Super X
Cruisin' Daytona
Super X
Three heavyweights hit the beach
Hangin’ with the Hanlon Boys and their made-in-Minnesota cruiser
DAVID EDWARDS
WATCHING DAN Hanlon wheel a 1909 Excelsior belt-drive Single around a downtown Daytona Beach parking lot, smile plastered ear-to-ear, while brother Dave stands by cheering him on, it’s hard not to root for this pair of Minnesota farm boys who grew up to start their own motorcycle company.
Five and a half years after the Hanlons got this crazy idea to resurrect the grand old name of ExcelsiorHenderson, out of business since 1931, the first 1999 Super X cruisers are rolling out of a new factory on the outskirts of Belle Plaine, their hometown. Along the way the company has raised more than $85 million in private investments, stock offerings, low-interest loans and grants from the city and state.
There have been bumps and potholes in this road to revival, though.
Production delays attributed to difficulties in EPA testing and “minor vendor issues” have eroded confidence in the company somewhat, both from consumers and a few Wall Street analysts. A report in March’s Motorcycle Consumer News, quoting marketing guru John Wyckoff, openly questioned the fledgling company’s ability to survive a financially draining setback such as a recall for mechanical defects-not unheard of when a new product comes to market, as Harley-Davidson found out with its Twin Cam 88 motor. Closer to home, after initially throwing their doors wide-open for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look (see “X Files: The Making of a New American Motorcycle,” CW, January, 1997), the Flânions have grown increasingly reclusive, fending off Cycle World's repeated requests for a test ride.
Well, the Brothers Hanlon were out front and accessible at Daytona, bringing with them a fleet of 25 demo-ride Super Xs for the public and press. Tom Rootness, E-H’s chief financial officer, was there too, proclaiming the compa-
ny’s viability, though he admitted it hasn’t always been a piece of cake. “Raising money is more relaxed now that we’re a company with operating revenue,” he said. “You should have been here five years ago when Dave and Dan had to raise the first $50,000 on their own...that was tough.” Said Dave Hanlon about Wyckoff s blast in MCN, “Hey, the guy never even talked to us!” And it appears that many money-steerers are still bullish on Excelsior-Henderson.
“We see the likelihood of success for the (company’s) business strategy outweighing the possibility for failure, and the potential returns being large,” Beth Burnson, analyst for Chicago investment house ABN-AMRO, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune in February. “We believe the stock has the ability to triple in three years.” Contacted by Cycle World for additional comments after Daytona, Burnson said, “We see no change from our previous position.”
Boosting the company’s image was the recent announcement that Steve Wilhite, a senior marketing executive who orchestrated the launch of Volkswagen’s new Beetle, has signed on as vice president of sales and marketing. In 1998, Wilhite was named “Grand Marketer of the Year” by Brandweek magazine.
Okay, enough with the Standard & Poor’s stuff. What’s the Super X like out on the road?
Pretty good-with a few notable exceptions. First off, the motor is stout. Fuel-injected, with dohc and four valves per cylinder, the 1386cc, air/oilcooled V-Twin feels as strong as Harley’s new Twin Cammer. Company officials vouch for rear-wheel horsepower readings in the low 60s (a couple more with the open slash-cuts shrewdly fitted to the Daytona demo bikes). Driveline lash is minimal and the gearbox shifts crisply, although finding neutral at a stop is a fishing expedition between first and second-best to snag it from above while still rolling.
More of a concern is vibration. Despite rubber engine mounts, the Super X treats its rider to bands of tingles. At certain rpm, the seat hums, or those massive fork springs excite themselves into a blur, or the floorboards want to walk your boots right off. In between, smoothness.
“We think that’s cool, that’s character,” contends Dave Hanlon, though he admits a rethink may be in order once all the demo-ride comments are filtered down, noting that it took Harley a second try to get the Dyna chassis’ rubber mounts just right.
On to the chassis, visually dominated (maybe too much so?) by that goliath front suspension. Can’t fault it in operation, though, as there’s some quality bump-eating going on here. Ditto the single rear shock hidden amidships. The fork has true anti-dive properties, too-romp on the strong front brake and the fork refuses to dip, not even an iota.
Two complaints. Rear brake feel is wooden initially then bites hard, not an ideal situation. And the chassis runs out of cornering clearance quickly, scraping the folding floorboard on the left and a very unbudgeable mounting bolt on the right. Frustrating, because the Super X, even at 650 pounds, really wants to handle.
Backroad blasters may be in luck, though. E-H officials wink-winknudged-nudged that the new-model pipeline is already primed.
“Sportier or tourier?” we asked. “Maybe both,” was the reply. Check back with us after Sturgis.
