So here is my wild theory that I just dropped in my last post for the upcoming new Indian "Ignite" that will be presented in a few months from now. The Harley Davidson Street Rod 750 is Harley Davidson's first real production model outside the cruiser segment. A Sportster with clip-ons and mid-controls is not a standard, it's a cruiser with some mods. The Livewire is still a concept model.
They have never had a real standard model in their range. The only
thing that came close was the XR1200 but that was a Sportster (trying to
look like a) street tracker, (and failed in
that aspect), still a cool bike though. Yes, the profile of this bike reminds very much of the XR1200 but this is a totally new territory for Harley. No component of this bike has a any link to a
Harley flat tracker at all, not even Harley's iconic orange-and-black livery that was used on the XR750's. Matt King of media relations said "the model is built to appeal to a
specific to a demographic in a space where we don’t really have a
product.” In Harley terms, this bike is not build
on their heritage, this bike is a new bloodline.
Why now you may ask?
When Victory came with the Ignition concept model last year, after they had used the same engine in the Roland Sands Pike's Peak racer, the internet exploded. It looked like Polaris was broadening their range and would be the first big twin American manufacturer to make a serious attempt to build a bike outside the cruiser segment. Harley got nervous and decided to have an answer ready. Just compare these 2 bikes, the similarities are striking.
A few weeks after Harley started working on the Street Rod 750,Victory presented the Octane production model, a very much watered down version of the Victory
Ignition concept bike. The reception of the production bike was underwhelming to say
the least. And a few months later Polaris closed down Victory, coincidence?
So now Harley beat Polaris in this new American big twin segment. This battle will continue.
Polaris/Indian will respond. They will make a faster, better handling street/standard bike that will crush the XR750 Street Rod in a few months from now, no doubt it will happen.
The question is.. How will Harley respond to that? And so on, and so on,... This is going to be exciting! :))))
Victory presented a new "concept bike" at Eicma a few days ago. I would not call this bike a concept bike in the traditional sense. Victory asked Swiss
custom builder Urls Erbacher to deliver a concept bike. The fact that he used a of the shelf MT-03 head light is not very original to say the least. It's much more of a cruiser than most people hoped for but still it's a very good looking bike with nice lines.
The most interesting thing about this custom is the engine. The weird thing is that it's a not the same engine from the pikes peak bike that Roland Sands build for Victory some months ago. Check what I found when I compared the pictures.
The Indian Scout, the Vicory Pikes Peak and the Victory Ignition have 3 different engines.
But if you look closely they are almost exactly the same, all the main elements are in exactly the same spot.
Is this one Polaris engine with 3 engine covers, what do you think?
Victory will be
unveiling the full platform in stages, next
step is next month at the Progressive International Motorcycle
Show in New York.
