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BRKNtibia · 12-07-2000, 11:47 AM

This could only make the racing even more exciting. I feel that AMA Superbike is the hardest title in the world to win because of the depth of talent in the field. Harley has been the butt of many jokes from fans and racers (myself included) for quite some time, but deep down we all like to cheer for an underdog. Those guys have been doing a great job working with a budget a fraction of what the other factories spend. Hopefully Harley will use some of those `record earnings' to give these guys a fighting chance.

El_Flaco · 12-07-2000, 03:16 PM

Interesting. Are they really going to put words into actions? I support the effort, because I would love to see a real American superbike be competitive on the track, but along with many others, I want to see them on the street as well. If it is true that they are investing the "resources necessary" to win, they can succeed. Aprilia is one small company that has given the bigger competitors a run for their money this year in World Superbike, coming in 3rd place overall- ahead of Ducati and Kawasaki.

GboroGoose · 12-08-2000, 02:44 AM

Do you really think a re-hashed Japanese twin (oh, by the way Suzuki stayed with the four and didn't see it through development) would work better than a purpose-built in house design that has the "depth of talent" of Roush racing and Ford behind it? And think of the contractual problems, not to mention the rancor or do or die Harley fans. I don't. ;^)

P-Ratt · 12-08-2000, 03:49 AM

The number of production VR1000's that are out there will never see American public roads. Harley does not want it to happen. In order to buy one of these overpriced non-competetive bikes, you must sign a contract saying that it will not be ridden on public roads in America. Anyone who can cough up enough cash to buy a VR probably has the funds to bring one to the US and destroy Harley's hard fought contempt for sport riding.

VFRider · 12-08-2000, 04:13 AM

Yah, that's how Ducati did it.

a929rrrider · 12-08-2000, 04:50 AM

They will win if they buy a Honda, HD will never be a sportbike

NickdaBrick · 12-08-2000, 05:10 AM

The only way Harley can be competitive at Daytona is to take the current race bike, jack up the gas cap, and slide a whole new bike underneath.

A close copy of the RC51 should do nicely. Plus, it will save them a lot of development headaches. Hey, it worked for Honda -- isn't the RC51 nothing but an improved Ducati 996 anyway? Besides, the Japanese have been doing the same thing to Harley street bikes the whole time.

JustEd · 12-08-2000, 06:35 AM

The U.S. could be building bikes with Japanese

speed and German quality, but... Every resurrected

brand in the past few years has been the same old

chrome pig, as if the only biker interested in

a U.S. brand is an accountant who wants to pretend

he's an outlaw on sunny weekends.

The Europeans watch bike riding, for the greater part, and the U.S. fans ride them. Isn't anyone

over here listening?

ClubRacer · 12-08-2000, 08:53 AM

Harley is only in AMA not wsb or bsb just the ama.

They still can't win unless they get some new tech in that stone ax they race

CYCLE_MONKEY · 12-08-2000, 09:21 AM

If in fact Harley holds second place in wins, it's because of the winning in the very early years of Daytona. I don't believe Harley has won the Daytona 200 for almost 30 years. Oh, by the way, 3/4 of Russell's wins came on a Kawasaki, only one on a Yamaha. The Yamaha's Daytona wins you speak of came from the 2-strokes they raced in the 70's and '80's (ridden by King Kenny Roberts and the like) before they changed the rules to require 4-strokes. Eddie Lawson also won Daytona for Yamaha, on a FZR-750, in the late '80's.

12-07-2000, 11:47 AM	#1
BRKNtibia Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3	Re: Harley to be M.I.A. at Daytona Tire Test This could only make the racing even more exciting. I feel that AMA Superbike is the hardest title in the world to win because of the depth of talent in the field. Harley has been the butt of many jokes from fans and racers (myself included) for quite some time, but deep down we all like to cheer for an underdog. Those guys have been doing a great job working with a budget a fraction of what the other factories spend. Hopefully Harley will use some of those `record earnings' to give these guys a fighting chance.

12-07-2000, 03:16 PM	#2
El_Flaco Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 158	Hmmm... Interesting. Are they really going to put words into actions? I support the effort, because I would love to see a real American superbike be competitive on the track, but along with many others, I want to see them on the street as well. If it is true that they are investing the "resources necessary" to win, they can succeed. Aprilia is one small company that has given the bigger competitors a run for their money this year in World Superbike, coming in 3rd place overall- ahead of Ducati and Kawasaki. __________________ \"I will not instigate revolution.\" -Bart Simpson

12-08-2000, 02:44 AM	#3
GboroGoose Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 36	Re: Fraction ...I guess 3/2 is a fraction Do you really think a re-hashed Japanese twin (oh, by the way Suzuki stayed with the four and didn't see it through development) would work better than a purpose-built in house design that has the "depth of talent" of Roush racing and Ford behind it? And think of the contractual problems, not to mention the rancor or do or die Harley fans. I don't. ;^)

12-08-2000, 03:49 AM	#4
P-Ratt Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 77	Re: Harley to be M.I.A. at Daytona Tire Test The number of production VR1000's that are out there will never see American public roads. Harley does not want it to happen. In order to buy one of these overpriced non-competetive bikes, you must sign a contract saying that it will not be ridden on public roads in America. Anyone who can cough up enough cash to buy a VR probably has the funds to bring one to the US and destroy Harley's hard fought contempt for sport riding. __________________ History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme. It is the nature of deception to not know you are being deceived. For those who fight for it, freedom has a special flavor the protected will never know. FZ1

12-08-2000, 04:13 AM	#5
VFRider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 101	Re: Harley to be M.I.A. at Daytona Tire Test Yah, that's how Ducati did it.

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12-08-2000, 04:50 AM	#6
a929rrrider Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 13	Re: Harley to be M.I.A. at Daytona Tire Test They will win if they buy a Honda, HD will never be a sportbike

12-08-2000, 05:10 AM	#7
NickdaBrick Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 214	Re: Harley to be M.I.A. at Daytona Tire Test The only way Harley can be competitive at Daytona is to take the current race bike, jack up the gas cap, and slide a whole new bike underneath. A close copy of the RC51 should do nicely. Plus, it will save them a lot of development headaches. Hey, it worked for Honda -- isn't the RC51 nothing but an improved Ducati 996 anyway? Besides, the Japanese have been doing the same thing to Harley street bikes the whole time.

12-08-2000, 06:35 AM	#8
JustEd Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 2	I Coulda Been a Contender... The U.S. could be building bikes with Japanese speed and German quality, but... Every resurrected brand in the past few years has been the same old chrome pig, as if the only biker interested in a U.S. brand is an accountant who wants to pretend he's an outlaw on sunny weekends. The Europeans watch bike riding, for the greater part, and the U.S. fans ride them. Isn't anyone over here listening?

12-08-2000, 08:53 AM	#9
ClubRacer Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 43	They got the money Harley is only in AMA not wsb or bsb just the ama. They still can't win unless they get some new tech in that stone ax they race

12-08-2000, 09:21 AM	#10
CYCLE_MONKEY Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 154	Re: Harley to be M.I.A. at Daytona Tire Test If in fact Harley holds second place in wins, it's because of the winning in the very early years of Daytona. I don't believe Harley has won the Daytona 200 for almost 30 years. Oh, by the way, 3/4 of Russell's wins came on a Kawasaki, only one on a Yamaha. The Yamaha's Daytona wins you speak of came from the 2-strokes they raced in the 70's and '80's (ridden by King Kenny Roberts and the like) before they changed the rules to require 4-strokes. Eddie Lawson also won Daytona for Yamaha, on a FZR-750, in the late '80's.