Issue 169
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The 2021 1250cc Harley-Davidson X-Rod.
Perfect 20-20 hindsight doesn’t guarantee perfect 2020 foresight. Last year was a year that Harley basically held its hand close to its chest and only rolled out new colours, needed improvements and cost-saving measures including the five deleted items on the touring range.
Basically, Harley stuck to its 2018 timeline of More Roads with 100 new bikes in the next 10 years.
Seen in hindsight, these new releases aren’t much different than what they had done in the previous 10 years. So what do I see being released in 2020?
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/about-us/more-roads.html
To begin with, since the release of the 2017’s M8 engine and the new range of Softail range, we have only seen three really new Harleys on the road: the FXDR 114, FXLRS Low Rider S and the LiveWire.
Notably, Harley has been able to maintain the two-valve Sportsters in its worldwide lineup even though they are fast approaching their end of life in the European Union with the Euro 5 standards for motorbikes. Euro 5 requires existing models like the Sportsters to conform to its new emission requirements by 1 January 2021.
https://americanmotorcycledesign.blogspot.com/2020/01/acem.html
Noteworthy, with the fall of the Australian Dollar, is the fact that Harley Australia has kept a tight cap on the price of the 2020 models while at the same time adding significant new electronics. As I’ve said many times before, this is the time to buy if you can get a good price for your current bike!
So what will Harley release at the August 2020 Dealer Show as 2021 models? As they have said before it will release the Pan America ADV with its 145hp 1250cc Revolution Max engine and the Bronx 115hp Revolution Max 975 streetfighter.
Think about it. The Revolution Max 145hp 1250cc and 975cc 115hp will knock off the competition from Indian and most other cruiser bikes. Then too, a 750cc de-stroked Revolution Max with 100hp can replace the 750 Street Rod and leave the Street 500 alone for the Asian market.
The sleeper release, that they announced in 2018, is the Custom 1250. Why has this totally new bike been kept so quiet with only a few photos and one video? My crystal ball says this midweight bike is actually a replacement for the Sportster-sized bike and have both the 1250 and 975 Revolution Max engines. Hopefully not called a Sportster!
https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/new-sportster-2020-harley-davidson-1250cc-custom-preview/
In the sub-500 range, Harley and the Chinese automotive-motorcycle giant Geely-Qianjiang (which owns Benelli, Volvo, Aston Martin, The London Taxi, Lotus Cars, Proton and a stake in Daimler-Benz) will start production of the Asian Harley HD350 cruiser in June 2020. Thus Harley has its foot in the door for the emerging markets. I wonder how much HOG stock Geely owns?
https://riders.drivemag.com/news/volvo-owner-geely-buys-major-stake-in-benelli-owner-qianjiang
Some LiveWires are now on the road in Australia. But the competition in “Halo” electric motorcycles from around the world is so very tough with new players almost daily!
For instance, in January the Canadian Damon Hypersport Premier Electric performance bike won the Best in Innovation Award at the Las Vegas CES 2020. It’s a transformer with Shift technology changing from a race to commuter bike with the touch of a button. It has the highest tech I’ve seen on any bike including a 360-degree system to warn the rider of all hazards. With its base model only US$25,000, it will do 0-60mph in less than three seconds, has 200hp, does 200-plus mph, 200 miles highway and has a 300-mile city range!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnnhitEcUbI&feature=emb_logo
Then there are the Harley Electric Concepts and E-Bikes. This market is becoming flooded so if you want a Harley-named electric bike to give your kid for Christmas, then head down to your local Harley dealers.
2019 Battle of the Kings winning bike (the FXGTS Coast Glide) and winning team.
https://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/harley-davidson-electric-scooter-design-filings.html
Finally, I do think that Harley still listens to its customers and especially its leading dealers.
That said, Laidlaw’s Harley-Davidson in Southern California which just won the Battle of the Kings World Championship posted on YouTube the “5 Things We Want to see from Harley-Davidson in the future.”
In it, Matt Laidlaw and his team said they wanted the Motor Company to build a factory Softail Sport Glide like its FXRT faired Coast Glide. Second, build a factory high-spec Road Glide with a factory installed Stage III or IV engine. Third, build a VR1250 based on the VR1000 race bike like the one seen in some of the More Roads design studio photos. Fourth, fill the Parts & Accessories Catalogue with more H-D branded high performance suspension parts for the serious riders. And finally, put an M8 type engine and a 6-speed transmission in the Sportster.
From what I’ve seen the VR1250 sport racing bike is coming as Harley has just patented its fixed fairing.
