History of the Harley-Davidson Sportster XL - Ep 5: 1969-1973 The AMF Era Begins
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- Опубликовано: 19 окт 2024
- In episode 5 of the History of the Sportster XL we investigate the beginings of the AMF era. How did Harley-Davidson really fare? What happened to the Sporster during the AMF years?
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TheOT, you're the best historical (big word) video's history of the sportster. ❤
Thank you Milmex. It's nice to be appreicated. :-)
Cheers,
Chris
Outstanding my friend, really enjoying this series😎
So, I'm on one of the Last true Sportsters from Harley, a 2019, XL1200X. I'm slowly modding it into a Cafe Racer styled cruiser. At the same time, I am enjoying this double dip of both Harley History, and British History. I thank you for your efforts.
Morning Bassman - thank you for saying such nice things about my videos. I appreicate the sentiment, and the time to express it.
I spent a memorable weekend on a new Forty-Eight in 2018. I remember getting backache 'cos of the forward lean, and the tank range just dumbfounded me! Still, it's got the most wonderful engine in the world and I remember loving how it zipped about 'nimbly' (for a Sportster). Comparing it to my Custom, the foot rests were mid-position and leaning forward left me feel like the handling was faster and more precise. All in all, a great bike - and a fab start for a custom project.
All the best to you,
Cheers,
Chris
Last TRUE sportys were before pre-2004. Rigid mounted motor. Carburetor. Can actually remove the transmission without splitting cases and the jugs can be overbored. Either way, enjoy the 1200. At least ur riding a sporty and not a gay boy bagger 🤙
Great video series, enjoyed your humanity and knowledge, thank you.
Thank you George for taking the time to say nice things. Your encouragement is much appreciated.
Cheers,
Chris
Chris, I worked at Pratt's Motorcycle Company in the early 1970's. We were the second Harley Davidson dealer in London. We were located in Greenwich. We raced an Aermacchi.
Afternoon Ron - I was on the HDRCGB forums a little while ago and had a great time in a thread about the HD dealerships in Britain. Pratts was mentioned: were you in that thread? I'll look out a link later.
Anyway, I'm interested to understand how the HD network developed here so thanks for the contact: no doubt I'll annoy you with questions in the future (if that's okay?!).
Cheers,
Chris
Few, if any, Harley histories devote any substantive discussion or analysis of one of the most dramatic episodes in motorcycling. In 1970, HD set the Absolute Land Speed Record for motorcycles at Bonneville. Dennis Manning, Warner Riley, Cal Rayborn, Dick O'Brien, are a few of the legends responsible for an accomplishment that stands as the corporate version of The World's Fastest Indian, i.e., a tale of an underdog persevering against seeming insurmountable odds. 11 days before the beginning of Speed Week at Bonneville, Harley greenlighted an attempt at the LSR, and slapped together a motely crew of rugged individualists: Dennis Manning supplied the streamliner, Cal Rayborn was a factory roadracer with zero Bonneville experience, Warner Riley brought two XLCH ironhead engines built in his kitchen, and racing chief O'Brien headed the hastily organized attempt. Rayborn crashed the streamliner twice, once at over 200 mph, Riley swapped out engines as needed, Manning duct taped and repaired the streamliner on the fly. One night, the crew raided a nearby aircraft graveyard for parts. At the height of the Japanese invasion, when the Big Four flooded the industry with high performance, multicylinder machines, epitomes of technological innovation, Harley set the LSR with a single engine, magneto-fired, four speed, foot shift XLCH ironhead with drag bars. It was the last time in history that the LSR was set by a single engine motorcycle, and the record stood for five years, finally best by Don Vesco's multi-engine Yamaha. I ride a 1969 XLCH, and think about its history and legacy every time I swing a leg over the saddle.
Afternoon David - thanks for the considered comment. I mention Rayborn, O'Brien, Manning and Riley's incredible achievement, framing it as the precise time that the Harley-Davidson Sportster became 'the greatest motorcycle in the world'. (Although it was the 1965 XLCH really as it was the fastest production bike, but no-one outside North Amercia knew or cared.)
