Roundup
ROUNDUP
CYCLE WORLD
THE HARLEY WE'LL NEVER SEE
Several years ago one of our guys had a brilliant idea. What the world needs now. he decided, is a new and more sporting Harley-Davidson. You could begin with the traditional configuration, a V-Twin, fore and aft, air cooled. It should have enough displacement to give good highway performance, but not be so big that it had to be heavy or compete with Harley’s existing models. A 750, in short, and because Harley already builds something like that, and because that bike is the most successful racing motorcycle in the world, why, the thing to do is have a street version of the XR750, ruler of AMA national racing for lo these 10 years.
Clever thinking. The next step was to suggest such a machine to various people at Harley. Surprise. Not only have private enthusiasts built street legal versions of the XR750, not only have engineers at Milwaukee and York built bikes like this for themselves, but H-D management had exactly the same idea even before our man did.
H-D commissioned a full study; what the bike should look like, what it would take to meet the various government rules and requirements, how many people would buy the thing and most important how much time and personnel and investment H-D would have to commit to bring out the new model.
They aren’t going to do it.
First, the plus side of the project.
The 750 is the perfect size for a sporting roadster. Not too big. not too small, with no excess weight and room for two people. We’re thinking here of a new engine, rather than a street model of the racing XR or a destroked Sportster 1000. so if you used aluminum barrels and heads and designed the lower end and gearbox to take advantage of modern metals and casting techniques and quality control, and seeing as how Triumph has already proved that 750 Twins needn't be heavy, you could have the Harley 750 ( We’d call it the 45. maybe even revive the K designation) weighing not much more than 400 lb. Bv tuning the
engine for torque, and because you don't need extra power if it doesn't have to haul excess weight, the gearing could be tall, with the engine loafing on the highway. Extra miles per gallon, and you could have 200 or more miles per fillup with a 4 gal. tank. A bike for the future, one might say.
Styling? Based on the XR750. what else? As the sketch here shows and we hasten to sav this is a design commissioned by us. we don't know what Willie Davidson would do with the assignment the K-model would have its flat track heritage clearly and distinctly proclaimed. But it would have an all-dav seat, room for two people. Not styled, not for profiling and cruising, but simply a Harley for people who like Harleys and like to ride motorcycles.
The usefulness of the configuration would justifv the K as a road machine, daily transportation. The XR750 inspiration would take advantage of all those vears winning races, and the traditional Harley engine would give it appeal for the more experienced crowd. >
Sounds great, eh? It’s not just us who thinks so. The project was the most popular thing done at Harley in years. Guys pitched in to work on their own time, they gave all they had and then some. Everybody in the place liked the idea.
Most of them still haven't forgiven the men who said no.
The men who said no in part haven’t forgiven themselves.
The main reason, they said no was time and manpower. When the decision not to make the K was reached. H-D was looking as proposed government regulations that were as harsh as they were vague. Harley couldn't know what noise and emission regulations were coming, not in firm detail, but they were told the rules would be tough. Next, there were other needs, more pressing projects, for example the T-model 80 and the belt-drive for the Sturgis. Harley and parent AMF can only hire so many engineers, and they can only do so much work per day.
Plus, Harley was selling all the motorcycles it could make and was not willing to invest in more production facilities.
So the men in charge did the businesslike thing and made the correct choice.
In the short run only. With all due respect, and with awareness that it's deceptively easy to tell other people how to spend their time and money, we think Harley’s management should take another vote.
Harley is doing now what the British did and what the American car factories did not long ago and what VW did a few years before that, namely doing what had worked up until now. The British didn’t invest, not while the customers were still there. The U.S. car people kept on producing the biggies until the day the prophets finallv were right; people don't want big cars, they want small cars and Detroit can't switch fast enough. VW had one basic model and it sold so well they weren't ready for the day the Beetle stopped selling and it nearly put the company under. The oldline Harley buyers want oldline Harleys and the 74s and 80s have never sold better. Today. What about tomorrow?
The bottom line, as they say in business, is emotional. Critics used to say Harley had no engineers, that they couldn’t improve the machines if they wanted to. The T and the Sturgis should take care of that. Hell yes. Harley has the engineers, they can innovate. Inside the buildings at Milwaukee and York are modern motorcvcles straining at the corporate leash.
You know how we know about the Harley they won’t build? Because it's the Harley of our dreams, the one we'd build if we could. And because the men who design. build, ride, service and race Harleys feel the same way. We know about the project because they told us, bit by bit. This is a leak all right but it didn't come from the press office, it came from the test track, the drafting boards, the race shop and yes. from one or two highly placed sources who like bikes.
This is not exactly a modest proposal. All we’re asking is that Harley-Davidson listen to the feelings of people who care, rather than to the predictions of bankers, and to the vague threats of the safety establishment and the anti-motor lobby.
All we're asking for is the Great American Motorcycle.
THE ITALIAN CONNECTION
Laverdas, Morinis and Cagivas soon will be imported into the U.S. by the Slater Bros, who have been importing Laverdas into the U.K. for the past 10 years. Imported will be three models of the dohc Triples in 1000 and 1200cc versions, three 500cc Laverdas, the 350 and 500cc Morinis and 125 and 250cc motocross and enduro Cagivas.
