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Harley Davidson to Retire from Racing

34111 Views 146 Replies 69 Participants Last post by Dangerousdave_2, Mar 11, 2006

starvingstudent

Discussion Starter · Aug 28, 2001

Good. I never understood why they were in it to begin with. They weren't competitive, and their own customers didn't care one whit about racing.

It would be nice to think that without this extra burden, they'd drop prices to what is reasonable for the technology they sell. But that's wishful thinking, unfortunately.

61 - 80 of 147 Posts

PsychoBueller

· #61 · Aug 29, 2001

Re: Petition to H-D..Give Buell race team

http://www.petitiononline.com/hdb/petition.html

All people who want to see an American AMA Superbike win, sign this!

SeanAlexander

· #62 · Aug 29, 2001

Re: A Very Selective Memory

Rod,

That was an outstanding reply. Kudos to you, for having the patience and wisdom to say it like it is.

P.S. (I'm a Rice/Pasta Rocket fan)

Spinetingler

· #63 · Aug 29, 2001

Re: An analogy

Yikes -

Baseball - John Kruk: No athletecism (spelling?) - no business being in sports. Made it to the all star game and in the World Series. For that matter, the current Phillies team has no business being in first place with Atlanta; mediocre pitching and spotty hitting.

Football: Trent Dilfer & Mark Rypien; both SuperBowl quarterbacks that had no business being there. but won the big one.

Basketball: Muggsy Bogues - need I say more?? Allen Iverson - he's barely 6 foot, but was the league MVP.

Would you call any of these guys stupid? If so, I'd bet they'd laugh all the way to the bank.

You have to come uo with better analogies. I would (and did / do) applaud all the athletes I mentioned. And would applaud your examples if they got the job done the best or up to the best standards.

Now, you could have said HD is to Superbike racing as tin cans and a string are to telephones and I think I could have appreciated you analogy better. Or as drum brakes are to disc brakes; as carbeuration (spelling?) is to fuel injection; as snailmail is to email; as George w. Bush is to intelligence (uh-oh - know I'll start something w/ that one!!).

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3622

· #64 · Aug 29, 2001

Last time I looked, this was America. Land of capitalism amongst other things. If HD can sell all that they can build with 50+ percent profit margin, isn't that what they should do? Wouldn't you? Perhaps you should have bought some stock and joined the ride.

hdpetey

· #65 · Aug 29, 2001

Good I always chuckled when I saw the "Harley-Davidson Racing" shirts and thought of their road racing lack of success.

3622

· #66 · Aug 29, 2001

Believe it or not, HD superbike racing has brought new fans to the AMA table. They brought me in, for instance and I'm sure they've brought others to racing (anytime you start thinking you are unique, think again). I will not stop watching or attending because they have gone but it is still a shame nonetheless. Its a shame that they were uncompetitive and its a shame that they are gone. The more racers, the better the race. Later.

Neal

· #67 · Aug 29, 2001

Welllll.....Im looking out my work window at my Electra glide and one other HD....no Jap bikes to be seen although many here own them.I ALWAYS wave,i have stock pipes and ALWAYS stop to help fellow motorcyclists...even those who wont stop for HD riders like me.Open your horizons Buddy...you sound much more close minded than most HD riders I know.

Neal

· #68 · Aug 29, 2001

Re: A rather selective retirement..

Actually Vance and Hines is teaming with HD to build a Harley to compete in the NHRA prostock class....be interested to see how they do

choptop32

· #69 · Aug 29, 2001

uuhhh dude, the "tank" on the XB9R is really an airbox cover....

The gas is stored IN the frame.

