Issue 178
/LIVING ON THE EDGE
In my previous Cybercycles, I wrote about the new Harley-Davidson Icons Collection with the release of the first one, the 2021 Electra Glide Revival. There I proposed some possible future Icons models. In this issue I am recalling some very noteworthy models that didn’t make the top ten Icon list but have had an enormous effect on Harley as we know it today. I find it most interesting how so many of The Motor Company’s misadventures did in fact succeed after they were set free to sink or swim. So, let’s look at some of the interesting adventures along the way.
It seems in the past, Harley didn’t always hit a six with every new model it introduced. Sometimes it seemed to release models that just weren’t what the core of Harley riders wanted. One thing you can see through its history is that Harley made a lot of engines and even put different engines in the same frame. Maybe it was like the American car industry with the hugely successful 1955, ’56 and ’57 Chevrolets. Then the horrors of 1958. Why couldn’t General Motors leave a good thing alone like the Brits did with say the Jaguar XK-E Series 1 from 1961 to ’69.
Today we see Jochen Zeitz reeling in all the More Roads models. Bringing them back to the core and even “selling off” electrics to prosper or fail on their own. This is all is like what happened many times before with Harley during its heydays. But, then, “If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space.”
https://www.harley-davidson.cn/us/en/museum/explore/hd-timeline.html
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/experience-h-d.html
https://www.harley-davidson.com/au/en/content/the-enthusiast.html
https://tv.harley-davidson.com
INTERESTING TIMES
Immediately after World War II, with all the manufacturing methods learned and thirst for adventure of returning veterans, Harley was in a great position to press on with new motorcycles. Sidevalve engines got us through the war but now the overhead valve Panhead of 1948 was released. Indian Motorcycle ceased production in 1953 leaving Harley the sole American manufacturer for the next 46 years.
https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/history/becoming-legendary/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Motocycle_Manufacturing_Company
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson
1957-1983 EARLY SPORTSTERS
The side-valve K Model of 1952 continued and became the true XL Sportster in 1957. The new XL had an updated K-model engine with larger displacement, overhead valves and higher compression. While Willie G didn’t officially join the Motor Company until 1963, he was on the design team for the XL Sportster with his design of the tank logo. The 1957 Sportster XL only sold 2000 in the first year of production but became the sales leader in later.
http://www.scottymoore.net/Enthusiast.html
http://sportsterpedia.com/doku.php/sportster_history:1957_sportster
https://bobberbrothers.com/blogs/bobber-blog/all-harley-davidson-tank-emblems-by-year-bobberbrothers
1960s & 1970s WERE THE ROCK & ROLL TIMES
The sixties were interesting times for Harley with the three-wheeled Servi-Car becoming the first Harley-Davidson with an electric starter.
In 1966 the iconic Electra-Glide received the first Shovelhead engine. And in 1969 Harley-Davidson merged with the American Machine and Foundry Company for 12 years resulting in some of the most progressive motorcycle designs.
Give AMF its due. Without AMF, Harley may have failed like Indian and with AMF funding we got the Evolution engine for the Big Twins and the Sportster.
The 1971 FX1200 Super Glide with the Willie G designed boat tail was actually a design masterpiece that still lives today. It combined the Sportster XL forks with the frame and powertrain of the Big Twin FL series. A new class of motorcycle was born, the cruiser.
Importantly, the 1971 Super Glide was the forerunner of the 1977 FXS Low Rider and 1980 FXWG Wide Glide, 1982 FXR, 1984 FXST Softail, and the much loved 1991 Dyna models. Essentially a big wheel in front and a fat tyre on the rear.
The next time we see Willie G’s design on a Sportster is with the 1977 XLCR Café Racer. While not a sales success with only 3000 produced, today they are certainly collectors’ item. But don’t forget his other great successes like the 1979 fat fuel tank along with the cut-off bobbed fender, as the 1979 FXEF Fat Bob, and then the 1980 FXB Sturgis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_XLCR
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/h-d/harley_davidson_fxs80%20low%20rider%2080.htm
https://www.liveabout.com/willie-g-davidsons-greatest-hits-2399540
THE EAGLE SOARS ALONE!
