The updated and upgraded Triumph Street Triple 765 hits a sweet spot in the sporty motorcycle market. It’s comfortable enough for commuting and light-duty touring, cool enough to hold its head high at bike nights, and fast enough for scorching trackdays. With prices starting at $9,995, it offers undeniable value for a sporting naked streetbike.  

The Street Triple has been one of our favorite sports roadsters since its 2007 inception as an offshoot of the 675cc Daytona. Surprisingly lively and always playful, it was like a more exotic and more stimulating Suzuki SV650, another longtime fave that punches above its weight.  

The Street Triple 765 arrived in 2017 with a power-to-weight ratio that would humble the original 885cc Speed Triple, the Street’s older brother and one of the godfathers of the naked sportbike genre.

The revised Street Triple was a bigger, more capable machine that came in three variants: S, R, and RS, with outputs ranging from 111 hp to 121 hp.  

Related: 2017 Triumph Street Triple RS | First Ride Review

Triumph launched its first Street Triple 765 in southern Spain, so it was fitting that we were invited back to Spain to sample the new version on Andalusian roads and the famous Jerez racetrack.  

Triumph Street Triple 765 Revamped 

Categorized in the U.S. as a 2024 model, the Street Triple gets an extensive overhaul this year. It enjoys many welcome upgrades and is available in three versions.  

Along with the R and RS we tested, Triumph is offering a special Moto2 Edition to celebrate its involvement as the engine supplier in MotoGP’s junior category since 2019. It’s basically an RS but with clip-on handlebars, carbon bodywork, and an Öhlins fork, and it’s limited to 765 units for each of its two colorways. Retailing for $15,395, as of press time it’s sold out in most global markets but is still available in America.  

Related: 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 Range | First Look Review

Triumph reps boasted about how they took lessons learned in the Moto2 program and applied them to the streetbike. The bore and stroke of the inline-Triple remain unchanged, but most internals have been changed, including pistons, con-rods, camshafts, and valves. The piston crowns and combustion chamber are now fully machined for optimal flow and combustion, combining for a higher 13.25:1 compression ratio. The intake uses trumpets that are 20mm shorter for a stronger pull up top, and the exhaust now has just one catalyzer instead of two.  

The result, according to Triumph, is an increase in power from the midrange on up. The R version claims 118 hp that arrives at 11,500 rpm, 500 revs earlier than the previous motor’s 116 ponies. The higher-spec RS variant delivers 128 hp at 12,000 rpm, a jump of 7 hp from the previous model. Torque on all models is bumped by 4% to a creditable 59 lb-ft.  

New to the Street Triple is the addition of an IMU that enables precise traction-control modulation and cornering ABS. Also coming standard and cued to the IMU is one of the most seamless up/down quickshifters we’ve sampled, which uses a pressure-sensitive actuator rather than a basic switch.  

Styling remains similar but freshened, with a new, sharply creased fuel tank with integrated side panels and a stubby new stainless-steel muffler tucked in next to the gullwing aluminum swingarm. The distinctive dual headlights with LED eyebrows are topped with a mini wind deflector that’s more integrated than on previous models. Scrolling LED turnsignals are a nice upmarket touch.  

The chassis remains the same but tweaks to ride heights have modestly sharpened the steering geometry to aid agility. A shuffling of transmission and final-drive ratios has slightly shortened up the overall gearing for snappier engine responses. 

Related: Triumph Announces New Colors, Names for Select 2023 Models 

Is R Enough? 

The R version of the Street Triple makes a good case for saving money over its pricier RS brother. It very well could be the most appealing sub-$10,000 sporty bike on the market.  

It would be unfair to cast the R as a “budget bike,” as it includes a plethora of desirable features. An aluminum frame helps keep weight to a tidy 417 lb wet, fully adjustable Showa suspension can be dialed in to personal preferences, and a Brembo brake package with radial-mount monoblock calipers provides secure speed bleeding through braided steel lines. Tire valves directed to the sides are another pleasing accoutrement. 

