Harley-Davidson Sturgis

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STURGIS

CYCLE WORLD TEST

Modern. From the people who invented Traditional

SOMEWHERE IN THE OXYMORON HALL OF FAME, BEhind the wing devoted to "Military Intelligence," next to "Low-Pressure Salesmen," "Political Reasoning" and "British Reliability," there's bound to be a section devoted to "New Harleys." The two words just seem to not mix well, to be mutually exclusive. If it's a Harley, after all, how new can it be?

But hide your preconceived notions under the table and prepare to meet an oxymoron on wheels: the 1 991 HarleyDavidson FXDB Dyna Glide Sturgis. It is, by all rights, new. And it’s certainly a Harley. Okay, okay, it’s not 100percent, from-the-ground-up, all new. The model name Sturgis has been used before, in the early '80s. Back then, AMF (American Machine and Foundry, one-time H-D parent company) took the basic FX Low Rider model, bolted on some custom doo-dads, added belt primaryand final-drive systems, then named the bike after the famous rally in South Dakota. And this Sturgis does have a little in common with that original, starting with the black-onblack styling licks. The belt final drive still is there, although primary drive is by chain, simply because today Harley claims it’s more efficient that way. The new Sturgis’s engine still is a 1 340cc V-Twin, and though it uses the aluminum Evolution top-end introduced in 1984 rather than the original Sturgis’s cast-iron Shovelhead setup, many of its components can be found in dusty parts bins at any H-D dealer.

But, between the all-new frame, the new transmission casing, the new engine-isolating system, the new oil reservoir and a barrage of new details, the Sturgis has earned the right to be called a new bike.

And on top of all that, the Sturgis is new because it represents the continuance of a new philosophy at America’s sole surviving motorcycle company, one that began in 1981 when Harley became an independent entity. If you told an AMF-era Harley designer that the bike vibrated, he probably would just spit, shrug and say, “If you want a car, buy a car.” But today, Harley-Davidson responds, quite simply, by eliminating the vibration.

By any standards, the Sturgis is a very smooth motorcycle. At idle, when the engine’s power pulses are at their most violent, some booms and throbs make it all the way to the footpegs, seat and handlebar, but they hardly are annoying—in fact, they make for a rather pleasant sensation. And once the revs climb above 2000 rpm, the shakes and quakes are all but eliminated. Of course, the engine still is doing quite a bit of throbbing on its own. That's apparent whenever you shift, because the tremors are transmitted through the shift lever directly to your foot. But aside from that, this is one smooth motorcycle. And as testimony to that, at cruising speeds, the mirrors offer a perfectly clear view of the road behind you. On some Harleys, you would believe that a 9.0-point earthquake was following you wherever you went. pension configuration is new. The rear shocks are mounted farther forward on both the frame and swingarm than they are on other Harley (non-Softail) models. The shock absorbers themselves are heavier-duty, and their spring rates have increased to compensate for the greater mechanical advantage that the shocks operate under. While the changes don't exactly elevate the suspension to state-of-the-art status, the new Sturgis absorbs road irregularities well. So, the bottom line—literally and figuratively—is a more pleasant ride.

you you Oddly enough, the new engine-mounting system really isn't all that different from the one used on recent Low Rider (FXR) models, which, incidentally, will continue largely unchanged for 1991. It still consists of composite rubber-and-steel mounts and turnbuckles. But now there are two fewer engine mounting points, and the location and design of those mounts, even the tilt of the engine, have changed. The new system was determined through a little bit of computer research and a lot of trial and error. The finished product shows a high degree of polish.

Helping make the bike even smoother as an overall package is the suspension. The fork is basically unchanged and still gets the job done well enough, but the rear-sus-

It's not just the engine mounts and shock location that are different on the Sturgis, either. The entire frame structure has been reconfigured. The rear section is more compact and has a much cleaner layout. Under the tank, the backbone now is made of a large-diameter rectangular extrusion and is welded to a cast steering head. This is a construction that the Japanese have been using for their frames for a few years, and its advantages are primarily in making the frame easier and less costly to manufacture. As with the engine-mounting system, the new and improved frame is special to the Sturgis, and traditionally conservative Harley officials weren't prepared to tell us if and when the Dyna Glide frame would be incorporated into the rest of the 1 340cc lineup.

But not everything new on the Harley is an improvement. Partly because the engine and pipes are tilted rearward more than those of other Harley Big Twins, cornering clearance suffers somewhat. On the left side, the sidestand dangles, tinkling and tankling against the pavement, but causing no real problem other than annoyance. On the right side, however, the lower exhaust pipe hits rather early and rather solidly. Harley-Davidson claims that the Sturgis has as much cornering clearance as the standard FXRS Low Rider, but we know some scratch marks that would beg to differ. The net effect is that a Sturgis rider has to slow down his cornering act a little.

The act of slowing down, itself, was singled out for criticism by some riders, as the Sturgis’s lone front disc required a healthy tug at the lever to get the process underway. At least the brakes, romped on with enough vigor, slow the Harley well.

Frankly, though, we’ll readily overlook the lack of cornering clearance and the he-man-pull front brake. The Sturgis corners and stops well enough, thank you very much. It’s got enough going for it that you can forgive slight sins, and the engine is a big part of that winning personality. The big V-Twin still is one of the most satisfying motorcycle engines ever made, with a look, sound and feel unlike anything else available today. The basic powerplant design was laid down in 1923, and has long since lost its claim as a performance motor, but clearly shows that there is life beyond five-figure redlines and the quarter-mile timing lights.

