Author Topic: More on the H-D Adventure Bike  (Read 3775 times)

Offline leafman60

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More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« on: August 19, 2018, 06:57:07 AM »
http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/harley-davidson-pan-america-hit-or-bust/

I agree with these comments for the most part.

The long-term challenge for motorcycle producers is to attract the upcoming young people as current and future customers. Even BMW faces that issue. Their customer base is aging too, perhaps more than H-D. Even if they want one, young people have a hard time coming up with 23-25K for a new 1200GS. Hence, the coming Chinese 850's from BMW.

Anyway, Harley has a chance but their past efforts have been dismal when veering away from the standard (and wonderful) classic H-D 45 degree twin. Maybe H-D's objective is not to compete directly with the likes of the BMW, KTM, Japanese ADV bikes but to offer those riding options to some of their "own kind" by providing such a bike with the H-D slant on it. Time will tell. In the big bike ADV market the cutting edge now seems to be ever-greater, marketing-hyped horsepower.

By the way, notice that latest "sketch" of the H-D ADV bike (that looks better than the previous teaser pics). Look at the final drive sketch shown but not mentioned. That looks to be some sort of belt drive, enclosed belt etc and not a chain drive. That would be a novel and useful option for an off-roader if it can handle the conditions.



.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 07:21:34 AM by leafman60 »

Lcarlson

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2018, 07:57:18 AM »
http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/harley-davidson-pan-america-hit-or-bust/

I agree with these comments for the most part.

The long-term challenge for motorcycle producers is to attract the upcoming young people as current and future customers. Even BMW faces that issue. Their customer base is aging too, perhaps more than H-D. Even if they want one, young people have a hard time coming up with 23-25K for a new 1200GS. Hence, the coming Chinese 850's from BMW.

Anyway, Harley has a chance but their past efforts have been dismal when veering away from the standard (and wonderful) classic H-D 45 degree twin. Maybe H-D's objective is not to compete directly with the likes of the BMW, KTM, Japanese ADV bikes but to offer those riding options to some of their "own kind" by providing such a bike with the H-D slant on it. Time will tell. In the big bike ADV market the cutting edge now seems to be ever-greater, marketing-hyped horsepower.

By the way, notice that latest "sketch" of the H-D ADV bike (that looks better than the previous teaser pics). Look at the final drive sketch shown but not mentioned. That looks to be some sort of belt drive, enclosed belt etc and not a chain drive. That would be a novel and useful option for an off-roader if it can handle the conditions.



.

The photos show chain final drive.

Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2018, 08:15:57 AM »
The photos show chain final drive.

It hasn't been produced yet.  All speculation at the moment.  Hopefully they hit the ball out of the park with their new bikes.

Same goes for Guzzi with the v85.  I like having dealerships around to support the brands.

Manufacturers are bringing low cost semi light small displacement bikes to the states and on the forums I am seeing more retired guys buying them.  Of course the millennials are on other forms of social media that I don't participate in.
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Offline yogidozer

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2018, 08:17:59 AM »
Larry, I don't see a chain in the picture, or write up ( I could be wrong)
It might be a belt drive. Although I never had a belt drive, it does seem like a good idea for a lower HP bike.
I don't see this bike as a serious "adventure bike" unless most, if not all of your riding is on pavement.
Most manufacturers have/had single cylinder, lighter weight, far better suited model for a true adventure bike.

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2018, 08:17:59 AM »

Online Kev m

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2018, 09:02:51 AM »
Larry, I don't see a chain in the picture, or write up ( I could be wrong)
It might be a belt drive. Although I never had a belt drive, it does seem like a good idea for a lower HP bike.
I don't see this bike as a serious "adventure bike" unless most, if not all of your riding is on pavement.
Most manufacturers have/had single cylinder, lighter weight, far better suited model for a true adventure bike.

Much of the press photo(s) had likely been photoshopped. If you look closely you can see a chain on a sprocket on the left side, but it appears the artist has never seen a motorcycle before since the chain appears to take an endless arc around the sprocket instead of running to the motor lol.