Ergonomics are pleasantly familiar, placing a rider in a modestly leaned-over forward cant and now with a half-inch wider handlebar to aid agility. Long-legged riders may feel a bit cramped because of the high footpeg position that supplies a generous amount of lean angle before they begin dragging. The seat is reasonably comfortable and roomy, but short riders will whine about the 32.5-inch seat height. A lower accessory seat reduces height by 1 inch.  

GEAR UP

• Helmet: Arai Regent-X 
• Suit: Aerostich Roadcrafter  
• Gloves: Shift Torrent SS 
• Boots: Alpinestars Soho 

While the RS gets a vivid 5-inch TFT instrument panel, the R gets a more basic LCD screen augmented by a diminutive TFT panel. It’s perfectly adequate if not visually brilliant. Both can be connected to phones via Bluetooth.  

The star of the Street Triple show is its compact three-cylinder engine that emits some of the most pleasing sounds ever trumpeted by a motorcycle – a mix of inline-Four scream tempered by a hint of twin-cylinder thrum. In addition to being delightfully sonorous and pleasingly smooth, it’s blessed with a wide swell of power that can easily carry a higher gear than typically optimum yet lunges for horizons with a howling top-end climax. Torque peaks at 5,500 rpm, which is below the halfway point of its rev range.  

New throttle maps for the three ride modes (Rain, Road, and Sport) are finely tuned to deliver precise and user-friendly throttle responses. Traction and wheelie control settings are tied into each ride mode. The “Rider” mode can be tailored to personal preferences. A slip-assist clutch eases lever effort and sloppy downshifts.  

Related: 2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R | Road Test Review

Handling is another Street Triple strong point, now with minimally less rake and trail. It quickly bends into corners and provides confidence-inspiring feedback. The suspensions of the bikes on our street ride were set up to be compliant on the damp and occasionally bumpy Spanish backroads, but preload and damping (both compression and rebound) can be dialed up to suit rider weights and inclinations.  

The RS version has higher-end brake components, but there’s nothing wrong with the R’s for street usage. Brembo M4.32 calipers bite on 310mm rotors up front and provide strong power and the security of cornering ABS. The brake lever next to the Nissin axial master cylinder has a wide adjustment range to suit hands of all sizes. Application of the front brake subtly engages the rear brake to help settle the chassis during corner entries, but it’s entirely seamless and can be disabled in Rider mode settings.  

Story continues below 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R photo gallery

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS On the Track 

The RS version of the Street Triple includes everything good about the R and dials it up to a more premium and slightly faster experience. Stylewise, you’ll notice the addition of a chin fairing, a cowl on the passenger seat, and a stitched seat. The RS also includes a deflector in front of the rear sprocket to prevent errant items or digits from entering, an item unappreciated until it’s needed. Ask me how I know.  

The RS’s cockpit is graced by TFT instrumentation that includes a lap-timer function, along with more comprehensive switch cubes. Unlike the R, the RS can be fitted with cruise control as an option. Heated grips are another option, which were gratefully fitted to the bikes on our chilly street ride. Bar-end mirrors replace the ones mounted atop the handlebar on the R. 

While engine internals are unchanged from the R, different ECU settings endow it with 10 extra ponies at its top end, to 128 hp at 12,000 rpm. A higher-end Showa fork damps bumps up front, while an Öhlins shock does duty out back. Sticky Pirelli SuperCorsas replace the R’s ContiRoad rubber.  

Riding a naked sportbike on a MotoGP racetrack seemed incongruous before I arrived at Circuito de Jerez, but that proved not to be the case. The Street Triple RS was fully capable of cutting quick laps, suffering only a lack of wind protection while traveling at speeds reaching 140 mph at the end of the back straightaway.  

The RS adds a Track setting to the R’s ride modes, which disables the linked brakes and cornering ABS for a purer riding experience. Track mode also ups the limits of traction control, wheelie control, and ABS interventions. Kudos to Triumph for enabling high limits for the electronic nannies on track. Unlike some systems that intervene too early when riding aggressively, I wasn’t tempted to disable any of the RS’s safety nets. The TC indicator lamp frequently flashed on the TFT, but intervention was so smooth that I mostly wouldn’t have otherwise noticed it.  