The Slater Bros, have been successful selling Laverdas in England by encouraging sporting use, including setting up a class for roadracing the 500cc Twin. Apparently the company is considering a similar racing program in this country to spur sales of the smaller Laverda. The top-of-the-line Formula 500 Laverda pictured uses the same mechanical pieces as the middle-level Montjuic and base Zeta but comes with a full race fairing and seat.
Smaller fairings are being mounted on lOOOcc and 1200cc Triples, though no plans for racing support have been mentioned yet for the larger Laverdas.
The Morinis will be sold as middle-level street bikes not offering the performance of the Laverdas. The Cagiva line is developed from what used to be sold as the HarleyDavidson two-stroke models. Cagiva bought out Harley’s Italian factory and has updated the enduro and motocross bikes with modern long-travel suspension. There are no plans at this time for importation of the Cagiva street bikes.
U.S. offices of the Slater Bros, are at 2344 Bluebell Dr., Santa Rosa, Calif. 95401.
HARLEY'S KID CAMPAIGN
Harley-Davidson’s shows and events this year are for the benefit of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Leader of the parade for MS. literally, was Willie G. Davidson, who rode at Daytona with Rockv Arrizi, the MS poster child, in the Classic’s sidecar. W illie collected pledges for miles ridden on his way to Daytona and spectators at Harley’s show donated $1 each. H-D officials said close to $25,000 has been collected so far. The Harley “Artistry In Iron" show at the Los Sports Arena July 11-12. held in conjunction w ith the Superbowl of Motocross, will also benefit MS. in case you’d like to see the Harley show and donate to a good cause at the same time.
THE NEW THREAT
California’s air resources board is moving full speed ahead on tighter emission regulations for street bikes and for the adoption of dirt bike emission standards.
Federal emission standards for street bikes have stabilized the Environmental Protection Agency concluding that the present emission laws for motorcycles have reduced motorcycle pollution as much as practical. That’s not good enough for the No-No State.
The state wants hydrocarbon emissions reduced from a maximum of 5 grams per km. to 1 g/km. That’s not an easy goal to meet. As it was with cars, so it is with motorcycles; the first reductions in emissions are easy, the final reductions are tough. So far motorcycle manufacturers have met the federal standards by leaning out carburetion, retarding ignition or adding air suction systems to the exhaust ports, all relatively minor changes.
If the state has its way, some heavy duty rethinking will have to be done on motorcycle engines. So far the motorcycle manufacturers figure a motorcycle designed to meet the proposed California standards would cost from $200 to $450 more than existing models. For $200 to $450 you will also get a lot more weight and complexity added to your motorcycle. Add to the cost of motorcycles the difficulties for the manufacturers
in offering different models for California and there’s real headache material. California isn’t just the state with the most people and the most motorcyclists. It’s also the state where more motorcycles are sold than any other state and the numbers are important. Twice as many motorcycles are sold in California every year as in the next biggest selling state, Texas. It could be that all motorcycles might be designed to meet California standards and everyone would suffer.
Motorcycle manufacturers have protested the proposal and asked for a hearing to protest the regulations, but the CARB initially turned down the request. After going to see members of the state legislature, the motorcycle manufacturers were granted their hearing. Now it’s up to the engineers to convince the CARB (lovely acronym, isn’t it?) that the proposed smog law isn’t worthwhile.
At the same time, CARB isn’t ignoring off-road motorcycles. A series of hearings have been scheduled to determine current emission levels on dirt bikes and how emissions could be reduced. Although most of the off-road motorcycles purchased in California’s South Coast air basin are used outside the basin, the state is concerned that the number of bikes might be polluting the smoggy Los Angeles area.
LOADING UP
Shortly after the Honda GL1100 test appeared in the April Cycle World our friendly, neighborhood Honda man commented about the load capacity figures listed for various motorcycles. His concern is that the load figures are based on the manufacturer’s listed Gross Vehicle Weigiit Rating (GVWR) and not all companies figure the GVWR with the same safety factor.
That's perfectly true. Honda, being the largest motorcycle manufacturer, is the largest target. The company has millions of dollars of claims tiled against it everyyear and product liability is a major concern. So GVWR is set on the conservative side at Honda. It’s also set conservatively at other motorcycle companies, again, to make sure there's some reserve left in the motorcycle when it’s loaded to the factorylisted maximum.
Unfortunately, GVWR is the only figure motorcyclists have to figure how much a motorcycle will carry. The load capacity figure listed in Cycle World data panels is simply the GVWR minus the test weight, a number that’s based on the best information available. Because there’s no way of knowing whether Honda underestimates GVWR by 50 lb. or 100 lb., it's impossible to say whether the Gold Wing (or any other motorcycle) can carry more than the claimed maximum weight.
Certainly many touring riders have loaded their motorcycles beyond the GVWR and not had anything break. Lacking anv real information about load capacities, though, the GVWR is still the best and on1~' figure to use
THAT BMW PRICE
Maybe you were surprised to see that $7195 list price for the 1980 BMW R100T tested in the May issue. If your heart’s set on an R100T, relax. The price was wrong. The man at the west coast office of Butler and Smith, BMW import-
ers, gave us the suggested retail price for the R100RT, fully equipped. Base price for the 1980 R100T is $5525 and the price as tested, with full touring equipment, is $6266.
