Main Menu
|
|
Active Threads
|
|
Members Birthdays
|
|
|
View Poll Results: How long will Harley continue to Make air-cooled Sportsters
|
|
Less than 4 years: the air cooled motor is doomed.
|
   
|
52 |
21.76% |
|
4-10 years: They should be able to get another decade with oil cooling.
|
  
|
78 |
32.64% |
|
10-20 years: they'll add water jackets to reduce noise.
|
  
|
12 |
5.02% |
|
Never, the air coooled Sporty will live forever!!!
|
  
|
102 |
42.68% |
1st August 2008
|
|
Greasemonkey
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego
Posts: 120 Sportster/Buell Model: 883 Sportster/Buell Year: 2003
|
|
How long do you think harley will make air cooled Sportsters???
The limitation that Harley is stuck with is the fact that a Sportster has to look like a Sportster. Look how much weight they had to add to the frame to make it stiff enough to not have to use the engine as a stressed part. Buell's engineering (even the bikes out before the previous generation bikes) didn't have the limitation of having to use a conventional looking double cradle frame.
The Sportster's link to tradition and the original 1957 bike is both it's strength and it's weakness. It's getting harder and harder to improve the bike's performance without turning it into something altogether different. The XR1200 probably represents a high water mark for something that uses a poweplant derived from the original EVO motor.
Or spending a huge amount of money to re-engineer the bike from the ground up. As long as Harley can sell spin-offs of the current bike at a profit, they have no incentive to do just that. The fact that they can take what is essentially the Evolution XL bike (with fuel injection and rubber mount frame) and get a fairly remarkable level of performance out of it is quite an accomplishment in itself.
.
|
2nd August 2008
|
 |
Senior Master Custom Bike Builder
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,952 Sportster/Buell Model: XL 883 Sportster/Buell Year: 2007 Other Motorcycle Model: BMW R1150R Other Motorcycle Year: 2004
|
|
Why mess with a good thing? The Sporty to me is KISS.. Keep It Simple Stupid
|
2nd August 2008
|
|
Senior Master Custom Bike Builder
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 18,132
|
|
My prediction - as long as it can - I suspect that the EU or EPA will likely force a change before the market will.
That said, I THINK the weight thing is largely a cost driven issue - i.e. they could go to an aluminum frame and save a serious chunk, plus go with lighter materials for bodywork etc, but it would all cost and these are really entry level machines.
Kev
|
2nd August 2008
|
|
Biker
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: New Jersey (south)
Posts: 81 Sportster/Buell Model: xl883 Sportster/Buell Year: 2007 Other Motorcycle Model: R100gs Other Motorcycle Year: 1991
Reputation: 121
|
|
Harley may begin to think about liquid cooling when global warming makes air cooling impractical and civilisation collapses.
|
2nd August 2008
|
|
Greasemonkey
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego
Posts: 120 Sportster/Buell Model: 883 Sportster/Buell Year: 2003
|
|
Glad you brought this up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kev M
My prediction - as long as it can - I suspect that the EU or EPA will likely force a change before the market will.
Kev
|
I agree. If you couldn't make them louder (IE: if only stock bikes could be registered) with aftermarket exhausts, Harley would sell a lot fewer motorcycles today. Some people won't buy a bike if they can't make racket with it. |
2nd August 2008
|
|
Senior Master Custom Bike Builder
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 18,132
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fauxsuper
I agree. If you couldn't make them louder (IE: if only stock bikes could be registered) with aftermarket exhausts, Harley would sell a lot fewer motorcycles today. Some people won't buy a bike if they can't make racket with it.
|
I was talking tailpipe emissions, not noise, but the same principle applies.
And though I think a LOT of people buy Harleys on this juvinile noise making image - you're also talking to a 4 time owner who has run stock pipes or close to stock pipes for over 100k miles of Harleys - the LOUDEST bike I've ever had was my first Sporty with Screaming Eagle mufflers - since then it's been either stocks or gronks... |
2nd August 2008
|
|
Riding with Angels
|
|
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Where ever I am at the time...
Posts: 2,139 Sportster/Buell Model: XLCH Sportster/Buell Year: 1975 Other Motorcycle Model: Yamaha XT550 mutant Other Motorcycle Year: 1982
|
|
|
2nd August 2008
|
 |
Ride That F'N Sportster
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Carolina Coast
Posts: 15,754 Sportster/Buell Model: Highly modified 1200 c Sportster/Buell Year: 01 Sportster/Buell Model #2: KX450F Other Motorcycle Model: FLHX H-D Street glide Other Motorcycle Year: 2013
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kev M
My prediction - as long as it can - I suspect that the EU or EPA will likely force a change before the market will.
That said, I THINK the weight thing is largely a cost driven issue - i.e. they could go to an aluminum frame and save a serious chunk, plus go with lighter materials for bodywork etc, but it would all cost and these are really entry level machines.
Kev
|
Have you seen the ghey -rod, or the XR 1200........ they already use lighter materials, or the fact the new XL line doesen't use metal oil tanks or metal side covers anymore??
but i do agree, it will come down to cost savings in the long run.......it has to.......... for the MoCo to survive!! 
As far as air cooled goes..........it's going out........when ...........thats the million dollar question........ Stay Tuned!!
__________________
RTFS
Ride That F'N Sportster!!
When life throws a curve...lean into it and open the throttle
The wind, weather, and two wheels...what else do you need??
|
2nd August 2008
|
 |
Master Custom Bike Builder
|
|
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house on a hill in Central Pa.
Posts: 3,045 Sportster/Buell Model: 883R Sportster/Buell Year: 2007 Sportster/Buell Model #2: Buell P3 Sportster/Buell Year #2: 2001 Other Motorcycle Model: Ninja650R traded for 883R Other Motorcycle Year: 2006
|
|
ahhh...
The rubbermounts DO USE Metal side Covers !
Quote:
Originally Posted by xllent01
Have you seen the ghey -rod, or the XR 1200........ they already use lighter materials, or the fact the new XL line doesen't use metal oil tanks or metal side covers anymore??
but i do agree, it will come down to cost savings in the long run.......it has to.......... for the MoCo to survive!!
As far as air cooled goes..........it's going out........when ...........thats the million dollar question........ Stay Tuned!! |
__________________
~Ralph (gonna try not being so Feisty)
*Former- AMA N.E. District 2 Flattracker #15u '74-'84
|
2nd August 2008
|
|
Ride That F'N Sportster
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Carolina Coast
Posts: 15,754 Sportster/Buell Model: Highly modified 1200 c Sportster/Buell Year: 01 Sportster/Buell Model #2: KX450F Other Motorcycle Model: FLHX H-D Street glide Other Motorcycle Year: 2013
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralphthe3rd
The rubbermounts DO USE Metal side Covers !
|
Sorry man.........thats what happens when your brain types faster than your fingers........ 
Anyhoo.........you get the jist of it....  even if the bikes still use plastic clips and zip ties to hold the sidecovers on........  |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
|
|
| Display Modes |
 Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:34.
|