Your thought that you 'I ride a 1969 XLCH, and think about its history and legacy every time I swing a leg over the saddle' is the whole nine-yards: good on ya'! That's what it's all about for me.
Thanks for saying so!
Chris
I too own a 1969 sportster and I love it.
This is the best series on a Harley-Davidson model publicly available on the internet. Thank you so much for your effort in making this. I know your videos are not going "viral", but I think the people who view them REALLY appreciate it!
Morning Marco - your comment must be the best I've ever had: thank you. Hi praise indeed. As you note, my videos aren't exactly 'viral', but those few who do view them - especially the Harley histories - really seem to enjoy, and appreicate them.
Thank you again for taking the time to say such a nice thing about my efforts. :-)
Cheers Marco,
Chris
Another great, fun, informative video. Thanks for your hard work... Not get ta moving on the next one...lol
Morning Chris - thank you for being so appreciative, I, erm, appreicated it... (And yes, these videos are hard work!) Give me a few weeks and I'll get the next one done.
Thanks again,
Chris
Is part six not out yet ?great series ! Love my old 77 xlch
Hi Mat - thank you for saying such a nice thing about my videos. I do appreciate it, thanks.
Nice to see you have an lovely old 1000 XL - I trust you enjoy it! And, yes, part six is published tonight (Friday 29th). I trust you'll enjoy that too.
Cheers, and thanks again,
Chris
Why didn’t Harley’s executive see what the customers were doin with there stock bikes…an get ideas to build the stock chopper wow it would of been iconic.
Hi User - I'd guess it's a money thing. Still, the XLS was really nice, with its extended forks.
Cheers,
Chris
Still weird everyone I hear myself (Greg Field) quoted in a video. Maybe some folks did read my books,though the Willie G. Super Glide story isn't really what I wrote. That was a wry allusion to the old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercials that ran on TV in 1970s US.
You're Greg Field? THE Greg Field? The actual one who wrote about Knuckles, Pans & Evos? THAT Greg Field? And you watched my videos?! UNBELIEVABLE! Thank you so much for taking time to offer a comment. I can't tell you how happy & proud I feel! Thank you again, sir.
I've seen your Evo book on Amazon - which is highly rated (but only 68 pages?). In the Complete History, your Shovelhead & Evo chapters are superb - but the Sportster doesn't get much of a look-in. (Probably because the late, great Allen Girdler wrote that chapter.) Does the Sportster Evo deveopment get much air-time in your book?
Anyway, just a load of waffle to say 'thank you'. It's a great honour to see that Greg Field watched my video.
Thank you!
Chris
You have to remember, he's only working off of hearsay info.
Talk about the bikes. I’m out
Same here 3 minutes in
It’s a history, not a spec sheet reading. You sassy queen.
XLCH, the CH stood for competion hot!
Morning Don - I'm glad you're enjoying watching my videos. :-) There are a couple of ideas about the letter designation XLCH and, as you note, some of the silliest include 'C = California' and 'H = hot'.
Cheers,
Chris
So..now i own a 1968 xlch 900. And i thought that a 900 was not a 883. And only just under 5000 were made that year!
Afternoon Yardbird - yes, the 1960s were tricky for Harley. Keep your '68 safe!
Cheers,
Chris
Chris, I've got some great photos of the 1973 John Player Transatlantic Trophy Races at Brand Hatch, please contact me.
Will do Ron - coincidentally, there's a chap on eBay selling an original program from the April races (20p it cost!). There seems to be a rider list in there, though I couldn't make out the names.
Were you there?
Cheers,
Chris
P.S. I can't find an email address for you mate...
@@chrisoftheot6272 Chris Yes ted Pratt and I attended all the 3 events that year, I only have photos of the Brands Hatch races
Your mainstream history is corporation history of Western Civilization. If you hadn't notice all our governments are incorporated too, Harley Davidson Inc is just another corporation and corporations have owners! Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. The British colonialist, American Founding Father and US President Thomas Jefferson said, “If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs"... “I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity under the name of funding is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” These are the powers that should not be and they plan and implement history and they are planning to end Western Civilization, unless we common people with our Creators help can stop them.
