Harley-Davidson SuperLow

Overview

In Malaysia, since the Street series of motorcycles aren’t available, it is the Superlow which is serving its task of being the most affordable motorcycle from the range of Harley Davidson. Currently the smallest motorcycle in Harley’s Roadster family, the Superlow features an appealing retro design, which even after all these years looks charming. The Harley Davidson Superlow is being offered in four color options – Twisted Cherry, Bonneville Salt Denim, Vivid Black and a dual tone Wicked Red with Barracuda Silver.

Design

The Harley Davidson Superlow is in the market since a very long time, and in all these years, it hasn’t seen much changes when it comes to design. This current iteration of the Superlow still manages to maintain the perfect amalgamation of classic retro silhouette and modern design bits.

The Harley Davidson Superlow features a round headlamp, which comes with a prominent chrome cover above it. The round orange colored turn indicators are placed below either side of the handlebar, which makes the motorcycle look wide when viewed head-on from the front.

The side profile of the Superlow looks cool thanks to the low slung stance. The elongated peanut-shaped fuel tank, as well as chrome, finished twin exhausts and cycle parts make the Superlow look cool and premium at the same time. To add in a pinch of contrast, the side body cowls are finished in black.

The Superlow looks quite big and wide when viewed from the back, as the large rear fender looks curvy and houses a bulging tail lamp. In an unconventional manner, the number plate is positioned above the tail lamp. The Superlow has been blessed with 10-spoke alloy wheels, which along with white finished side walls, look really great.

The Harley Davidson Superlow has got a very basic and puny looking instrument console, which displays the bare basic information such as speedometer, tachometer, odometer, trip meters, clock, and a gear indicator.

However, being an entry-level motorcycle from Harley Davidson, the levels of fit and finish are simply praiseworthy.

Ride & Handling

The Harley Davidson Superlow features a conventional setup of telescopic hydraulic forks at the front and hydraulic coil springs with a longer travel at the rear. The tall front end and low slung stance, with high mounted handlebar and low positioned seat, makes the overall maneuverability of the Superlow very easy in city conditions.

Staying true to its cruiser aspirations, the high positioned handlebar, low seat height, and mid-mounted foot controls give the Superlow very balanced ergonomics. Also, the switchgear is intuitive to use and are well in reach to the rider. However, the low ground clearance of the motorcycle needs special attention when riding over broken sections of the road.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The Harley Davidson Superlow is fitted with a four-stroke, air- cooled, V-twin, 883cc engine, which is common to all the motorcycles of the Roadster family. This engine is coupled to a five-speed gearbox, and it pumps out a maximum torque output of 69 Nm.

Thanks to the availability of maximum torque output in the mid-range, the Superlow turns out to be an excellent long-distance effortless cruiser. While the tall gear ratios are well suited for both city as well as highway runs, you might feel the absence of a sixth gear while riding for longer distances.

Braking & Safety

Harley Davidson has fitted the Superlow with a dual channel ABS for both the front as well as rear disc brakes. However, given the fact that it is a premium middleweight capacity motorcycle, the Superlow could have been equipped with a couple of more safety features.

Verdict

The Superlow manages to execute its quintessential old world charm in the right amount even after all these years of its existence. Its retro design appeals equally to both the new as well as old generation buyers. The one thing where Harley Davidson needs to work on is the list of comfort and safety features as well as instrument console design, which makes the Superlow feel a bit too simple. However, the great balance of power and ride quality makes the Superlow an amazing companion for longer rides.