| Author | Message | ||
     Trojan |
This is from this weeks Motorcycle News here in good Ole England, and was apparently taken recently in the US. It is 'allegedly' the new for 2008 Sportster, and interestingly has lots of sports bike features, such as 17" wheels, USD forks etc. Exhaust is very similar to the VR1000 racer, and it looks to have fuel injection rather than carb induction. There is the possibility of water cooling but there are no radiators to be seen in the pic.  If H-D continue along this more sporting path, where does that leave Buell? | ||
| 12r |
Nice picture - it's unusual to see a prototype mule as complete as this one appears to be. But if it's in MCN it must be true  | ||
| Jscott |
Is the radiator under the tank? | ||
| Whodom |
Very interesting whatever it is. Is the radiator under the tank? There's no air cleaner hanging off the right side; it looks like the engine has XB-style heads with a vertical throttle body. I'd guess that's the air box/filter. | ||
| Trojan |
It is dificult to see in this picture, but it appears to have 'scoops' under the tank which I assume lead toan XB style vertical throttle body. The only place for a radiator would between the front frame tubes and would have to be very narrow. The bike will 'apparently' be unveiled later this week at the Intermot show in Germany. This would in itself be an unusual move for H-D to make, as they normally like to launch the whole range together in July. The plot thickens... | ||
| Bomber |
it IS an interesting looking scoot, which addresses an existing HD-market (small, but existing) -- I would have jumped at the chance to buy it 7 or 8 years ago, pre-buell (pre MY Buell, anyways) -- I kinda doubt it's existance on this physical plane, but, hey, I've been wrong before . . . . . | ||
| Bake |
If H-D continue along this more sporting path, where does that leave Buell? Matt,no disrespect but you are kidding..... right? Sweet looking Sportster but I have to wonder if the masses will go for it. | ||
| Brucelee |
I like it. Perhaps it uses two little radiators like the Honda VTR? | ||
| Carparts009 |
It looks like a blast on steroids. But thats just me. | ||
| Trojan |
Matt,no disrespect but you are kidding..... right? Sweet looking Sportster but I have to wonder if the masses will go for it. I don't exactly mean this particluar bike, but the direction that H-D seem to be moving in altogether. This bike features many parts normally only seen on sports bikes, and parts not normally associated with H-D factory bikes such as the USD forks, braced swingarm etc. Carry that to it's logical conclusion and you will have a H-D branded sports bike, and one not too dissimilar to the XBS range at that. Which brings me back to my original question...Where does that leave Buell in the great H-D scheme of things? | ||
| Xring |
I like it. I'm all for an updated Sportster. It is supposed to be Harley's "standard" motorcycle, and there is a market for that. It seems to owe a lot to the Storz bike, though.  | ||
| Tripp |
looks like an m2 tailpiece | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Is that an XB swingarm? It does look like an M2 tailsection. If the airbox is in the tank area, then I guess the dark triangular-looking piece under the tailsection would be the fuel tank (ala V-Rod). But I still don't see anyplace for a radiator  | ||
| Glitch |
Why would it have a radiator? Where would it leave Buell? Even the "New 08" Sportster is a heavy bike. Sportbike bits, but not a sportbike. I think maybe a little competition between Buell XB bikes, and Sportsters would be a good thing. | ||
| Thespive |
So, what if it was a mule testing a new Buell engine? Maybe they are just trying to throw us all off like the automotive guys do. Back when the last Chevy trucs were in development, early mules has Super Duty bodies to throw off spy photographers... Hmmm... --S | ||
| Roadsurfr |
Maybe H/D will bring back the tubers as a kind of mutant 'Sport/Cyclone' thing. | ||
| Whodom |
So, what if it was a mule testing a new Buell engine? That thought also occurred to me. | ||
| Glitch |
Or what if it just a Stortz stopped at a gas station? | ||
| Spiderman |
Can't be a buell, muell, look at the cam cover more sporty than xb. An insider once told me 99% of the things they see on the inside, never see the public eye... | ||
| Court |
>>>>>An insider once told me 99% of the things they see on the inside, never see the public eye... If you think you can put 150 creative innovative folks in a small building in rural Wisconsin and only get one idea a year..... You guys missed the S2's with the luggage mounted on the front forks.  | ||
| Spiderman |
I seen the patent info  | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
that luggage wasn't a purple lunchbox, was it??? | ||
| Thespive |
You are correct, it is a Sporty cam cover. I was justhinking with the 17s and suspension setup, etc. Who knows maybe it is the return of the Sportster "S" model. BTW, I rode my '04 cafe Sporty with a NRHS 1250 for the first time in 6-weeks yesterday (CityX has been my mistriss, sorry Sporty) and couldn't believe how bad it braked, and how top heavy it handled, even with the clip-ons. I felt cool, it was fun but I scraped my Supertrapp hard on the first corner and went, "Oh yeah, thats why I got my Buell!" Sad thing is that I am going to need to sell the Sporty soon, just not enough of me to ride two bikes and drive a truck. Plus it'll give me engagemnet ring money. It was my first bike, I loved it, but since the Buell entered the stable it just isn't as fun and I just don't have the same passion for it anymore. Hope that doesn't happen that easily with a woman once I am married...  --Sean | ||
| Glitch |
Hope that doesn't happen that easily with a woman once I am married... Just stay away from any other women!  | ||
| Whodom |
You are correct, it is a Sporty cam cover. It probably wouldn't be that hard to come up with a fake Sporty-style cam cover if they're really trying to hide a new Buell engine. You know, that's an awfully grainy photo, but the more I look at it, I'd swear I see dual throttle bodies and something about the rocker covers looks XBRR-ish. Too bad we don't have some of that really cool software like they always show in the movies and on TV where they take a grainy 150x150 image and blow up some tiny detail to 1200x1200 with PERFECT resolution...  | ||
| Midknyte |
The bike will 'apparently' be unveiled later this week at the Intermot show in Germany. This would in itself be an unusual move for H-D to make, as they normally like to launch the whole range together in July. Wasn't the Uly a mid-year intro? So, what if it was a mule testing a new Buell engine? See above... The plot thickens... See above... | ||
| Jscott |
Didn't the Nova use an under seat radiator with tankside air intakes? | ||
| Xbduck |
I would have to vote that they are testing the engine and tranny. I'm just not sure what it will be for, Sporty or Buell. The geometry of the engine seems different yet complete, unlike the rest of the bike. | ||
| Swampy |
Gosh, I haven't rode my Sportster in over a month and a half! The Blast is not as cool, but it is twice as fun. | ||
| Thespive |
Thanks for the advice Glitch!  So I have access to software that can blow up picture through the art dept at my magazine, but that photo won't work because of the way it is printed. On further inspection, I just don't see any radiator, so I am guessing it is oil-cooled (yes, I could be wrong for reasons stated above). Also, the wheels aren't 17s, well not both of them anyway! They are staggerd sizes, like the Sporty. I think that is a Sporty swing arm, plus it is def a Sporty pulley. Wheels remind me of old tuber 3-spokes. Just adding more fuel to our fun afternoon of speculation... --Sean |
