The results of the second American Flat Track race are in. Unfortunately, Indian finished 1-2-3. H-D's came in 4th, 6th and 8th but they weren't factory bikes. To add insult to injury, those bikes were the "old" air cooled XR750's! The factory bikes/riders (the new liquid cooled XG750R's) finished 10th, 11th and 15th. All of the other positions were taken by Kawi 650's. What the heck is going on here?

If this is a power contest (and to some extent I suppose it is) I can only imagine what's gonna happen at the mile races. Sheesh. Here's a link to the results:

http://www.americanflattrack.com/eve...-track/results

 

Yep, they do seem to have a power problem...

But let's not forget that the on-track placings are a little skewed too. Indian went out and hired the three best riders on the circuit. I bet their rider payroll exceeds the whole team budget for the non-factory HD teams.

 

If you're going to compete, compete; don't half *** it. Harley got beat on the track and apparently got beat buying talent and bringing a competitive machine. The difference between HDs resources and Indian is massive, which makes it even more embarrassing. Harley could out spend Indian with the executive "entertainment" expense account budget. What's worse is HD is actually racing a bike on Sunday that they want to sell in the showroom on Monday.

And the final slap in the face? That "made for india and the rest of the world" bike replaced the XR750. It's criminal.

 

Well, at least the Super Hooligans was won with a Sportster.....Could be a long season for Harley.

 

got beat buying talent ... Yep, sure did.

http://www.cyclenews.com/2016/06/art...ma-jared-mees/

 

This is hardly a new "slap in the face." H-D doesn't exactly gush money into racing... The sponsors cover most of the "factory" costs in NHRA drag. Heck, you could even say the ONLY reason Harley looks good in Drag (so to speak) is that NHRA wrote the rule book for especially for them.

They dominated flat track for a couple of seasons because they just happened to have the best talent and they had a few fingers in the pot when the equipment rules were re-written.

I don't think what's happening this year is "criminal." Indian is winning the way most race teams win - they committed to the competition with their pocketbook. It's not going to make me run out and buy an Indian, but I will give them their due.

Also, I'm not such a die hard blind Harley fanatic to think "they must win everything" or it's criminal.

 

Harley, and lack of power have been used in the same sentence for decades now. Surprising? Not at all.

 

I feel Harley should have designed a race bike engine first, then detune for reliability and put it on the street.

 

The XR 750 has pretty much OWNED the GNC flat track series since the early '70's. The XR is/was probably the winningest race only motorcycle ever built. I'll grant you that Mees, Smith, and Baker are the top three riders right now, but the HD factory team of Coolbeth (multiple Grand National Championships), Johnson (former Grand National Champion), and up and coming talent Robinson, are hardly poor riders. Those guys are ALL capable of winning every race......IF........they had equipment to do so. The very fact that these three TOP riders finished where they did, only proves how weak the new XG750 is right now. In plain old terms......it's a DOG! I feel sorry that those guys have to try and compete on that bike.

 

A "couple" seasons??? Riders on XR-750s have won 35 of the 44 AMA Grand National Championships from 1972 to 2016.