SIX OF THE BEST USED CRUISERS
Triumph isn’t the only company offering the combination of practicality and performance wrapped in a cruiser package
THE ‘BOBBER’ FASHION was created after World War II when American riders stripped ex-military Harleydavidsons of unnecessary parts to make them lighter, faster and cooler. The Street Bob offered a modern, massproduction take on this craze when it was launched in 2006 and the name is still going strong more than ten years later (see p56). It has all the hallmarks of a classic bobber, from the low seat to the ape-hanger bars, fat tank and big, wire wheels.
It’s based on Harley-davidson’s Super Glide and with prices starting at £12,245 for a new one, it’s a lot more expensive than a Triumph Bobber. But then this is a Harley,
so it’s more authentic and it’s also a guaranteed crowd-puller wherever it goes, so what price do you put on cool?
Because it’s been around for so long, there are plenty of secondhand options on the market, though even they aren’t exactly cheap as they hold their value well. Expect to pay at least £6000 for an early model.
The current bike makes around 76bhp from its 1690cc twin-cam engine and will only return about 43mpg so it’s not a cheap machine to run either. And don’t expect much in the way of extras — after all, the whole bobber ethos is about stripping away the non-essentials, rather than adding creature comforts.
At 304kg, the Street Bob is a big heavy bruiser, just as Harleys should be, and the suspension is pretty basic, as you’d expect from this kind of bike. The ape-hanger bars aren’t exactly comfortable so you probably won’t be touring Europe on the Street Bob but its lazy, low-down power is as reliable as the engine is simple and it has kept generations of Harley fans happy, so why change anything?
If you buy an earlier model, you’ll be getting the older Twin Cam 1449cc/1584cc engine which is obviously a bit slower and less torquey than the current 1690cc lump. But who cares? No-one buys a Harleydavidson Street Bob for performance. This bike is all about looks, attitude and lifestyle and if you like your hogs, this is among the coolest of them all.