HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE (2010 - 2016) Review

OK, I can see the sportsbike jocks and journos spitting out their cornflakes, but the you have to judge this as a cruiser, not a sportsbike. The engine and brakes are fabulous, the brakes especially so given how much weight it is hauling up. I don't hang around and love to throw it round country lanes and fast A-roads, and it is laugh out loud fun. The ride is smooth and 1000-mile-a-day comfortable and any long tour is a joy.

For what it is designed for, the engine is brilliant.

For a bike costing £23k, the build quality is shocking. The best bit is Harley don't give a stuff, calling my rotting forks 'road damage', a universal get out clause worthy of a Russian contract. You really cannot take these things out in the rain, despite the fact the weather protection is brilliant. I have done 10,000 miles so it is well tested, but those miles have come at a price. Was going to change this year, but refuse to give such a no-s**t giving company any of my hard earned. In the bike world, the worst experience for looking after customers.

Expensive bikes with few deals, and s**t build quality means value is not good. Servicing every 5000 miles which is low by modern standards, but considering they can only be ridden on nice days, makes this an annual event. Servicing is OK, but parts and extras are very expensive, and like the bikes, poor quality.

Sat Nav, iPod connectivity, radio, cruise control, the list goes on. Loses a star because there is evidence of cost cutting, which on a bike this expensive is shameful, but consistent with Harley.

Excellent bike to ride for both rider and pillion over long distance. Cornering is remarkably good considering size you just have to adjust your lines. Brakes are very responsive and have good feedback. An ideal tour bike can easily ride comfortably for several hours. Breaks are through choice not necessity.

I`ve only given 1 because mine uses almost as much coolant as it does fuel in comparison.That aside apart from the heat off the engine it`s a good responsive engine comfortable at cruising speed.

The supplied headset lead plugs into the front fairing which means when riding it slaps against the petrol tank and is visibly distracting as well as potentially being in conflict with the handlebars.Blemishes appeared in the paintwork on the petrol tank within 5 months. On first tour used entire coolant reservoir capacity within 1000 miles( 4 days) problem persists despite two attempts by dealership to rectify.

I've given 4 because if it ran properly and I didn't need to carry copious amount of coolant with me it would be a brilliant bike. Running costs are about average.

This bike has got everything you need except the infotainment system is accessed via a supplied headset which plugs into a multi-point connector on the fairing. This means the cable running from your crash helmet headset to the fairing connector swings about slapping against the petrol tank. This not only is very distracting but there is the potential for it to interfere with the left handlebar when cornering.