RE: Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight: PH2

[gareth_r]

bogie said:

They must have heard the feedback already, Harley just launched the 2018 range with bigger engines, more power, more lean angle (!) and some models even have monoshock rear suspension with an easy pre-load adjuster. ....wow still no mention of traction control, anti wheelie control etc......

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/harley-davi...

It appears that they have dropped the Dyna range (twin shock, rubber mounted engine), and designed a new Softail frame with a shock at the top (like a Yamaha RD250LC, or a Vincent) rather than two shocks under the gearbox, to take a rigidly mounted, counterbalanced engine.

It certainly looks like they have more ground clearance, and they've lost that "dog dragging it's arse across the lawn" tail down look.

It's a bit difficult to see in those pics, but it also seems to have horizontal engine mounting bolts, which, I guess, should make the whole engine/frame assembly more rigid than the old vertical bolts, which didn't look like they made much of a contribution to structural integrity. In the old days of bendy Japanese (and Triumph) steel tube frames, racers used to accurately ream the engine mounts and use precision ground bolts in order to stiffen the frame. H-D may have taken a giant step forward into the 1960s.

Perhaps they won't do this any more >>>> https://youtu.be/sEMojGzG4sk

black-k1 said:

... What percentage of HD sales are powered by the "modern" V rod engine?

0% from 2018, it's been dropped.

Edited by gareth_r on Thursday 24th August 00:16