MOTORCYCLE trends are many and varied, werites John Gilbride. There are sports bikes, road bikes, trail bikes and even, I suppose, scooters then there's Harley Davidson.

Each group of riders have their own quirky little ways and each one thinks the others slightly strange and eccentric. The thing most of them probably have in common though is their united opinion of how strange Harleys are.

The thing to understand about a Harley is it's a lifestyle thing. A feeling of being part of a large family and a desire to spend a fortune on making something beautiful look even more beautiful.

Beauty, however, is in the eye of the beholder and the Harley styling is not everyone's cup of Typhoo.

Speak of such beauty while admiring your reflection in the acres of glistening chrome, or make references to Mozart and 'music to the ears' while listening to the 'potato potato' rumblings of the straight-exhaust and that same section of the music fraternity will dismiss you as being a few cards short of a full pack.

But the truth is, love 'em or loath 'em, Harleys are a legend, steeped in 95 years of history and with a style so unashamedly copied by so many other manufacturers, they demand to be taken seriously.

Very few changes have been made to the basic engine set-up over the years with everything geared up to ponderous cruising at a pace which most Japanese strokers would leave for dead.

Little homage has been paid to cutting edge technology and huge emphasis placed on looks, from the basic entry level Sportster through to the fabulous Road King, probably the most beautiful motorcycle on the planet.

You see, image is all important to Harley and in the past performance has always played second fiddle to looks not any more, Harley have woken up to the 21st century and re-designed the famous 45 degree twin.

The engine has latterly featured, as the Twin CamB, in the softails but first came to light in the Dyna and Tourer famlies. The best example by far to date is the Super Glide Sport, a no-frills, unchromed and tassle-free work of art that will have even the most ardent Harley-haters taking a second glance.

The riding position on the Super Glide is perfect, with flat track bars, slightly forward pegs and a plush seat that is 'oh so low' it will only bother the most severely vertically challenged. The only criticism is the pillion seat, which is so small it's virtually non-existent.

The engine is a beaut. The 1450cc air-cooled V-twin is 110ccs up on the old block and has an increase of over 20 per cent in power. The result is smoother power delivery, massive mid-range torque and, thanks to rubber mountings, a virtually vibration-free ride.

The deep rumbling exhaust note will herald your arrival long before you actually get there. Take it down the high street at full chat and old ladies will throw themselves into shop doorways. Ears will bleed and old men will tell you all about when they were young and real bikes leaked oil and wouldn't start. Handling is good for this type of bike and brilliant by the usual Harley standards, Suspension is good and the twin disc brakes are excellent.

It's a doddle to ride in town, will sit at 80mph all on the open road and will leave a huge grin on your chops thrashing it around the B-roads.

All in all the Super Glide Sport is a great urban dragster, aggressive, sinister even (especially in black). It's a rogue in an Armani suit and if current sales are anything to go by, could prove to be one of the most popular Harleys yet.

FACT FILE

Harley Davidson Super Glide Sport

Price: 10,495

Engine:1,450cc air-cooled V-twin

Power: 68bhp @ 5400rpm

Weight: 300kg (dry)

Seat height: 685mm