Can a Harley make a good track bike?

Turn one at Sydney Motorsport Park. 

I’ve just hurled 370kg of pure Harley-Davidson metal down the main straight at 200km/h, hit the anchors far too early, and now it's time to turn in. 

The track is still wet with rain, and the rear-end feels weightless and twitchy as it carves its way towards turn two. A controlled amount of rear-brake squats the suspension, preventing an unnerving bobble. 

Into turn two – trail braking the front this time – and the Street Glide’s running boards mark up the track like initials carved into a classroom desk. There’s no shortage of power, as 80kW and 175Nm burst out of America’s iconic V-twin to exit turn three… 

“I wonder what they’re serving for lunch?” I think to myself, hitting the rev limiter?? as I approach turn four.

You’d think a heavy, touring-focused cruiser would be completely out of its depth at a high-speed and technical track like SMSP, but both the Street Glide and its fixed-fairing Road Glide sibling proved to be huge amounts of fun, albeit with a required dose of mental re-wiring (I am, at heart, a Ducati owner). 

The same can be said for Harley’s CVO ‘Glides, which turn the absurdity dial up to 11. Smaller running boards mean less “touchdown” moments, and a completely revised adjustable rear-suspension assembly rids the CVO of unwanted undulation when cornering at speed. 

Harley refers to both of its CVO flagships as ‘Ultimate Performance Baggers’, and it’s easy to see why. Their upsized 2.0-litre ‘Milwaukee-Eight’ engines (121 cubic inches in bald-eagle speak) produce 85kW and 183Nm, while a snappier throttle response leads to more thrills both on the straightaway and corner exit. 

Surely then, some variation of ‘Glide, CVO or otherwise, is the “best” Harley for the track, right?  

Enter the first curveball of Harley’s ride day: the cheaper, lighter, more approachable Low Rider ST.  

When Harley first launched its new, six-variant-strong Softail Cruiser range last year, I found both Low Rider variants to be the best of the bunch. On track, the ST takes the cake, with its front fairing eliminating wind noise and improving stability over its ‘naked’ S counterpart. 

The Low Rider ST felt light and chuckable compared to the Street Glide, despite only having a 50kg advantage. It still lives by the cruiser mantra – and is of course designed for touring - but on track, the ST puts up one hell of a fight, pannier bags and all. 

The ST’s braking bias felt more front-focused compared to its big brother, and the steering was more direct. The suspension has a firmer side over the ‘Glide, and the use of footpegs rather than running boards furthers the rider’s confidence, offering more control when it really matters.  

The very same Milwaukee 117 engine found in the Street Glide is a real peach in the ST, offering that familiar swell of torque to blast out of corners. Without pushing too hard, I could safely pass the faster, pricier CVO ‘Glides, particularly in the last set of twisties as you approach SMSP’s iconic straight. 

But despite the accolades, the Low Rider ST settles for second place over an even cheaper and equally unexpected track day winner – the high-riding, ‘do-it-all’ Pan America adventure tourer. 

Harley’s international best-seller, the Pan Am debuted the somewhat controversial Revolution Max 1250 V-twin, bringing liquid cooling, a 60-degree bank angle, and an almost too-modern 9500rpm redline to one of America’s oldest namesakes. 

Now one of three motorcycles to feature the ‘Rev-Max’ - the other two models being Harley’s low-slung Sportster and Nightster ‘naked’ bikes - the Pan America felt eager to wind out its 112kW and 128Nm right from the word go. 

Rushing out of the pitlane and straight into the action, the Pan America offered another level of grip despite the remaining drizzle. Climbing to a high redline is always exhilarating, and the Pan Am's exceptional throttle calibration only adds to this.  

Gone is the harsh clunk of a rapid gear-change right before a bend. The Pan Am’s gearbox was silky, weightless, and easy to rev-match even in the whirlwind that is SMSP’s back hairpin.  

Then, there’s the brakes. Balanced, sharp, and easy to modulate, with the front suspension diving just the right amount as a corner approaches. Coming off heavy brakes, the rebound is exceptional, both with the long-travelling front and monoshock rear. 

The Pan Am was also Harley’s most comfortable bike on track, with good rider ergonomics, a comfortable seat and a locked position between the seat, tank, and rider.  

So, to answer an innocent, yet complicated question “which Harley is best”...  

Where the signature ‘Glides can impress, and Low Riders even more so, the once humble, and now internationally acclaimed Pan America rises far above its siblings as the best ‘track bike’ Harley Davidson has to offer. Unless you race in King of the Baggers of course...