The bike’s handling prowess is enhanced by sharper steering geometry due to a slightly taller rear ride height, tightening the rake angle to 23.2 degrees from the R’s 23.7 with a marginal decrease in trail. The bike proves to be agile but without any hint of instability, even when the front tire is dancing just above the tarmac during acceleration events out of lower-speed corners. It’s notable that no steering damper is fitted and isn’t needed.  

GEAR UP

• Helmet: Arai Regent-X 
• Suit: Spidi Track Wind Pro  
• Gloves: Spidi CarboTrack 
• Boots: Sidi Mag-1  

Although I have no complaints about the R’s brakes for street use, I was happy to have the RS’s higher-spec units at the racetrack. The front brakes begin with a radial-style Brembo master cylinder that includes an adjustable lever ratio as well as an adjustable span feeding Brembo’s class-leading Stylema monoblock calipers. They are nothing short of stellar. Oddly, the lovely black Brembo MCS lever’s adjustment range doesn’t bring it as close to the grip as the plain-looking silver lever on the R.  

The RS proved to be far more worthy of racetrack exploration than I had imagined. Its versatile and punchy motor allowed a choice of gears in corners, so it could be tractored out smartly or revved out until it screamed. Throttle modulation is excellent, and its quickshifter is a wonderful aid on track. Cornering clearance is bountiful, so you’ll need to be a bit of a track hero to drag its pegs.

Story continues below 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R photo gallery

What’s Not to Like About the Triumph Street Triple 765? 

A sign of motorcycle excellence is when a reviewer must search for things to complain about, and that’s the case here. Really tall or really short riders might complain about the rider triangle layout, but it fit me well – I’d be comfortable enough to use it for light-duty touring and tolerate the wind blast or find a fashionable windscreen.  

We know it’s a superb bike when my biggest complaint is that I couldn’t clearly see the shift lights while revving the bike out at the track. Unless you’re cutting hot laps at a racetrack, this is a complete non-issue. A larger fuel tank would be nice, but a 150-mile range isn’t a deal-breaker.  

See all of Rider‘s Triumph Motorcycle coverage here.

The combination of a sonorous and thrilling motor, low weight, admirable electronics, and a playful character places the Street Triple near the top of my most desirable streetbikes. It’s more debonair than the 3-cylinder Yamahas (MT-09, XSR900) and will blow away a KTM 790 Duke. Just as thrilling and likely a bit more agile is the 890 Duke R, but the KTM retails up at $12,949 and lacks the Triumph’s soul-stirring soundtrack.  

Which brings me back to the Street Triple R. It’s astonishing that a semi-exotic and highly refined motorcycle with such outsized performance capabilities can be had for less than $10K. At a $2,600 saving over the admittedly cooler RS, I’d say it’s one of the best values in motorcycling.  

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R / RS Specs

• Base Price: $9,995 / $12,595 
• Website: TriumphMotorcycles.com 
• Warranty: 2 yrs., unltd. miles 
• Engine Type: Liquid-cooled inline-Triple, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.  
• Displacement: 765cc 
• Bore x Stroke:  78.0 x 53.4mm 
• Horsepower: 118 hp @ 11,500 rpm / 128 hp @ 12,000 rpm (factory claim) 
• Torque: 59 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm (factory claim) 
• Transmission: 6-speed,  
• Final Drive: Chain 
• Wheelbase: 55.1 in. 
• Rake/Trail: 23.7 degrees/3.9 in. / 23.2 degrees/3.8 in. 
• Seat Height: 32.5 in. / 32.9 in. 
• Wet Weight: 417 lb / 414 lb 
• Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gal. 
• Fuel Consumption: 38.8 mpg (EPA) 

Pragmatic riders may scoff at a motorcycle like the new Arch Motorcycle 1s. After all, there are several sporty cruisers on the market that offer better value. A Ducati Diavel V4 is a worthy machine, as is Triumph’s massive Rocket 3 R. Harley-Davidson’s Sportster S is similarly enticing. 

Related: 2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R | Road Test Review

Related: 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S | First Ride Review

But none of these capable bikes holds a candle to the glowing 1s, an ultra-premium roadster from the company founded by superstar actor Keanu Reeves and longtime bike builder Gard Hollinger. 

