Articles

Published on July 12th, 2022 | by Boris

2022 LOW RIDER ST REVIEW – DARK CARNIVAL

IMAGES BY NICK ‘GHOST TRAIN’ EDARDS

“Sayin’ I’m no fool, mama,
I know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate”

Justin Earl Townes

Cold dark nights also talk to your lizard brain.

Harleys speak to my Lizard Brain. Always have, and always will. Part of that I can attribute to a well-spent youth being a menace to polite and civil society.

The other part of that Lizard Brain conversation comes from that eternal Harley cachet – that “Hell to the yes, bitches! I’m the reason your daughter’s not coming home tonight.”

A very Dark Carnival indeed…

And of all the Harleys, two of them have the loudest voices when they address my Lizard Brain. The first is the Breakout. The second is this new Low Rider ST – which, for my money, is the very pick of the Big Twin range when it comes to thundering your bad intentions up the road.

It’s got the ground clearance, you see. It’s jacked up some at the back (and adjustable for pre-load), and it’s 43mm upside-down forks do a bit more than just nod their head at the handling paradigm.

Note the ground clearance.

Let’s just say that if I was to do a runner one warm and crazy night when the evil of stripper-glitter was upon me, this would be the Harley I’d be doing it on.

See? That’s the Lizard Brain thing right there. It understands Harleys and their purpose in a man’s life. Pity more men don’t listen to it. They’re gonna die never having visited the Dark Carnival.

Low beam is excellent. High beam doesn’t actually add much to the lumen equation.

So, apart from driving coffin nails into the beige coffin of motorcycle respectability, what’s this Low Rider ST all about?

Firstly, there’s that whole West Coast look popularised by the Sons of Anarchy a few years back, but actually invented by the Hells Angels. That’s the fairing with the tall risers and mid-mounted footpegs thing. And only Harley could pull such a thing off with any degree of elan.

You want chrome, go buy another model.

Your arms are straight out in front of you at shoulder height. You’re looking over the frame-mounted, mini-Hammerhead fairing – which has three big vents in it, so it’s more a style thing than any serious weather protection. But there’s no buffeting, and it does stop you turning into a windsock over 160.

This, I love. All the info you need lives on the top triple clamp. Very tidy.

So the Low Rider ST’s touring credentials are there. Add the comfy seat, the beaut, easily-removable panniers (which are bigger than the BMW R18B’s), and you’re good to clock up meaningful miles – at quite a rate of socially reprehensible knots.

The panniers are quite roomy, detach easily, and work quite well with the bike’s lines.

The brakes are fine for what’s expected of them, and unless you’re pushing very hard on variable road-surfaces, you won’t complain about the suspension. The gearbox shifts clean and smooth, and the throttle response is seriously lively. Especially off the lights and when you’re set for some fast overtakes from about 120.

Nothing has changed with the switches. I guess nothing really needs to.

The 117-cube motor is happily not bogged up with Screaming Eagle heads like the CVO iterations – so the motor is much happier and far more responsive around town. Sure, it might not have the top-end a CVO does, but there’s honestly not much in it. Let me put it this way, if you’ve got your Harley sitting on 180km/h for a while, there’s a lot going on. And it’s very, very exciting.

See the reflection? Nick worked hard for that to happen. Then the security guard came out and told us we were in a restricted area. I wanted to tell him his mother cries when I visit her.

The same can be said for hammering the ST into corners. This is the Big Twin that quite enjoys that. Most Big Twins are only truly happy doing orderly speed-limit parades. Shove some corners at them, and all sorts of rider-panic ensues.

Not so the ST. Milwaukee has tried some with this model. Even the forward-facing air-filter horn doesn’t jag or interfere with your right leg like it does on the CVOs. No question in my mind – the ST is meant to be ridden hard.

It’s a compacted Hammerhead fairing, frame-mounted, and something only Harley could get away with. Makes the ST utterly unique.

Of course, all things are relative. ‘Hard’ on a Harley is not ‘hard’ on a Panigale. You know that, right? Quite frankly, hard on a Panigale is for very, very few people. But hard on an ST? Step right on up, brother. If you’ve got half an idea, you got this. I suggest you stop seeing the image that’s been so long promulgated by non-traditional Harley riders, ie. “Oh, do let’s go for a nice cruise this Sunday and ride in a formation like a parade and obey all the road rules so everyone can see the merit badges on our jackets!”

You need more brakes? What? You some kind of coward?

I suggest you look at the ST through the evil eyes of the old school Harley riders who went everywhere in a fast-moving metal hell-storm with knives on their belts, hot bitches riding pillion, and red mischief in their hearts.

You see, it’s really all about how you look at it, and how the ST makes you feel when you’re on it. And we’re back to the Lizard Brain, aren’t we? I liked the hell out of the ST for reasons that will only make sense to people like me. And there are more of us left than you know.

I remember when Luna Park was fun.

The ST looks unique as Hell. It looks like no other Big Twin thanks to that crazy fairing. It’s painted hate-black, as all righteous motorcycles should be, and the rider ergos are all big-and-fast mile friendly. They’re also very West Coast outlaw correct, which is no bad thing in the Dark Carnival I like to visit.

So my Lizard Brain listens to the ST when it speaks. It pays very close attention to the conversation that often goes like this…

I’m yelling at the car that stopped in front of me just before I was about to bank it into a corner.

“Pass him. Just pass him.”

“Hang on…in a sec…”

“No, now. Pass him now. Keep it pinned. He’s a bitch. Are you a bitch?”

“I’m not a bitch!”

“Stop riding like one then. All the hot girls will be taken if you’re late.”

“I won’t be late. And how can I even take any of the hot girls home with me? You got no pillion seat.”

“Three things are possible, pal. One: You can easily fit a pillion seat. See the covered hole there? Two: She can take a toilet roll to sit on. Three: She can follow you home in a cab and admire your glory.”

“I’m speeding…”

“Yes. Yes, you are.”

HOW MUCH? It starts at $32,250

WHAT COLOURS DOES IT COME IN? You can have it in black or battleship grey.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SPECS

About the Author

Boris is a writer who has contributed to many magazines and websites over the years, edited a couple of those things as well, and written a few books. But his most important contribution is pissing people off. He feels this is his calling in life and something he takes seriously. He also enjoys whiskey, whisky and the way girls dance on tables. And riding motorcycles. He's pretty keen on that, too.