Which Harley...

My pick would be the old XR1000, if I could find one for sale at a price I could manage.

Which Harley...


Which Harley...


Ken
 
That XR1200 has a great looking motor which even appears to have twin carbs. But I would not fit one into a featherbed frame. The problem with most Norvins is the weight distribution - 50% front and back is quite common. With a Mk3 Seeley frame, you can probably get the motor further forward. It is easy to build a motorcycle which can scare you shitless. Building one which handles well is more difficult. I think S1 Buells looked promising, but the rest were extremely ugly.
I think Americans have a need to be different, so a British frame is out of the question.
 
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When you build a motorcycle, the first thing you need to decide is it's intended function, because that dictates the style. - Is the XR1200 a road bike or a dirt bike ?
 
That XR1200 has a great looking motor which even appears to have twin carbs. But I would not fit one into a featherbed frame. The problem with most Norvins is the weight distribution - 50% front and back is quite common. With a Mk3 Seeley frame, you can probably get the motor further forward. It is easy to build a motorcycle which can scare you shitless. Building one which handles well is more difficult. I think S1 Buells looked promising, but the rest were extremely ugly.
I think Americans have a need to be different, so a British frame is out of the question.

XR1200 has single carb. XR1000 had twin carbs.

Ken
 
There is a guy in Victoria who built an XR750TT from bits he bought off the web. It has two front heads and looks genuine, but it still has that daggy frame. I was once riding on Calder Raceway and watched Don Emde disappear into the distance. His Harley then ran a timing side bearing and could not race. I think the XR750TT was an exciting motorcycle, but silly. It would not have taken much to make it tops.
The S1 Buell almost gets there, but not quite.
 
The bike in the photo looks as though it has twin carbs.

Which photo is that Al?

There is only one photo of an XR1200 in this thread, and that’s in post #2.

I think your confusing the one off special jobby in post #40.
 
I’d definitely struggle getting that in and out of my shed.

Actually, if I had something like that I don’t think my shed would be an issue...

I’d be living in the sidecar, along with my divorce papers...!
 
In the mid-80s when i was living near downtown Seattle, there was this cool black dude who always wore leathers and a black cap (no helmet law then) and rode a blue Shovelhead (I think, not too au fait with Harleys). Fully faired with panniers.

He had a huge car stereo and amp built in and you could hear the Jazz - always Jazz- playin a half mile away. Mostly bebop.

My favorite Harley.
 
Harley riders like to be heard and now with the LAW cracking down on loud exhaust some Harley's are now fitted with loud stereo systems and of course they have to be turned up loud so the rider can hear it while riding, when out and about I like to hear and see what's happening around me, to many distractions already on the road.

Ashley
 
TUBE FRAME BUELLS

Tube frame Buell are crude and very basic – and a lot of fun to ride fast. My 1997 M2 Cyclone was good fodder for modification. Bought new in 1997 its been update with factory race exhaust, induction and ECM. Replaced most of the plastic with carbon-fiber. Nuked the bikini-fairing.

A few years back I gave it to my son who worked on heads and did fair amount of tuning. 93 hp at rear wheel. Gave back to me. I had alloy tank fabricated by Holtworks, Essex UK - beautiful. Also installed alloy oil tank and minimized remaining bodywork.

Very Light (390 lbs) and with Cyclone cams – a torque monster. Fun to ride.

Which Harley...

Which Harley...
 
not a HD afficionado, but I do like the look of the XLCR. I dont think it sold well b.i.t.d, which probably makes them a bit more collectable now. Probably only suitable posing at the Ace Cafe, but it would be a good pose...
 
When I was riding street bikes, I always liked clubman's style better. However I always rode relatively short distances
I never liked Velocettes, but a genuine Velocette Thruxton is the best looking road bike ever.
 
Well, I got to quite liking the 107 Sport Glide. But ground clearence was an issue and I wasn’t 100% sure I need such long distance comfort.
So I started looking at the Softail Low Rider S. A bit less tourer and a bit more hot rod.
Then got to thinking how it was a kinda poor relation to the original Dyna Low Rider S.
Then got to looking more at the older Dyna Low Rider S and really started liking the old skool 2 valve air cooled twin cam motor... especially in 110 Screaming Eagle format! The better ground clearance, the twin discs with 4 pot calipers, and basically the simple hot-rod-ness of it all.
Gettin’ quite into the idea...
Which Harley...
 
Not a bad choice, if you can get it for the right money.
I predict those nice pipes will get scarred up on right handers .... :) :)
 
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