Small news from Harley

Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
1,024
Location
Canton, GA
Bike
2006 ST1300
This is SO Harley like....crowing about being the "American Icon", and taking jobs away from American workers...although, they have steadily declined the amount of parts made in America on their bikes. Now, it's no longer even "Assembled In America".

I wonder if the dependability/durability will increase?
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2007
Messages
1,372
Location
MURFREESBORO, TN
Bike
18 Gold Wing
STOC #
7285
My guess is the Indian made HD 500 will be a big seller in India. A lot of Indian bikers there have already bought into the HD mystique and a 500cc offering will fit the bill for a lot of those riders that would buy a Royal Enfield Bullet 500. They will have to pony up another $3000 plus to play. For the masses that use motorcyles as daily transportation and KM/liter is important, the 100-250cc Indian and Japanese bike are still going to out sell the HD and other larger cc by the millions.

PS. I think I read somewhere the HD 500 and 750 will also be made here in the US. I doubt you will see a "Made in India" HD here, just won't work.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
127
Location
Nebraska
This is SO Harley like....crowing about being the "American Icon", and taking jobs away from American workers...although, they have steadily declined the amount of parts made in America on their bikes. Now, it's no longer even "Assembled In America".

I wonder if the dependability/durability will increase?
I'm not normally a big Harley defender but the new Street 750 and 500s will be built in the Kansas City plant for the US markets. They will also have an assembly plant in India for the oversees market but that's so they don't get whacked by all the tarrifs that get applied to US vehicles. Also the new Street 750 is cheaper than the Honda Shadow and I hate to say it but it will probably smoke the Shadow in both perfomance and sales. I certainly won't be running out to buy one but I can't say the same for my wife.
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
915
Location
not quite Columbian Spoon, UT
Bike
'06 ST1300A
I, for one, welcome the new Piglets to the road. I think they should have made the forks more substantial, but it's nice to see H-D expanding their vision once again.
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
5,047
Location
soCal
Bike
'97 ST1100
STOC #
687
Also the new Street 750 is cheaper than the Honda Shadow and I hate to say it but it will probably smoke the Shadow in both perfomance and sales.
I've been out of the loop for a long time on cruisers, but I never recall Harleys being able to 'smoke' anything in terms of performance. I do recall back in the '80s when the Japanese companies were bringing out large displacement V-twins Honda actually produced two different engine variations on one of them. The Honda designed version produced something like 100hp or so, and the other variation, which had a Harley-like firing pattern, produced 20-25hp less.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
9,263
Location
SF-Oakland CA
Bike
ST1300, 2010
but I can't say the same for my wife.
Why on earth do you want to buy a new wife??


but I never recall Harleys being able to 'smoke' anything in terms of performance.
Certainly not from the factory, but the big H-Ds have always had the capability to be modded to beat just about anything from Japan on the street or track. I remember when twin 750-4 Honda engines were used in dragsters and still had a hard time beating H-Ds. A quick H-D is easy. It just takes $$s, cubed.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
127
Location
Nebraska
I've been out of the loop for a long time on cruisers, but I never recall Harleys being able to 'smoke' anything in terms of performance. I do recall back in the '80s when the Japanese companies were bringing out large displacement V-twins Honda actually produced two different engine variations on one of them. The Honda designed version produced something like 100hp or so, and the other variation, which had a Harley-like firing pattern, produced 20-25hp less.
You clearly don't follow Flat Track racing or NHRA drag racing. Harley's V-Rod is the three-time and defending NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/HD_Museum/explore/events/built-for-speed.html

The Jap bikes will almost always beat out a Harley in top speed but try and beat one off the line. ;-) As I said though I won't be trading my ST1100 in on a Harley anytime soon but I must admit it is fun to take out the wife's Sportster every once and a while. Torque over horsepower is a totally different riding experience.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
9,263
Location
SF-Oakland CA
Bike
ST1300, 2010
Torque over horsepower is a totally different riding experience.
Even though it was geared a little tall I could feel that with my Duc Sport and it was only a 750. I once rode a friends Sportster, back when there was only one size and they shifted on the wrong side. LOL. Lots of fun having real torque at low RPM.

I'd like to ride an electric bike and see if it has the same feeling. I'm have to make my own vroom vroooom noises though.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
127
Location
Nebraska
Harley's V-Rod or Porsche V-rod?
Either way, the new Street 750 and 500 motors are basically smaller versions of the same Revolution motors that they use in the V-Rod. They are a big change from the old push rod Harley motors. With a 60? V-Twin liquid cooled motor and a 100 lbs lighter than the 883 Sportsters they have a much better power to weight ration than the Sportster. In my opinion they are gonna give the Honda Shadow and the Yamaha Bolt a serious run for their money.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
1,024
Location
Canton, GA
Bike
2006 ST1300
BUT...will the legacy of poor reliability and durability haunt them? It seems as if American riders put up with the dismal build quality and design because it is an "American" bike (even though it is ASSEMBLED in America...not MADE in America), and for the distinctive sound, and the look...will foreign buyers feel the same? I ride with a few of the HD brethren, who mumble and grumble all the time about the amount of time their bikes are down, and the high cost of maintenance, etc., but they seem to have drunk the Kool-Aid....I don't see them shopping for new bikes!
'
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
127
Location
Nebraska
BUT...will the legacy of poor reliability and durability haunt them? It seems as if American riders put up with the dismal build quality and design because it is an "American" bike (even though it is ASSEMBLED in America...not MADE in America), and for the distinctive sound, and the look...will foreign buyers feel the same? I ride with a few of the HD brethren, who mumble and grumble all the time about the amount of time their bikes are down, and the high cost of maintenance, etc., but they seem to have drunk the Kool-Aid....I don't see them shopping for new bikes!
'
Well considering all of the American cars built today aren't even assembled in America anymore I'd say HD is at least trying. Seems that all of the US autos nowadays are assembled either in Canada or Mexico. Surprisingly Honda cars have far more American parts and labor than any American car on the market.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
127
Location
Nebraska
They had to do something for their training programs since they shuttered Buell.
I've read that they plan on using the new Street 500 for Harley's Rider's Edge training course in the future. Thank goodness, seeing as all the Buell Blasts they currently use for the courses are all beat to hell and parts are getting harder and harder to come by. I've even seen them have to throw in a couple of Suzuki TU250X models to get by since they can't keep enough of the Buells running to keep up with demand. I bet that will help HD greatly in selling the new models as well since there hasn't been anything for the new riders to look at except for the Sportster in the smaller bike category. I know my wife would've preferred anything other than the Buell when she took the class.
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
5,047
Location
soCal
Bike
'97 ST1100
STOC #
687
Certainly not from the factory, but the big H-Ds have always had the capability to be modded to beat just about anything from Japan on the street or track.
I think if you ask Miguel DuHamel about his racing career with HD he might disagree with that statement.

edit: if by 'track' you mean dirt ovals, then I agree HD was successful there, but if it was a paved roadracing track, then not so much.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom