For 2022 Harley-Davidson (H-D) introduces the Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST, joining the current catalogue offering, the Low Rider S. Setting the Low Rider ST apart is a taller ride height, following the trend of the California “tall bike” design style. Done in the interest of increasing cornering clearance, the Low Rider ST mounts its saddle bags higher up at the subframe, while the rear suspension has a taller monoshock than the standard Harley-Davidson Softtail giving one degree more cornering clearance. This provides the Low Rider ST 12.7 mm more stroke and 25.4 mm more shock travel while seat height is now 19 mm taller than the standard Low Rider S’ 710 mm.
A frame mounted fairing increases wind protection for the
rider, designed with the help of computational flow dynamics (CFD) to minimise
airflow buffeting the rider’s helmet. The saddle bags have a capacity of 53.8
litres and are designed to be operated with one hand with the rider seated on
the bike, the clamshell door using a damper to ensure smooth operation. For the
Low Rider S, the same monoshock is installed, giving 1.3 degrees more cornering
clearance. Instead of the frame mounted fairing on the Low Rider ST, the Low
Rider S gets a smaller handlebar mounted cowl fairing while the combination
analog tachometer/digital speedometer instrument console has now moved from the
tank to the handlebar as a single round gauge.
Front suspension is the same for both Low Riders, a 43 mm
non-adjustable upside-down fork while the rear monoshock is preload-adjustable
only. Twin 300 mm discs with four-piston callipers provide stopping power on
the 19-inch front wheel, the rear wheel measures 16-inches, with ABS now
standard fitment for the Softtail models. Foot controls are mid-mounted with
the handlebar comes with four-inch pull-back risers. Power comes from H-D’s
Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin, displacing 1,923 cc and producing 105 hp at 5,020
rpm and 168 Nm of torque, replacing the 2021 model’s Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin
(1,868 cc, 93 hp, 155 Nm) with overall wet weight claimed to be 308 kg.
Blacked out styling features on the 2022 Low Rider S and Low
Rider ST, the V-twin wearing a Wrinkle Black finish on the powertrain, primary
cover, triple clamps, top clamp, rear fender supports and tank console. Similar
treatment is applied to the rest of the bike, with every possible component
wearing either gloss black, satin black or jet black while the wheels are
painted Matte Dark Bronze.
There are two colour options available for the Low Rider S
and ST, Vivid Black and Gunship Grey. As for pricing, no word from
Harley-Davidson importer Didi Resources as yet but in H-D’s home market, the
Low Rider ST pricing starts at USD 21,749 for the base model in
Vivid Black and USD 22,199 for Gunship Grey.
