Harley-Davidson Street Rod in launch mode

Bikesales is currently testing 'phase two' of the Harley-Davidson Street family – the 750cc Street Rod.

Reprising a name that was last used by Harley-Davidson with the V-Rod offshoot in 2006-2007, the new Street Rod is based on the Street 750 but is so thoroughly revised that you can just about call it an all-new bike.

Harley-Davidson, led by senior designer Chetan Shedjale, basically went about 'de-touring' the Street 750 to produce the sportier Street Rod, and some of the changes include a shorter subframe, much steeper rake, longer swingarm, the fitment of 300mm twin discs and 43mm upside-down forks, piggyback shocks, increasing the lean angle, and moving the footpegs back to a more mid-mount setup.

The fuel tank is the same as the Street 750s, but has been raised and placed further forward.

There Street Rod also has bar-end mirrors (the total width of whole bar setup is 860mm), there's LED lighting and turn signals, and the general fit and finish is much improved – no wiring all over the place this time.

The Street Rod styling seeds were originally planted with a Street 750-based concept called the RDX800, and following that exercise a number of other custom concepts contributed to the final look of the machine, powered by the High Output Revolution X engine for better "urban performance".

The updated engine produces a claimed 18 per cent more horsepower than the Street 750, as well as eight per cent more torque (up from 58 to 61Nm). There's also a higher redline – up from 8000 to 9000rpm. Peak power arrives at 8750rpm, and peak torque at 4000rpm.

There are 17-inch open-spoke cast-aluminium wheels carrying Michelin Scorcher rubber, and the Street Rod sits higher than the learner-legal Street 500. There's more ground clearance as well. Dry weight is 229kg.

The bike is designed to “look tough and aggressive,” said Chetan Shedjale, Harley-Davidson lead designer.

“We’ve improved air flow and then tuned this new engine to maximize mid-range torque,” said Weber. “It really delivers a punch between 3000 and 5000 rpm, power you can always feel and use in real-world riding situations. Liquid cooling helps maintain that performance and rider comfort in stop-and-go urban traffic.”

The Street Rod will be available in three colour options: Vivid Black, Charcoal Denim and Olive Gold. It will go on sale in May 2017 for $12,995 rideaway, alongside the Street 500.

Standby for a full review (including video) from the press launch.