8 Times Harley-Davidson Tried Something New
Harley-Davidson gets a lot of criticism for being hopelessly stuck in the past, selling endless variations of a bike that is barely changed since the 1950s. But that’s not exactly true. The modern Twin Cam motor, and the latest Sportster are cleaner burning, more fuel efficient, and more reliable than ever, all while making more power. The computer on your modern hog controls not just the fuel injection and spark, but also the diagnostics, ABS brakes (when equipped), turn signals, and security system. The latest infotainment systems on the touring bikes feature an easier to use interface than most luxury cars, and it is bike specific to make is usable while wearing gloves. Harley knows how to innovate when it wants to, it just knows how to integrate everything into their core traditional style.
Here are 8 bikes that represent the Motor Company swinging for the fences and thinking outside of the box.
1. Project Rushmore Twin Cooled Motor
The latest Project Rushmore touring bikes feature a whole slate of new innovations, including the aforementioned infotainment system (with navigation and intercom), newly streamlined fairings, easier to work luggage, and better brakes and handling. The biggest break from tradition though is the Twin Cooler motor. Looking much like any other Twin Cam V-twin, this mill features liquid cooling passages around the hottest parts of the cylinder head, and hidden radiators in the leg shields. This allows the bikes to make more power, no matter the weather or traffic, without affecting emissions.
2. Street 500 & 750
The entry level 500cc and 750cc Street series bikes represent the first clean sheet design from Harley-Davidson in decades. While these bikes may not be making the kind of power the Japanese companies are making in their 600cc sport bikes, they are making as much as a small displacement metric cruiser. These bikes are liquid cooled, overhead cam, 4 valve per cylinder motors, just like everyone else uses in the 21st century, but Harley managed to make them look good. The big wigs have so much faith in the Street 750 they are planning on running a modified version in AMA Pro Flat Track racing, alongside the venerable XR750.
3. Sportster XR1200
The 2009 Harley-Davidson XR1200 came out of left field with a tweaked motor, state of the art suspension and brakes, and enough ground clearance to pull some serious lean angle in the twisties. Originally developed to sell in Europe to people who otherwise wouldn’t be interested in a Harley it was one of their most popular model over there. Here in the States we were already buying plenty of cruisers, so it was barely a blip on the radar in US sales. Still, its flat track style, and 30% increase over the power you got in a standard Sportster was a big draw to younger, hipper buyers.
4. V-Rod and VR1000
Whenever you start talking about the V-rod you have to bring up the VR1000 road race bike, and the Porsche engineering involvement. While the VR was never able to be the American Britten or Ducati Harley wanted it to be, that advanced modern liquid cooled powerplant did sound better than anything else out there. The ultra rare street bike made to homologate the superbike racer was never offered for sale in the USA, or made legal for U.S. roads, but that hasn’t stopped some folks from riding them here. Many people hated the looks of the V-rod cruiser when it came out, and even to this day is looks like nothing else in the lineup, but then it goes like nothing else in the lineup too. Even the new small bore Street series bikes don’t rev like this eager big bore muscle bike.
5. Buell
Now, Harley didn’t really create the Buell sportster based sport bikes, Eric Buell did, but without the backing of the Motor Company they never would have gotten as far as they did. And without the help of Eric Buell, Harley would never have gotten the power they did out of the XR1200. Unfortunately, Buell became a footnote in the history of Harley Davidson when the economy went sour, and they were eliminated and liquidated.
6. XR1000
The first time Harley tried to sell a sporty flat track styled Sportster in 1983 it was very similar in looks to the real deal XR750. Unfortunately, this required a ton of reengineering and custom work to the motor, and specially cast parts. When all was done the bike worked well, but had a retail price of $7,000 when the basic Sportster sold for just $4,000. Less than 2,000 of them were sold over 1983 and 1984, and these days they typically sell for more than the sticker price was at the time. It would be more than 20 years before they again tried a radically sportier Sportster with the XR1200.
7. XL Cafe Racer
Before the XR1000, Harley had tried to make the Sportster sportier with the XLCR. The 1977-79 1000cc Sportster Cafe Racer had a hotted up motor, unique 2 into 1 into 2 exhaust, lighter weight, better brakes, and a unique look. The bikini fairing, bread loaf tank, and flat seat were as sporty as anything else in showrooms in the mid-1970s. Unfortunately, even with all that effort, the Sportster was no match for the Suzuki GS1000 which came out at about the same time. This is another interesting and rare semi collectible bike these days, and sure to get you looks from the older, more knowledgeable Harley guys.
8. 1971 Super Glide
It is hard to image a time when the Motor Company didn’t embrace choppers and customs, but that time was only 45 years ago. Back in the 1970s Harley-Davidson wanted to sell new bike to responsible citizens, touring riders, and the police, and pretend that outlaw bikers, and choppers didn’t exist. With the 1971 Super Glide that started to change, and Willie G. mixed and matched Sportster and big twin parts, plus an oh so 70s boat tail on a bike, gave it a red white and blue paint job and called it Super Glide, the first “factory custom”. This bike was lighter and better handling than any of the other big twins, and a lot closer to what an outlaw might build once you excommunicated all the touring extras from the stock “circus wagon” then being sold. Most of the Dynas of today owe something to this godfather of the modern Harley.
For more information on maintenance and repairs, check out our do-it-yourself articles at https://www.hdforums.com/how-tos/.
