Found some photos lurking in a drawer. This is the Admin Staff on the '76 Cobra framed Harley on our way home from the Bulldog in 2007. There wasn't anything from 1976 on that bike . I'd added the fat apes, they weighed a ton, and they were just awful to ride with. It underwent another reincarnation later that year and then was left to go rusty in the garage. I gave it away a few years later. It was really hot that year so lots of fluids were required. I think the Damned and the Quo were live that year. There was more aggro than usual, people get the hump when it's hot. Not a good year, it had a sort of feeling that something wasn't right.
Yeah, 2007 was a precursor to a lot of sh*te to come in 2008...and beyond. And about that bike, those were certainly some sky-high apes, @Iron! What model was that bike?
It was a 1976 AMF HD/Aermacchi SS 250 although nothing much was left of that. A proper 'bitsa' and a money pit. Even though the apes look high they only came to my shoulders as it's quite a small bike. It managed to carry two of us around for a while with that grunty 1340 Evo. It used to have an open primary that ate most of my trousers.
Thanks for that info on your old bike, @Iron! My Harley history is decent but not great. I knew about the AMF "era" and about the Harley & Aermacchi "collaboration" but didn't know that those two happened during the same years. I've always heard that the AMF years were an embarassment with poor quality machines but that the Aermacchi bikes were decent to good. What're the honest-to-goodness facts of the matter?
@Sandi T - Some motorcycle manufacturers had a sort of hissy-fit in the late 60s when they were resting on their laurels, not making as much money as they thought they should be, and discovered that there was money to be made from smaller engined bikes. BSA basically had a management retarded death wish and burned both themselves and Triumph to the ground. HD also had a stroke and sold themselves to AMF in 1969 as they had no money of their own (American Manufacturing Foundation/Federation/Funding - something like that ). AMF manufactured sporting goods and made loads of stuff that they could now label Harley Davidson (that good ol' boy US flag waving bald eagle dream machine). You could buy HD golf carts, HD snow mobiles - they even brought out a bike called "The Fat Boy"! who ever heard of such a thing . They even produced a commemorative "Confederate" bike with a Johnny Reb Stars and Bars flag on the tank. (I don't think that went down too well with the Yellow Bellied Yankees ). HD were already producing smaller engined bikes (65cc/100cc/125cc etc) through Italian Aermacchi from 1960, AMF continued and increased that. In the late 70s AMF sold them to Cagiva cause nobody wanted noisy two stroke Italian bikes made from Russian steel when you could get shinier noisy two stroke Japanese bikes made from Korean steel. Also, people pointed and laughed if you were riding a clown sized two stroke Harley while wearing a cutoff and a bandanna. AMF were doing to HD what BSA were doing to Triumph, they were insisting on increasing productivity while re-using old machinery and not investing in either the factories or the workforce. Maximising profits for short term returns. In 1980 along comes Willy G and his beret (it was actually the HD CEO Vaughn Beals) and buys HD back for $80M - "Hooray!" shouted all the HOG chapters. In 1983 along comes John Bloor looking at an old factory that was for sale for housing development and ended up buying the Triumph name for £150,000 - "Hooray!" shouted all the 59ers. This is a 1976 AMF 250 SS that was converted/rebuilt/thrown away to build the first incarnation of the chop above. Harleys are expensive and one has to improvise somewhat.
My brother briefly owned an Aermacchi SS250. It was utter rubbish. Joint holder of the title "most vibratory bike ever ridden" (together with an oil-in-frame BSA A65). Wouldn't say no to a "Harley Davidson" Sprint 4-stroke, mind - especially a short track racing version (with the addition of lights and brakes ).
@Sandi T - ahem, I seem to be rejoining the ranks of HD owners (shhh, don't tell anyone). I've been after a 70s FLH Shovel for a while and have been frustrated trying to do the deal. Any old end up, I'm hopefully bishing the bosh on a 1980 Shovel Wide Glide for myself for Crimbo. Not that it looks too much like a FXWG anymore. Needs a spot or two of work (cough cough). I've got two other builds waiting in the garage to start but this may jump the queue. Goody gum drops, looking forward to those mince pies and clotted cream this year now
