Ahhhh , yes , the Harley dirt track replica , the motorcycle so many have been waiting not-so-patiently for .
Dirt Track replica and Cafe Racer fill out Milwaukee ’ s new-gen platform
MORE NEW HARLEYS !
Words by Mitch Boehm Photos courtesy of Harley-Davidson
of the two new Revolution Max V-twin engines ( the Bronx uses the 975cc version ). It ’ s dressed in gloss black , has a little quarter fairing up front and immediately recalls the much-maligned but near-legendary XLCR Café Racer of the late 1970s . That ’ s a good thing .
The other bike , which untold thousands have been asking for , drooling over and trying to build themselves for years ( no , decades !) is the Dirt Track replica , which to our eyes looks damn near spot-on aesthetically . We ’ d rather see it in orange and black , and we surely will , but with the high pipes , braced race-spec swingarm and from-thepaddock body pieces , it ’ s bound to be a hit with enthusiasts in all age groups , and especially those who dig and follow dirt track racing .
It ’ s a good guess these two will appear after the Bronx and Pan America , probably in mid 2021 , depending on how things shake out corona-wise . And while that ’ s a year away , the idea of riding and owning one of these should keep folks plenty interested .
Back in early December , when the word coronavirus meant ‘ nasty beer hangover ’ and not ‘ pandemic ’ ( at least to anyone other than the Chi-Comms ), we wrote about the exciting new-generation motorcycles slated to emerge from the Harley-Davidson factory in late 2020 . These were the Pan America adventure tourer and naked Bronx streetfighter , each of which will immediately and dramatically broaden the Motor Company ’ s potential buyer base – if the economy survives the current shutdown , that is .
Turns out there are two more new-gen motorcycles on the way ( economic caveats , notwithstanding ), and they ’ re every bit as interesting and – to us , exciting – as the Pan and Bronx . They are what we ’ ll call the Café Racer and Dirt Track replica , and each harkens back successfully to a model that ’ s near and dear to the hearts of Harley fans and motorcycle fans alike .
Although Harley is typically closelipped about these two , it ’ s pretty obvious what they are , at least generally . The Café Racer is a sportier but more retro version of the Bronx and will likely use the larger ( 1250cc )
Aside from this very XLCR-like ( and very cool ) café racer , Harley is also rumored to be finalizing a retro high-perf custom based around its new 1250cc Revolution Max engine , which also powers the Pan America adventure bike .
14 | MAY 2020 | THUNDERPRESS . NET