Arch Motorcycle handcrafts limited-production bikes featuring exquisite detail elements like CNC-machined aluminum chassis sections and lightweight carbon fiber components wrapped around gigantic air-cooled V-Twins from S&S Cycle.

Arch’s first model, the KRGT-1, is a performance cruiser that debuted in 2015, and I was one of the lucky few who got to test ride it. More recently, I found myself in the hills of Malibu, California, aboard the “sport cruiser” 1s model. 

“Going into a turn,” Reeves told me before our ride, “the input is the thought. Turn your head, look where you’re going, and you don’t push the bike but let it kind of respond and you feel it move. You’re super confident as you lean in, lean in, lean in.”

And Reeves wasn’t just blowing smoke. The new 1s handily exceeds performance expectations for a bike with a 2-liter V-Twin thumping away between your legs and a steamroller-sized back tire. The entire machine is magnificent, and the 1s delivers on the promise demanded of its lofty price tag.

The Arch Motorcycle 1s is how much?!

“If you have to ask,” the old saying goes, “you can’t afford it.” 

Yep, you’re looking at a motorcycle with an eye-popping MSRP of $128,000 – that’s enough dough to buy a Diavel V4, a Rocket 3 R, and a Sportster S and still have nearly enough left over to buy one of each for a friend. A price tag that steep demands incredible attention to detail and premium components, and the 1s delivers. Giant blocks of aluminum have been whittled down with computer-controlled milling machines to create intricate frame elements, the single-sided swingarm, and the curvaceous tailsection. 

Indeed, every component is spectacular – from the insanely light BST carbon-fiber wheels to the high-end Öhlins suspension to the intricate carbon-fiber airbox that allows downdraft induction and doubles as the fuel tank. Each part on the 1s is worthy of second and third looks, so it’s easy to see how its build cost quickly adds up. 

Wick’s Wingman

Gear Up:

• Helmet: Arai Ram-X
• Jacket: Alpinestars Hoxton V2
• Gloves: Alpinestars GPX V2
• Pants: Alpinestars Copper V2
• Boots: Highway 21 Journeyman

I had previously ridden with Reeves during the KRGT-1 launch in 2015, and his personality is nearly the opposite of what one might expect from a big-time celebrity. He is humble and down-to-earth. Most importantly, he just loves to ride motorcycles. At a trackday a few years ago, I watched him participate in more sessions than any other rider at the event. His passion for motorcycles is undeniable.

“I think probably at the core of it is just loving to ride a motorcycle and loving the aesthetics of motorcycles,” Reeves told me. “I like how they look, how they feel, how they smell.”

Gearing up for our ride, the guy once known as Neo from The Matrix films straddled a KRGT-1. Gard took a seat on a red and black 1s, while I saddled up on a black and gold one. Customers can order up whatever livery their hearts desire. 

“I think it’s a really beautiful, unique-looking motorcycle,” Reeves stated. 

Related: 2020 Arch KRGT-1 | First Ride Review

Keanu and Kev’s Excellent Adventure

A trio of 124ci S&S motors fire up and broadcast air-cooled V-Twin thunder through carbon-fiber mufflers. As burly as the motors are, they’re also remarkably refined. Throttle response is predictable, and the hydraulic clutch offers a reasonably light pull. The transmission shifts nicer than most big-inch V-Twin gearboxes. 

As a sport cruiser, the rider is placed in a forward crouch with relatively high footpegs, but the position isn’t nearly as folded up as a proper sportbike. At 31.5 inches, the seat is 3.7 inches higher than the KRGT-1’s. The engine’s proprietary downdraft induction keeps the midsection narrow, unhindered by a sidedraft intake that eats up space for right legs. 

“It’s still really comfortable,” Reeves related, “but you’re not sitting in the bike, you’re on top of it. I think of it like almost equestrian, like the way your feet are underneath you on a horse – that kind of hip-ankle-shoulder relationship, with the torso angled a little more forward. So you’re feeling really balanced on the motorcycle.”

