Rare Harley-Davidson MX250 Is a Motor-cross Wonder
Daily Slideshow: But it's also pretty significant.
Racing Pedigree
Harley and motorcycle racing have gone hand-in-hand for decades now. From flat trackers to dragsters, MoCo has dipped its toe in pretty much every kind of two-wheeled motorsport entity out there. But when Harley wanted to get into motocross, they leaned on their partners to make it happen quickly. And the result was this - the MX250.
Partners in Sport
It all started when parent company AMF asked Harley to develop a ride suitable for the ultra hot motocross world. And they didn't have to look far to find an engine for their new ride, either. H-D leaned on partner (and a company they partly owned) Aermacchi to develop a 250cc, two-stroke motor for competition.
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Solid Performer
The first MX250 debuted in 1974 with a chromoly frame built by Champion and a svelte 212-pound curb weight. With a 36mm Mikuni carb, the Aermacchi engine produced good power in the low to mid ranges.
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Little Success
Unfortunately, the MX250 didn't experience any success in motocross racing. Though it did produce a Baja 500 win in 1975. That same year, Harley ceased production of the MX250, and it wouldn't resume building them until 1978.
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End of an Era
Unfortunately, Harley's second effort wasn't any more successful than the first. Thus, by 1979, the company's motocross efforts were finished, never to be restarted.
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Stellar, Rare Example
Today, those limited efforts meam finding an original MX250 is a difficult task. Making this stellar example, up for grabs at Mecum's Las Vegas auction taking place January 22-27, is a truly rare find.
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Last of Its Kind
Especially when you consider that this was the last year for the MX250 before its demise. Roughly 1,000 of them were produced in total, and many fewer than that still exist today.
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Failed but Triumphant Effort
This particular bike is original and unrestored as well. And someone has gone to the trouble of painting Harley-Davidson team rider Marty Tripes' signature on the number plate. Thus, this rare MX250 is a shining reminder of a time when things didn't go exactly as planned. But you sure can't fault Harley for their stellar effort at trying to make motocross success a reality!
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