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Any word that Harley might consider uping the displacement again to compete with Victory and some of the other manufactures? Any hint of other changes to the Softail line similar to what they did on the Touring line?
Yeah if you know Harley history in lean times changes don't come quickly for the Moco thats how they made it 106 years... as for Victory as sluggish as their sales were in a booming motorcycle frenzy, lets just see if they make it or if they go back to selling atv's and snow machines
A company the size of HD with shareholders to satisfy will have a very detailed strategic plan that probably looks out five years and more. As part of this, you can be sure it includes intellectual property and making it difficult for companies like S&S to sell exact knock-offs of the current platform and drive train. You'll recall the TC88 was around for 7 years and it was patented to prevent direct knock offs. As I recall, S&S was sued for trying to market one. Anyway, this is all speculation but I suspect they will make a major motor change in 2014 with new intellectual property. Don't look for them to drop the air cooled platform from the lineup. They will have no problems meeting EPA. They may add a H2O motor and it will be market driven and I seriously doubt it will replace the air cooled but would be in addition to the air cooled. I suspect the 2014 air cooled twinkie will have reworked heads that are oil cooled similar to the BMW Boxer motor. BTW, that motor pushes anywhere from 105 - 130 hp in stock form at something like 1170 cc and doesn't have any heat problems or durability issues and runs 12:1 or 12.5:1 compression.
Contrary to the hyperbole on the internet, the Motor Co. will not have to abandon the air cooled motor to meet EPA and they will be able to increase power and performance if they want.
Last edited by stratplexi; Jan 3, 2009 at 07:05 PM.
Any word that Harley might consider uping the displacement again to compete with Victory and some of the other manufactures? Any hint of other changes to the Softail line similar to what they did on the Touring line?
Hope not...larger displacement usually means worst gas mileage...
Harley didn't get where it is today making go-fasts..I've recently seen
several V-rods runnig around with rice burners....let Harley continue that
track... don't make my basic transportation guzzle gas.
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