Harley-Davidson Sportster and FXR: Books - History

Aermacchi - Harley-Davidson Motorcycles

This book tells the story of one of Italy's premiere post-war marques. With a history steeped in aviation including the MC72 World Speed Record holder and World War II fighters, Aermacchi began building motorcycles in 1950.
At the 1956 Milan Show the futuristic Chimera, an ohv horizontal single with enclosed bodywork was launched. Later in the decade the Chimera was undressed to create some of Italy's best sports and racing machines, including the Ala Verde and the Ala d'Oro.
In 1960 Harley Davidson bought 50 percent of Aermacchi then in 1978 the Varese factory was sold to Cagiva. A number of Aermacchi personalities have contributed to this book, giving it additional authority.

Contents:
- Before Bikes
- Early Motorcycles
- Chimera
- Ala Rossa-Ala Verde
- Wet-Clutch Racers
- Transatlantic Partnership
- Off-Road Competition
- Dry-Clutch Racers
- European Roadsters
- The Linto Project
- Two-stroke Racers
- End of the Road
- The Classic Rebirth
- Index.

Harley Davidson Sportster (Paperback)

In 1957, The Motor Company, as they call Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee, was in trouble. The big twins were too big, the small two-stroke single was too small, and a surge of imports had taken the sporting market from the under-powered Model K.
It was time for something new and different. It was time for the Sportster.
Never has a motorcycle been more aptly named. The Sportster kept the K's best features, borrowed the improvements of the imports, threw in some homemade hot-rodding, and before you could say Superbike - a term invented to describe the XLCH - the Sportster was making history, setting sales and speed records, and introducing people to the sport of motorcycling and the mystique of Harley-Davidson.
The history is still going on.

This book tells how and why, in sequence, from the circumstances and models that preceded the XL through to the 1200 Evo, with its five speeds and belt drive. On the way, there are in-depth looks at the race-ready XLC that began the Superbike era (and took even the factory by surprise), at the radical Café Racer and super-sport Buell, and at the price-buster XLX that taught the imports the value of the dollar.

Paperback edition.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1965-1976 - Brooklands Portfolio

Brooklands Portfolio book about the Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycles from the years 1965-1976. Describes the Harley-Davidson Sportster XLH, DLCH, 833cc, 1000 cc, DR-750 and XL.

• The 29 articles, taken from contemporary British and American motorcycle magazines, provide much information about history, model changes and technology.
• Also driving impressions, tests, comparison tests, technical specifications, etc.

▶  More information on the Brooklands Portfolio books

Harley-Davidson XR-750 - The Complete History

This is the story of the legendary XR-750 from its development in 1970, when it was created to replace the aging KR. The first XRs used iron cylinder heads and barrels-and were painfully slow. By 1972, the motorcycles were redesigned with aluminum heads and barrels, and the XR-750 took home the trophies.

Found here is the development of the XR-750 with a technical analysis of the complete motorcycle, detailing specifications, modifications, innovations, and aftermarket components.
This is also the story of the men who designed, tuned and raced the XR-750. It was their engineering skill, iron-willed riding and tuning secrets that made the motorcycle a winner.

The book is divided into three parts, the motorcycle's development, the season-by-season race championships, and how the pros make the bikes go-and go fast. More than 300 photos tell the inside story of the XR-750 on the dirt track, the XR-750 and XR-1000 on the street and XRTT on the road-race circuits.

Harley-Davidson Sportster, son histoire mécanique et humaine

Le Sportster représente annuellement plus de 20 % de la production mondiale de Harley-Davidson. Un succès qui perdure pour un type de moto apparu en 1957 en cylindrée de 883 cm³ et qui figure toujours au sein de la gamme du constructeur américain sous cette cylindrée, en compagnie du Sportster 1 200 cm³.
Il se décline désormais en différents modèles et son bloc propulseur Sportster a également engendré une nouvelle race de motos, jeunes, sportives, de caractère, funs, et techniquement modernes, les Buell.

Si le livre traite de la conception à la naissance du Sportster, avant de dévoiler ses évolutions et de présenter ses principaux modèles spéciaux propulsés par des moteurs en fonte, c'est sans oublier d'insister que c'est à partir des moteurs en aluminium qu'il connaît son renouveau et qu'il multiplie ses versions, à l'image des autres Harley-Davidson aux moteurs Big-Twin.

De la compétition aux Sportster transformés en Choppers, il s'adapte à tous les styles et à toutes les utilisations pour séduire une très large clientèle masculine, mais aussi féminine. Ce Sportster, adoré et controversé, demeure une Harley-Davidson particulière qui mérite un hommage particulier, car la durée de vie de chaque Sportster n'est pas de quelques années, comme cela est généralement le cas pour la majorité des motos, mais de plusieurs dizaines d'années.
De nombreux professionnels proposent des pièces pour le restaurer, le modifier, l'améliorer et le personnaliser, ce qui explique sa longévité exceptionnelle et son nombre très important d'adeptes.

Harley-Davidson Mythos Sportster - Historie, Modelle, Technik, Umbauten

Seit 1957 wird die kleinste und sportlichste Harley-Davidson gebaut. Mit weit mehr als einer Million verkaufter Maschinen ist sie der erfolgreichste Roadster weltweit. Dabei blieb das Grundkonzept mit luftgekühltem V2, kompakten Abmessungen und vergleichsweise sportlichem Fahrwerk bis heute unverändert.
Zur Legende wurde die Sportster nicht zuletzt durch ihre unzähligen Erfolge im Rennsport: Kein Motorrad hat mehr Titel im Dirt-Track und auf den Speedways Amerikas eingefahren!

Dieses Buch erzählt die faszinierende Geschichte des Mythos Sportster, beleuchtet Technik und Modellvarianten von damals und heute, gibt Tipps für Gebrauchtkauf und Tuning und zeigt mehr als 200 der spektakulärsten Sportster-Umbauten der Welt.