71,744
edits
Difference between revisions of "Harley-Davidson history"
m
Robot: Automated text replacement (-steering head +steering head)
m (Robot: Automated text replacement (-combustion chamber +combustion chamber)) |
m (Robot: Automated text replacement (-steering head +steering head)) |
||
| Line 139: | Line 139: | ||
Rubber block mounts at the front and the swinging-arm pivots, plus adjustable locating links at the front of the engine and the top were master strokes, they allowed vibration through when idling, but virtually eliminated it when the bike was on the move. One magazine road test likened it to the gentle thrumming one might feel through the deck of a steamship. It was a huge step forward, which has since been applied to nearly every Harley model and played a big part in increasing their acceptability to non-Harley riders. | Rubber block mounts at the front and the swinging-arm pivots, plus adjustable locating links at the front of the engine and the top were master strokes, they allowed vibration through when idling, but virtually eliminated it when the bike was on the move. One magazine road test likened it to the gentle thrumming one might feel through the deck of a steamship. It was a huge step forward, which has since been applied to nearly every Harley model and played a big part in increasing their acceptability to non-Harley riders. | ||
The bike's geometry saw innovative thinking too: the forks were mounted off¬set to the steering head, which allowed a steepish steering-head angle (for quicker steering) with long trail (for stability), | The bike's geometry saw innovative thinking too: the forks were mounted off¬set to the [[steering head]], which allowed a steepish steering-head angle (for quicker steering) with long trail (for stability), | ||
There were a few changes to the Shovelhead in the form of electronic ignition and a quieter exhaust system, while the gearbox acquired a fifth speed. The twin headlamp fairing was new, as was the twin disc front end, the enclosed chain and 5-gallon (22-litre) fuel tank. The [[Harley-Davidson FLT|FLT]] was really another of Harley's milestone bikes, and is still part of the range, 20 years on. Later that same year came the Sturgis, which introduced another innovation - [[belt drive]]. 1t was the first production motorcycle to offer both primary and final drive by toothed belts, and the advantages were many. Belts need no lubing and have a 20,000-mile (3220-km) life; they are quieter and smooth out the drive; they allow a dry (and thus leak-free) chain case, which gives the clutch an easier time. So successful was the system that, like the rubber-mounted motor, it has since been applied to every Harley-Davidson you can buy. | There were a few changes to the Shovelhead in the form of electronic ignition and a quieter exhaust system, while the gearbox acquired a fifth speed. The twin headlamp fairing was new, as was the twin disc front end, the enclosed chain and 5-gallon (22-litre) fuel tank. The [[Harley-Davidson FLT|FLT]] was really another of Harley's milestone bikes, and is still part of the range, 20 years on. Later that same year came the Sturgis, which introduced another innovation - [[belt drive]]. 1t was the first production motorcycle to offer both primary and final drive by toothed belts, and the advantages were many. Belts need no lubing and have a 20,000-mile (3220-km) life; they are quieter and smooth out the drive; they allow a dry (and thus leak-free) chain case, which gives the clutch an easier time. So successful was the system that, like the rubber-mounted motor, it has since been applied to every Harley-Davidson you can buy. | ||
It is odd, however, that the new belt-equipped FXB-80 Sturgis was nm designed as a tourer (surely the first market for a clean, long-lasting final drive) but was the | It is odd, however, that the new belt-equipped FXB-80 Sturgis was nm designed as a tourer (surely the first market for a clean, long-lasting final drive) but was the | ||