Harley-Davidson 2022 Low Rider ST Cruisers Review Specs Price

Milwaukee’s authorities have been careful about the thriving West Coast bagger movement. The Dyna and FXR riders that crowded Huntington Beach on a Saturday night successfully developed their genre of modified Harleys by adding bags and big frame-mounted front fairings to the mix and paying tribute to one of Harley’s all-time models, the 1986 FXRT. With the Dyna no longer on the market, attention has switched to the Low Rider S platform, where a brand-new model will appear in 2022. Or, more accurately, two new models, the S and this Harley-Davidson 2022 Low Rider ST Cruisers, designed to bridge the gap between Harley’s current product line and bagger-equipped Dyna and FXR riders.

Harley-Davidson 2022 Low Rider ST Cruisers – Features and Specs

Powerhouse

Harley-Davidson created the ST by taking the Low Rider S and adding a screen and luggage. Under you lies the 117 c.I (1917cc) Milwaukee-Eight V-twin, Harley-biggest Davidson’s production motor for public retail sale. It shares your engine and chassis specs.

The ST’s engine, which H-D estimates to produce 125 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm, is coupled to an incredibly smooth initial throttle response that does an excellent job of accurately monitoring torque level.

The considerable twin is most effective between 2500 and 4000 rpm, after which torque begins to decline. You can turn it up if you want, but there’s no reason. There is also 105 horsepower available, which Harley claims peaks at 5020 rpm. It implies that pushing the throttle wide at any speed will result in immediate propulsion, from low rates in gorges to motorway speeds. The Milwaukee-Eight lacks rider aids (no TC, no distinct rider modes), but given how beautifully it works, one has to ask if they are essential.

Drivetrain

The engine is mated to a standard six-speed gearbox, with the sixth gear acting as an overdrive for improved highway fuel consumption. Honestly, I never saw this gear flashing on the little digital display attached to the handlebar cross bracing. The gearbox action has improved since I last rode a Low Rider around five years ago, providing the machine with a more excellent quality feel that prior Low Rider S models lacked.

Chassis

The Harley-Davidson 2022 Low Rider ST Cruisers have a single-rate front spring, as compared to the Low Rider S’s triple-rate spring, to maintain chassis composure while carrying an additional 50 pounds. I can’t reach the rides since I haven’t ridden the Low Rider S, but on the ST, I found the ride to be just the right degree of stiff, which is good because most Harleys I ride lack proper support for fast riding, with the fork commonly collapsing during the stroke when stopping.

The ST likes driving on canyon backroads and will do well on long sweepers. Although the 720 pounds ready-to-ride and the 63.6-inch wheelbase make quick direction changes difficult, the chassis will carry you where you need to go.

The installation of the fairing and baggage, which transforms the primary Low Rider S into anything resembling a touring cruiser, is the Low Rider ST’s crowning achievement. The FXRT-inspired fairing on the ST isn’t a pretty straightforward swap because the big screen on the original from 1986 has been replaced with a stumpy little number that, in my opinion, is just a tad too short to avoid the feared helmet buffeting at any speed beyond 60 mph.

Harley-Davidson sells a 10-inch light smoke screen in their vast 820-parts accessories catalog for $200, but our test motorcycles only had the Rockford Fosgate system.

There are three holes in the fairing to improve airflow, but they are not adjustable, and my Arai had a strange double buffeting effect owing to the odd location of the center vent and the little too-low screen for my six-foot frame. Perhaps Harley-Davidson will think about this for future ST models, as if these vents could be closed, the rider would have some control over the wind buffet.

Since digital dashboards became a thing god knows how many years ago, the rawest energy I can think of for a production motorcycle is positioned within the borders of the extensive and highly handsome fairing.

Only the remaining gasoline, speed, and time are shown in the cluster, while all other relevant indications, such as turn signals, high beams, check engine lights, tire pressure alerts, and so on, are shown on a smaller gauge beneath the cluster. So, how about that? It completely captivates me.

I can’t remember when a dash design suited a bike’s aesthetics perfectly. Even though the dash can be challenging to read when the sun is on the rider’s rear, Harley-designers Davidson deserves credit for this.

Audio System

You won’t even see the speakers if you go with the $999.95 Rockford Fosgate audio system, which has two 5.25-inch woofers on either side of the fairing and two remote tweeters. Everyone else can hear your music clearly at 60 mph, owing to the system’s tremendous booms. However, because the dash is at best modest, all controls must be accessed through the Harley-Davidson Audio app on your smartphone. It’s challenging to modify the speaker system’s volume, which might be annoying unless you’re used to using your phone when it’s in your pocket.

You can remedy this problem by purchasing a handlebar-mounted aftermarket Bluetooth command system, but you’ll ruin the factory’s elegant aesthetic. It became less of an issue when I learned how to change the volume on my phone by holding it in a precise position in my pocket over time.

Comfort

The Low Rider ST features a deep, dish-shaped seat with a somewhat tall back that fits the rider snugly. Still, the slouching position I regularly found myself in on long rides due to the footpeg location was excruciating. I’d want a taller seat with somewhat closer “pegs,” so the seated position is more athletic and less casual. As a result, my lower back would be less strained. This position is ideal for short rides, but it is not at all comfortable for longer ones. The seat cushioning does sink after around 40 minutes on board, so my ST might benefit from stiffer padding.

High Mileage

If you want to travel, though, you’ll like the ST’s cruise control and combined 53 liters of storage space. These are flawlessly integrated into the design and take around 15 seconds to remove using the knob on the inside, but they wouldn’t be removed if an ST lived in my garage all the time.

Even though I am not a bagger man, the more time I spent riding the Low Rider ST, the more I enjoyed it. It is a bike that won me with minor details like my phone automatically pairing with it every time I switched on the ignition, the way the chassis savored long, high-speed sweepers, to the aggressive appearance inspired by the ’86 FXRT. Harley has made an outstanding contribution.

Harley-Davidson 2022 Low Rider ST Cruisers – Price

The new Harley-Davidson 2022 Low Rider ST Cruisers is available at $21,749 only.

Harley-Davidson 2022 Low Rider ST Cruisers – Technical Specifications

Dimensions

Engine

Drivetrain

Chassis

Performance

Electric

Warranty And Service