amf bikes still cool? I dont care but would like opinions
#42
06-14-2006 | 02:39 PM
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 16
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RE: amf bikes still cool? I dont care but would like opinions
The problems with AMF bikes came at the end of their ownership of the motor company. When all is said and done they were just another soulless corporation. When they saw how much money their acquisition was making after a few years, they decided to milk HD's profits to fund other areas of AMF. The last few years of AMF ownership saw the dealers often having to "remanufacture" many of the new bikes before they could be sold because of the poor quality caused by AMF rushing the assembly at the factory just to get more bikes out the door and more money in AMF's coffers. A guy I knew was looking at a new HD in the late 70s and the dealer asked him how far away he lived. When he got the answer of 30 miles, the dealer said he wouldn't make it home without having to stop and work on the bike. The dealers were very angry at the factory back then; after all, they had to take the brunt of the buyers' frustration and anger. Amazingly enough, the top AMF executives at Harley became Harley guys as opposed to AMF corporate guys, and stayed with the company when HD became independent again.
Having said all that, today's AMF bikes have long since had most of their problem areas fixed by the owners in the intervening years since the bikes were manufactured. Plus the shovelhead engine to me is behind only the knucklehead in looks and is number one in sound over all the HD vtwins. And the 4 speed frame is the best looking swingarm frame ever.
Having said all that, today's AMF bikes have long since had most of their problem areas fixed by the owners in the intervening years since the bikes were manufactured. Plus the shovelhead engine to me is behind only the knucklehead in looks and is number one in sound over all the HD vtwins. And the 4 speed frame is the best looking swingarm frame ever.
#43
06-14-2006 | 03:14 PM
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 2
From: SouthEast Michigan
RE: amf bikes still cool? I dont care but would like opinions
People who bad mouth AMF Harley- Davidson's do not know what they are talking about. I rode a 1980 Shovelhead for twelve years and it never, ever, left me at the side of the road. AMF engineers are the people who developed the EVO motor.
#45
08-31-2006 | 02:34 PM
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 598
Likes: 0
From: Deming, New Mexico
RE: amf bikes still cool? I dont care but would like opinions
I own a 77 FLH that I've been riding for 20 years. I have an 07 Ultra Classic on the way, but the 77 isn't for sale, and I'm sure as hell not parking it. Some folks may badmouth the AMF bikes but mine has given me more enjoyment than anything I've ever had (other than my wife!) 
#46
08-31-2006 | 03:17 PM
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 459
Likes: 1
From: Florida
#47
09-13-2006 | 07:43 PM
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 755
Likes: 43
From:
RE: amf bikes still cool? I dont care but would like opinions
ORIGINAL: R Horn
Bottom line Harley likely would note have been here today if not for AMF then. The bikes AMF Harley Davidson sold were Harleys 100% from engineering and design all the way through build up. The Evo's in particular and in many ways the bikes Designed and built by Harley now owe an awful lot to the engineering that came from AMF.
The merger with AMF was a good thing and perhaps there separation even better. 25 years ago I badmouthed AMF, today I know better.
Rich
don't mean to rant, sorry
Bottom line Harley likely would note have been here today if not for AMF then. The bikes AMF Harley Davidson sold were Harleys 100% from engineering and design all the way through build up. The Evo's in particular and in many ways the bikes Designed and built by Harley now owe an awful lot to the engineering that came from AMF.
The merger with AMF was a good thing and perhaps there separation even better. 25 years ago I badmouthed AMF, today I know better.
Rich
don't mean to rant, sorry
P.S. I do wear my bar & shield upside down.
[IMG]local://upfiles/17396/0A15773230C64845A65792D3F7A59B28.jpg[/IMG]
#48
03-05-2007 | 10:57 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 226
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From:
RE: amf bikes still cool? I dont care but would like opinions
Had a '77 Electraglide. Rode a lot of miles on that bike and it never let me down. OK so it leaked a little oil, so what. A lot of garbage is talked about the AMF period, if those guys had notbought HD when they did would it have been around for Willie to eventuallybuy back?
#50
05-08-2007 | 12:33 AM
