To say that Harley-Davidson does things its way would be putting it mildly. For example, who else envisions a sports tourer that weighs 327kg and has a nearly 2-litre engine? That got me excited to see what the Low Rider ST is all about.
For context, this bike is essentially a lightly dressed-up Low Rider S and packs one of the largest engines in Harley’s line-up. Yet, it also has some sporting intentions and touring capabilities. And despite having water-resistant panniers that can hold 53.8 litres, the bike has one of the highest cornering clearances. The Low Rider S was sold here for a few years before being discontinued a while back. And this bike is very similiar to that model, save for the bigger front windscreen and panniers.
The Low Rider ST isn’t as big as a Street Glide, but it’s also not as lithe as something like a Nightster. The front fairing has a unique design with a small visor perched atop it with cutouts that channel cool air to the rider. It was quite hot the day we were riding, so I was grateful for them. I am 5ft 11in and there was very little buffeting on my helmet as the fairing did a good job of protecting me from the windblasts even at 120–130kph.
What I don’t like is that there’s too much black plastic in the rider’s vision, and that’s not a very pleasing sight on an otherwise well-detailed bike. While blacked-out Harleys aren’t usually my cup of tea, this bike, with its bronze-finished accents, is a neat-looking thing. On the features front, you get traction control, dual-channel ABS and a small negative LCD dash—exactly like the Breakout we wrote about some time back.
Start riding it, and you’ll realise that this middle-ground (in Harley speak) motorcycle is anything but that, with 168Nm of torque available at just 3,500rpm. Like in most other H-Ds, there’s no point in revving this motor out to its low 5,500rpm redline; instead, surfing that wave of torque will prove to be more enjoyable. This motor is quite smooth up to 4,000rpm, after which a gentle buzz creeps in and keeps building until you hit the rev limiter. All the while, you’re treated to the authentic Harley V-Twin burble, although I wish it was a bit throatier.
The Low Rider ST’s engine is the same as the Breakout’s, but thankfully, this bike’s tyre sizes are more conducive to sporty handling (the engineers got precedence with this model, not the designers). It also has higher ground clearance than the typical Harley (150mm), which means it should be able to tackle most Indian roads with reasonable ease.
For a bike of its weight, the Low Rider ST tips in pretty quickly into a turn, and once leaned over, it is stable and predictable. Sure, it’s not going to set the corners ablaze like a sportbike, but if you want to have fun at a brisk (not breakneck) pace, it fits the bill. The braking performance, too, is respectable, courtesy of those twin disc brakes at front.
The bike I rode had forward-set foot pegs, which felt a little unnatural while cornering; even while just sitting on the highway, they put undue weight on your tailbone. Because of them, your knees will also foul with the air filter, just like they do on the Breakout. Thankfully, the Low Rider ST comes standard with mid-mounted foot pegs, which solves both of these problems.
After spending some time with it, I’ve concluded that the Low Rider ST makes quite a lot of sense for India. It’s quick, comfortable, relatively practical, and has the kerb appeal that only a Harley has. In overseas markets, it sits between the Fat Bob and Fat Boy, which means that if H-D brings it to India, it should cost around Rs 23.50 lakh (ex-showroom). Let’s hope we see this American sport tourer on our roads in 2025!
