The greatest motorcycle ever made in Japan
#23
10-30-2010 | 07:18 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,173
Likes: 177
From: East Coast
There is some other sites on the subject. A lot of companies could not survive the depression and HD was not doing well at the time either. I'm pretty sure they were not anticipating war with Japan when they made the decision to sell licenses in the far east. The Japanese were already experts at duplicating technology. The most interesting part of the history is the fact that the Japanese loved the motorcycle. They finally closed the factory when the average citizen could not afford a big American style V-Twin and police departments started going with cheaper alternatives.
Did somebody say "CHIPS"?
#24
10-30-2010 | 07:19 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,173
Likes: 177
From: East Coast
Thank you for turning that light on...it was awfully dark over here. You learn something every day.
#25
10-30-2010 | 07:29 AM
Thread Starter
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,060
Likes: 59
From: Chesterfield, VA
It was also I stretch to say it was the best bike ever built in Japan. At least it was at the time. When they closed, they were still using side valve style engines from the early 30's.
#28
10-30-2010 | 11:52 AM
I started a poll just to see how many are over 33. So far most members are over 33
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/off-t...ml#post7473583
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/off-t...ml#post7473583
#29
10-30-2010 | 12:10 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,106
Likes: 11
From: SoCal
I always get a kick out of reading that story. I guess HD had their version of a "Free Trade Agreement" going on back then. The interesting thing is that HD sold them the tools, dies, castings, molds, everything to make the bike. We literally gave them the whole factory kit and kaboodle. But that was what they had to do to survive. Some call it being a traitor, others call it smart investing in a weak economy. And who knows, maybe that is what kept HD alive back then, to give us what we are riding today. If so, then that is irony in the purest sense of the word, going to Japan to "bail out" HD in hard times, then initiating import rules in the 70's, and finally bashing their copycat engineering when we gave it all to them in the first place. I know the bike is no longer being made, but I wonder if HD is still reaping some kind of profit or royalty from it. That would be a good story.
