Harley Davidson Street Bob Review
Bike Tested: Harley Davidson Street Bob; Road Test No. 912; Test Location: Mumbai
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 14,64,460/-
The Street Bob is entry-level but the most rugged Softail of the Harley lineup
The whole year of 2017 I did not ride a Harley. The last ride was of the Katanga Uno and post that there was nothing from the cruisers department for me. However, the first cruiser of 2018 had to be a Harley-Davidson. So Harley-Davidson has its models classified into 5 categories for India – Street, Sportster, Softail, Touring and CVO. As the sequence follows, they get more badass and bulky. We got the entry-level Softail, the Street Bob for a few days. And boy, oh boy! I was excited as well as worried because this was something totally different.
Motor Quest: The word Softail refers to motorcycles with their rear suspension hidden inside the body. In 1984, Harley-Davidson got their first Softail in the market and the trend has expanded ever since. The 2018 Street Bob is an entry-level Softail by Harley-Davidson with a 107ci engine with a stiffer chassis and better suspension.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/40054222882/[/flickr]
Sleek from the front to the rear, the engine makes up for the extra mass
Styling – The Harley-Davidson Street Bob gets all of its design cues of a naked rugged Harley from the past. Raised handlebars, tiny LED headlamp, a small fuel tank with the engine more than twice its size. The Street Bob has the least amount of bodywork which includes front and rear mudguards, that’s it! Hanging indicators from the handlebars to a single seat and twin long exhaust pipes. This Harley portrays what actual street going Harley’s on a slight diet should look like. Also, the Softail term means that the rear suspension is hidden or kept out of view and integrated into the body design.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/40054217062/[/flickr]
The instrument cluster is tiny, just a 2.14 inch of LCD display
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – The instrument cluster on the Street Bob is a very unique thing ever seen! It is one the smallest LCD digital unit ever seen on a motorcycle, at least by me. It’s so tiny that it barely grabs any attention but displays all the kind of information needed in a sequential manner. From fuel gauge, odometer, twin trip meters, tachometer; everything. There’s even an extra smaller LED cluster for the tell-tale lights. The switchgear is also classic and comes from the Harley family. Individual indicator lights on either side, engine kill switch, starter and hazard light on the right. While high-low beam switch, horn and toggle switches are on the left.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/40054220442/[/flickr]
Typical cruiser design and that scooped seat is very comfortable
Ergonomics – The one reason I was worried to ride the Street Bob was the different ergonomics. You sit upright and the footpegs are front-set but not too front-set. The handlebar is raised and a little far from the rider. Little too raised as my hands were on the level of my face. However, you can find yourself a comfortable spot in this, as the seat is very well cushioned. The seat height is very low, at 675 mm, the Street Bob has the lowest seat height I’ve ever sat on. However, as a stock, there’s no option for a pillion seat. And you don’t really need one as with this kind of a Harley, you choose to arrive alone.
