Stuff the MoCo got right.....

[Clintster]

I think they nailed it with the riders adjustable backrest.  Adjustable, removeable and nothing makes the long day in the saddle go well for an old guy like me.

[Sonny S.]

They must be doing sumptin right because they've keep the doors open for 106 years

[JamLazyAss]

Something the Motor Co did right huh...

Well, umm, ahh, err, gimmie a minute.

I know, 1903.

Where did they get their start? In a WOOD SHED like me n Panzer !   

[calif phil]

Another vote for the jiffy stand. The 96 and up handlebar switchs are the best in the industry. Having the turn signal on each side is perfect. I hate riding a jap bike with one TS switch on the left side. I hate riding a jap bike period. 

[taz95dog]

didn't amf come up with the evo motor?...taz...

[Black Diamond]

Based on my reading of several MoCo history books: The development of the Evo was started in 1977 under AMF management. The Evo was developed in house while the MoCo hired Porsche Design to develop the Nova motor, a water cooled V-twin. Although AMF did some things that hurt the MoCo, they did some things right like invest in developing the Evo. It's just very easy to bash AMF. They weren't Harley people.

JW

[codyshop]

I'm surprised nobody's said marketing.  Ray

[Big Dan]

Nova was a water cooled V4. Porsche later sold the design to Yamaha, and it became the V-Max. Oh, what could have been....

[Black Diamond]

Nova was a water cooled V4. Porsche later sold the design to Yamaha, and it became the V-Max. Oh, what could have been....

Big Dan

I stand corrected, I should have said V type not twin.

JW

[taz95dog]

and they do have a really good clothing line. i hope they will go back and have some stuff made here.seems like they use to.but i have crs soooo....taz...

[baldoldfxr]

Rubber mounting the engine/trans & designing the rubber mount frame particulary the fxr package ,yes I know Eric Buell had a hand in that.

[V24me]

Codyshop,
If you read mine, that is Marketing. 

They're alot like the big 3 auto makers.  More money into advertising and pushing brand loyalty than giving the public what they want WHEN they want it.

[Glenn W]

Another vote for the jiffy stand. The 96 and up handlebar switchs are the best in the industry. Having the turn signal on each side is perfect. I hate riding a jap bike with one TS switch on the left side. I hate riding a jap bike period. 

Heya Phil! Isn't strange how what one person loves another doesn't I've always hated the separate L&R turnsignal buttons-my truck doesn't have L&R  turnsignal stalks I have no problem using my left thumb to signal for either direction. (BTW my vote was for the self-cancelling signals & jiffy stand but those were already taken)
¿spoom 

[codyshop]

Rubber mounting the engine/trans...

Norton did it earlier.  Ray

[baldoldfxr]

codyshop you're right about nortons rubber mounts predating HD .It took norton a while to get a system that worked well the first version was a pain in the butt to set up then the vernier adjustment  style made life a lot easier, Its interesting that the feeling of HD & Nortons is very similer even though the rubber mounts work in  different ways.  I think Im right that other British bikes had rubber mounted engines even earlier pretty sure Sunbeam used it on the inline twins.

[08ultra03deuce]

I'll second the antilock brake.  Rode in the 30's a couple days back.  Roads were incredibly slick.  I came to an intersection with a stop sign that was shaded from the sun.  Hit a sheet of ice.  The second i touched the rear brake the abs kicken in.  Despite my natural reaction i held it in and slid for what had to be 5 to 10 seconds.  The rear end felt solid the whole time.  No squirreling at all.  I was only going 10 mph at the time so i wasn't too worried about tipping it but it's comforting to know the same thing will happen at 70 mph on dry roads.

[JK]

Funny about the Jiffy stand.  Always makes me laugh when I see a non-Harley rider lunge for a bike that does the 1" roll forward as you get off it, knowing the stop is set.   

[buck1032]

The Springer front end. Both the FX and FL Springers are very well made and handle well.