Some of the most Asian-friendly Harley-Davidson models could be bidding farewell soon. The Street line of motorcycles, made by Harley-Davidson to appeal to riders new to the brand, may soon be discontinued.
This was discovered when H-D recently announced its lineup of 2021 models during an online event. However, many noticed there was a glaring lack of updates for the Street line.
The Street lineup is made up of the Street 500, Street 750, and Street Rod. These new models were first introduced in 2013 and designed to appeal to younger riders and buyers in emerging markets thanks to their smaller engines, smaller size, and accessibility. Unlike conventional Harleys, it’s powered by a water-cooled engine, allow it to fair better in the hotter climates of emerging markets.
Their demise is in part due to H-D wanting to streamline its operations and focus on its core products: large displacement cruisers. In addition, the Harley-Davidson factory in Bawal, India, which manufactures the Street line for the rest of the world, was shut down in September 2020.
The only other facility that assembles the street is in the US. However with little demand for this model in Harley’s home market, it’s looking bleak. H-D’s other assembly plant in Thailand is currently building the Iron 883, Forty-Eight, and Street Bob. It will take considerable investment and retooling for that facility to take on the job of building the Street models.
With low demand and lukewarm reviews from buyers and critics, it seems like the end of the line for Harley’s newest and also most short-lived line of motorcycles.
The role of entry-level model for Harley-Davidson is now the Sportster Iron 883, which the Philippines sources from Thailand.
While it may be the end of the Street line, there’s still hope for a Harley-Davidson made specifically for Asians. There’s been talk of a 300cc Baby Harley designed exclusively for Asian markets, manufactured by Harley’s Chinese partner, QianJiang (QJ Motor), the parent company of Benelli.
