is just right, that basically means if it's above 38' and not snowing I'm out in anything riding hard. My primary bike (which has now been replaced by the XG) was a ZG1400 (Kawasaki Concours 14). I also have my winter rig which is my Suzuki TU250X which I still ride pretty often (around 1000 miles so far this year). Oh did I mention the XG is my first HD? Well it is, I've never liked Harleys for I don't like cruisers (Sorry guys) but HD hit the nail on the head with the XG and won me over.



I was considering purchasing a standard motorcycle this year for weekend blasting but mainly my ZG was big and a bit cumbersome so I wanted a standard bike that I could throw on a backpack and blast to and from work without issue. It needed to be quick but it didn't need to be fast. At 33 I'm starting to grow out of the "let's go 150mph" phase. Getting up to 100mph in decent click was critical but anything over that was just excesses.
So I got the bike about 2.5 months ago. I picked it from the FZ-07, FZ-09, XSR900 and Triumph Bonneville. Price was right but I really liked the fact it was American made and it was uniquely cool.



So the bike handles and rides phenomenal. It holds it lines well and I've grounded out the pegs on both sides. The exhaust covers are pretty scrapped up from the apexes I've hit with this thing. Motor is the true gem of the machine. Linear power delivery right to redline, the torque isn't right there like a "traditional" Harley but at 5K RPM the bike will blister into illegal speeds quite quickly.
Comfort is lost on a stock XG but can be easily remedied by raising the seat height, bending the exhaust in and throwing some handle bar mounts on. I'm 6 Feet even and 215, with my modification my XG fits me well... I've had a few buddies ride it and say it's not comfy... It really isn't but with my modifications I've thrown down a couple +500 mile days without too much grievance. I'm currently planning to add a Puig Touring II windscreen to add some extra wind protection and a set of Nelson Rigg Sport Saddle bags (SPRT-50) for I do intend to do some longer distant trips and I plan to do at least one Iron butt run (1000 mile in 24 hours ) with the XG in a few weeks.



I've run into quite a few issues in which I have addressed and am working with the motor company to fix and improve the product. First is the bike has thrown the CEL a total of 6 times since I've bought it. 4 times was due to a relay design flaw which i remedied with a simple lunch bag. I ride every day rain or shine and with record rain pounding Vermont and I noticed after big rides in the rain the starter relay would become soaked and cause the bike to throw a code. The other times was caused by a tear in the intake boot. I was riding a decent ride (200 miles) and the bike started to idle very high. The CEL went off and after investigating I found a dry rotted and torn intake boot. The dealer took care of it and asked me to come back on the 22nd of July to have a one on one inspection to go over some other issues I've been experiencing. Some of the other issues being the paint on my fairing (denim) is fading while the rest of the bike's paint is fine. Premature rust on exhaust guards and mounts, loose right-side cover (blew off during a ride), fading plastic components and poor rubber grommets that dry rot out easily.





The stock tires are also subpar in general life. The rear tire was kicked promptly at 3000 miles. I’m currently running a Shinko 009 on the rear while I burn out the front but I highly recommend swapping to a full-on sport touring tire for this bike once the Scorchers go. 2K miles on the 009 and I’m at 60% tread life so I should get close to 5K on a rear $89 tire. I opted out of the tire and rim warranty package for I go through SO MANY TIRES in a season I find the cheapest way to stay running is buy, mount, balance and maintain all my tires myself. The next set of tires I plan to run are the new Dunlop Road Smart iii. I’ve heard wonderful things and for the price I could spend the same amount of money but cut my changes in half… Time is money so I will be saving in the long run.



The true perks of the bike are handling and engine performance. Now don’t expect to runout with the standard liter bikes with this little 750 but all in all I have no issue keeping up with my buddies in the twisty stuff, it’s when the road opens up I get left behind. I did ride with my brother in law with his 2015 Road Glide and hands down the XG ran circles around it… It’s fast for a Harley but it’s not fast compared to the rest of the world. The Motor and transmission are a class act. One of the best powertrains I’ve had in a bike because it’s so well rounded. Mated with the geometry and suspension the XG is like me in allot of ways, jack of all trades but it doesn’t really master in one. It can take anything you throw at it from touring to sport riding to commuting to weekend blasting but don’t expect it to do 1 thing perfect. The bike is a true standard motorcycle.

