Harley Davidson unveils the all-new 'Street' series

Harley-Davidson, the much-revered American manufacturer known for its big, mean and flashy motorcycles, unveiled the all-new ‘Street’ series today at the ongoing EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy. After ruling the roost with its high-end cruisers, this is the company's attempt to capture the urban motorcycle market that's showing high growth prospects in both the developed and emerging economies. Slated to go on sale in 2014 in 500 and 750 guises, the Street is designed to inspire and attract young riders around the world, thus opening the doors for an entirely new set of customers to experience the brand.

Built on the first all-new platform developed by Harley-Davidson in 13 years, the Street series is said to be built for urban environments with younger styling, new liquid-cooled ‘Revolution X’ V-Twin engines and nimble handling while not compromising on the virtues that have made Harleys popular the world over.

“Both the Street 750 and Street 500 were designed with thousands of hours of input from young adults in cities around the world. This input guided both the attitude and capabilities of these motorcycles. They are proof that being customer-led continues to be a core driver of our product development process,” said Matt Levatich, President and Chief Operating Officer, Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

As a result, the Street looks much sleeker than the traditional Harleys which is sure to lure the younger demographic. While the teardrop fuel tank, the long '2 into 1' exhaust and the small bullet-shaped indicators are likely to grab eyeballs, we aren't sure about the retro circular headlight and bikini fairing. They look way too simple to be found on a motorcycle in this segment. Harley-Davidson’s trademark ‘Dark Custom’ theme has been employed which means there is more of matte black and less of chrome.

Both the Street 500 and 750 will be powered by V-Twin engines with 4 valves per head and the cylinders angled at 60°. Mated to a 6-speed transmission, these motorcycles are belt-driven. A very low seat height, tuned suspension, a chassis that aids maneuverability and improved agility are expected to make the Street the most urban-centric motorcycle of the full Harley-Davidson lineup.

Expect the Street series to set the streets on fire as soon as they go on sale next year. And yeah, India would be getting these motorcycles too. Start saving folks, here is a genuine chance for you to own a brand-new Harley that you have been craving for!