Spending 2023 on the Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST! The cruiser that can do it all? | Long-term test 

Shame theyre so expensive in the uk £20k is a hell of a lot of money, when triumph and indian are knocking on the door, with more capable bikes

The M8 is a bit different, still no R1 but having toured Europe on a Harley and an R1, I take the HD every time, but then I'm getting older 😁

Hey Jim, Agree on all this. I was trying to be self deprecating 😂 being a GS rider (at the mo)

The stock exhaust is incredibly cheaply made. Theres very few people that keep it anyway. I think (I’m sure others will correct me) the stock exhaust is mild steel. She said about the fairing keeping “snow” off so I assume it’s been ridden through salt. Mild steel won’t old up to that. The exhaust I changed mine with is stainless and night and day better. The rest of the bikes pretty well made.

@@cornishreptiles I guess a lot of Harley owners will change it but I fail to see why they can’t do something better for £20k. maybe I’m being too harsh and it’s just accepted ?

@@theonlyredspecial known as the Harley tax. Fact of the matter is generally, although not everyone, generally the first thing to go is the exhaust to make it louder and “sound like a Harley”. Harley can’t do this themselves because it has to conform to all noise and pollution regulations at the point of sale. So these days they make them as cheap as possible. However, once you have bought your new bike Harley dealers will willingly oblige to sell you a new exhaust and “stage 1” so it’s also big business.

@@cornishreptilesour local Harley dealer had an pan American when I was in with my friend and there was rust on the demo bike too I noticed around the brake lever and clutch lever calipers and bolts. I figured it was unusual but perhaps was having a rough life. I quite like Harley but haven’t bought a new one so wasn’t aware of all of this upselling. I guess if you have the money and enjoy them all makes sense In The end

@@theonlyredspecial Harley’s are renowned for rust. I’ve had my Low Rider S for 2 years, two winters, and looked after it. It’s still rust free. If you buy one with absolutely no intention to wash it and protect it then you’ll be incredibly disappointed. Demo bikes at dealers I think do have hard lives but also they have zero protection on them from factory.

5 gallon fuel tank, and should be close to 50mpg

Lighting is another aspect that too often gets overlooked. I inevitably ride in the dark when touring - good lighting is important.

@@MadChalet That's a good point.

Recommend the torque cam unless you like to rev it out then go with the high performance cam. The Pro Street and Auto tuner works very well and keeps from voiding the warranty. Exhaust is up to your preference.

@@mojomanmurph1925 hey thanks. I was leaning towards the power cam because both Harley cams provide extra torque and that 114 already makes a lot, but that extra HP would be helpful on the interstate where speeds of 100+ are not uncommon by these crazy Oklahoma drivers in their raised pickups and Landrovers.

I get 400klm out of a tank on my lowrider st if travelling at basically legal speeds.

If the Euro isn't that strong against the US dollar you're gonna pay big $$s for a Harley! I'm in Canada and when our dollar isn't strong the exchange difference causes a huge price jump. When I worked at a HD dealership in 2004 thru '06 I saw prices drop nearly $10000 based on the currency.

Work hard, you can do it!

Easy, work hard,and smart.

That’s true. I’ve owned Japanese bikes and European bikes for decades. But I just recently bought my first Harley. I’ve ridden them in the past but never dropped the cash for one. I’m getting older and decided this was likely going to be my last bike before I give up riding for good and get a car. So I bought a Road King because I figured one of my kids or a grandkid will inherit it. The thing I realized about Harleys is that with all the aftermarket companies and Harley itself. You can always rebuild an old bike or modify a bike to be whatever kind of bike you want to ride. You can’t really do that with many of the other brands. That’s the plus to buying a Harley. You will be able to keep it on the road essentially forever.

@@FriedPi-mc5yt that’s a very valid point. It’s funny how hard it can be to find aftermarket support for any of the Japanese brands, yet you do a quick google search for Harley parts and find a half dozen companies that offer a variety of each item. I love Harley’s, just haven’t found it worth the money for me just yet.

fixed it for you They’re not though, they’re considered more like a fetish. A distinct group of people go nuts for them, most find them irrelevant, expensive and a bit silly

happy for you@@jimdoar2546 , not sure how your tale relates to my comment, but I'm glad you're enjoying your rides

You really wouldn’t want his feedback better left unsaid and probably the reason he doesn’t test things like that haha

It looks like the Saddlemen touring seat

that would be a stretch. No tech whatsoever, cheep quality. It's a 10k bike at best.

I'd pick this thing over the red bike without a single second of doubt

@@jsleeio Funny

sadly, these softail are all built in Thailand. Which may explain quite a lot.

That's the rub isn't it? £15k bike at a stretch, even taking the badge prestige into account. Great bike though I bet, just not £21k great.

@@Teatimeted In the USA you'd walk out of the dealer with about $25K worth of bike after all the fees and Harley Tax

@jimdoar2546 Well, I bought a '22 1250 GSA new, instead of a Low Rider S. The finish is superb, way beyond the finish on a Harley (I know because I have owned one). The electronics are spot on, I use them all the time. Don't knock electronic semi active suspension till you have tried it. Heated grips, heated rider and pillion seat. A headlight that follows the road. Need I go on? All for the price of a what Harley Davidson thinks an engine, a frame and basic suspension is worth on one of their bikes.. Additionally... I did all my own work on my Harley, and once I'm out of warranty I'll be doing the same on my BMW. My 2016 Harley needed a code reader, just like my BMW does. Modern Harleys use a lot of electronics behind the scenes, just like any other modern bike does. I will caveat all of the above by stating as fact that I absolutely am a Harley fan boy... I'm not a hater. I miss one of these awesome bikes in my garage, but these prices now are insane. Anyone can see that.

I don't know how you can 'hate' a motorcycle, it is what it is, and you can either like it or not. Seems to me that if you can do 10k miles in 6 months without any problem, it can't be too bad.

You can take them off in a few seconds !

@@jimdoar2546 yeah always had the propipe on my HDs.

The thing is, 10 years from now, the Harley will still be going and worth something.

@@onecookieboy So will my Kawi