If Harley made a 500 thumper on or about a sportster sized frame and quality, I'd probably have one.
Also, if they made a V4, it had the torque I want and I could live with the sound, I'd buy it before many other brands.
While I love the Vtwin, but if performance meets my expectations and other intangibles such as decent sound, appearance, engine layout and ability to work on it are okay, I'd consider a Harley V4.
Especially in they lost a 100 pounds or so and keep the weight low on a two up touring bike.
Hell, the only good Indian in my younger days was their straight 4. If Harley made a decent straight four, I'd at least test ride it.

 

Lets, see .... I've owned v-twins, flat sixes, horizontal 4s, a V-4, a parallel twin, and a single jug thumper. If the bike looked and felt right, sure, I'd think about buying a Harley with something other than a v-twin.

 

Well, yes and no. It’s still rear-engined, but they’re almost all automatics, they’re water-cooled, and the suspensions are totally reworked. I think a modern HD is closer to a 1966 HD than a modern 911 is to a 1966 911...

 

Harley's 45 degree V-twin is it's identity and as American as it gets.....but maybe there is another engine that has almost as much heritage and is even MORE American...... Motus baby small block V4. http://www.americanv4.com

What potential, why didn't HD buy Motus rather than entertaining making an offer on Ducati?

 

I have a Harley only because it is a Harley. Because it looks like a Harley, sounds like a Harley and feels like a like a Harley.

There are plenty of "motorcycles" I can buy. If I wanted one of them, I would buy one.

 

It makes me wonder where HD would be now if AMF hadn't trashed the Nova and actually produced it.

For those interested. https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/201...va-look-might/

People would probably converge on Milwaukee today if HD did, but I'd like to see what HD could do if they revived and modernized the NOVA project.

 

It’s funny. I would never buy a V-4 Harley but would buy an inline 4 as long as it was longitudinal.

 

The 911 layout remained the same, hanging the engine out behind the rear axle line which has always been its achilles heel but technology has overcome it for the most part. Enough to keep it alive and less tail-happy. The same can be done if one wanted to run an archaic air cooled v-twin that meets emissions. They still have variable cam timing as an option, direct injection (if they aren't already DI), they could even run solenoid controlled valves, make the jugs out of ceramic even. Want more get up and go run a 7 speed with a higher numerical axle ratio.

 

Yep. Basically my point in posting this thread. If I really wanted smooth and powerful (although my Harley has way more power than I ever use) I would buy a Yamaha.

 

A Motus V4 (style of engine) powered Sport Glide with complementing performance upgrades. Suspension, electronics, exhaust etc. And a completely stripped model with a-la-carte options available sitting right beside it. I would think those would sell well once people knew they existed. After all, the Motus engine is supposed to be a Chevy 350 engine cut in half so it would be simple enough.