NZ Autocar
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Electric
  • Industry
  • Bikes
  • Classics
  • Motorsport
  • Prices
    • New Bike Prices
    • New Car Prices
    • Make
      • Alfa Romeo News and Reviews
      • Aston Martin News and Reviews
      • Audi News and Reviews
      • Bentley News and Reviews
      • BMW News and Reviews
      • BYD News and Reviews
      • Chevrolet News and Reviews
      • Citroen News and Reviews
      • Cupra News and Reviews
      • Ferrari News and Reviews
      • Fiat News and Reviews
      • Ford News and Reviews
      • GWM News and Reviews
      • Haval News and Reviews
      • Honda News and Reviews
      • Hyundai News and Reviews
      • INEOS News and Reviews
      • Isuzu News and Reviews
      • Jaguar News and Reviews
      • Jeep News and Reviews
      • KIA News and Reviews
      • Lamborghini News and Reviews
      • Land Rover News and Reviews
      • LDV News and Reviews
      • Lexus News and Reviews
      • Lotus News and Reviews
      • Mahindra News and Reviews
      • Maserati News and Reviews
      • Mazda News and Reviews
      • McLaren News and Reviews
      • Mercedes-Benz News and Reviews
      • MG News and Reviews
      • MINI News and Reviews
      • Mistubishi News and Reviews
      • Nissan News and Reviews
      • Omoda News and Reviews
      • Opel News and Reviews
      • Peugeot News and Reviews
      • Polestar News and Reviews
      • Porsche News and Reviews
      • RAM News and Reviews
      • Renault News and Reviews
      • Skoda News and Reviews
      • SsangYong News and Reviews
      • Subaru News and Reviews
      • Suzuki News and Reviews
      • Tesla News and Reviews
      • Toyota News and Reviews
      • Volkswagen News and Reviews
      • Volvo News and Reviews
  • Subscribe
    • Print
    • Digital
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • Advertise
NZ Autocar
No Result
View All Result
Home Bikes

2023 Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST review

Words: Peter Louisson

by Tom Gasnier
February 15, 2023
Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST action

The almost all-black Harley-Davidson you see here is essentially a hopped up Street Glide, the ST presumably short for Street or maybe Stroppy.

This is a performance bagger then, coincidentally launching just after Harley took out the King of the Bagger race series in the US. These racing versions aren’t your average cruisers either, designed to get around tracks like Laguna Seca, for heaven’s sake.

Anyhow, the ST’s powered by the biggest engine that Harley does, the Milwaukee-Eight 117 (1923cc) featuring less restricted breathing and high performance cams. This is the mill that powers the top-end CVO Harleys and with better air flow the big easy-going air/oil-cooled V-twin pumps out 105hp (77kW). Alongside that is a wholesome 168Nm of torque at 3500rpm which is what really drives this beast. 

They’ve also removed a bit of weight but only a few kaygees and in the scheme of 370kg overall, it’s hardly significant. 

Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST side static

Unchanged are the linked Brembo brakes under ABS control, an infotainment system with colour touch screen and navigation, cruise control and LED headlamps. There’s also the batwing fairing that keeps a surprising amount of weather off the rider, without creating much in the way of buffeting. Your legs are more open to the weather however, and they can cook a bit in heavy traffic. On the right side, the knees of taller riders will run into the intake tract behind the air filter. 

You’ll not want to hang around in heavy traffic for too long, as the clutch pressure can be tiring, and there’s a fair amount of weight carried high, so you need to have your feet down, prepared if everything comes to a halt. Surprising as it may seem, this can lane split okay, the panniers not too big (right sized really) and the bars not too wide (these dictate lane splitting readiness on any machine).

The other difference is that this stands a bit taller, with extra rear travel. All of which means it can get through more corners without touching down and it’s said to sharpen steering response as well, both of which we can confirm. You’d be surprised how far you can lean this over before the running board makes contact with the tarmac. And while it feels large and a little unwieldy when manoeuvring under your own steam, once underway the long wheelbase and stability take over as the dominant theme. It can take to hill roads with more enthusiasm than you might imagine but this is happier in open, faster territory.

It can hike too, quicker than the Sport Glide, despite being substantially heavier. A sprint time of 4.3sec was matched with a 2.8sec overtake. And while that’s rather surprising performance for a bagger, it’s the way it does the day-to-day stuff that impresses equally, pulling well in the 2000-3000rpm range (2250 in top equates to 100km/h, 2500 a relaxed if illegal 120km/h) while using 2500-3500 it’s pretty stroppy and 3000-4000rpm, few cars will keep up with you away from the lights. Gas it and the intake howl is almost as satisfying as the classic Harley exhaust note. It’s louder than most unmodded new H-Ds too, despite passing noise tests.

Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST dials

Extracting the output is pretty easy as the gearbox doesn’t graunch into first, cold or warm, upshifts are clean, especially when shortshifting before 2000rpm, as you do in town, and there are no engine modes; it’s down to how fast you twist the wrist.

More brakes wouldn’t hurt. On their own the fronts require a decent amount of lever pressure for barely adequate retardation but when the rear chimes in we achieved a best emergency stop of 41m. Figure on cornering ABS and cornering TC on this machine too, both great safety features on a big bike.

The ask for this is $48,995, a fair wedge for something with just a single seat. But there’s a whole lot of standard kit too, as mentioned, like the Boom Box infotainment system comprising a touchscreen, two fairing-mounted speakers, and a hidden radio antenna. Within the batwing fairing are four instruments. Trip information doesn’t include fuel use figures but there’s a petrol gauge. For those wondering, the answer is 6.1L/100km, and with a 23L tank that’s roughly 350km of travel before you need to search for the next servo.

Although Showa suspension is largely unadjustable – you can remove the left pannier to alter rear preload only – the ride quality is pretty decent and the riding position great but the seat could do with more padding. 

A couple of other points; the horn is the loudest I’ve encountered on any single tracker, suggesting don’t mess with me. And there’s a rain indicator that tells you when it’s raining, in case you missed that while out riding.

All in all, this is a surprise. You’d not think something this hulking and top heavy would be quite so precise on the move. And that motor that moves mountains is pretty special  

ModelHarley-Davidson
Street Glide ST
Price$48,995
Engine1923cc, air/oil-cooled,
fuel injected, V2
Power/Torque77kW/168Nm
Transmission6-speed, belt final drive
0-100km/h4.27sec
80-120km/h2.80sec (78.97m)
100-0km/h41.36m
Safety systemsABS, TC
Seat height710mm
Weight369kg (claimed)
Previous Post

Toyota to focus on EVs under new management

Next Post

EU approves ban on new petrol and diesel car sales

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Free NZ Autocar Enewsletter
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NZ Autocar is New Zealand’s leading automotive magazine. Delivering news reviews from the automotive world, including commentary from leading automotive writers and covers the scope of motoring including new cars, classic cars, EVs and motorbikes.

Our team

Publisher: Mark Petch
General Manager: Gavin Shaw
Editor: Kyle Cassidy
Senior Editor: Peter Louisson
News Editor: Harrison Wade
Art Director: Alex Schultz
Photographer: Isaac Western

To Subscribe

nzautocar.subscription.co.nz

Contact Us

Advertising:
Gavin Shaw
[email protected]
.
Editorial:
Kyle Cassidy
[email protected]
.
NZ Autocar
PO Box 44 304
Point Chevalier
Auckland 1246
New Zealand

Categories

Useful Links

Home
News
Motorsport
New Car Prices
New Bike Prices
Subscriptions
Competitions
Contact Us
Advertising
Terms and Conditions

© 2021 AUTOCAR 2016 LIMITED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Electric
  • Industry
  • Bikes
  • Classics
  • Motorsport
  • Prices
    • New Bike Prices
    • New Car Prices
    • Make
      • Alfa Romeo News and Reviews
      • Aston Martin News and Reviews
      • Audi News and Reviews
      • Bentley News and Reviews
      • BMW News and Reviews
      • BYD News and Reviews
      • Chevrolet News and Reviews
      • Citroen News and Reviews
      • Cupra News and Reviews
      • Ferrari News and Reviews
      • Fiat News and Reviews
      • Ford News and Reviews
      • GWM News and Reviews
      • Haval News and Reviews
      • Honda News and Reviews
      • Hyundai News and Reviews
      • INEOS News and Reviews
      • Isuzu News and Reviews
      • Jaguar News and Reviews
      • Jeep News and Reviews
      • KIA News and Reviews
      • Lamborghini News and Reviews
      • Land Rover News and Reviews
      • LDV News and Reviews
      • Lexus News and Reviews
      • Lotus News and Reviews
      • Mahindra News and Reviews
      • Maserati News and Reviews
      • Mazda News and Reviews
      • McLaren News and Reviews
      • Mercedes-Benz News and Reviews
      • MG News and Reviews
      • MINI News and Reviews
      • Mistubishi News and Reviews
      • Nissan News and Reviews
      • Omoda News and Reviews
      • Opel News and Reviews
      • Peugeot News and Reviews
      • Polestar News and Reviews
      • Porsche News and Reviews
      • RAM News and Reviews
      • Renault News and Reviews
      • Skoda News and Reviews
      • SsangYong News and Reviews
      • Subaru News and Reviews
      • Suzuki News and Reviews
      • Tesla News and Reviews
      • Toyota News and Reviews
      • Volkswagen News and Reviews
      • Volvo News and Reviews
  • Subscribe
    • Print
    • Digital
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • Advertise

© 2021 AUTOCAR 2016 LIMITED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.