Impressive power is available at all times, with a torque curve so vast it feels like a mighty electric motor aside from the rumbling vibration emitted from a pair of giant 1,016cc cylinders. Ride quality from the fully adjustable Öhlins suspension is excellent, as is the response and power from the ISR brake system with Bosch ABS. 

Instrumentation is delivered via an AiM Sports TFT gauge pack, and the bike features an adaptive LED headlamp, bar-end LED front turnsignals, and a cove-reflective LED taillight. The only element that doesn’t scream premium is the generic switchgear on the bars. 

The 1s is surprisingly agile when carving corners for a 600-lb machine with a 65.4-inch wheelbase and a 9.4-inch-wide rear tire. The gold-accented 1s turned out to be considerably sharper in its responses than the red one due to customizable setups available with the platform. The red one also had a shorter seat with a bum stop perfectly placed for my small physique. 

The stout chassis of the 1s invites extra-deep lean angles, but cornering clearance proves to be plentiful. I managed to touch down the sidestand foot when exploring the bike’s capabilities, but other journalists reported no clearance problems during their rides. Reeves noted the 1s prefers to be guided rather than manhandled. 

“We’d been developing the KRGT-1,” he said, “taking this leap into the 1s and trying to maintain the ride – the feeling of confidence, the responsiveness, the planted-ness – mixed with extraordinary components and finishes. To me, these are the best motorcycles that have ever been ridden.”

Taking It Home

I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it. – Morpheus, The Matrix

Properly evaluating a six-figure motorcycle is vexing. The price automatically removes practicality from the purchase equation, as there are plenty of attractive and capable motorcycles available at a fraction of the cost. It’s well beyond the reach of mere mortals, so it’s human nature to want to criticize it. 

But to see it through the eyes of a well-heeled moto enthusiast who already has a collection of motorized toys, the svelte and stylish 1s offers a unique riding experience that comes with a compelling backstory. 

What do all men with power want? More power. – The Oracle, The Matrix Reloaded

Riders who appreciate thumping air-cooled V-Twins and are fully flush with cash won’t think it’s as impractical as most of us. There is truly nothing else like it in production. It would look marvelous parked next to your Harley CVO Road Glide, Corvette Z06, and P-51 Mustang. 

“Sometimes I’ll close the garage door and I’ll just stand there after a ride and stare at the art,” Reeves rhapsodized. “It’s just like, ‘Oh god, that’s beautiful.’” 

You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. – Morpheus, The Matrix

Arch Motorcycle 1s Specs

• Base Price: $128,000
• Website: ArchMotorcycle.com
• Engine Type: Air-cooled, transverse 45-degree V-Twin, twin-cam pushrods w/ 2 valves per cyl.
• Displacement: 124ci (2,032cc)
• Bore x Stroke: 4.125 x 4.625 in. (104.8 x 117.5mm)
• Horsepower: 93.5 hp @ 5,200 rpm (claimed at the rear wheel) 
• Torque: 115.3 lb-ft @ 3,200 rpm (claimed at the rear wheel) 
• Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated wet clutch
• Final Drive: Chain 
• Wheelbase: 65.4 in. 
• Rake/Trail: 25.2 degrees/4.0 in.
• Seat Height: 31.5 in.
• Wet Weight: 600 lb (claimed)
• Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gals.

V-Twin baggers are regularly at the top of streetbike sales charts, and a perennial leader has been the Harley-Davidson Street Glide, with H-D’s Road Glide running close behind. The Glides are revered for the effortless way they trot along American roads accompanied by the loping cadence of their narrow-angle V-Twin motors.

Check out Rider‘s 2022 Motorcycle Buyers Guide

However, there are many Glide owners who put a greater emphasis on performance than on touring ability. The performance-bagger market continues to gain momentum, a trend Harley says is “a new breed of speed.” The incredibly popular King Of The Baggers (KOTB) roadracing series has added more fuel to the performance fire.

To meet this market demand and to capitalize on its KOTB championship title, H-D proffers the new Glide ST brothers, available in Street and Road versions. Touring bikes for a new breed of riders, says the MoCo.

