| Author | Message | ||
     Aaron |
Just noticed ... a hydraulic clutch! Suppose that means the bike has got tons of power? AW | ||
| Jim_M |
Isn't supposed to put out around 100 hp (don't remember if that's brake or rear wheel)? For the smaller of the engines anyway? | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Mark, If a motorcycle company from IRELAND came out with a motorcycle with square wheels, you would buy it.  What has kept HD alive is the fact that AMERICANS want to buy an AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE, even though in many ways they were pieces of sh*t. Now this new model eliminates that problem. As long as it's RELIABLE! | ||
| Mark_In_Ireland |
Don't mind me Jose, I'm in one of my negative moods today.....worked it out that in the 3 years I've owned my S1 its been in the dealers awaiting repairs collectively for over 1 year!!!! Biggest bike rally in Ireland, ever, this weekend and my bike is up in Dublin waiting for 2 bolts to be replaced. So, HD are steamrolling ahead with new technology, great, where does that leave me....they cannot keep my bike on the road as it is and its supposed to be a simple design....what chance has the new bikes. | ||
| Mark_In_Ireland |
And we're in the middle of a heatwave, the likes have never been seen, in Ireland before..... anyway I can always walk to the local Irish Motorcycle shop and dream of owning the bike with the square wheels which has been in the window since Henry Ford left for the US. Couldn't afford it then and still cannot afford it now....now why did it not take off??  | ||
| Al_Lighton |
Are those..gasp...OVERHEAD CAMS? And are those cylinders offset? No common crankpin? Good thing they didn't patent that sound, cuz it looks like they just abandoned it. None of this is bad, just different. Way different for Harley. It may be a tough sell for the anachronistic faithful of the cruiser world, but to me, it's about time. Harley needs to keep the best of their old world, but I'm glad to see them step out of the first half of the last century. Now if they could just can the lawyers and web site trademark scanners, I'll be really impressed. Al | ||
| Tripper |
Mark; The lame brakes are so as to not hurt the HD faithful. Here's an exchange that occured with my local dealer. Dealer: "Damn Buells, I hate those bikes." Customer: "Why" D: "Crappy Brakes." C: "How so?" D: "I took one for a ride and the first time I grabbed the brakes it almost threw me over the bars." So HD must move into this slowly. If this is the new Sportster, it risks being a sales bust. Personally I think it's cooler than snot. (that means good) Anybody monitoring a sportster BBS for reaction? | ||
| José_Quiñones |
IT'S NOT A SPORTSTER! It's a new model family. I wonder what the code will be, maybe FXL-W or FXL-H. Call the engine a "Wet-Head" and the bike a "Gator" | ||
| Blake |
Thanks for the links José, and pics Aaron! Gator? I like that. Looks kinda like a blending of some of the Buell attributes (perimeter frame, bikini faring, front disks, non-adjustable rear axle) into a HD cruiser. I'd bet $$ that the big tube on the right side of the engine is definitely carrying coolant. Fins cool from the outside, coolant cools from the inside, they are perfectly complementary in the area of the cylinder heads. The radiator looks mongo huge! Too huge. In addition to the overall styling, I think the forward controls definitely prove that it is a "Cruiser" not a "Sportster". The overall design doesn't do as much for me as say a Night Train or Dyna Sport. The new HD model does not seem to distinguish itself significantly over the VTX or Warrior in design appeal; maybe it will in the performance category. Wouldn't that be a switch?! I do give HD credit for coming out with a new configuration of motorcycle. I'm still very upset with their trademark weenies though. Blake | ||
| Jonathan |
Everyone, I just showed the pictures of the new HD to my father(H-D man Long hair and all). He gave the response that was expected from the H-D crowd. "Thats not a real Harley" Then he went on to say that it looks like a BMW and you can see the German engineering. I think that it looks great, except the pipes. Some HD people are so closed minded. I like all motorcycle, because they all have TwoWheelsOnly!! | ||
| Loki |
Gotta say this.... it is different though. Lots of nice touches too. what can we surmise from the pics: - downdraft carb or fuelie - aircleaner well disguised - fuel tank under the seat? - po the hard and died in the wool types? you bet! - bring a whole new crowd onto the sales floor? you bet! - makes one wonder. you bet! - BMW? Naw, thank you doctor Porsche How about this tidbit: Spondon Eng. is building a frame for a sporty motor. Now this really makes one wonder | ||
| Blake |
Looks like the moto market has finally gone full circle.  The new Japanese cruiser  Funny how things "evolve" ain't it? Blake | ||
| Nxtr |
Mechanics Nightmare! Hell from the looks of it their going to have a hard enough time just changing the spark plugs, or it will justify 1.5 hrs of $65 an hour labor,( based on the fact of where are they). Aloha & Mahalo Nick | ||
| Tripper |
Remember this?  Looks better in Silver, don't ya think? | ||
| Ccryder |
Tripper, I'd say they are a match, except for the "black out" camo job in the Euro photo. Neil S. |
