- Table of Contents
1. Introduction
HARLEY DAVIDSON has released many remarkable motorcycles since its founding. Some motorcycles became popular among riders, while others where underappreciated. Certain Harley motorcycles were underrated because of their looks or were pricey. The list of discontinued motorcycles manufactured by Harley Davidson has grown long in recent years. Many of them were discontinued as they were replaced by the newer and better models and many of them were discontinued because of lesser sales and not good reviews of critics and users. Here are the top five underrated Harley Davidson motorcycles that have been discontinued or replaced by newer lineups.
2. Harley Davidson Street Rod 750
Photo Credit: @riversideharley
The Harley Street Rod 750 was first released in 2014 and remained in production until 2020. It was discontinued because of its low demand and poor reviews. The Street Rod was neither a touring motorcycle nor a CRUISER. Instead, it was a STREET MOTORCYCLE that looked nothing like standard Harley motorcycles. It did not have wide HANDLEBARS, a low seat height, and a traditional riding position.
The Harley Street Rod 750 had a 750 cc V-Twin engine capable of producing a torque of 47 ft-lbs (63.7Nm) @ 4,000 rpm. With a fuel tank capacity of 3.5 gallons, it had a fuel mileage of 54 mpg, a weight around 525 lbs, and a top speed of 110 MPH. The Harley Street Rod 750 was a good entry-level motorcycle due to being easy to handle, having good fuel economy, less weight, an easy riding position, an electronic speedometer, an ABS, security options, and other useful features. It had a base price oft $8,699.
ALSO READ: HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET 750 VS HARLEY DAVIDSON IRON 883: A DETAILED COMPARISON
3. Harley Davidson VRSCR Street Rod 2005
Photo Credit: @autoevolution
The Harley Davidson VRSCR Street Rod 2005 was the first model of its series and received many critical reviews from users. It was a cruiser-style muscle motorcycle with a difficult riding position, a high seat height of 30 inches, forward-mounted footrests, and low handlebars. The rider would have to stretch his/her legs and lean forward to reach the handlebars. A cruiser is meant to provide a relaxed riding position, but the Street Rod was nothing like the traditional cruisers.
However, the Harley VRSCR Street Rod 2005 had a 1,131 cc engine capable of a horsepower of 120 hp and torque of 84 ft-lbs (113.9 Nm) @ 7,000 rpm. It had a top speed of 144 MPH (231.7 km/h), and weighed around 307 kg. The Harley VRSCR Street Rod 2005 had a base price of $16,495. Its expensive price also led to its discontinuiation as riders preferred other cruisers within the same price range that had better seating.
4. Harley Davidson Softail Custom
Photo Credit: @autoevolution
The SOFTAIL series is one of the oldest Harley-Davidson motorcycle lineups. Over the years, many models in the Softail series have been released. The SOFTAIL CUSTOM was first released in 1986 and remained in production until 1999. After being temporarily discontinued, the SOFTAIL CUSTOM was re-released in 2007 and remained in production until 2010.
The Softail Custom shared many similarities with the Softail Standard. The Softail Custom did not get much attention from riders as there were few significant differences between the Standard and Custom versions. However, the Softail Custom was $1,900 cheaper than the Standard. The Softail Custom had a 1,584 cc engine, while the Softail Standard had a 1,753 cc engine. The Softail Standard could produce more horsepower and torque than the Softail Custom. The Softail Custom had a sleeker front tire, a higher seat height, and a heavier weight than the Softail Standard.
ALSO READ: BEST MOTORCYCLE LEATHER SADDLEBAGS FOR HARLEY SOFTAIL
5. Harley Davidson Sport Glide
Photo Credit: @aeharley
The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORT GLIDE was first released in 1999 and remained in production until 2021. It has a Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine capable of producing 108 ft-lbs of torque@ 3,000 rpm. The Harley Sport Glide is a cruiser with an overall weight of 699 lbs and comes with pre-installed saddlebags. It has high and wide handlebars, forward-mounted footrests, and lower seat height that provide an ideal comfortable riding position for all riders. It has a base price of $18,599.
The Sport Glide is undoubtedly a good cruiser, but did not sell well due to its expensive price. It had a same engine specification than the other cruiser motorcycles of Harley Davidson that is also lesser in price. The only difference between them is Sport Glide has pre-installed saddlebags and both Harleys have different design.
6. Harley Davidson XR1200X
Photo Credit: @roadracingworld
The Harley Davidson XR1200X was released in 2008 and remained in production until 2013. The Sportster XR1200X was considered one of the fastest Sportsters made by Harley Davidson. It had a 1,200 cc engine capable of a horsepower of 91 hp and a torque of 73.7 ft-lbs @ 3,700 rpm. The Sportster XR1200X could reach a top speed of 125 MPH.
Despite its specifications, the Harley Sportster XR1200X did not receive many positive reviews from critics due to its riding position. It was a street motorcycle with a seat height of 30.5 inches and low handlebars. The Sportster XR1200X was built differently from Harley Davidson’s other cruisers and touring motorcycles. The Sportster XR1200X’s base price of $11,899 was considered too expensive for riders since there were cheaper and faster Street motorcycles available.
The Harley Davidson motorcycles discussed in this article were overlooked due to their price, look, or design upon their initial release. Many of these motorcycles have been discontinued by Harley Davidson and replaced by newer Harley Davidson models. However, they do not lack in performance, customizability, and handling, still being well-made motorcycles that would satisfy your neesd if you gave them a chance.
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