In 1981, The Eagle Soars Alone! became the rallying cry with The Buy Back Gang of 13 Harley executives signing a letter of intent to purchase The Motor Company from AMF. Their biggest decision right away was to proceed with the AMF financed Evolution engine or the Porsche designed V4 Nova water cooled engine. The Evo engine won and was the saving grace for The Motor Company.
Then, 10 years later in 1991, the Dyna model debuted with the FXDB Dyna Sturgis followed by perhaps the all-time modern classic, the 1994 FLHR Road King. That year also saw the first Harley AMA Superbike, the VR1000.
https://www.hotcars.com/these-are-the-greatest-harleydavidson-softails-ever-built/
1999-2017 THE TWIN CAMS
In 1999, the introduction of the Twin Cam in the Touring and Dyna models began taking us into the 21st Century with the 2000 FXSTD Softail Deuce along with the counter-balanced Twin Cam 88B engine. A second all-new engine came a couple of years later with the VRSCA V-Rod.
Inspired by the VR-1000 engine, the V-Rod was Harley-Davidson’s first motorcycle to combine fuel injection, overhead cams and liquid cooling.
In 2002 Harley started an on-again and off-again romance with Erik Buell and the Firebolt. In 2004 the XL Sportster models received a rubber mounted engine, new frame and a wider rear tyre. Through the rest of the decade Harley released a number of forgettable models which might have included your personal favourite like the FLHRSI Road King Custom, FLSTN Softail Deluxe, FLSTSC Softail Springer Classic, FXCWC Rocker, and the FLSTSB Cross Bones. Noteworthy though was the Euro’s favourite Sportster, the all-new XR1200X which may well have been the ultimate four-cam Harley of all time.
https://www.cycleworld.com/harley-davidson-xr1200-sportster-road-test-motorcycle-review/
https://www.cycleworld.com/more-on-how-harley-davidson-sportster-motorcycle-came-to-have-four-cams/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buell_1125R
Vale Nancy Davidson
The Willie G Davidson’s half century with The Motor Company ended in 2012 with his retirement. He remains on to this day as the brand ambassador and in Special Design Projects and as the Chief Styling Officer Emeritus. Sadly his wife of 64 years, Nancy “the first lady of motorcycling,” passed away this year at age 89.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/jsonline/name/nancy-davidson-obituary?id=6069085
2018 & BEYOND
We saw the new Milwaukee-Eight arrive and the much-loved V-Rod leave us in 2017. Dyna models became Softails in 2018 while Harley’s flirting with electric motorcycles lasted only a couple of months with Alta Motors in 2018. The 2019 FXDR 114 ran for two years, and only one year for the 2021 LiveWire. The Streets of India did last seven years or so. And now we say goodbye to the Evo Sportsters in 2021.
The new RevMax Pan America and Sportster S star in the movie From Evolution to Revolution. My take on the RevMax is it will be like the Evolution 80 cubic inch. A saviour and necessary to keep the internal combustion engine alive along with Harley’s heartbeat. In the last few seconds of the movie released of the RevMax Sportster S, as is Harley’s custom, there are a few frames of the next new Sportster just like they did with the FXDR 114.
In 2018, Harley filed for trademarks of the names Pan America and 48X. For me this is the new Forty-Eight with peanut fuel tank, rear shocks and a bob tail. Then, too, it could be a Roadster, having its signature chrome and black exhaust pipes. The RevMax defines what living on the edge means!
Long live the M8 and the RevMax. Who knows, one day you may see the RevMax modular engine not only as a 1250 but also 500 (LAMS model), 750 (AMA dirt track), 975 (Bronx Streetfighter), and in a two litre Touring model. The stressed member engine also makes any modular motorcycles possible with interchangeable front- and rear-ends.
The times they sure are a’changin’.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_VRSC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFjQa5pSd1c&feature=youtu.be
https://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/whats-next-for-the-harley-davidson-sportster.html
https://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/new-harley-davidson-48x-and-pan-america-for-2019.html
