Why doesn't Harley Davidson build a kick ass XR 1200?

[spudbites@yahooecom]

Not referring to that bolt on abortion designed for the European market. I mean Dual carbs, forward facing exhaust, etc, like they did in '83? There is such a demand, even a bolt on kit would be hugely well received. They didn't sell well then because people were too blown away by obscenely fast Rice rockets. Mert Lawill produces a limited number at a resultingly high price. Baisley heads toy with the idea- with good results, from what I have heard- but still, after all these years, nothing substantial and affordable.
Ninebad, we all know that one as being the most obvious answer but I was referring to an American Icon, for better or worse and something that is a great deal of fun to drive in spite of everything else. Remember that when you don't have an icon you must resort to any 'cheap' trick in mass production, not that this is necessarily an easy or meaningless thing to achieve- something that has even extended into Harley clones. I merely think that an American V-twin is sweet, for its' own sake and wouldn't mind some obvious, been-around-for-a-while upgrade that is much desired to happen some time.
By all means ride your Japanese motorcycles.

 

[ninebadthings]

An air cooled v-twin was cutting edge performance 70 years ago when windey-up record players were cutting edge. Not going to ever get the job done today in the age of the ipod and the 120HP 600cc crotch rocket that costs under $10K.

Sure Harley could build a kickass bike, but they choose instead to sell stuff that must continue to look like a Harley, that is their priority, they only want to sell Harleys to people who demand a bike look like a Harley.

They built the Vrod that looks like a Harley, but sacrificed lots of performance doing so, and their customers rejected it for not looking enough like a harley. Ok performance for a Harley, sad compared to other bikes.

Actually they have finally built a performance bike, it's the Buell with the liquid cooled Rotax engine. Is it competitive in it's class? probably not. but it's getting there. Maybe hope that there will someday agian be an americian bike that dosn't suck.