I didn't own it but I rode one a of the Savage 650 thumper. It was a ball to ride. I wouldn't want to do 3000 miles on one but for around town and short trips it was a hoot. Had a chance to buy it off my buddy and kick myself now for not buying it.
They came with a choice of handlebars, either the buckhorn style or the straight drag bars. I preferred the straight bar.

 

Might be HD's way of getting back into Flat track racing in the singles class as they have a 750 program but have been out of the single's class since early 80's ... Thus will launch the "Screaming Eagle Single line" ....

 

I would definitely look at it. Love those thumpers.
Would be a good around town ride.

 

I think it would make sense for the non-US markets (India springs to mind).

Being British, I have a fondness for single cylinder bikes. We've churned out a lot of them over the years. Them and Parallel Twins, which are really just Thumpers with a College education. Most bikes over here are not V-Twins, nor are they 1600cc (that's the 103in engine, for those of you working in Roman Catholic). Vast, vast numbers of bikes are sold outside the US in much smaller displacements than Harleys - why wouldn't they want to get in on that, particularly as the MoCo appears to be seriously considering the Asian market, what with their new-found interest in India.

 

Alright, I hope that happens that thing would be a fickin blast to ride on the canyon roads here in AZ.





Tech23

 

1x0 ..... know what that equals.?

 

Maybe not. My DR has 2 plugs.

 

Lots of great british bikes back in the 60's did just fine as one lungers

 

well, we've got iPhones, iPads, iTunes..... Now the iRod.

 

The Blast sucked because it was WAYYYY more than comparable beginner bikes from other companies, and wasn't exactly pretty, either in a sportbike way or a Harley way. When I was learning to ride, I thought about one for about two seconds, then coughed up a little bit more and bought a Sportster. My guess is that's what many beginners did, if they didn't go over to Honda and get a Rebel.

Harley needs a 500 cc bike for Rider's Edge, and for India (where the taxes favor small displacement bikes). If it was stylish enough, they MIGHT be able to sell it as an entry level bike here for young folks (I'm thinking Johnny Pag - style choppers and bobbers, but with better build quality).

There was also a rumor I read somewhere that the new bike would have two motors - a 500cc for rider training and overseas, plus a 650 or so for sale to consumers. If true, that sounds more like a twin - I can't imagine they'd have a single frame that would take both a thumper and a V twin (although anything's possible, I guess).

Whether it would sell here would depend on the price AND how badly it cut into Sportster sales.