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The greatest motorcycle ever made in Japan

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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 12:20 PM
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Default The greatest motorcycle ever made in Japan
Rikuo: King of the Road

Interesting read

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rikuo_Motorcycle
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 02:13 PM
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Very intersting.
 
Old Oct 29, 2010 | 02:46 PM
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Who knew ?
 
Old Oct 29, 2010 | 03:15 PM
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Boy, if this was Victory that did this you all would be knocking them soo bad, calling them traitors and what not. But since this was HD it's alright...

MADE IN AMERICA.. Bwahaha
 
Old Oct 29, 2010 | 03:25 PM
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Interesting. I wonder if that had any impact on the Japanese motorcycle companies that would come later. I guess the cycle is complete now...license and build Harleys, build Japan specific bikes, export Japan specific bikes, build Harley knock-offs.
 
Old Oct 29, 2010 | 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by GMbagger
Boy, if this was Victory that did this you all would be knocking them soo bad, calling them traitors and what not. But since this was HD it's alright...

MADE IN AMERICA.. Bwahaha
Exactly! It will either go one of 2 ways. There will not be much said or there will not be many posts.
 
Old Oct 29, 2010 | 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by GMbagger
Boy, if this was Victory that did this you all would be knocking them soo bad, calling them traitors and what not. But since this was HD it's alright...

MADE IN AMERICA.. Bwahaha
There is some other sites on the subject. A lot of companies could not survive the depression and HD was not doing well at the time either. I'm pretty sure they were not anticipating war with Japan when they made the decision to sell licenses in the far east. The Japanese were already experts at duplicating technology. The most interesting part of the history is the fact that the Japanese loved the motorcycle. They finally closed the factory when the average citizen could not afford a big American style V-Twin and police departments started going with cheaper alternatives.
 

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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by cromagnon
They finally closed the factory when the average citizen could not afford a big American style V-Twin and police departments started going with cheaper alternatives.

shiiiiit... that sounds awfully familiar.
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Bike-R-Mike
Who knew ?
I did.

Originally Posted by GMbagger
Boy, if this was Victory that did this you all would be knocking them soo bad, calling them traitors and what not. But since this was HD it's alright...

MADE IN AMERICA.. Bwahaha
History is written by the winner.
 
Old Oct 29, 2010 | 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Bike-R-Mike
Who knew ?
Easy rider had one of these as a feature bike, complete with story, about 33 years ago. Not exactly news.
 



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