Harley-Davidson Cafe Racer (1977) Review, Top speed, Color

                 Harley-Davidson Cafe Racer

                                     The black-finished engine was essentially the same 998cc, 45-degree pushrod V-twin that powered the Sportster model, complete with identical 61 blip peak output.

                                   With its handlebar fairing, V-twin engine and black paintwork, the XLCR was one of the most stylish bikes on the road, if not the fastest.

                                       The most improbable contender in the suPei'b'ke battle of 1977 was a racy- wBH looking lOOOcc V-twin from Harley- Davidson. complete with headlamp fairing, all black paintwork and a serious dose of attitude. The XLCR Cafe Racer was a bold move from the Milwaukee firm, whose reputation for speed and performance had been surrendered long before, and whose range otherwise consisted only of cruisers and tourers.

                                   Harley was keen to promote the Cafe Racer as a high-performance machine. The firm’s advertisements talked excitedly of 120mph (193km/h) top speed, and about how this was the most powerful production bike that Harley had ever built. In reality the XLCR shared many components with other models in the firm’s range, and was closer in performance and feel to Harley’s own laid-back Sportster than to rapid V-twins from the likes of Ducati and Moto Guzzi.

Willie G.’s project

                                    The Cafe Racer was a visually striking machine for all that. The model was created by Harley design chief Willie G. Davidson, whose Super Glide of six years earlier had put struggling Harley back on track. As well as the small fairing, the XLCR had a large (by Sportster standards) fuel tank, a single seat that blended neatly into the rear fender, a tiny front fender, and a siamesed exhaust system with twin silencers. All were finished in black.

                                 So was the engine itself, although apart from its cosmetic update the 998cc pushrod-operated 45- degree V-twin was identical to that of the standard XL Sportster. Gearing was one tooth lower for improved acceleration, but carburation was still by a single 38mm Keihin. As the new exhaust system made no difference to performance, peak output remained the Sportster’s 6lbhp at 6200rpm.

                                              Chassis changes centred on a new frame, which combined twin front downtubes from the Sportster with a new rear section based on that of the XR750 racebike. This was more rigid and provided a more suitable, rearward mounting point for the shocks, which bolted to a box-section swingarm that was stronger than the XL’s tubular equivalent. Morris alloy wheels and a triple-disc brake system replaced the Sportster’s wire spokes, single front disc and rear drum.

                                       The Cafe Racer’s riding position was sportier, too, thanks to near-flat handlebars and slightly rear- set footrests. This combined with the fairing’s wind protection to make the XLCR a handy bike for highway cruising. It sat at 70mph (l I3km/h) feeling stable and relaxed. Vibration became a problem above that speed, though, and the Harley lacked the power for truly competitive performance. Its top speed was not far off the claimed I20mph (I93km/h), but acceleration was modest and the four-speed gearbox rather crude.

                                 Handling was acceptable, despite a tendency to weave at high speed, and a ponderous feel in slower comers. The Cafe Racer’s chassis was an improvement for Harley, who would later adopt its rear suspension arrangement on the Sportster too. But although the brakes were also praised, the XLCR’s overall performance and image did not impress many performance-oriented motorcyclists.

                                More importantly for Harley, the Cafe Racer also held little appeal for the American riders who formed the majority of the firm’s customers. This bike might have been Milwaukee’s fastest ever production machine, but Harley fans preferred the laid-back Low Rider, which was introduced in the same year and was a huge success. By contrast only about 3200 Cafe Racers were built in 1977 and ’78 before the model was dropped. The XLCR Cafe Racer was proof that, for Harley at least, faster did not necessarily mean better.

                                 Handling was good by Harley standards, and the Cafe Racer was stable and fairly well controlled in slow speed bends, especially when its front forks were fitted with an aftermarket brace as with this example. But the combination of handlebar- mounted fairing and relatively thin steel frame tubes resulted in a tendency to weave at high speed.

                                 Some bikes look good from every angle, and the XLCR is one of them. The Harley’s screen and flat handlebars combined to keep off the wind at speed. The twin disc front brake, backed up by another disc at the rear, gave much improved stopping power over the Sportster’s set-up of single front disc and rear drum.

      Specification Harley-Davidson XLCR Cafe                                  Racer (1977)

• Engine Air-cooled ohv pushrod four-valve 45-degree V-twin
• Capacity 998cc (81 x 96.8mm)
• Maximum power 61bhp @ 6200rpm
• Transmission Four-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Steel twin downtube
• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 5151b (234kg)
• Top speed 115mph (185km/h)

Harley-Davidson V-Rod (2002) Colors, Specification, Vintage collection

                     Harley-Davidson V-Rod

                 Although the V-Rod was very much a cruiser, it handled well enough to encourage enthusiastic cornering.

