IS BIGGER REALLY BETTER?
BEST OF BRITISH
Left: Rhys Jones samples a new Sportster 2003. In appearance only, not a lot had changed
Right: 8-valve board track engine detail
Harley engineers took the basic castiron
XL883 Sportster engine, shortened
the stroke, and reduced the capacity to
750cc to satisfy competition rules. The
result was the highly collectible XR750.
Following modifications to eliminate
cooling problems two versions of the bike
were ready for flat-track, and road racing.
The engines were producing more than
90bhp at 7600rpm. Following the Harley
victory in the first Daytona 200 on the then
new circuit in 1961, a Triumph took the title
in 1962, followed by Harley victories for the
next three years. Triumphs took the title
again in 1966 and 1967, before Cal Rayborn
won in 1968 and 69 for Harley. Daytona
became the premier road race in the
world in the mid-1970s and the event was
dominated by mainly Japanese machines.
In the earlier days, however, at the original
Daytona Beach races between 1937 and
1960 Norton won 4, Indian, 3, BSA 1, and
Harley-Davidson 10.
The 117-year history of Harley-Davidson
is a credit to the many devotees who have
kept the name alive in the country of origin,
and around the world. The only other
marque I could trace with a similar record
is Triumph, also founded in 1903, and still
being made in the country of origin.
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82 KIWI RIDER