If you had to track down the core of that universal appeal, sleuth no farther than the engine’s torque. Oh, sure, there are lots of motorcycles around with engines that make bigger torque numbers on a dyno, lots that will beat the Harley in an outright tug-o-war. But the way the 1 340cc Twin lunges forward at heartbeat-slow rpm, the way it jumps mightily with every upshift, the way it sounds when you yank on the throttle cable, well, a ride on a big Harley is one experience that even Universal Studios couldn’t simulate.

Then there’s the way the engine looks. Harley-Davidson took a motor that already was more work of art than simple machine, then gave it the black-out treatment. Everything is black—glossy black, crinkle black, flat black and just black black. Only the edges of the cooling fins, the pushrod housings and an occasional nut or bolt are shiny. The exhaust crossover pipe that on other Harley Big Twins runs rather ungraciously alongside the cylinders has been relocated, effectively hidden, so now the right side of the engine is much better looking. And the new oil reservoir is located in front of and below the transmission case, eliminating a few hoses and giving the rear of the engine simpler lines. So, what was already a beautiful powerplant is now nothing short of stunning.

Blackness pervades even the chassis styling. Tank, frame, battery box: all black. And all very striking. There are some styling touches, though, that aren’t met with universal admiration. The left fuel-tank filler cap is phony, adorned with a cheap-looking label that reads “Do Not Twist.” On top of that cap is a gas gauge complete with a swaying needle that won’t hold still long enough to point at any specific level. Not nice, especially on a motorcycle that’s sold on the strength of its realness.

Then, in the name of styling, the ignition switch is located near the right top shock mount. That means you can’t see the slot the key fits into unless you’re off the motorcycle entirely. But on the plus side, that key is a round type, similar to that used for high-quality locks and alarm systems. That means that crooks will have a hard time drilling out the ignition switch and riding a Harley home. That key also works a welcome addition, an integral fork lock, the first fora non-touring-model Harley.

AÍ so on the we-like list are the self-canceling turnsignals, the flat, medium-width handlebar and the stock highway footpegs. Overall, the latter two combine to make the Sturgis quite a comfortable bike, although some riders did complain that the seat was rather thin, and some thought the seating position was slightly too upright for extended highway work. But, to tell the truth, you really have to try to come up with anything serious to complain about with the Sturgis. The good parts of the motorcycle are really good. Good enough that the bad parts don’t seem to matter that much.

That, perhaps, best explains why the words “new” and “Harley” hardly ever fall in the same paragraph. When you’re doing something well, it’s best not to change. Unless, of course, you’re dead sure that you’ve found a way to do it even better.

In the case of the Sturgis, Harley-Davidson was sure. And so are we.

EDITORS' NOTES

I KNOW HARLEYS ARE VERY "IN,” BUT why so many people pay such high prices for old technology has puzzled me for years. I've ridden numerous Harleys, thinking that, eventually, I’d understand the attraction. But, for me, most of Harley’s models created more questions than they answered.

Then 1 saw a picture of the new Sturgis, and something started to stir inside me, even though I consider black a totally unacceptable color for a motorcycle. The fact that a black Harley-Davidson sparked my interest had everyone here, including me, confused.

After seeing and riding the Sturgis, I think I understand. This bike is fun and I feel good when I'm on it. Let's face it, it's easy to like something that pumps up your ego, warms your soul and beckons you to get on and go for a ride.

Chuffing around on the Sturgis awakens emotions in me. Now, I understand. Still, make mine red.

—Ron Griewe, Senior Editor

BELIEVE ME. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO get caught between lines in the Great Harley Conflict. I was lucky enough to be too young for ’Nam and 1 intend on avoiding the draft for this one, too. The pro-Hogs and the antiHogs fling some pretty heavy artillery at one another, and I don't want to catch a stray insult.

But regardless of what's written on the tank, I know what I like. And I like the Sturgis. After all, what's not to like? The bike is smooth, it looks great, and it makes good, usable power. And something happens w hen I ride it. People notice. I figure there must be a gas-station attendant training course w'here they're all taught to drop their jaws and say things like “Cool ride, dude,” wTen a Sturgis pulls up. The reaction is almost universal. They almost never say “Nice engine isolation mounting system,” or “Very reliable belt final drive you have there.”

And 1 kind of like that. ’Cause I think it's a pretty cool ride myself. —Ron Lawson, Managing Editor

THINK OF THE 1991 STURGIS AS HARley’s trial balloon, a test case to see if the faithful wall accept a new frame and engine-mounting system. Cloaking the chassis in 1980-replica clothes was a good idea, especially in this, the 50th anniversary of the Sturgis rally, but I’ve got news for the marketing types back in Milwaukee:

This bike would have sold had it been painted in paisley and polka dots. It’s that impressive.

For me, it could be better, though. First, let's deep-six some of the black engine treatment. More bare metal, please. Then, jack the thing up and install the longertravel suspension (with resultant increased ground clearance) and the dual front discs from the FXRS Sport. Give it a nice, two-tone paint scheme with pinstripes.and I'm a potential buyer. In 1992, I’m guessing that Harley will give all of us that choice, as the new' Dyna Glide chassis becomes available across the board.

—David Edwards, Editor

H-D STURGIS

$11,52O