Harley's Adventure bike leaked

[fourteenfour]

Foreign motor site leaks pictures

 

Supposedly that is the 2021 ADV bike coming from Harley

[dduelin]

You got me with the "leaked".

[TEWKS]

Bingo, It’s a myth, Harley’s don’t leak! 

[TEWKS]

The silver color kinda tames its ugliness. 
 

edit...Actually, it’s only the headlight cowling that muffs up the looks, everything else is not too bad. Small tank though? 

Not in English but a good look see.

 

[lawnchairboy]

only a mother could love that thing

[Red]

only a mother could love that thing

 

That's what a lot of people say about the GS.

[TEWKS]

Here’s an angle on this bike that I’ll toss out. Not that it matters but just as a point of reference, I have a Harley too. I’ll pass large groups of Harley riders on my GS (though not a mind reader) I’ll get a sense of approval by a lot of the younger dudes in the parade group.  

 

So, there may be a market from within for this bike is what I’m saying. It’s gonna take some really great reviews before it pulls in the traditional adventure rider I think. 

[Hosstage]

1 hour ago, Red said:

only a mother could love that thing

 

That's what a lot of people say about the GS.

 

Even mothers have a hard time loving the GS.

[Pappy35]

The GS is what mother's mean when they say, "...you gotta love them all the same...", perform the sign of the cross and then look to heaven for patience and grace. 

 

[wbw6cos]

Interesting concept, I must say.

[Selden]

5 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

Interesting concept, I must say.

 

I have been known to blow chunks out my nose when I hear someone say "Interesting...."

 

This monstrosity kind of reminds me of the Pontiac Aztek. Or the Tesla Cybertruck. Fugleee.

[Hosstage]

I just watched the video, rather than just looking at pictures.

That fairing, or whatever it is, is not attractive. That swingarm, not attractive. It's a goofy-looking thing. Who knew a GS could look better than another bike?

When they had a prototype at the show last year, I asked about price, they said it was to compete with the GS in most aspects: performance, weight, and price.

For it to compete, it will have to excell in those areas, not match, especially price.

It really makes the Himalayan by Enfield a quite attractive choice. That maybe should have been their target.

[roadscholar]

11 hours ago, TEWKS said:

edit...Actually, it’s only the headlight cowling that muffs up the looks, everything else is not too bad. Small tank though? 

.

 

Yep the headlight's the problem, one of the most important styling cues on a bike. I guess they're going for some kind of sci-fi look but whatever it is ain't working. I kind of like everything else including the tank but they need to lose the goofy partial decal and just put a smallish Harley Davidson script emblem on it. It's almost as if they're embarrassed to put their name on it. 

 

Here's a couple other outside the box headlight treatments that were dismal failures, I doubt this one will fare much better unless they change something. Trying to re-invent the motorcycle headlight is a dangerous proposition.

 

Ducati 999

 

BMW R1200ST

 

Ducati Multistrada 1st gen

 

There was another bike with oddball styling but it was such an otherwise great motorcycle that serious riders overlooked it once they rode one, the KTM 950/990 Adventure.

 

 

 

 

[fourteenfour]

Apparently the bike is already in showrooms in Spain

 

Foreign language preview of HD

[Paul De]

The fairing bears some resemblance to the frame mount faring on the Road Glide which I always thought was chunky looking

 

Haha, did anyone notice that around the same time RTV silicone was introduced to the market Harley's quit leaking oil....as well as Triumph, Norton and and other engines with vertically split cases.

[BrianT]

I can't even imagine how heavy this thing would be to pick up after a tipover "adventuring" on it.  Also noticed in the video the spark plugs are exposed and the rearmost one is angled in a way to be broken in tipover if the surface that crash bar hits isn't flat.  Anyone that takes this in the dirt had better be damn good.  Is there another direction left for Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman to film another series on this bike?

[TEWKS]

45 minutes ago, BrianT said:

Is there another direction left for Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman to film another series on this bike?

Biggest missed opportunity by HD was to not push this bike on them instead of the live-wire. Nobody is ever going to do serious adventure touring on that bike LW.

