Everything You Need to Know About The Harley

Harley turns up the sports wick with this limo-size American icon

The words ‘Sports’ and ‘Harley-Davidson’ haven't often been used together to describe any of the motor company's models, but the three new-for-2022 ST models aim to capitalize on the popularity of the Bagger racing series. The Street Glide ST might not be any lighter than the standard Street Glide, but it has revisions to the suspension as well as being fitted with the 117 cubic inch Milwaukee Eight engine, which was previously only available in the CVO models. This gives it the performance that justifies the 'sports' tag. Here are 10 things you need to know about it.

The engine in the 2022 Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST is 117 cubic-inch (1,923cc) Milwaukee Eight previously only seen in the CVO models but introduced here to give the Street Glide ST the performance it deserves. It comes standard with the Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather intake, high-performance camshaft, and a tuned exhaust system, to give a massive 127 pound-feet of torque and 106 horsepower at 3,750rpm. Despite the high state of tune, the engine remains as smooth as ever and never hesitates or snatches when you crack open the throttle from low revs.

Handling all that power and torque was never going to be the work of a weedy gearbox and clutch, and nor is it! The clutch lever needs a good pull but is smooth and progressive in its action. The gearbox is typical Harley - clunky, agricultural and solid, all the traits you need. The clutch features Drag-Torque Slip-Control to prevent the rear wheel from hopping on less-than-subtle downshifts when pushing along in the canyons.

Related: 2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide ST

The Street Glide ST is a big motorcycle, let there be no mistake about that: Harley hasn't built a lightweight, nimble bike here. However, despite the 64-inch wheelbase and 26-degree rake, which give great stability, the ST is a joy to fling through corners. The rear has been raised up an inch over the Street Glide and Street Glide Special, giving a total of three inches of travel at the rear. This helps the Street Glide ST tip into corners with just that little bit more urgency.

While Harley suspension has traditionally been unbranded, leading you to think it has been developed in-house, it has often been developed by suspension specialists and the Street Glide ST is no different. Showa is responsible for the suspension in the ST, with Dual-Bending Valve front forks and twin Showa shocks at the rear. The forks work really well to give the ST a compliant but firm ride which not only absorbs road irregularities but gives a feeling of confidence through long, fast corners. The rear shocks might have an inch more travel than standard Street Glides, but it is still only three inches, and that inevitably has a pay-off in how stiff they need to be in order to prevent undue bottoming out. But, when all said and done, the suspension on the Street Glide ST is the best suspension fitted to a cruiser for a long time.

Related: 2022 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited

Twin 300mm discs up front are clamped by four-piston calipers. The brake lever needs a good hard pull and the feeling is slightly wooden, but the stopping power is excellent when you consider there are 814 pounds to haul to a stop. Naturally, there is ABS and the front and rear brakes are linked, so you always get the benefit of maximum braking efficiency, especially as rear brakes on a cruiser are often the more effective.

Okay, not strictly true, but Harley has refrained from ladling the chrome on with a shovel, obviously thinking that chrome just isn't sporty. In its place is lots of black finish, with only the edges of the cylinder barrels being polished metal and the pushrod tubes being chromed. Almost everything else is as black as the Ace of Spades, while the cast alloy wheels, part of the rocker box, and other small parts are finished in Matte Dark Bronze. It's understated and handsome and there are two colors to choose from - Vivid Black and Gunship Gray ($575 extra), which contrasts nicely with the blacked-out engine and cycle parts.

Related: 2021 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Revival

Typically, Harley-Davidson is the cockpit, with four analog dials handling speed, revs, petrol, and charge sitting just below the smoked screen and, therefore, right in the rider's line of sight. The large touchscreen can be operated with a gloved hand and there are toggle switches to navigate through the menu. Turn-by-turn navigation is displayed on the screen, and you can pair your smartphone to play music and answer calls. The built-in speakers in the fork-mounted batwing fairing are powerful and loud but also have a good sound quality without everything getting distorted.

If you have a spare $995 in your pocket at the time you order your Street Glide ST, you will get the Reflex Defensive Rider System rider aid package. This adds an internal measurement unit (IMU) to the electronics to give cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control, engine braking control, vehicle hold control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

Related: 2020-2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited

Whether you like the Street Glide ST is up to you but, for our money, it is one of the better-looking Harleys in the lineup, especially in the Gunship Grey color. It's never possible to fault Harley on the fit and finish of its products, and it's no different here. If anything, the absence of chrome only serves to let you see how good the paint and other finishes are.

The basic Street Glide ST costs $29,999 which isn't chicken feed, but it's about in line with the rest of the performance cruiser pack. You can add $995 for the advanced electronics and $575 for the Gunship Gray color. Of course, the Harley parts catalog will separate you from even more of your money with not very much effort at all. But, for our money, the Street Glide ST is pretty much perfect as it stands. Why not save your money and buy a second bike?

Harry has been writing and talking about motorcycles for 15 years, although he's been riding them for 45 years! After a long career in music, he turned his hand to writing and television work, concentrating on his passion for all things petrol-powered. Harry has written for all major publications in South Africa, both print and digital and produced and presented his own TV show called, imaginatively, The Bike Show, for seven years. He held the position of editor of South Africa's largest circulation motorcycling magazine before devoting his time to freelance writing on motoring and motorcycling. Born and raised in England, he has lived in South Africa with his family since 2002. Harry has owned examples of Triumph, Norton, BSA, MV Agusta, Honda, BMW, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Kawasaki and Moto Morini motorcycles. He regrets selling all of them.