So, I must say I love my XG-A. The more I ride it the more I love riding it. It is unique in that I have never ridden a bike like it and I have never found a bike that fits my riding style and demand so well. This bike is a TRUE completely modern, standard, domestic motorcycle that the market so needed. True I have had some issues with reliability but I fault that on the fact it’s a brand-new motorcycle not that it’s a bad bike. The thing has never left me stranded and even in it poorest of moments the bike chugged and got me home with little issue. The bike needs some tweaking right off the bat on the comfort department but all in all I couldn’t recommend this bike more. The unlimited 2 year Warranty is an added bonus of reassurance for I usually kill 5K mile warranties fast on bikes and Harley stands firmly behind its product and will get you back on the road if you come across an issue.
Bravo Harley for making a machine I want and love to ride. If HD keeps making modern standard bikes like this I’ll keep buying from the brand. I’ll never own a “traditional” Harley, I know that. However if this is the path Harley-Davidson is headed down then count me in as a long term customer.
Thanks for your indulgence!
Ride safe!
-Jedz

 

Now i know what my next bike is gonna be! But I'll have to wait for a year or before the bike becomes ****les free.

 

Nice review, thanks for sharing. It's interesting to hear from someone who put serious miles on. My 750 is also my first Harley, before the large displacement of the air cooled models always made me think they were too big. I know better now, and the street has actually made me think my next bike might be a sportster or dyna. Or if they replace the Vrod with a larger street, that may be my next step. I too hope they keep developing this line of bikes.

 

Great comprehensive review.

 

Thanks Guys!

I'll never own a Harley other then my Street-Rod unless they develop the Street line and bring in a liter option (1000cc or more Revolution X 60' Twin)or make a sport touring offering based upon the principals of the Street-Rod (17" rims, great suspension and standard upright ergos, Revolution X water cooled revvy motor). I'm currently setting mine up to my liking and it is definitely now more sport tourer then sport commuter. I would love to see a chain conversion or at least other gearing options for the belt drive...

Either way since the Street-Rod is selling well now I hope that soon we will see a 1000cc offering and bump the power of the bikes to a market competitive 80-90hp for the 750 and 115-130hp for a liter offering.

I think right now they don't make the Street's more powerful so they can sell the bigger "traditional" bikes... I 'm coming from the Japanese market and I can see getting a 100hp easily from a Revolution X engine, it spins fast enough and I know the flat trackers are getting over 115hp on just intake, head, exhuast, cam modification and bumping the revs into the 10K range, still quite low for sub liter V-Twin (SV1000 red line at 11K RPM).

If they want to go modern and really compete they need to jump in and make; 100hp, light, good handling, tech loaded bikes. Just like everyone else (Japanese and Italian manufactures) have been doing for sometime...

All these things I plan to talk about when I go into the dealer on the 22nd. HD will be going over the issues I've been experiencing and said they are looking for feedback to improve the bike. Hope I get something from the deal!

 

Great review OP!!!!!

Ride Safe.

 

could you elaborate on "bending the exhaust in", please?

This gives the right foot more room? did you change the pegs at all?

Thanks

 

I bent the pipe with a lager pipe to move the catilitic converter closer to the frame. This allows for more heal movement on the peg. Pegs are stock.

 

Just crested 6300 miles... Still racking miles well.

 

Hi Jedz,

I too have a Street Rod as my first HD (first motorcycle for that matter). I am 6'4" 220lbs. I want to raise my handlebars and seats as well. Please advise which seat you got and what do you use to raise the handle bars.

I searched the internet and called the HD dealer and they said not too many parts for the Street Rod has been offered yet because the newness of the bike.

Please advise. Thanks.