Daily motorbike news, views & reviews
Since 1903, American manufacturer Harley-Davidson has been making motorcycles. Today they are one of the top 10 most recognised brands in the world. Harley makes cruisers and tourers from 500cc up to the big 1800cc juggernauts, and soon an electric bike. But Harley is about more than just motorcycles; it’s a lifestyle and its rider group, the Harley Owners Group or HOG is one of the most established in the world. We not only bring you news, previews and reviews of Harley-Davidson motorbikes, but also look into the lifestyle behind the famous product. MotorbikeWriter attends Harley launches and road tests their bikes in Australia and overseas.
My three-month test on the Harley-Davidson Street Rod is coming to an end and it’s been a love affair tinged with a little “hate”. While I love the engine, the styling and the positive comments from young riders, my old arthritic knees hate the riding position and my ageing back hates the harsh shocks. But …
It might not have the power and capacity of the late V-Rod family, but the new 750cc Harley-Davidson Street Rod has a familiar V-Rod feel. Harley-Davidson Australia has asked me to ride a Street Rod straight out of the crate, run it in and ride it around for three months to get a good feel …
The Harley-Davidson Street Rod had come straight out of the crate when I picked it up. Rarely do motorcycle journalists need to run in a new bike. They are usually provided having been run in several hundred kilometres and often with the first service under their belt. This allows journalists to ride the bike the …
It is a surprise that Harley-Davidson took so long to make an Iron 1200 version of its popular Iron 883 Sportster which was for some time its top-selling bike. The Iron 1200 is basically the blacked-out 883-powered Iron, but with the 1202cc Evolution engine. It also features satin-black Mini Ape bars, Café Solo seat, small “speed” …
Founded in 1903, Harley-Davidson motorcycles is an iconic brand, one which many thought would dominate the USA and areas of the rest of the world forever. But times are moving forward extremely quickly these days, and the gas-guzzling motorcycles like Harley-Davidson are expected to fall behind. Luckily for fans of the classic brand, Harley-Davidson remains popular …
It’s a question that has been around for a few years now, but 2018 could be the perfect time for Harley-Davidson to introduce either a Street or Sportster scrambler model. The company is struggling with sales to young people and is actively reaching out to new customers. A scrambler could be the ideal model to add …
If you can’t decide between a cruiser or a tourer, the Harley-Davidson Softail Sport Glide may be the answer. It features a small but effective “batwing” fairing and hard panniers for practical, touring comfort. Yet they detach in seconds to reveal a classic hardtail-style cruiser. And at $27,750 ride away, that’s a good deal for …
Harley-Davidson has launched two new Sportster variants – Iron 1200 and Forty-Eight Special – and applied for the trademark name H-D Revelation which could be the name for their electric bike to be released next year. CEO Matt Levatich last month defrayed concern about their fourth consecutive year of sliding sales by announcing they would …
Pan America and 48X could be two of about 10 new models for Harley-Davidson in 2018. Two weeks ago, Harley-Davidson registered the trademarks “Bronx” and “Harley-Davidson Bronx” with the US Patent and Trademark Office. Now they have registered “Pan America” and “48X” with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Spain. These three models …
While Harley-Davidson this year axed the V-Rod range, Porsche still fondly remembers its involvement in the revolutionary development of the bike with a proud display at their museum in Stuttgart. This week I visited Stuttgart where good friend Jeromy Moore works as a race design engineer at the Porsche Engineering Group’s Weissach Development Centre where …