Harley-Davidson Street Rod: Detailed Specs, Background, Performance, and More

Harley-Davidson is a big name in the " touring" and "cruising" sectors, but that never overshadowed the need to work for the street riders. A machine that could run through city streets and assist bikers on their daily commute was desperately needed.

With all that in mind, the Harley-Davidson Street series came to fill that space. The company came up with the idea of making promotional machines with enough power for conventional riders.

Later on, three models were introduced: the Harley Street 500, the Street 750, and the Street Rod, intended to compete in the market against other street bikes. However, the making of this motorcycle was the result of high-end competition with the other motorcycle companies.

The Harley Street models were released in two stages, the Street 500 and 750, and one after the company recognized the need for technological evolution.

Harley-Davidson Street Rod was the upgraded model introduced in 2017. Although the dimensions were not so different from the previous model, the ROD was still successful due to some significant changes in the engine.

In this article, we’ll be discussing detailed specs, background, performance, and more about the Harley-Davidson Street Rod.

The Harley-Davidson Street bikes was released in 2013 as Harley’s all-new models in 13 years. The Harley Streets were the first lightweight motorcycles since the 1974 Sprint.

However, the Harley Street Rod was released in 2017 based on the Street 750 model. This was an evolutionary machine that came with surprising new features such as the higher output Revolution X engine, 68.4 hp (51.0 kW) @ 8,750 rpm and 47.2 lb-ft (64.0 Nm) @ 4000 rpm, 43 mm inverted front forks, piggyback reservoir rear shocks, drag-style bars, and 17-inch wheels.

As the other companies were ruling the market, the new model responded as feedback to the market that demanded a sporty standard motorcycle.

The Street Rod was a bold move by Harley-Davidson, to be sure, and as Harley entered territory traditionally dominated by Asian and European manufacturers, it didn’t enjoy the same brand power that it did in the touring and cruising sector.

But, the production of Harley Street bikes couldn’t be sustained for more than seven years, and the company had to stop the Street Bike’s production for concerning reasons.

However, the cancellation doesn’t really come out of nowhere. In September 2020, Harley-Davidson's French branch announced that the Street bikes' engines will not be modified to accommodate the new Euro5 emission standards.

In general, the Street Rod resembles the conventional Street 750 in appearance. Other than that, the bike has a sporty look and attracts every rider. A 3.5-gallon teardrop tank is the first thing you’ll notice. The color combination is perfect and the bike looks aggressive. You’ll see no chrome garnishing throughout the body.

To make the motorcycle an easy ride through the rushy urban streets, Harley-Davidson especially focused on its weight. At the front, a lightweight fender with a fender bracket is given that complements the 2-up seat tail section to get a high-end performance. That also gives the Street Rod a sleek and refined look from the front to back.

Harley-Davidson’s Street Rod uses an updated version of the company’s entry-level Street 750 engine, which has more aggressive cam profiles and a higher compression ratio.

Although both bikes share the same significant features, one thing that differentiates them is the engine power. The Harley Street Rod has a compression ratio of 12.0:1 and delivers 18% more horsepower and 8% more torque than the Harley-Davidson Street 750.

The reason behind its popularity is its unbeaten ergonomics and the classy, sportier, and aggressive riding position to take on the traffic-snarled urban jungle. Moreover, the motorcycle seat provides excessive comfort to both rider and passenger.

The Street Rod has higher footrests than its Street 750 sibling, and to help the bike’s sporty credentials, the exhaust of the Street Rod is lifted slightly to enable a lean angle of 37.3° in right-handers and 40.2° on the left side. The result is that the footpegs are not lined up and at the same height; the right one is mounted slightly further forward than the left one, which is a little annoying for a rider.

In 2020, Harley-Davidson will stop making Street models. According to Harley-Davidson’s French branch, the reason behind cutting out the street bikes was that their engines wouldn’t be updated to meet the new Euro5 emission regulation technology.

An estimated top-speed of Harley Street Rod, that the company claims is 105 mph. The high-output Revolution X V-Twin engine produces 70.00 HP (51.1 kW) @ 9000 rpm and a maximum torque of 65.00 Nm (6.6 kgf-m or 47 ft-lbs) @ 4000 rpm.

The Harley Street Rod is the bike that every beginner rider wants his or her bike to be. The Street Rod is a great beginner bike with its sustained power and user-friendly features. It is easy to maintain and comfortable to handle.

Although you have decided to preach the Harley Street Rod as your first bike or for daily cruising, the details above will help you learn more about this bike.

So, if this is your bike, you may intend to make some changes to your motorcycle, as every Harley user does. There are multiple aftermarket luggage bags and modification options available. You can get a pair of motorcycle saddlebags, a magnetic tank bag, or a backpack to help you carry your belongings such as your phone, documents, rain suit, and so on.

However, you don’t want to give your bike a bulky look by adding saddlebags. There are numerous luggage bag options available at Viking Bags. If you are going to get a sissy bar bag, you will need an aftermarket sissy bar made for the specific model.

Conclusively, the Harley-Davidson Street Rod is an amazing ride to cruise around while cutting through the overwhelmed urban streets. It is also a perfect beginner bike with ample engine power, a spectacular design, and comfortable ergonomics. Considering all the features and specs of the Harley Street Rod, the company did justice to the buyers by offering bikes in the range of around $9000.