Morning Marten - thanks for that considered comment. I was very surprised that this came from my video though.
I am not clear about your prefered 'solution' to the 'evil corporation' problem. You mention Proverbs and 'our Creator', so I assumed a biblical focus - maybe a theocracy? But you also quote Jefferson who was very anti-religious (as far as I know). Because of this reference, can I assume you are American?
I'm very interested in the subject matter here and keen to hear more!
Cheers,
Chris
@@chrisoftheot6272 ~ Hi Chris, I am assuming you are a UK Brit? I'm in Arizona US. ~ Moses established a theocracy over Israel in the book of Exodus. “And Moses chose out able men out of all Israel, and he made them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties and captains of tens over the people. And they judged the people at all times; and every too burdensome matter they brought to Moses, but every light matter they judged themselves.” Exodus 18:25-26.
The end of this theocracy came about in 1 Samuel 8:6-7, “And the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they (Israel) said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, Hear the voice of the people, in whatever they shall say to thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me (God) from reigning over them.”, quotes from Brenton Septuagint.
Interesting thing is UK is a constitutional parliamentary monarchy that originally used English Common Law. The US is similar in having a constitutional government without the monarchy, but we also based our laws on English Common Law. ~ Governments today are corporatocracy, that are a economic, political and judicial system controlled by powers that should not be.
Afternoon Marten - lots to think about there! And I have been... In my last videos (Ep.8) I rile against 'bean counters'. From your comments, I fancy we're on the same page here. Although 'evil corporations' are the problem, 'corporation' is a largely abstract term (if only because with many representatives, no one individual is ever 'responsible'.)
The problem, as I see it, is the people within said corporation: they are all taught to be bean counters, where beans are money so people don't matter. I believe it must be possible to run a corporation 'ethically', but there's more reward in running it as a bean counter (beans as money/career/authority etc.). When I get to run an international business empire, I'll let you know how it goes!
As for theocracy, I'm afraid I'm not a fan. Theocratic leaders are always too willing to kill people and/or go to war. Moses did, so did his distant predecessor, Abraham. For us in Britain - you're right Marten, I'm a Brit - it's election day tomorrow. If I walked into church now and asked ten Spirit-believing Christians about any given political issue, I'd get ten different answers. Everyone would claim the same connection to God but few would agree.
If you have a leader who claims he or she is 'doing what God wants', any disagreement is blasphemy. So, I would never want to live under a Christian theocracy (or any other).
I'm curious Marten - would you be happy to live in an America with a devout theocratic president?
Cheers mate,
Chris
@@chrisoftheot6272 ~ The UK is a constitutional monarchy, the US is a constitutional republic. Both founded on English common law, that was derived the from Christian scriptures. In times past our countries were ideally governed by the Creator God's laws. That was history, they are a kind of theocracy, but we are not governed that way today.
Government Inc. and Corporations have a have the same interests, same goals and owners. The Devil owns this world, which he stole in the first place, he's an illegitimate ruler. He is also a Vampire and the Light will destroy him, Light and Truth are synonymous. God is light and there is no darkness in him, it's impossible for him to lie. Truth is the ultimate authority, it's non-negotiable, truth make us free, truth leads us to the Ultimate Truth our Creator-God. When we love truth we are also loving God. It can be said love the Truth with all your heart mind and soul is one and the same as Loving God with all your heart mind soul. Cheers Chris.
@@chrisoftheot6272 ~ In other words Chris, we should be governed by truth and truth requires testing, repeatedly and proven to be true, it is the same as Empirical Science, it's only science when it's proven true. Government "science" says we came from a big bang, evolution and gravity, this is all theory, speculation and metaphysics, and none of this is empirical science, it's not true and it's not science.
My 1973 had 3 problems dealer fix s
Morning Ray - nice that your dealer was able to sort out the 'problems'. Have you still got the bike?
Cheers,
Chris
Apologies....... As far as Harley and the chopper culture goes, they wanted nothing to do with choppers, or bikers.