 

Mechanical failure would have been a nightmare I guess, but success would have sold a lot of Pan Americas! 

[Paul De]

On 10/21/2020 at 1:26 PM, TEWKS said:

So, there may be a market from within for this bike is what I’m saying. It’s gonna take some really great reviews before it pulls in the traditional adventure rider I think. 

The problem for the motor company in offering an adventure bike is the dealer network.  When their Buell subsidiary was still in business they offered the Ulysses adventure bike.  I  went to look at one at the dealer and ended up telling the sales guy more about the bike than he could.  I found it odd he had no idea what those knobs on the forks were for.  His only comment was there wasn't any chrome accessories for it and likely would never be.  Wait, what?

[TEWKS]

Hopefully it’s a decent enough adventure bike and they sell a few units. The dealerships should then smarten-up and recognize it’s self preservation time and embrace it.  I’m thinking it’s got a better shot at some lovin’ because it’s branded HD and not Buell. 

I hope they get the money right, they can’t break into the market pricing it at the top of the food chain.  

[lawnchairboy]

On 10/21/2020 at 10:24 PM, Selden said:

 

I have been known to blow chunks out my nose when I hear someone say "Interesting...."

 

This monstrosity kind of reminds me of the Pontiac Aztek. Or the Tesla Cybertruck. Fugleee.

Pontiac Aztek is a fantastic analogy. 

 

but that is insulting to the Aztek.

[Paul De]

AMC Pacer comes to mind as all time winner of fugly. A perfect 10 on the fugly scale.  Even this weirdly designed hawg isn't close to that I give it a 7.5 fugly.  But will the faithful in the US accept their Chinese made power plant?  At least the Ulysses had the familiar made in the USA  Sportster engine and it bombed in the US anyway.  I worry HD created a perfect trap of no escape with their truly brilliant lifestyle branding starting back in the late 70's.

[TEWKS]

Oh no, I’m beginning to get over the hideousness of that headlight cowl.   A GS rider spotted them testing in Colorado.

[fourteenfour]

Supposedly deliveries start in December

[9Mary7]

21 hours ago, Paul De said:

The problem for the motor company in offering an adventure bike is the dealer network.  When their Buell subsidiary was still in business they offered the Ulysses adventure bike.  I  went to look at one at the dealer and ended up telling the sales guy more about the bike than he could.  I found it odd he had no idea what those knobs on the forks were for.  His only comment was there wasn't any chrome accessories for it and likely would never be.  Wait, what?

I agree. The dealer network is a major reason why Buell failed. The dealers were under the delusion that the younger Buell buyers would eventually "step-up" to a Harley, failing to realize that a Thunderbolt buyer had no use for over priced chrome plated fashion statements. Corporate would not approve a Buell franchise to anyone who wasn't a H-D dealer. Major blunder as they would have sold much better in a sport bike oriented dealership. 

Then H-D pulled the plug just as Buell's best bikes were set to come on line...... If they go under they have only narrow minded arrogance to blame.

[TEWKS]

Anybody care to guess on price? Success would be it coming in at $17, 900. (Great reviews first) Failure will be $24, 900 no matter how good it is.

[RTinNC]

Well I have to admit I like it.   The seat looks very comfy and as far as the headlight goes remember when the 1150GS came out with the asymmetrical headlight and everyone thought WTF!    But as noted the Harley dealers need to really embrace the future of their will not be a future for them. 

 

I saw one of these in person at the NYC Motorcycle Show last December and it looked really nice in person and Harley has always had great paint and fit and finish and the Pan American was no different.   If I did not own a BMW and drifted from my local dealer I could easily see my self owning one of these.   And no one has a better dealer network than Harley so great for long distance travelers. 

[Hosstage]

2 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Anybody care to guess on price? Success would be it coming in at $17, 900. (Great reviews first) Failure will be $24, 900 no matter how good it is.

 

When I talked with a rep at a bike show last year showing prototypes of the Pan Am and Bronx (supposedly dropped the Bronx already), he said the Pan Am was to compete with the GS, and match it in performance, weight, and price. I think two out three of those parameters are not the right way to succeed with this bike.

