Doc Loco Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 (edited) A Clone No More Something different: This may be the real deal, OTOH ~ it may be an April Fools Prank... Harley Rumor Source LINK No More Air Cooled Engines for Harley!!! 2012 Harley-Davidson Lineup to Break Tradition With Water-Cooled Engines Friday April 1, 2011 Harley-Davidson's notoriously nostalgic, 108 year practice of building only air-cooled engines (with the exception, of course, of the V-Rod Night Rod Special and V-Rod Muscle) is about to come to a screeching halt. Thanks to certification documents leaked by the EPA and California Air Resources Board, all engines in the 2012 Harley-Davidson lineup will feature a radiator discreetly wedged between each model's downtubes. A Harley-Davidson representative reluctantly admitted that the change was coming when confronted with the allegation. "For over a century, our bikes have exuded a singular feel and an unmistakable exhaust note," the spokesperson said during a phone interview, "but toughening emissions regulations and practical considerations have forced us to modernize our powerplants." The rep suggested that the benefits were not limited to clean air; the new liquid-cooled engines produce up to 35 percent more horsepower, and run considerably cooler than their predecessors-- with a reduction in the signature potato-potato exhaust volume. The radiators, manufactured in Japan by Denso, are purpose built for the H-D application, and feature a similar design to the slim units found on Honda's Fury chopper. All models will feature traditional placement except the XR1200X, which will incorporate a side-mounted radiator. Rumors that the V-Rod will be discontinued due to "redundancy" have not yet been confirmed. "The time has come," the rep told me, "and our valued customers will soon see that Harley-Davidson is committed to embracing a cleaner and greener future." ____________________________________________________________________________ Then Came New DOT Motorcycle Endorsement Standards.... US Government to Require Trike Training Prior to Motorcycle Licensing Friday April 1, 2011 What You'll Have to Ride First if You Want a Motorcycle License: The Department of Transportation issued a statement today that will cause a paradigm shift in the way riders earn the legal right to ride: as of January 1, 2012, the process for obtaining a motorcycle license will require a six-month "trike training" period in which would-be motorcyclists are limited to three-wheelers like the Harley Tri-Glide and Lehman CrossBow. "Let's face it," DOT spokesperson Melvin P. Meyers said in a national news conference, "Motorcycles are inherently unstable vehicles. Placing a first-time rider on these two wheeled conveyances opens the door to certain injury, or even death." Outlining a three-wheeled trial period of 180 days, Meyers said the enforced trike riding would be akin to "training wheels that prove you're serious and responsible about riding a motorcycle." A new "T" license certification will differentiate the three-wheeled learners prior to their receiving Class "M" certification, and Meyers adds that "This is all about choice; thanks to proliferation of options due to baby boomer demand, wanna be motorcyclists aren't limited to traditional trikes; they can opt for backwards trikes like the Can-Am Spyder, or even that big-wheeled Custom SS contraption." Anticipating heightened demand, motorcycle manufacturers are said to be feverishly engineering training wheel-style retrofits for their mainstream offerings-- while the Motorcycle Industry Council and the American Motorcyclist Association have already announced plans to appeal the DOT's decision. Too Funny ~ this is just too much!!! GUVERNMINT!!! ____________________________________________________________________________ Edited April 2, 2011 by Doc Loco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Resort Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Loco Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 Motorcycle Chrome to be Banned by January 1, 2012! In an unprecedented move that has put the motorcycle industry on alert, the Department of Transportation has passed a bill that intends to outlaw "chrome finishes that cover any engine, frame, or headlight assembly on new motorcycles."* "Chrome is the silent killer," asserts DOT spokesman Melvin P. Meyers, "and if we can rid motorcycles-- especially cruisers-- of the shiny chrome that distracts motorists and causes accidents, our roads will be a safer place." Last year, Meyers earned the respect and bafflement of sportbike enthusiasts when he tried to pass an amendment that would have legalized wheelies, and the move to eliminate chrome has led one motorcycle advocacy group to proclaim that, "[Meyers] is not only trying to undermine the cruiser business, he's also a closet crotch rocket junky who harbors a deep desire to see only sportbikes on public roads." ____________________________________________________________________________ U.S. Government to Limit Motorcycle Engine Output to 75 Horsepower! Acting preemptively in light of the European Union's recent push towards limiting motorcycle horsepower to 100, Congress has quietly passed a transportation bill that will cap motorcycle engine output at 75 hp. At a press conference today, DOT spokesman Melvin P. Meyers announced that "We can't lag behind Europe's progressive stance towards two-wheeled moderation." The bill not only limits the horsepower of current and future motorcycle models, it retroactively applies to any registered bike on the road, and will take effect as early as January, 2011. "In the interest of public safety," Meyers explains, "law enforcement officials will clamp down on any and all motorcyclists who violate the law." The bill outlines numerous electronic and mechanical implements that reduce engine output. For instance, fuel-injected powerplants will be fitted with revised engine management chips and/or throttle bodies, while older carbureted bikes will have a reduction gear attached to the throttle assembly. In instances where owners choose to retain the mechanical authenticity of their motorcycles, a banana can also be slipped into the exhaust pipe(s). At the discretion of state police, mobile dynamometers may be utilized for field tests. Both the Motorcycle Industry Council and the American Motorcyclist Association have lobbied against the bill, in addition to most manufacturers including Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Triumph, and Yamaha. There has been no comment from Harley-Davidson, though Forbes reports that Harley stock has jumped 12 percent on the announcement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasbin Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 :babyhaha: :babyhaha: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secinv Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I have had it with Obama's socialistic big government schemes!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I have had it with Obama's socialistic big government schemes!!! Canada and Mexico are both available and close..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clan Chief Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Canada and Mexico are both available and close..... :babyhaha: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintageroger Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Loco Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 I hope you found a laff in here, it was an April Fools Prank, guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackhorse Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 IMHO politics and religion don't belong in a motorcycle forum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiefin Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I hope you found a laff in here, it was an April Fools Prank, guys. Damm DL,, I thought you were smokin that Shit again,,,,LOL!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secinv Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintageroger Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 IMHO politics and religion don't belong in a motorcycle forum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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