Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: steven c on February 02, 2015, 09:24:31 AM
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No really flipping a XR1200.
http://youtu.be/Fqgwo_WdyRo
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I like that bike!
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WOW!!! :BEER:
Matt
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That is very impressive.
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That is very impressive.
And certainly the old adage of "If first you don't succeed, try, try again" doesn't apply here. ::)
If first you don't succeed, that 590 pound monster will hammer you into the dirt like a tentpeg ..... :-X
Lannis
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Haven't seen a Harley flip like that since the last time I rode to The Tail of the Dragon
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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That jump was really well thought out and engineered, did you notice the incredible low impact landing.
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Aussie Kain Saul in the saddle.
I have a mate with an XR1200. It's a cool bike and he loves his (though they are porky, even by Guzzi standards!)
Kurt
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Heard they stop selling that bike.
Sales must have been down, too bad it was a good concept.
That is the second time HD could not get a café style bike sales to work. Hard to break the mold sort of speak.
They still have a little trouble with the V rod sales, not up to expectations. They spent a fortune developing that motor, probably the only reason it's still around. Understand it's still the most money any company ever spent developing a motorcycle.
Second? No they have had a half dozen or more Sportster variants over the years that were more sporting and they killed every one:
XR1000
XLCR
XL1200 Sport
883R
1200R
XR1200
As for the V-Rod I'm told it does regionally well enough, and is a popular export.
But the real reason they keep it around is emissions. For many years sales of the cleaner water-cooled bikes allowed them to produce more air-cooled bikes. Kinda similar to cafe standards in the auto industry. Not sure if that still holds true or if they simply know they need s water-cooled motor on the line up long term, if only to get the faithful used to the concept.
I've never heard that about the development costs. Where'd you hear that?
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Now flipping a V Rod, that would be something.
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Magnificent.
Life's too short to see all the motorcycle vids on youtube -- tho I try ;D -- but that was worthwhile.
Magnificent.
Bill
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WoW!
These successful stunts seem to all boil down to the correct skill-to-balls ratio
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That's crazy impressive. 567lb bike
Almost more impressive is how cool that bike is and I don't really care for Harleys.
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Sure thats cool and all, but it really isn't a XR. The suspension is crazy long, do it with stock springs and then I'll be impressed.
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Second? No they have had a half dozen or more Sportster variants over the years that were more sporting and they killed every one:
XR1000
XLCR
XL1200 Sport
883R
1200R
XR1200
Probably doesn't count but I always thought it was a shame the VR1000R never made it into production (other than the 50 shipped to Poland). Sure it was outclassed and wasn't as competitive as it could have been but it would've been cool as hell.
That said I could see myself owning an xr1200r some day, preferably an orange one.
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I hear ya on the VR... We might as well also add every Buell ever made to that list. The tube frame middle were a ball! The XBs were probably better bikes, but they lost a measure of coolness/uniqueness the tubers had.
Oh well...
The XR was a lot of fun too... I passed on a brand new white XRX to buy the Stone. No regrets, but I wonder sometimes.
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I read it a few times that the development cost of the V Rod was the most expensive venture by any company to develop a motorcycle. No that it matters to me at all. Article also talked about how some of the engineering was copied by other companies which stood on the side lines waiting for the bike to be released so they could break it apart and copy.
I hear stuff like this all the time. I heard the Vmax was a copy of a Harley prototype that never made it to production. How true any of it is I don't know.
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I was wondering what Harley would be like today if they had gone on with the Nova project and it was a success.
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amazing how slowly he hits the ramp, that bike has some torque to just climb like that.
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But I asked where you read it for a reason.
If it was Forbes or the NY Times I might put some weight on it.
If it was some bike rag, especially a pro-Harley one, I'd put a lot less weight on it.
I've followed Harley pretty closely since before the release of the V-rod, watched a documentary on it, read a bunch of stuff on it. I don't ever remember hearing that (not saying it isn't true, just remaining skeptical).
As for the V-max thing, that sounds like more Harley faithful revisionist history. Yeah, the Nova project was a V4, to that end it had as much in common with a Magna as a V-max. I think that's where the similarities ended.
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What was this Nova project anyway? Never heard of it. I've been so busy the last 10 years I was out of touch for awhile with the motorcycles.
Off the top of my head, OK, so in the what early 80s the execs bought the Moco back from AMF and they were at a turning point.
The Shovelhead and Ironhead motors were actually pretty well sorted, but they were still old and limited in design and longevity.
They had two projects underway - ONE was a unitized, modular in size, series of water-cooled V4 motors that could be used to power a whole line of bikes. OHC, more modern, and a real departure from current looks and performance.
The OTHER was the EVO Big Twin and Sportster motors released in 84 (in the first Softail if memory serves) and 86 in the first EVO Sportster.
They only had money for one path... they did well with the path they chose.
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NOVA
(http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/prototype-spy-concept/Harley-Davidson-Novaproject.jpg)
(http://www.moto-station.com/ttesimages/motos_anciennes/Harley-Davidson_Nova_V4_st3pz.jpg)
http://thekneeslider.com/harley-davidson-v4-nova/
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Sired from the loins of a Ducati Apollo :BEER:
NOVA
(http://www.moto-station.com/ttesimages/motos_anciennes/Harley-Davidson_Nova_V4_st3pz.jpg)
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I know a few engineers/machinist that are snickering.
The only reason I found out stuff was because I was resolving computers issues and saw some photo's. He told me I was one of about 50 to see those photo's. It's amazing what companies will do to keep concept bikes a secret. And what a couple of retired machinist and engineers can do in a building on the westside of Jacksonville.
And I have no proof.
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Looking at the NOVA.... well I think Harley made the right choice!
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Link on the sidebar may show some of the preparation for the flip to dirt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sc9zKil6BY
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Well, now I am officially old. ;D I wouldn't even try it..
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Maybe he should try flipping a Stelvio next!