                 With its aluminium finish, innovative instrument cluster, kicked- out front forks and many clever details, the V-Rod looked fresh and interesting from every angle.

                 The VRSCA V-Rod that Harley-Davidson unveiled in mid-200l was far more than simply the first of a new family of V-twins. It was a stunningly stylish, original and powerful machine that looked like no other production bike ever built, and which confirmed that the Milwaukee firm had bold and ambitious plans for the 21st century.

                    It was clear at a glance that the V-Rod, long, low, and seemingly carved from a solid block of aluminium, was no ordinary motorcycle. Visually it had more in common with a custom machine than with a normal production bike, yet mechanically the V-Rod was even more remarkable. It abandoned Harley’s traditional air-cooled V-twin engine for a more potent and sophisticated liquid-cooled motor, based on that of the firm’s VR1000 Superbike racer and developed with the help of Porsche Engineering in Stuttgart. Germany.

‘Revolution’ engine

                     Until the V-Rod, Harleys had relied on pushrods to open their valves, but the new bike’s 1130cc 'Revolution’ engine retained the layout of the VR racer. That meant a 60-degree cylinder angle (instead of the traditional 45 degrees), and twin overhead cams opening four valves per cylinder. Peak power output was 115bhp at 8500rpm, almost double that of the existing Twin Cam 88 V-twin.

                       What looked like the fuel tank was a large airbox, which fed the fuel-injection system via a downdraft intake. Fuel lived under the seat. The radiator and oil cooler were hidden by a curvaceous aluminium shroud that ducted air onto them in a swirling motion to improve efficiency. The tubular steel frame was created using a hydroforming process (involving high-pressure water) to give smooth curves. A long aluminium swingarm contributed to the V-Rod’s lengthy wheelbase.

                        One brief burst of V-Rod acceleration confirmed that this was like no other cruiser from Milwaukee. The way the silver machine charged away from a standstill, revving to its 9000rpm redline through the five-speed gearbox, was exhilarating. And the motor was also very torquey and refined. The bike accelerated cleanly from as low as 2000rDtn and 30mnh (48km/h) in too gear. with real enthusiasm towards a top speed of I40mph (225km/h), and simply feeling stronger as the revs rose.

                     The V-Rod also handled well by cruiser standards. Its frame was strong, and suspension at both ends gave a reasonably firm yet comfortable ride. The bike was stable at speed and steered easily, while other chassis parts showed further evidence of Harley’s improvements in recent years. Brakes were powerful, not surprisingly given that the front one comprised a large pair of discs gripped by four-piston calipers. Broad radial tyres gave plenty of grip.

                     Inevitably the radical V-Rod did not appeal to some traditional Harley riders, but it attracted many more to the marque. This was an outstanding machine that pushed two-wheeled style to new heights, and showed the firm was very serious about combining its traditional strengths with modern technology. A new era had begun at Harley-Davidson. On the evidence of the V-Rod, it was going to be just as cool as the old one - and considerably more exciting.

Street Rod: the Sportier Alternative

                       Harley planned a new family of bikes based on the V-Rod, and this started to take shape with the 2005-model Street Rod, which held the same 1130cc V-twin engine in a shorter, sportier chassis. Steeper steering geometry plus new suspension and wheels gave lighter, more agile handling. Higher and more rearset footrests meant there was a respectable amount of ground clearance, too. The Street Rod was particularly well received in export markets. In 2006 it was joined by another derivative, the Night Rod, which combined similar mechanical specification with a cockpit fairing, lower seat and black-finished engine.

                 Although the V- Rod's Il5bhp output far outstripped that of its previous cruisers, Harley relied on a familiar toothed belt to take drive to the fat rear radial.

                 Solid disc wheels, a large aluminium radiator shroud and an intricately curved twin-pipe exhaust system give the V-Rod the handcrafted look of a show­winning custom bike.

Specification Harley-Davidson VRSCA V-Rod                                   (2002)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc eight-valve 60-degree V-twin 

• Capacity 1130cc (100 x 72mm) 

• Maximum power 115bhp @ 8500rpm 

• Transmission Five-speed, belt final drive 

• Frame Tubular-steel 

• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear 

• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear 

• Weight 594lb (269kg) 

• Top speed 140mph (225km/h)