[TEWKS]

Figured that might be their mindset.  
 

The weight thing seems to be a tough one to get around but pricing isn’t. Profit is profit, that’s understood but, new guy trying to complete with the best hamburger joint in town, (analogy) you’d better do something very different and be excellent at it, or give people more for their money. 

[Antimatter]

5 hours ago, 9Mary7 said:

I agree. The dealer network is a major reason why Buell failed. The dealers were under the delusion that the younger Buell buyers would eventually "step-up" to a Harley, failing to realize that a Thunderbolt buyer had no use for over priced chrome plated fashion statements. Corporate would not approve a Buell franchise to anyone who wasn't a H-D dealer. Major blunder as they would have sold much better in a sport bike oriented dealership. 

Then H-D pulled the plug just as Buell's best bikes were set to come on line...... If they go under they have only narrow minded arrogance to blame.

 

My sense from visiting Harley dealers is that the actual money is made on the sale of accessories.  As you're finalizing the deal, you get taken to the 'chrome consultant' to 'make the bike yours'.  And, of course you need the stage 2 kit that we can install for you, right?  That's why most of the dealers aren't wild about the newer bikes - it takes from their actual bread and butter; accessories.  I had one salesman at a dealership (non-HD) tell me he much preferred to sell side by sides, because the owners would put an additional $10K in gun racks and lights on them, and that's money in his pocket.  Unless HD makes it so the new bikes can be dealer accessorized like the old ones, the dealers won't want to sell them.

[wbw6cos]

When I look at the front, straight on, I am reminded of Robbie the Robot.  

[9Mary7]

1 hour ago, Antimatter said:

Unless HD makes it so the new bikes can be dealer accessorized like the old ones, the dealers won't want to sell them.

I remember looking at a shareholder's report 10 years ago (IIRC) and saw that 75% of their gross profit was from apparel sales and trademark licensing........ 

[TEWKS]

Aerostich just announced a new roadcrafter in orange & black with flames on the sleeves!  

[AZgman]

[TEWKS]

33 minutes ago, AZgman said:

I think we’ve all wished for that option at some point in our riding career. 

 

[sbeec]

ewwww......and it'll have to be really top heavy with the under-thought gas tank......

[Paul De]

Pat, That pic looks like it was taken at the intersection of Capitol Dr and Hwy 41/45 in Wauwatosa, close to their current R&D center and now closed motor plant.  It looks like a production unit as a test mule would have a data acquisition pack mount on the pillion seat with wire to sensors all over the place.  Prolly some engineer making a lunch run on a company vehicle.

[TEWKS]

I know where I’d hang out in my free time if I lived in the neighborhood.  

Ever think of dream jobs?
Fighter Pilots will always be in my mind the coolest profession ever conceived by man.  Firefighting comes in 2nd runner up, I guess.   But, to land a job testing new or prototype motorcycles would be absolute heaven on earth, IMO! 

[Paul De]

1 hour ago, TEWKS said:

I know where I’d hang out in my free time if I lived in the neighborhood.  

 

Haha, great minds think alike, here is some fun personal trivia for you

 

When I was in college in the late 70s early 80s I had a job as a security guard at the now closed motor plant. In those days the engine design team was housed on the second floor of office building at the front of the engine assembly plant and I routinely would sign Porsche consulting engineers in and out. After classes I would get to work about 5pm, and after second shift ended, or on weekends, I could freely roam the office and plant. I held their V4 aluminum block prototype in my hands and saw the drafting images that showed it would have been an overhead cam water cooled engine, over square to boot!  I was thrilled to see what they were up to.  Sadly, the motor company never built it, but many of the elements of that design ended up in V-rod twin cylinder engine...and the faithful hated it.  I suspect they didn't want to invest in a total redesign of the lower end and lopped two cylinders off, and IMO is why the V-rod motor was oversized and heavy for a V-twin.  Buell wouldn't use it because of its weight and size.