Must-See Video: Motocrossing on a Harley 1

Click the following link to see Chris Palermo racing his Harley Sportster.

If you checked out our photo galleries from last weekend at A Day In The Dirt, you probably saw Chris Palermo’s photo. In the spirit of the event, he rode a 1999 Harley Sportster during the Coup de Grace event, which runs no less than two hours. The only mods he made to it were adding some Excel rims and a pair of huge Maxxis knobbies on each end.

After the race Chris told us, “I didn’t cut the track anywhere and I only stopped once to fuel. As for how many laps I did and finishing order, I haven’t checked the results yet.”

When it came to the bike, it did pretty well, considering that it was never intended for dirt. “The Harley finished strong. I broke a plastic piece on the choke cable and tore a decorative aluminum ring at the top of the right rear shock, when I got rubbed in a turn by my friend, Jay Lynch. But I never went down! “

Troy Lee had been so impressed with his plans to ride the big V-twin, that he’d hand-lettered the numbers that were on the bike. “Troy's paint job helped me keep it upright. I was only a little sore the day after...actually I'm ready to go back and do those doubles now! Harley-Davidson should be proud. American V-twins live.”

Did he have any other post-race comments? “My only regret is that I never doubled any of the small jumps, mostly for fear of breaking the bike. There were four I was tempted to try every time I approached them.  However, I was so focused on finishing, I couldn't risk the bike.”

Be sure to click the link above to see Chris and the bike in action, and if you want to see more about him and his stunt work, check out www.palermoproductions.com.