Motorcycle: Harley-Luja!

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MOTORCYCLE

Harley-Luja!

  • Site editor Marcus Efler

More PS, less chrome: The legendary brand reacts to customer requirements

Harley driver: What a mixture. The German Consul in Mallorca has one, the dentist around the corner and of course the Rocker, who bound to the annual biker meeting on the Friesenheim Island in front of Mannheim in the canbier.
Nothing, it just seemed yet, could brake the success of the legendary motorcycle brand from Milwaukee / Wisconsin. For 15 years, Harley-Davidson allowed himself to install the same engine; Nevertheless, customers among the dealer charged for contracts. If this manufacturer now registers stagnating sales, his model program renovated and a new engine offers twelve ps more, then something has to happen.
At the beginning of the nineties, all Zeimsister Harley wanted to drive, and Harley could allow himself. Endless delivery times. Exorbitant prices. And an old engine so sloppy so sloppy for German noise rules, that in the export version remain a total of 48 hp – for a motorcycle of the 300-kilo class! At a Harley-Davidson, that’s what Lapidar says, just counted other values as horsepower. Of course, that was customer disgusting: Finally, the torque sagged on flap values. Of course, many of the new buyers did not even realize that there was a lack of.
But then the competition heated the comfortable Americans powerfully. Nothing about trouble: Japanese copies such as the Honda Shadow and the Yamaha Royal Star gained character and image from year to year. An Italian Moto Guzzi was elected "Cruiser of the Year" in the USA. And the "chips", the policemen of California Highway Patrol, driving BMW.
Confessing Harley fans, of course, remain true to their brand. "With our readers, BMW does not get a bike to the ground," says a editor of the magazine "Bikers News", the central organ of the German rockers scene. On the other hand, Harley-Davidson hardly benefits from the motorcycle boom for new and reinstates.
Gutverdiener, just secure Harley clients, learn their freedom after work, preferably via BMW: The Chopper R 1200 C is the best-selling Big Bike in Germany. Harley had just been discontinued on expansion; The production capacities will soon allow 200,000 instead of the currently sold 140 000 machines annually.
Time to act. A new design center is said to satisfy unprecedented customer wishes so far: for European buyers are types whose engine carries rather than chip chic mat black. This saves money – the dark Night Train is the only chopper of the Softail series, which is under 30,000 marks.
At the sonorous names, Harley-Davidson has never specified. Electra Glide: Tour types with radio and giant peasure. Dyna Glide: Vibrating windwind machines. Both series are wearing the new engine.
At its development, sports car specialist Porsche helped vigorously. The Weissacher, for almost 30 years with Harley-Davidson in business, know the value of traditional designs: the new Harley engine has, like its predecessor, two cylinders with two valves each. The 88 cubic-inch – just under one and a half liters – enlarged displacement supplies 68 hp, in the exhaust two unregulated catalysts stuck. Best of all: the achievement unchanged the German market.
There is a lot of driving pleasure. The powerful torque drives the iron block progressing; Even words like "Speed" cars to pronounce the Harley engineers now. 40 000 kilometers they tested with 130 km / h: after all, the pace of the new American high-speed trains.
When accelerating, the engine shakes like a seismograph at a displacement of the ST.-Andreas Grabens. Some Japanese manufacturers simulates the quake from the cylinder block with special vibrator shafts in the engine; At the AMIS it is genome. "We could have been able to construct a smooth engine," says development leader Earl Werner, "but our customers do not want that."Motto: A Harley is only real when she shakes her taillight after 500 miles.
Werner compares the vibrations with the sound of a Porsche – the typical engine characteristic. In fact, the two brands have a lot together: from 2000 also a work in Kansas City, where the new V2 will arise. And maybe a really modern V4 aggregate. At some point in 15 years.
Data Dyna & Electra Glide
Heavy American cruiser and touring models with belt drive
Motor Airgek. V 2; 1449 CCM
Power 50 kW (68 hp) at 5500 / min torque 106 kW at 2900 / min
Weight 290-385 kg
Peak. 135-170 km / h
Price approx. 23 500-41 000 Mark
+ Through-strong engine, high prestigious value, high value retention, comfortable seating position
High purchase price, unwieldy by high weight
Buell Harley’s fast sister
Today’s Harley brand was founded by Erik Buell, former employee at Harley-Davidson.
Harley-Twin in the frame
The engine (1199 CCM) from the Harley Sportster achieved with 95 hp driving performance, which are equal to those of Japanese Big Bikes.
Ducati in the sights
In the German market, Buell (spoken: bjul) wants to win drivers who want to notice – and so far about Ducati Monsters drove.

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