Harley-Davidson Baja 100
HARLEY-DAVIDSON BAJA 100
CYCLE WORLD IMPRESSION
The Basic Idea Behind This Scrambler Is Well-Conceived, But It Needs Refinement And Some Race Readying.
FACTORY LITERATURE refers to the Baja 100 as a desert rat, and with that we agree. It is well suited to vast expanses of the arid wilderness. Its ground clearance is an airy 11.1 in., engine cooling is excellent with large and generous finning to dissipate heat, and, as a lightweight, its 98-cc engine provides plenty of poop to move you right along.
The machine is the result of intensified effort of three of the country’s top enduro riders commissioned by H-D to develop a competitive mount for cross-country racing: Paul Hunt, Jack Krizman and Dave Ekins.
There is nothing spindly about the Baja. Its frame is extremely rigid featuring a large diameter backbone tube, integrated frame/engine unit construction and a stiff, large diameter swinging arm. This unit appears very tough, capable of withstanding a lot of abuse.
The engine is basically the same as the Rapido powerplant that debuted a couple of years ago. However, the bore has been sleeved down, decreasing displacement from 125 to 98 cc, and its ports have been reworked extensively. Also, a different cylinder head and piston have been fitted, boosting the compression ratio to 11.5:1, along with very large (for a 100) 24-mm Dellorto carburetor. The end result of all these changes is a highly tuned small bore with a surprising amount of power. And although the factory has not quoted horsepower figures for the engine, we would estimate its output to be in the neighborhood of 10-12 bhp peaking around 8500-9000 rpm.
In order to make use of the engine’s predictably narrow power band, a fivespeed gearbox is implemented. This proved to be a remarkably smooth and sure transmission that couldn’t care less if the clutch is used or not. Incidentally, our test bike was fitted with the optional wide ratio gearset and to our minds the gear spacing was too wide. The first-to-second gear jump was rather awkward, resulting in bogging and a long wait to climb back up on the pipe. The second-to-third change was a little better but not much. So unless you’re expecting really adverse conditions, we recommend the standard gearset.
Although it is not readily apparent from the photos, the Baja 100 is a very tall motorcycle. As we said before, its ground clearance is in excess of 11 in. In the Baja’s situation, this contributes to a relatively high center of gravity with a consequent negative effect on handling. If you envision a motorcycle as an upright or vertical lever pivoting on the ground, you’ll know what we mean. With weight situated low on the lever (close to the ground) the lever can be moved from side-to-side quite easily. Relocate the weight higher on the lever, movement becomes more reluctant. Such is the Baja’s case. The seat height is the biggest drawback; it is mounted way up there, almost 35 in. from the ground. And along with aggravating the eg problem, this high seat placement offers another negative factor. For a rider shorter than, say, 5 ft., 10 in., it is difficult to touch the ground with one’s feet. And your feet, when used as outriggers or for paddling up hills, are very necessary equipment.
The little Baja is fitted with a fabled Ceriani fork on the front which appears adequately strong for its intended purpose, but it has a limited amount of travel and is very stiff. Perhaps a softer spring rate would cure the problem.
While we’re at the front of the machine, we should take to task the fender mounting. The mudguard is clearly too close to the tire. In rough going a rock could easily lodge between the tire and fender, locking the front wheel. Mud also poses a hazard as the front wheel jammed at the first muddy corner during our test. A motocross type fender mounted below the fork triple clamp should prove a very practical modification.
Rainy weather will surely reveal another couple of bugs, too. One, the high tension coil either has to be relocated or safely waterproofed. The unit is mounted under the forward portion of the gas tank, right in line with spray off the front tire. In this location it is bound to get a soaking. And two, the Baja’s brakes are ineffectual when wet. It seems the brake backing plates offer insufficient sealing from the elements. And to compound matters, the efficiency of the brake linings is almost totally lost when wet. Perhaps the lining composition is at fault here.
In all, we see the Baja 100 as a dead serious cross-country and enduro machine that is, unfortunately, tarnished by a few embryonic flaws, one of which is a rather steep $670 price tag. But, with some minor modification, the Baja can be made an effective machine. \n\
