Harley-Davidson, the iconic American motorcycle brand with a cult-like following, has announced it has chosen to build its second assembly plant ever outside the United States in India.
The "complete knock down" plant or CKD is expected to be up and running in the northern Indian state of Haryana in first half of 2011. Parts made in America will be put together for the Indian market in Haryana.
"What we are doing is made in USA, assembled in India, which will have a positive job effect back home which is why we are driving this investment as quickly as we are," Anoop Prakash managing director for Harley Davidson India told CNN.
Harley-Davidson Softails have always shifted shape to match the custom trends of the day, from the Pro Street-styled Softail Deuce in the late '90s to the more recent, raked-out Rocker C. The new FXS Blackline's skinny rear tire and narrow drag bars mimic the Frisco-style choppers of the Hell's Angels' glory days, delivering exactly the stripped-down, vintage look that 2011 trendsters demand.
Like most new Harleys, the Blackline is little more than an artful reblending of existing hardware and styling cues. The rigid-look Softail frame, with its rear suspension hidden beneath the engine, has been around since '84, and the Twin-Cam B (for counter-balanced) engine is now entering its 12th year of production. Styling is similarly recycled. The round air filter and gray heads above black cylinders reference early Shovelheads, while the tank and graphics are inspired by the '77 Low Rider. The bobbed rear fender with integrated stoplights/turnsignals and the smooth tank strap are modern touches, but overall the Blackline looks as familiar as a pair of Levi's 501s.
In complete contrast to the totally new CBR, with the exception of a major styling change and some internal engine tweaks for 2008, the Kawasaki Ninja 250R has featured the same basic architecture since its inception in 1983. That’s well over two decades in production with only a host of minor changes throughout the years. And while one would think this would put the little Kawasaki at an advantage, much like we thought coming into the shootout, they would be wrong.
At the heart of the little Ninja 250R is a DOHC, liquid-cooled 248cc Parallel Twin 4-stroke that comes by virtue of a 62 x 41.2mm bore and stroke. This engine has more or less been the basis of the bike since Day 1. However, the tried and true engine received reshaped intake and exhaust ports, as well as a more compact combustion chamber and thinner valve stems in the ’08 revision. New camshafts, cam chain tensioner and more efficient cooling system were also a result of the update a few years back.
Dual Keihin CVK30 carbs deliver fuel to the engine, while the power is put to the rear wheels by a revised-in-’08 six-speed transmission. Also updated three years ago was the Ninja’s suspension, a new 37mm Showa fork up front and KYB shock gracing the rear. The front is non-adjustable, while the rear features pre-load adjustability, something the previous model lacked. Steering angle was changed from 27 to 26 degrees, while the outdated 16-inch wheels were replaced with more modern 17-inch units.
Where's the first place you should look when you can't find your keys?
A 21-year-old Beaufort man learned the answer the hard way.
A deputy found the man and his friend standing near a motorcycle in a parking lot outside a bar on Hilton Head Island just after 1 a.m. According to a Beaufort County Sheriff's Office report, the man ran when he spotted the deputy but soon returned.
He explained he had been looking for the key to his motorcycle and ran because he was scared. "I know I'm drunk, but I have to find my motorcycle key," he said.
He was arrested on a charge of public disorderly conduct, but all was not lost.
The deputy who searched the man before taking him to jail found the key -- in the man's jacket pocket.
