[skull2007]

Four-day Harley shutdown begins June 30
Daily Record/Sunday News
Article Last Updated: 02/06/2008 11:42:12 AM EST


Harley-Davidson plans to shut down its Springettsbury Township plant for the four days before July 4 because of a different way the company will make motorcycle frames in the 2009 model year.

The shutdown is officially four days in length, but in practice it will be a full work week off because of the July 4 holiday.

Michael Dimauro, spokesman for the Springettsbury plant, said the move is one Harley hasn't made in recent years. The company plans to use the time to integrate its new frame-assembly operation.

"We have to tweak the line to use the new frame assembly," Dimauro said.

Dimauro said the motorcycles will have a different style, "but how we make it is probably the biggest difference."

Dimauro said the information was posted for workers at the plant this week. The shutdown is only scheduled for Harley's York County operation. The company expects to keep using this frame assembly for future models, Dimauro said.

Further details were not available this morning.

[hddoc94565]

Can you say a V-rod Based touring bike...Sure to be the shape of things to come if the Smog police get their way in Cal.

[cowboy]

hddoc I think you right , I'am just going to keep riding my 03 e glide

[AFNurse]

Originally Posted by cowboy

hddoc I think you right , I'am just going to keep riding my 03 e glide

I like my 04!!! now, will be interesting to see what they come up with.....if they do it WELL, ok......but I have already seen the v-rod with aftermarket bagger stuff thrown on.....ok, but not a bagger! did n't look like something I wanted to ride 4300 miles in 9 days.....

[ringo912]

Hey HDDOC...you may not be to far off. My brother in-law just told me yesterday, that HD has received design approval for a new 2400cc, (146 CI ), water cooled engine. I going to try and get more info.

[skull2007]

i'm thinking these water cooled bikes might turn out to be somthing else. when hd puts these on the street they'll be the best water cooled bike made. i have faith in old Harley; they've always been number one, and i doubt any of us will live long enough to see that change. i'm excited about it, i'll probley buy one, but i'll always have a air cooled

[FLHTbiker]

If they do come out with a new bike and frame I'd want to wait a year or so to get the bugs out. As good as Harley is they could have a few initial issues to overcome. Kind of like the Cam Bearings back in 99.

Not sure if I would like one just have to wait and see what happens.

[maxpower_hd]

Originally Posted by skull2007

i have faith in old Harley; they've always been number one,

Can you say AMF? They weren't ALWAYS number one. However, I do believe that water cooled bikes are going to be the wave of the future, kind of like four stroke boat motors, jet skiis and dirt bikes are taking over the RV market now. It's all emissions driven.

I think a water water cooled bagger would be pretty cool but I'll be riding my 99 for quite some time until I come into some money. I can't afford anything new. Present ride included. And when I am able to buy something new, it will probably be something to replace my 1993 truck or my wife's 1995 car since they are both older than my bike. DOH!

[skull2007]

Originally Posted by maxpower_hd

Can you say AMF? They weren't ALWAYS number one. However, I do believe that water cooled bikes are going to be the wave of the future, kind of like four stroke boat motors, jet skiis and dirt bikes are taking over the RV market now. It's all emissions driven.

I think a water water cooled bagger would be pretty cool but I'll be riding my 99 for quite some time until I come into some money. I can't afford anything new. Present ride included. And when I am able to buy something new, it will probably be something to replace my 1993 truck or my wife's 1995 car since they are both older than my bike. DOH!

hope your life improves, hang in there

[ringo912]

Originally Posted by skull2007

i'm thinking these water cooled bikes might turn out to be somthing else. when hd puts these on the street they'll be the best water cooled bike made. i have faith in old Harley; they've always been number one, and i doubt any of us will live long enough to see that change. i'm excited about it, i'll probley buy one, but i'll always have a air cooled

Hey Skull...I hear this new engine is targeted for introduction in 2010. Hope your not planning on leaving us that soon!

[skull2007]

hope not, not that old, i'm thinking it may take them a couple years to get it right (harley that is). hard to argue against 145ci imagine what could be done with that. change is good, but most don't like it at first but in the long run they learn to embrace it, then they can't live w/o it. i.e remote controls, computers, hydrolic jacks, efi, the list goes on

[chucktx]

the grapevine is slated to have watercooled harleys.....2010........

[cowboy]

maxpower , AMF never did a lot of changes to the bikes , people just got worried about the bowling ball saying , my shovel was a AMF & I could change part's for the 48 model pan head on to it , if you had a pan lower end you could put a shovel top end on it basic bolt on , you can't do that on todays Hd bikes with out a lot of mod's
As for the water cooled engine I'll just wate & see the V-rod came out 7 is real strong for what it is , I have only sat on one & did'nt care for the feel but try to catch one

[HAMSHOG]

new 2400cc, (146 CI ), water cooled engine. I going to try and get more info.[/quote]

With those cubes it's going to be one screamin' SOB!!!

[GreyBear]

Yeah they are probably gonna do it and theres not a lot that can be done. Having ridden a hog as long or longer than most anybody here, I have to take issue with the "good old Harley always number one" theme. It has always taken bikers to make the factory product better. I can remember when the first thing you did was pull the timing cover, pull that useless brass bushing that just had a single oil hole and take a bronze one from (my memory may be wrong but....) Some small tractor, machine an oil groove and slap it back together. All sorts of stuff like that.
Now the Vrod engine...it isn't even Harley, it's German. I suppose since it has HD on the title that makes it one but then so did the Italian made 125cc bikes. Honda, Suzuki and more have built VTwins that runs smoother and are better designed. SO why do I still ride the things? Cause of the whole gestalt of the experience. It is more than the sum of it's parts. 145 inches, 245 inches....how big is enough? Ya want big cubes look at BossHog and the like. I have rode a VRod and it's fairly quick and a nimble ride. But it ain't a Harley. Don't feel right, don't give ya that King of the Road feel.
Somebody said change is good and that's partially true Good change is good. Change is just something different. Look at the illegal problem. Since I was a kid that has REALLY changed, but I can't see a damn thing good about it.

Ride Free......
Bear

[terry]

Water cooling is old hat and if you want to ride a bike with a radiator buy a honda goldwing thats just my thoughts on it
TERRY

[ringo912]

Unfortunately it's inevitable, within 10 years, probably closer to 5 years, all street bikes will be water cooled and sound like a Goldwing. This is the way big brother, (EPA), wants it to be. Are there other things that pollute more, or make more noise, of course there are. However, since motorcycle riders only makeup 2% of the population big brother is dropping the hammer on us. Since we are such a small group with no real power to stop them, big brother is going to get what they want.

[skull2007]

especially, when the 2% is so negitive and don't know what they want . i.e; I own a harley but don't really like them, and wouldn't be caught dead saying anything positive. the old ones where not right, and the new ones really suck but yet i ride a newer one. so. . . ever wonder ever notice the mal-contents who carry on like this don't really have a jobs, and likely not much of a life, never offer any useful advise, but they've been riding for decades, on every Harley ever made, and done it all . they're just mad at the world with no useful focus on anything but blaming everything but themselves for their chronic dis-pleasure towards lifes lack of rewards JMO

[ringo912]

Amen Skull...I think ya hit the nail on the head!

[skull2007]

i just get sick of em . from this point on i'll just call them jumpers. because thats all they do. Gods knows you'll never hear them offer any advice on what to do with a bike thats not right, but yet they've done it all for years and years. but.... if i don't like it i can stay on the tech forum where jumpers can't do much jumpin, in fact you won't hear from them there. jumpers.... they talk the talk but can't do the walk. they're like hemorrhoids, they just come out of nowhere