The Wild Story of Harley-Davidson and Porsche’s Failed V4 Engine
By Brett Foote

A rather unique collaboration, if there ever was one.

 

It looks to me like HD tried to do too much too soon with that bike. I think they should have gone with a conventional frame with the radiator out front, like Honda's GL1000.
I was sad to see Honda take the lead with V-4 motorcycle engine development in the early 1980s because that should have been Harley Davidson's engine.

 

Well , they did keep the fairing going on the Lowrider ST after all those years .

 

It was the FXRT, not a ST.

 

I had an 83 Honda Magna V45 (750cc) and then upgraded to an 84 V65 Magna (1100cc) back in the 90s and early 2000s. While the V45 was smooth and fast the V65 would pull your eyballs through your head. That bike was way too fast for the 70's style cradle frame, but what a blast to drive.

Probably a good thing that H-D didn't end up with a Porsche engine. It would have been so overly complex that no one could work on it.

 

they did, it was called a V-Rod