HD is bringing a 500 CC Vee twin to the market as an entry level motorcycle. They are also thinking about an ELECTRIC bike. This from a company that almost never changes and right after they brought out liquid cooled touring models.
HD has had a chain driven counter balancer in the twin cam for quite some time pinemiser
ninebadthings
If an 883 sportster is 40hp are we talking 20hp here? Too funny. But I'm sure the marketing department is not underestimating the lameness of the new Harley customer.
Saw the commercial for the liquid cooled bagger, funny that there was never a shot of the engine, must look clunkier than a Victory.
An electric bike could be outrageously cool. But I'm totally convinced that Harley's top priority is going to be to build it to look like a vtwin crusier so it will just suck.
Who Dat ?
Lets hope it gos over better this time than it has the numerous other times they tried it in the past 94 years with the various small 125cc,250cc - 350cc to 600cc entry level bikes.
Keep in mind Harley came out with a mid sized opposed twin in 1919 several years before BMW started making them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_Model_W_Sport_Twin
And don't forget the 8 valve 1000cc V twin bikes Harley was building & racing in the same WW1 time period.
http://3d-files.co.il/Harley_Davidson_1916_8_Valves_Racer.htm
They also came out with quite a variety of small bikes with both 2 & 4 stroke engines in the 1950's & early 60's but they all went over about as well as the recent 500cc Buell blast.
The belief that Harley's never change is a myth that's perpetuated & repeated by mindless parrots.
The truth is that by the mid 1930's Harley , Indian , Crocker etc. perfectly matched motorcycle dimensions & mechanical balance to fit the natural feel & rhythm of the average human body and any time they stray very far from that 1935 formula poor sales result.
Of course this only applies to average humans, Boy racers,skate boarders & other adrenaline junkies are in an entirely different category naturally.
It is true that its totally impossible to statically balance an irregular firing single crankpin V twin but few people like the sound,rhythm & feel of regular firing 2 crank pin V twins.
That's why Harley came out with the B engine with 2 rotating dynamic counter balancers 13 years ago in soft tail models.
Finally got a close up look at the new Limited last week. from 6 feet away it looks identical to an air cooled ultra classic.
A little radiator & blower is invisibly hidden inside each of the 2 faring lowers/ leg guards with a small hot air exhaust vent on the outside edge of each lower.
This will probably reduce heat coming straight up between the riders legs when creeping along in a traffic jam(parade duty) but to me its just more unnecessary complication.
Caoedhen
You can't really see the liquid cooling apparatus from a side-on engine shot. It looks nothing like a Victory.
I rode the new Limited at the KC factory open house last weekend. Compared to my '02 Ultra, it is a completely new machine.
But if you are a die-hard Harley hater, it won't make any difference.
A-Two
Lmgtfy
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=500cc+harley+davidson&ie=UTF-d8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
Made in India
Candid Chris
Guess I'll need to move to India, I've been dying to own a 500cc HD ALL my life since the 883 is just WAY TOO powerful.