As for everyone's assumptions about this bike they are just that ASSumptions and guesses and we won't know anything until we know it.

Home run, dud, something in between? We'll find out.

As for the assumptions on size, I don't think 99% of owners of the big adventure tour bikes THINK or act like their bikes are dirt bikes. I fail to see how any company would be so inept as to miss that target any worse than say a big GS would, but as I keep saying, time will tell.

I'll remain my usual cautiously optimistic self.


« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 10:01:49 AM by Kev m »
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Offline Darren Williams

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2018, 09:08:30 AM »
Larry, I don't see a chain in the picture, or write up ( I could be wrong)
It might be a belt drive. Although I never had a belt drive, it does seem like a good idea for a lower HP bike.
I don't see this bike as a serious "adventure bike" unless most, if not all of your riding is on pavement.
Most manufacturers have/had single cylinder, lighter weight, far better suited model for a true adventure bike.

Agree that I don't see any defined drive, chain, belt or other.

Just to clarify, these Adventure bikes are not designed to ride tough single tracks, but to load up and tour on less improved roads (rutted gravel and dirt) up to super slabs. They do this very well in a comfortable neutral riding position that allows for easy standing while in motion. And it's accepted most never leave the pavement much.
The best part of riding a motorcycle is to tilt the horizon and to lift the front coming out of a corner and to drift the back end powering thru loose dirt and to catch a little air topping a hill and... yeah it's all good!

Offline leafman60

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2018, 09:51:38 AM »
Being back in the GS World, I can testify that 90 percent of the 1200GS riders I come across never put them on dirt.  Many, many of them even have street-tread tires.

I take mine off-road but it's rare to come across other such big bikes in that environment.  Yes, you do have them because there are many such bikes out there to begin with but the percent of such bikes on dirt is low.

On the final drive. These details are not fully disclosed yet but that little mock-up in my original post looks like a belt  pulley/sprocket instead of a chain sprocket.  That may mean nothing at this point.

H-D could make this a winner.  One thing that would trump a lot of negative pot-shots would be an over-the-moon, totally-not-necessary horsepower spec, say 150-180.  All the cycle pundits would rave about the bike since that is an item of overwhelming importance to them.  (I certainly do not expect such numbers from the motor.)

I am transitioning out of motorcycles but I would be sorely tempted by a bike with H-D torque that was dirt-capable.


« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 09:53:40 AM by leafman60 »

Offline LowRyter

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2018, 09:59:36 AM »
Just to amplify the point that these "Adventure" bikes seldm go off road, I am told that BMW sells imported mud, sand and caliche in hermetically sealed packets for the owners to cake onto their bikes.  It's only the placement of factory sold and approved mud that won't void the manufacturer's warranty.   Beemer's top GS model comes with optional "stressed patina" body panels with the "bullet hole" side panels as a mere $4k option.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 10:00:56 AM by LowRyter »
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Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2018, 10:00:04 AM »
Quote
I am transitioning out of motorcycles
So. Where are you headed?
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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2018, 10:28:58 AM »
Still my opinion based on several different " hybrids " in boats, cars, firearms etc. they are realistically not very good at either job they are supposed to represent. I doubt that a Harley will be much differen and may I add that I love Harley's and have owned several. JMHO:)
« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 10:30:41 AM by Ncdan »

Lcarlson

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2018, 10:40:28 AM »
Larry, I don't see a chain in the picture, or write up ( I could be wrong)
It might be a belt drive. Although I never had a belt drive, it does seem like a good idea for a lower HP bike.
I don't see this bike as a serious "adventure bike" unless most, if not all of your riding is on pavement.
Most manufacturers have/had single cylinder, lighter weight, far better suited model for a true adventure bike.

The last photo in the article clearly shows a chain, but as Kev has pointed out, it doesn’t appear to be connected to the engine, so it doesn’t mean much. Still, the fact that a chain was chosen for the photographic rendering COULD be significant.