Talk about blind.....

aminalmutha

· #70 · Aug 29, 2001

Woahhhh... back up the cart for a second. Methinks you should look at some of the dyno graphs on this site. You think the R1 only generates 40lb-ft of torque??? Try 70ish peak lb-ft. 600cc sportbikes produce a little over 40lb-ft peak torque. Oh, and plus the R1 generates probably 30 to 40 more peak horse power than a typical Buell. It also revs to oh, 12000 rpm or so, meaning it has a much broader operating range. I'm sure the Buells generate more torque at lower rpm, but that's why high revving bikes are geared lower. Let's get our numbers remotely close before passing judgement. Oh, and 3 quarts of oil weighs aproximately 4 and a half or so pounds. How much of that really is sprung? What about the dynamic effects of oil sloshing around in there? Seems like one more thing to go wrong to me.

starvingstudent

Discussion Starter · #71 · Aug 29, 2001

This is America, and they have a right to swindle, as you so properly point out.

Well, this is America, and when a businessman is a swindling A-hole, I have the right to call him on it, boycott his company, and encourage others to do the same.

starvingstudent

Discussion Starter · #72 · Aug 29, 2001

Re: An analogy

Since you agree with my idea but not my analogy, let me make it more clear.

You cite people who are thin or short (as if 6 feet is short!), but not to the degree that I stated. There has NEVER been a 110-pounder in the NFL, even if there has been a 180-lb "flyweight". Though there have been some "short" six-footers in the NBA, has there ever been someone who is 5'2", or 4'8"? Didn't think so. My grandfather is 4'7", and if he tried to join the NBA, yes I would call him a fool. The examples you give are equivalent to something like the CBR929--down ten or so horsepower. The Firebolt is down thirty or fourty horsepower, like my examples. Good handling and "spirit" won't matter when you have a deficit _that large_.

Well, use whatever analogy you want, we seem to agree on the basic idea anyway ;-)

aminalmutha

· #73 · Aug 29, 2001

Hmmmm... Interesting.

tbuse

· #74 · Aug 29, 2001

Anybody who has a part come loose or fall off isn't doing his maintenance. Whenever you use a 45 degree pushrod engine, you have to use locktite or safety wiring. The thing's going to vibrate; it's a given. I've owned a number of Shovelheads, including a dual plugged, 93" custom. NO part went on that bike without locktite. The parts I lost, I broke. My fault for using after market stuff. Properly installed, quality parts stayed where they were supposed to.

tbuse

· #75 · Aug 29, 2001

You have absolutely no clue as to the cost of building a Harley, but have called them swindlers. Before you start calling names you sould schedule an economics course for next semester. Compare not only the profit margins of H-D bikes and those from Japanese manufacturers, but also the repair costs. Then compare the volume sold by both companies and the relative profitability of each company. (Look at just the motorcycle division of the Japanese company, not the entire company.) Then just quit whining. You hate Harleys. That's cool; don't buy one. However, learn a little before you start impuning people's motives.

tbuse

· #76 · Aug 29, 2001

Realistically, look at it from Harley's perspective; why? The Japanese & the Italians rely on the old saying "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" (Or Tuesday, since I don't know a bike shop that's open on Monday.) What benefit does H-D get out of racing that it cannot get elsewhere? If Harley wins races, there is no "race replica" type bike that it's customer can then run out and buy. Therefore, racing gives no direct benefits. As far as developing technologies, there are cheaper ways to do that. The only real result of Harley discontinuing their race effort is that you will never see any Harley riders sitting around in their silly little rompers talking about how they could out ride Eric Bostrom if they didn't have this night manager at Denny's thing going on. (By the way, you don't have to race to make a good bike. Triumph doesn't have a race team either.)

tbuse

· #77 · Aug 29, 2001

Re: A rather selective retirement..

That Harley is sponsering a NHRA team shouldn't be surprising given the great emphasis given in the press on the V-Rod to drag race styling & heritage. Should be interesting to see what they can do. Wonder if they'll get a woman to ride it.

tbuse

· #78 · Aug 29, 2001

Excuse me, but if you are going to continue to be reasonable, we are going to have to ask you to leave. lol

RRocket

· #79 · Aug 29, 2001

Re: Even more power figures

The only way the Firebolt will suprise me, is if it doesn't get the madatory Buell recall...

tbuse

· #80 · Aug 29, 2001

"How many harley guys watch roadracing???"

Quite a few actually. Got any more stereotypes?

61 - 80 of 147 Posts

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