WHAT WE THINK
None of our readers went away in love but we’re an open-minded lot at RIDE and can see the charms and merits of both bikes. The Harley is actually a good bike when compared to other machines in its genre, with particularly noncruiser-ish handling and a level of sophistication that was improbable a decade ago. If you’re smooth and plan ahead, you can guide one down a B-road with plenty of pace and would easily be able to keep up with other bikes on most normal ride-outs. We do agree that its initial purchase price is expensive but the slow depreciation of H-DS makes up for this and also means PCP is decent value. With around a £20% deposit, the Harley just £132 a month over three years.
As for the Triumph, it’s not surprising our readers liked it — the engine is a total monster, there is a huge amount of torque, lots of presence and some very impressive handling, too. The build quality is impressive, the level of toys and the sense of occasion make it feel very special. But we must temper all this by the price — at £21,000 it is very much a premium product and despite being impressed, none would sign on the dotted line for that kind of cash. For those considering PCP, it too is not a heavy depreciator and can be had for £244 over three years and a similar 20% or so deposit to the Harley.
So, it seems none of our readers are ready to take the plunge but we reckon both are worth a test ride for very different reasons. They’re both interesting, enjoyable bikes.
Try a cruiser... you might like it.