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Interesting motorcycles, not XS650
- Thread starter Kevin Werner
- Start date
I came across an ad on Craigslist this morning that caught my attention. I remember a line of enduros offered by Harley in the 70’s , but I didn’t remember this attempt at a competitive motocross race bike. It made me look a little deeper and I thought it was an interesting moment in Harleys history.
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/mcy/d/mesa-1978-harley-mx250/7878100846.html
For just one year, Harley even fielded a factory motocross team with some well known racers of the era. There is a brief history of this one year only bike here ,
https://motocrossactionmag.com/classic-motocross-iron-1978-harley-davidson-mx250/
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/mcy/d/mesa-1978-harley-mx250/7878100846.html
For just one year, Harley even fielded a factory motocross team with some well known racers of the era. There is a brief history of this one year only bike here ,
https://motocrossactionmag.com/classic-motocross-iron-1978-harley-davidson-mx250/
Charles13
XS650 Addict
That would have to be a 2 stroke
If I'm not mistaken, that's a section through a Deltic engine, which was the huge 2-stroke that powered the Deltic locomotive.
Vaguely remember hearing the Deltic engine was developed from 2-strokes used to power German WW2 e-boats?
Vaguely remember hearing the Deltic engine was developed from 2-strokes used to power German WW2 e-boats?
Thank you. I had no idea where it came from or what the application might be. Because of the high power density of a 2 stroke I thought it might be aviation. Rail throws me for a (aviation) loop.
007
XS650 Member
Cool.
In other news…
old guys have too much time on their hands…
old guys have too much time on their hands…
So when do you put up the video with a high speed fly by on the back wheel ? 
hERE'S A BIT MORE ON THE BIKE. THE 2 IN THE PIC HAD THE SHORTENED FORKS ON THE SWINGARM. We REC'D 1 OF THESE in 1976 for Canadian H.D.
DEALERS SHOW IN Ottawa Ont. iT SURE DREW A CROWD IN THE SHOWROOM WHILE THERE.
Attachments
Shameless plug for my ‘74 FLH I just finished and putting some break in miles on.
Very nice too.
GaryInVA
XS650 Addict
I worked at Yamaha El Paso/Yamaha Northeast in 1978-80. Sherman Barnett owned both shops in addition to the HD shop in town. He got one of these HD MX-250s on the showroom floor of HD. It sat there for a couple years. The parts guy at Yamaha NE bought it for cheap. He ended up getting a bunch of stuff on it chromed and showed it around the SW. Back in those days we had 2-3 places in El Paso that would do chrome plating and a couple across the border in Juarez that would do it. The guy won a couple shows with that bike.
There's something about those old shovels. I'm liking the long, low style - don't think it would be practical on the roads around here but I've ridden a few Murrican cruisers and I kinda appreciate the appeal of a relaxing, laid back grunt machine.
Oldest Harley I ever owned was an FXR 1340 evo. IIRC correctly 4-speeds? But it didn't matter too much which gear you were in. Our FXR earned the nickname Whatever.
Kenny Roberts and His Wife
I met up with a couple of old Harley guys for some tacos last night. We all commented on actually how small those shovelheads actually are. Just the frame stature is so much smaller than the newer softail frames. I just like putting around on in. I think I am going to see about putting an old pogo style police seat on it maybe this winter. It's a fun bike.
You've got something there on sizes of bikes over the years. Think about the stylish Bonnies in all the hip adverts. Then get a gander at a 1970 version, the best year for the 650 twins. It's a lovely little thing. Look at the new ones, suddenly they're huge.
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