A not totally awful Harley

So at Brands Hatch today Warrs, (the main London Harley dealer) roll up in a van and wheel out this tricked up race bike.

It's probably the first and only Harley that I ever looked at twice or even liked a bit. I even took a photo. Though I wasn't impressed that the crew and rider waited until at least the second session in the afternoon - when the track was absolutely dry - before taking it out to show it off. Didn't want it to get dirty or scared of falling off. One of the two.

It's the same bike - different colour on each side.

You're right Joe. The more I look at the pictures I realise that the bits I like are just bolt ons. The Ohlins shocks, the front end, the brakes, the exhaust. The bits that are HD are not anything other than the HD we already know and pity.

The one bit that sums it up for me is the gear change linkage. On one end you've got this modern rear-set footrest and at the other some agricultural shaft sticking out of the side of what I can only describe as the ugliest, heaviest looking, cast engine casing ever made. And it's painted a shit colour too. Connecting them is a really sad piece of bent rod. That rod is the saddest thing I ever saw on a new motorcycle ever. It looks like it belongs on one of the old British bikes I learned to ride on. Can you imagine trying to get a quickshifter fitted onto that rod? The quickshifter would reject it - like a bad liver transplant. The quickshifter would need to take a very big dose of anti-rejection hormone treatment to even think of keeping alive and well.

Seem's to me they "could" have run just one Termi can to save a "little " weight even with a quick shift, it ain't gonna shift quick with a six inch lever throw,, big feet rule with that thing,,,,if I owned 20 bikes ,I would have to have one ,, to say,, "and then there's the Harley" go have a go on it ,,,, remember when these things were all the rage ,, and that sound I will never forget:

http://art-of-motorcycles.onsugar.com/v ... r-11162074

A Hells Angels guy turned up on a motard practise with this Harly...with KTM front

I rode one at the Harley open house this year and I hated it. Rattled like it was about to fall apart. Transmission was clunky and felt like shifting a old 50s farm truck. And the positioning of the pegs was very uncomfortable. I really wasn't impressed. Of course I didn't really get to hammer it or have any fun since I was in a demo ride group but it wasn't very inspiring.
The V-Rod Muscle however, THAT'S a nice bike.

Seems it would be a good "long term" project to me , make it light as possible, suspension, brakes, CF everything,, motor mods as they come along,, frame mods,, it could be nice in the end,, different,, still a HOG , but different,,