OUT COME THE BIG GUNS

If you’re gonna build a hot-rod bagger, there’s no better place to start than the engine, and so Harley plugs in the biggest gun in its arsenal. The Road and Street Glide STs are fitted with H-D’s biggest production motor, the 117ci Milwaukee-Eight, an upgrade over the 114ci V-Twin found in lesser models. This is the 117’s first appearance in a non-CVO Harley, firing out a tire-shredding 127 lb-ft of torque from its 1,923cc displacement. Harley says the 117 is a value proposition for riders who might otherwise invest in engine upgrades.

Black is the dominant theme, as brightwork is limited to the chrome pushrod tubes, tappet covers, and machined cylinder fins. Matte Dark Bronze finishes on the lower rocker box, timer cover medallion, and the medallion on the Heavy Breather intake provide subtle highlights.

SWITCHIN’ TO GLIDE

The FLHX Street Glide is perhaps the most ubiquitous motorcycle on American roads. Introduced in 2006 as an offshoot of the popular Electra Glide, they are both led by their iconic batwing fairings mounted to the handlebar.

Harley’s FLTR Road Glide was introduced in 1998 as an evolution of the FLT Tour Glide from the 1980s, both using distinctive shark-nosed fairings mounted to the chassis. Other than their fairings, the Road Glide is essentially the same bike as the Street Glide.

The Glide STs are part of Harley’s Grand American Touring lineup, so they naturally include luxury items like a Boom! Box GTS infotainment system with a color touchscreen and navigation, fairing-mounted speakers, a hidden radio antenna, cruise control, and Daymaker LED headlamps. Both Glide STs are equipped with linked Brembo brakes with ABS.

For a sportier, lighter appearance, the STs receive a low-profile tank console and a trimmed front fender, plus a new solo seat that exposes the rear fender but leaves passengers at home. Standard-length saddlebags replace the extended bags used on Special models for additional cornering clearance and to expand aftermarket exhaust options.

Prodigy cast-aluminum wheels feature a Matte Dark Bronze finish to match the bronze engine highlights, while nearly everything else aside from the tins (front end, controls, powertrain, and exhaust) feature blacked-out finishes. For a dash of retro, the Harley-Davidson logo on the 6-gallon fuel tanks is modeled from Harley’s 1912 racebikes, and on black STs, it’s outlined in a gold color that matches the bikes’ bronze finishes.

GEAR UP
Helmet: Arai Regent X
Jacket: Alpinestars Hoxton V2
Gloves: Alpinestars Celer V2
Pants: Alpinestars Copper V2
Boots: Harley-Davidson Hagerman

Both Glides retail for $29,999 in Vivid Black. The Gunship Gray versions are priced at $30,574. Supply shortages due to Covid have forced H-D to exact a $1,000 surcharge.

Optional on Grand American tourers is Harley’s Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements package, formerly called Reflex Defensive Rider System (RDRS). It employs a 6-axis IMU to manage cornering traction control with ride modes, cornering ABS with linked braking, drag-torque slip control, hill-hold control, and tire-pressure monitoring. It’s a $1,025 upcharge.

SWITCHIN’ TO RIDE

The Street Glide is the lighter ST, scaling in at 814 lbs in ready-to-ride form, and its less-expansive batwing fairing adds to the perception. The cockpit is roomy and accommodating, with a handlebar that rises up and sits at an angle. Four analog gauges reside just under the tinted low-profile windscreen, and they’re flanked by a pair of speakers and mirrors integrated at the fairing edges. The touchscreen TFT info/navigation panel sits just above the upper triple-clamp.

The larger fairing on the Road Glide adds visual heft to a rider’s perception, backed up by the bike’s 842-lb curb weight. Here, the vivid TFT touchscreen panel sits front and center just under the low-profile, darkly tinted windshield. The info screen is flanked by a fuel gauge and voltmeter, with a pair of speakers further outboard. A traditional analog speedometer and tachometer pairing reside just ahead of the handlebar mounts. Switchgear on both Glides is the familiar H-D array, including the dual turnsignal buttons.

The 117 fires up with a rumble and the familiar potato-potato thumping from below. The clutch engagement point is easy to ascertain, and, helped by the engine’s immense low-end grunt, you’d need to be a fool to stall the Glides when pulling away from a stop.

