MILWAUKEE (July 27, 2010) - A few days ago, at a spanking new LEED-certified resort hotel nestled in a vineyard under an uncharacteristically clear blue Oregon sky, Harley-Davidson unveiled its 2011 motorcycle lineup to the media.
Going for a repeat of last year's ambitious nine-model rollout (that's including the CVO bikes) would not be an option this year, and Harley has understandably decided to play its hand closer to the vest. For 2011, the MoCo has opted to debut a more reasonable 3 models (7 if you include the CVOs, but there are three returning models this year, which usually means no major upgrades).
The first machines to pop up on the PowerPoint presentation last week were the three main-line 2011 models: the all-new Sportster SuperLow, the tweaked XR1200X and the latest addition to the Touring platform, the Road Glide Ultra.
The rest of the line was touched upon briefly, and we learned that the expansive group of 32 machines run the style gamut, from urban brawlers and long-haul touring machines, to street-savvy bobbers and rocking sport roadsters. The highlights of the 2011 Harley-Davidson line follow:
If you ask us, it's not really a new model but a hyper-tweaked take on the standard Sporty. We spent the majority of our saddle time (split across three bikes) on it, and the SuperLow turned out to be the most refined Sportster we've ridden in years. It felt much more substantial and planted than we had any right to expect - considering Harley insisted on labeling it as an entry-level machine, targeted at younger, new and returning riders.