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seruzawa · 07-29-2004, 09:29 AM

Abe's still pouting over losing that sportsbybrooks contest.

maladg · 07-30-2004, 03:39 AM

Frenchie Kerry rode BMW's - probably a buddy of the self styled "Editor in Chief" of BMW OTL...the ever overblown Hellmann (oops, I mean Hellman

.

Kook can't even get the bike stuff right on his "Man".

christian_gates · 07-30-2004, 03:45 AM

I was probably a little too critical of The Motor Company, which is a weird name. They should be The Chassis Company.

As the article shows, and as we all know, Harley clearly was at the forefront a while back, a point I'm not disputing. I'm just disappointed that their engineering efforts since that time have largely been limited to a very interesting chassis development project (Buell line), the V-Rod and the now cold VR1000 racing project.

All of those things are cool. The VR1000 and the Buell line show that Harley is capable of both innovation and refinement of existing ideas. They just haven't developed a relatively great motor since, apparently, 1979. The V-Rod motor is good, not great, for its application, and the base VR1000 motor was fine in 1994, but by the time they got the chassis sorted, the engine was lagging.

My ultimate point is that they should find a way to allow themselves to build a kick-ass engine. I would have bought an XB-12R if it had a real engine instead of a CBR1000RR, for example, at anything close to a similar price, just for the neatness. But the engine's only about one place removed from useless, so my choices were limited by what appears to be some sort of weird corporate Ludditism towards advanced engine technology, which is irritating.

cdg

p.s. longride, I think that the better analogy is that Harley could sell semi-exotic sportbikes and then compete with Ducati to buy Aprilia.

p.p.s. "You can't use the power of superbike replica blah blah blah I could outride you on my kid's tricycle harumph harumph d*#@ squids."

mscuddy · 07-30-2004, 05:45 AM

That Nova engine (Spanish for no-go) looks like a Briggs & Stratton V-4 industrial engine, with water jackets. Even had the generator in the same place.

Coincidence?

captainwhoopass · 07-30-2004, 11:11 AM

That's no surprise. Many people voted for Kennedy over Nixon simply because he looked better on a televised debate.

daaveejaa · 07-30-2004, 01:42 PM

It was a Porsche engine before and a Porsche engine again (V-Rod). Can't Harley design a new engine on their own?

07-29-2004, 09:29 AM	#91
seruzawa Robby Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: 8501 ft. Posts: 16,803	Re: The V-Four Harley You Never Saw Abe's still pouting over losing that sportsbybrooks contest. __________________ I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.

07-30-2004, 03:39 AM	#92
maladg Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rock throwing distance from Home Despot HQ Posts: 1,141	Re: The V-Four Harley You Never Saw Frenchie Kerry rode BMW's - probably a buddy of the self styled "Editor in Chief" of BMW OTL...the ever overblown Hellmann (oops, I mean Hellman . Kook can't even get the bike stuff right on his "Man".

07-30-2004, 03:45 AM	#93
christian_gates Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 209	Re: The V-Four Harley You Never Saw I was probably a little too critical of The Motor Company, which is a weird name. They should be The Chassis Company. As the article shows, and as we all know, Harley clearly was at the forefront a while back, a point I'm not disputing. I'm just disappointed that their engineering efforts since that time have largely been limited to a very interesting chassis development project (Buell line), the V-Rod and the now cold VR1000 racing project. All of those things are cool. The VR1000 and the Buell line show that Harley is capable of both innovation and refinement of existing ideas. They just haven't developed a relatively great motor since, apparently, 1979. The V-Rod motor is good, not great, for its application, and the base VR1000 motor was fine in 1994, but by the time they got the chassis sorted, the engine was lagging. My ultimate point is that they should find a way to allow themselves to build a kick-ass engine. I would have bought an XB-12R if it had a real engine instead of a CBR1000RR, for example, at anything close to a similar price, just for the neatness. But the engine's only about one place removed from useless, so my choices were limited by what appears to be some sort of weird corporate Ludditism towards advanced engine technology, which is irritating. cdg p.s. longride, I think that the better analogy is that Harley could sell semi-exotic sportbikes and then compete with Ducati to buy Aprilia. p.p.s. "You can't use the power of superbike replica blah blah blah I could outride you on my kid's tricycle harumph harumph d*#@ squids."

07-30-2004, 05:45 AM	#94
mscuddy MODERATOR X Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Next to my still checkin the temp. Posts: 5,444	Re: The V-Four Briggs & Stratton That Nova engine (Spanish for no-go) looks like a Briggs & Stratton V-4 industrial engine, with water jackets. Even had the generator in the same place. Coincidence? __________________ A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.

07-30-2004, 11:11 AM	#96
captainwhoopass Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 1,671	Re: The V-Four Harley You Never Saw That's no surprise. Many people voted for Kennedy over Nixon simply because he looked better on a televised debate. __________________ <blockquote> \"I knew it. I\'m surrounded by a$$holes.\" [b][i]Lord Helmet, Spaceballs

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07-30-2004, 01:42 PM	#97
daaveejaa Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1	Re: The V-Four Harley You Never Saw It was a Porsche engine before and a Porsche engine again (V-Rod). Can't Harley design a new engine on their own?