Pushrod valve actuation and air cooling suggest a lack of modern technology, but Harley’s M-8 functions extraordinarily well. As its name implies, the V-Twin breathes through four valves per cylinder, and they never need adjusting thanks to H-D’s hydraulic overhead valves. Power from the V-Twin is omnipresent, delivering a satisfying oomph at nearly any engine speed, eventually running out of breath near its 5,500-rpm redline. Rubber engine mounts eliminate harsh vibration from reaching a rider, and there aren’t many other powertrains that roll down the open road as smoothly and effortlessly as this one.

“A pushrod air-cooled V-Twin is our secret sauce,” said Brad Richards, H-D’s VP of design, who rode with us at the launch. “There’s something special about how it goes down the road.” And he’s right.

Suspension consists of a dual-bending-valve 49mm Showa fork paired with emulsion-technology rear shocks and single-knob hydraulic preload adjustment. Harley pursues low seat heights more fervently than any other manufacturer, but the STs buck that trend somewhat by fitting shocks from the Road King to deliver 3 inches of rear wheel travel, up from the Road Glide Special’s 2 inches. Seat height shimmies upward to a still-low 28 inches.

Both STs feel similar when bending into corners, despite the drastically different fairings, banking over easier than you might imagine for an 800-lb bagger. It’s a willing and stable platform while unwinding a twisty road, but let’s not confuse it with a sportbike. Floorboards begin to drag when leaned over to 32 degrees – enough to have fun, but nowhere near the 55-degree leans that KOTB champ Kyle Wyman can achieve on his Road Glide racebike.

Solid braking performance is provided by Brembo 4-piston calipers operating via braided lines and clamping on 11.8-inch (300mm) discs. The single rear brake has the same specs. The front tire is a 130/60-19 bias-ply, while a 180/55-18 resides out back.

There wasn’t an opportunity to fully delve into the Boom! Box GTS infotainment system, but it seems to be well sorted and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Audio quality via the radio is closer to adequate than exceptional.

Ergonomics are very good, but not beyond reproach. The rear brake pedal is mounted rather high, and the Heavy Breather intake intrudes on knee space when raising a boot to apply rear braking. Also, shift action of the 6-speed gearbox is rather clunky. The seat feels supportive for an hour, but it’s not up to the cushy standards of Harley’s other touring models. And while we’re nitpicking, I’d like to see a larger gear-position indicator and adjustable levers on my $30k bagger.

WHICH GLIDE?

This has been a hotly debated topic among H-D aficionados, with no clear winner aside from subjective judgments on style. In windy conditions, I much preferred the greater stability of the Road Glide, as stubborn crosswinds on the Street Glide’s bar-mounted fairing applied marginal unwanted inputs to the steering. The Road Glide’s triple splitstream vented fairing also delivers smoother airflow around a rider.

That said, the Street Glide is slightly lighter, and its fairing attached directly to the handlebar allows a rider to wriggle his/her way through dense traffic more adeptly. And for some, its batwing fairing is irresistible.

WRAP IT UP

It’s not a surprise to have enjoyed seat time on these new Glide STs. They’re basically the same bikes that we’ve grown to appreciate for their over-the-road prowess and surprising agility but are now blessed with more power and tasteful high-end finishes. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised when a $30,000 motorcycle delivers the goods. And the Road/Street Glide STs include a pair of hardshell saddlebags in which to carry those goods more than 220 miles between fill-ups.

2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide ST/Street Glide ST Specs

Base Price: $29,999 (Vivid Black)
Price as Tested: $31,599 (Gunship Gray, Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements)
Website: harley-davidson.com
Engine Type: Air-cooled, transverse 45-degree V-Twin, OHV w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 1,923cc (117ci)
Bore x Stroke: 103.5 x 114.3mm
Horsepower: 106 hp @ 4,750 rpm (at the crank)
Torque: 127 lb-ft @ 3,750 rpm (at the crank)
Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated slip/assist wet clutch
Final Drive: Belt
Wheelbase: 64 in.
Rake/Trail: 26 degrees/6.7 in.
Seat Height: 28.1/28.0 in.
Wet Weight: 842/814 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 6 gal.