First Look 1993: Harleys And Hondas For the New Year
FIRST LOOK 1993: HARLEYS AND HONDAS FOR THE NEW YEAR
NEW FOR '93
HARLEYDAVIDSON
WHAT'S OLD IS NEW, AND VICE-VERSA FOR HARLEY-Davidson's 1993 lineup. For the most part, the line is composed of the familiar Harley players, with just a few exceptions. There are two new models: the Dyna Wide Glide and the Dyna Low Rider. Six anniversary models with special paint commemorate the 90 years Harley-Davidson has built motorcycles. And several hardware upgrades are sprinkled throughout the rest of the line.
The Dyna Wide Glide and Dyna Low Rider both are built on the Dyna Glide chassis, which features a rubber-mounted engine, to emulate the look of previous custom Harley models. The Dyna Wide Glide is a pure factory chopper, complete with what Harley proudly calls a “Factory Ape Hanger” handlebar-high enough to keep the rider’s armpits cool, but not so high as to rupture state codes limiting handlebar height. The bike, which uses Harley’s familiar Big Twin engine and separate five-speed transmission, draws its fuel from a new, one-piece Fat Bob tank, rides on a 21inch front wheel, and shows off a bobbed rear fender.
The Dyna Low Rider uses a lower handlebar than the Wide Glide, and offers a removable pillion seat so the bike can be converted to a single-seater. It also offers dual front discs, a black-and-chrome powertrain and chromed accents.
Also “new” is the Heritage Softail Nostalgia, introduced as a ’93 model in March (see Cycle World, June, 1992), which has picked up the unofficial “Cow-Glide” monicker, thanks to its small, cowhide-covered saddlebags.
The limited-edition anniversary models will be particularly desirable in this, Harley-Davidson’s 90th year of production, to those who plan to participate in the company’s reunion ride, which will culminate in a June 12th celebration in Milwaukee.
The anniversary models include special models of the 1200 Sportster, the Low Rider Custom, the Dyna Wide Glide, the Electra Glide Classic, the Ultra Classic and the Tour Glide Ultra Classic. These feature special silver-and-charcoal custom paint, serialized nameplates and 90th anniversary fueltank emblems. As of presstime, Harley had not set prices for the anniversary models, or for the rest of the line.
Additionally, Harley has upgraded a number of its otherwise unchanged bikes. The base Sportster 883 and Hugger 883 both get belt drive this year, a move that means all Harleys now are belt-driven. The Springer Softail uses a floating front fender that places the fender in much closer proximity to the front tire than in the past. Brake and clutch levers on all models have new “blade” profiles that make them easier to reach and more comfortable to grab. All Dyna Glide chassis will use new engine mounts made of a revised rubber compound designed to further reduce the amount of engine vibration that seeps through to pilot and passenger.
The touring bike line also gets its share of the upgrades. All of these now use a remote oil reservoir mounted below the engine and transmission; all now feature a battery positioned under the seat, instead of behind the right saddlebag; saddlebags are 15 percent larger than before; and all those bags get revised lids hinged and permanently attached to the bags themselves.
Gone from the lineup for this year are the standard Low Rider FXRS and the sport-touring FXRT, a move made in the interest of providing additional production capacity as the worldwide demand for Harleys continues unabated. But even without those two models, it looks to be not only a good year for Harley-Davidson lovers, but for the company itself.
HONDA
THE GOOD NEWS FROM HONDA IS, CONFRONTED BY DEALERSHIPS that by midsummer had sold out their floor stock on some - models, the firm has released details on 1993 models early.
The bad news is, what Honda so far has shown concerns only models that are being carried over into the new model year unchanged or changed only in detail. You can read about some of the juicier Honda rumors in this issue’s Roundup, but it will be a couple of months before we learn the truth about the really new models in Honda’s 1993 catalog. In the meantime, here’s what we do know.
The Gold Wing GL1500, in its SE, Aspencade and Interstate forms, gets several changes. All bikes get rocker amis that run on needle bearings, instead of plain bearings. Honda says this is to reduce valvetrain friction and noise.
The Interstate entry-level Wing, priced at $9399, gets three new colors. The Aspencade, which will retail for S12,399, gets a cruise control that derives its signals electronically from engine speed instead of road speed-Honda says this will result in more precise operation-and it gets air valves in its fork tubes to allow for manual adjustment of fork pressure.
The SE, which will retail for $14,399, gets all of that, plus a CB radio and four speakers as standard equipment, with the CB and stereo controls incorporated into the left handlebar audio controller. It will be available in a choice of four colors.
The rest of the early-release Honda lineup makes do with minor, cosmetic changes:
STI 100 ($9399) and STI 100 ABS/TCS ($11,399): No changes.
Shadow 1100 ($6799): New custom colors, no mechanical changes.
CBR900RJR ($8299): No changes.
VFR750 ($7399): Unchanged, except for its color, which for ‘93 is pearl white.
Nighthawk 750 ($4349): Available in metallic blue as well as red and black; no mechanical changes.
XR650L ($4399) and XR250L ($3399): No changes to Honda’s dual-purpose duo.
CBR600F2 ($5899): Bridgestone Battlax radial tires now come as standard equipment; revised graphics and colors.
Shadow VLX ($4299): No changes to this 600cc cruiser, except the addition of a Deluxe version ($4599) that has more chrome, a Shadow 1100-style, button-tuck seat and a two-tone, teal-and-black paint scheme.
Nighthawk 250: No changes, other than the addition of black paint to the blue and red the bike was available in last year. No price set as of presstime.
And that’s it for now. Who knows what wonderful secrets may lurk in Honda’s near future? We don’t, at least not yet. But as soon as we find out, we’ll let you know.
