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►From the attitude we find among some riders
we meet, one would think the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. had lost all interest in
making motorcycles for the general public. This attitude, which we think is
peculiar to Southern California, has it that Harleys are good for policemen and
a few old men who never quite got over the fact that Indian went out of
business. Actually, quite the
reverse is true. Harley-Davidson survived while the other old line American
companies went under precisely because they competed actively with European
cycle makers and either matched them or beat them at their own game.
Harleys are selling better than
ever today because there are (as there always have been) a certain number of
buyers in the market who want a combination of tremendous power and great
dependability, and there are few European makers who offer both in a single
package.
The Sportster, both in the XLH
and XLCH models, is a perfect example of such a package, and it is Harley's big
gun against such imports as Triumph, BSA, BMW and other large machines.
If you have never ridden the
55, the first ride will be remembered for a long, long time. The first
impression is one of tremendous weight (which there is) , but then it lightens
up once you get going. After awhile you let yourself loosen up and ride it like
any other motorcycle; then you realize that little old you can actually be the
master of that big machine. Our test staff that day consisted of four riders
ranging in weight from 120 to 180 pounds, and not one of us felt cowed by either
of the two bikes.
We took two to see if we could
find a clearcut difference between the XLH and XLCH. We found them very much
alike.
The H had a 3.7 gal. tank,
separate pipes, full-dress headlight assembly, wide, horizontal handlebars.
The CH had a 2.3 gal. tank,
single exhaust pipe, semi-dress headlight assembly and narrow, semi-vertical
handlebars.
Actually, either model can be
ordered with either tank, either pipe setup, either headlight and either
handlebars. The real difference is in the gearing (10.63 top for the H, 11.16
for the CH) and ignition (coil for the H, magneto for the CH) . The result is
that the CH is just a wee bit hotter. We were able to turn 94 in the standing
quarter with the CH and only 90 with the H, despite the fact that the CH was
saddled with a single pipe, creating greater back pressure.
So, unless you plan to use the
bike for competition, in which a slight performance edge can make a big
difference, your choice between the two models is purely a matter of personal
preference.
Naturally, the Sportster does
best on the open road, and this is where we derived the greatest enjoyment from
it. If you're the kind of rider who sticks close to home, you don't need one.
Its capacity for long, hard running is unmatched by any other motorcycle, and
its torque range is phenomenal. Though it is possible to gain advantage by
shifting down, in most highway situations you simply forget there is any other
gear but top. .At 35 mph, for instance, a sudden turn of the throttle to full on
makes the machine jump like a frightened gazelle.
The controls, we found, were
perfectly placed, despite a considerable variance in rider size. The gear shift
was a bit on the spongy side, but that is a matter of preference, as there is a
tighter control spring available to alter this.
Likewise, all of us preferred
the wide, horizontal handlebars, as we felt they gave us better control. But
again, there are two available.. The throttle has no return spring, and we did
not like that. But our local dealer assured us that Harley riders prefer it that
way, and that he has few calls for conversions. Worse than that, however, was
the play in the throttle, which made control somewhat difficult until we got
used to it. Since both machines had it in equal amount, we concluded it was not
just a maladjustment, and we would change it if we owned one.
Like the big 1200, the
Sportster retains a hand spark control in combination with an automatic advance.
This may sound like old hat, but it's a darned good thing to have when starting
up. An engine of that size has a tremendous kick to it, and a backfire just as
you are midway in the kick could break your leg. By turning the spark control to
full retard it is almost impossible to be kicked by this machine. Once you have
it running you turn the control to full advance and the automatic takes care of
the rest.
To sum it up, we have to admit
that the Sportster is not designed for just anybody, least of all the young
fellow just graduating from a Honda 50. But for a man with two or three years of
riding experience under his belt, who wants a powerful machine that is still
sporty, we can think of nothing else that will quite fill the bill. Its torque
and speed in highway situations are positively exhilarating. Unless you aim to
set a new land speed record, it is the fastest thing you could possibly want.■ |
Bike Tests 