Offline yogidozer

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2018, 11:04:33 AM »
The last photo in the article clearly shows a chain, but as Kev has pointed out, it doesn�t appear to be connected to the engine, so it doesn�t mean much. Still, the fact that a chain was chosen for the photographic rendering COULD be significant.

I don't see a chain, but I do see a sprocket  :wink:

Offline JACoH

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2018, 11:11:50 AM »
I remember in the 50's and 60's the Sportster was the bike to go off-roading on, even showed in the advertising of the day. No one thought a 450 lb knobby tired torque monster was out of the ordinary.

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2018, 11:53:38 AM »
I don't see a chain, but I do see a sprocket  :wink:
Check your eyes, both are there. [emoji39]
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Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2018, 11:56:20 AM »
Yeah, the chain to nowhere  :smiley: is on there all right..
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Offline yogidozer

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2018, 01:00:17 PM »
I see it wrapped around the sprocket, where it goes from there, I do not know.
Maybe it's the missing link?  :huh:



come on, admit, it made ya smile  :wink:
« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 01:01:23 PM by yogidozer »

Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2018, 01:38:44 PM »
I remember in the 50's and 60's the Sportster was the bike to go off-roading on, even showed in the advertising of the day. No one thought a 450 lb knobby tired torque monster was out of the ordinary.

Go on YouTube and search for Harleys off-road and you see some amazing riding. 
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Offline yogidozer

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2018, 02:36:49 PM »
Go on YouTube and search for Harleys off-road and you see some amazing riding.
like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcDWEynefwg

Offline bmp72

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2018, 02:59:03 PM »
When looking at this bike all Im seeing is a warmed up honda transalp... I think HD should stay with their market, dabling in the same pool as all the others without any outdtanding features will leed to disappointment.

If any direction, seeing that the world believes in electric vehicles as HD I would go in the direction of very cool electric cruisers. Not the direction of the Livewire as this is too much like a Zero or any other generic electric motorcycle.Somethin g that looks cool and has a special feel, if necessary at the cost of efficiency. Maybe something with electromagnetic pistons (coils attracting and repelling a linear moving magnet) so that you still get a thump through the bike and transmission. 9just an example)

Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2018, 03:35:20 PM »
Being back in the GS World, I can testify that 90 percent of the 1200GS riders I come across never put them on dirt.  Many, many of them even have street-tread tires.

I take mine off-road but it's rare to come across other such big bikes in that environment.  Yes, you do have them because there are many such bikes out there to begin with but the percent of such bikes on dirt is low.

On the final drive. These details are not fully disclosed yet but that little mock-up in my original post looks like a belt  pulley/sprocket instead of a chain sprocket.  That may mean nothing at this point.

H-D could make this a winner.  One thing that would trump a lot of negative pot-shots would be an over-the-moon, totally-not-necessary horsepower spec, say 150-180.  All the cycle pundits would rave about the bike since that is an item of overwhelming importance to them.  (I certainly do not expect such numbers from the motor.)

I am transitioning out of motorcycles but I would be sorely tempted by a bike with H-D torque that was dirt-capable.

.

90+% of Sport Bikes never see a race track. 

 
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Offline twowheeladdict

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Offline yogidozer

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #21 on: August 19, 2018, 04:28:12 PM »
Funny, but more like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4_6SRBhCqc

and this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdamc7SZlzw
I'm glad you saw my post as humorous, not serious.
Your videos are good, that fat guy smoking a cigarette on the hillclimb was lucky he didn't swallow it.
I've seen some cop videos with riders doing amazing things on full dress police bikes too.

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #22 on: August 19, 2018, 04:38:25 PM »
90+% of Sport Bikes never see a race track.
And probably 90% of their riders will never use most of their ability...
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Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #23 on: August 19, 2018, 04:46:56 PM »
And probably 90% of their riders will never use most of their ability...

90% of riders can't use all the power a Ninja 250 puts out.
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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #24 on: August 19, 2018, 05:11:19 PM »
90% of riders can't use all the power a Ninja 250 puts out.
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Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: More on the H-D Adventure Bike
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2018, 06:45:27 PM »
True.. true.
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