What if : Harley-Davidson mx50

Rick_Snider
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2/22/2016 3:48pm Edited Date/Time 11/13/2020 9:55pm
what could have possibly happened if amf Harley Davidson would have produced this 50cc mini to look like big brother MX 250 back in the late 70's.
Every kid in America at that time looked up to evil Knievel Who spoke highly of Harley Davidson The only problem they didn't produce small dirt bikes to start a revolution at such an opportune time.

Would we be looking at an American off road powerhouse today ?
Possibly
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lostboy819
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2/22/2016 3:53pm
No one bought the HD MX 250 so I doubt they would have bought a MX50 . Back in the 70s Harleys were junk and not the status symbol they are now and the only people who bought them were knuckle draggers and some die hards . I idolized Evel Knievel, its Evel not Evil by the way, but would not even consider a HD mx 250. Try again newbie Wink
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Ing
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2/22/2016 4:09pm
As a Husky dealer from 72 thru 86 we begged the factory for a mini bike. While there was some interest shown and a couple produced (original Husky factory), it never materialized. Would have immensely helped business back then as all the Japs had a competitive mini.
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endurox
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2/22/2016 4:09pm
still junk IMO
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Bigfoot
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2/22/2016 4:15pm


Shhhhhh, secret spy photos smuggled out of HD Factory. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

7

The Shop

mxpappy711
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2/22/2016 4:48pm
They made a mini. It was called a Shortster, made in Italy I think. For AMF Harley Davidson. Don't think it was helpful. Harley's were not the greatest back then but they sure made a comeback on the street side.
endurox
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2/22/2016 4:53pm Edited Date/Time 2/22/2016 4:53pm


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Bigfoot
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2/22/2016 5:04pm
endurox wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/02/22/125074/s1200_12744637_1003313623068017_5267022712218755567_n_zpsuc5vleva.jpg[/img]


Jimmy Holly, 5.1 on the Richter scale.
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2/22/2016 6:23pm
My cousin had one of the black 90cc models. They damn sure didn't have anything near the reliability of a Honda.

Should have bought that damn thing from him when the finally got rid of it though.
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Rick_Snider
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2/22/2016 6:32pm
what could have possibly happened if amf Harley Davidson would have produced this 50cc mini to look like big brother MX 250 back in the late...
what could have possibly happened if amf Harley Davidson would have produced this 50cc mini to look like big brother MX 250 back in the late 70's.
Every kid in America at that time looked up to evil Knievel Who spoke highly of Harley Davidson The only problem they didn't produce small dirt bikes to start a revolution at such an opportune time.

Would we be looking at an American off road powerhouse today ?
Possibly
My photo didn't load

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mxpappy711
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2/22/2016 6:36pm
That looks good. Nice work!
motogrady
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2/22/2016 7:12pm

It would have tanked.

Back then, HD was owned by AMF. They made bowling balls, golf carts and Harley motorcycles.
It was a dark time for HD.
Not only did the dirt guys think they were a joke, the biker and long distance touring crowd, the faithful,
were fed up with them. They were unreliable. They were stale. They were made by a big company that
really weren't into bikes, and it showed.

I think it was 1981, early 80s, AMF sold HD back to a grandson of Mr. Davidson and some investors that
were into bikes.

Willie G and his guys decided to return to their roots, do what made the brand great, again.
And that my friends, is big bore, long fucking haul v twins.

All the small crap, the Italian dirt bikes (which the orange 250s were), the 350 Sprints, also Italian made,
were canned.

30 years later, those guys are billionaires, with a Capitol B.
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lostboy819
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2/22/2016 8:54pm Edited Date/Time 11/12/2020 12:36pm
I worked at a Kawasaki,Suzuki and Harley Davidson dealer, strange combo but almost every Harley we got in we would go to put it together and it would be missing parts,one might be missing gauges another exhaust pipes. When they didnt have the parts on the assembly line they would ship the bike anyway and you just had to wait for them to send the missing stuff. You also could not stack more than one crate on top of the other or the bottom crate would be saturated with oil from the one leaking above it. When the dealer went under they were able to sell the Kawasaki and Suzuki franchise and no takers on the HD brand each of us was then told we could buy the franchise for 5k and none of us even considered buying it even though it would be worth millions today, back in the early 80s it was a matter of time before HD went under. Blush
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Rick_Snider
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2/23/2016 3:56pm
what could have possibly happened if amf Harley Davidson would have produced this 50cc mini to look like big brother MX 250 back in the late...
what could have possibly happened if amf Harley Davidson would have produced this 50cc mini to look like big brother MX 250 back in the late 70's.
Every kid in America at that time looked up to evil Knievel Who spoke highly of Harley Davidson The only problem they didn't produce small dirt bikes to start a revolution at such an opportune time.

Would we be looking at an American off road powerhouse today ?
Possibly
78 Harley Davidson 50

5
Rick_Snider
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2/23/2016 4:11pm
what could have possibly happened if amf Harley Davidson would have produced this 50cc mini to look like big brother MX 250 back in the late...
what could have possibly happened if amf Harley Davidson would have produced this 50cc mini to look like big brother MX 250 back in the late 70's.
Every kid in America at that time looked up to evil Knievel Who spoke highly of Harley Davidson The only problem they didn't produce small dirt bikes to start a revolution at such an opportune time.

Would we be looking at an American off road powerhouse today ?
Possibly
The coolest 50 never made 78 Harley 50

5
motogrady
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2/23/2016 5:35pm

I know one thing.

It really pisses me off that there is no US presence in the dirt bike world.
One wonders, what the heck is the problem?
People say there aren't a lot of jobs, where is the company to fill that void?

You can't blame HD, I mean at the time it was survival for them.
A freaking Goldwing could cross the country, twice, on not much more than fresh tires, while a Harley
would shake a guy to death and break down 8 times.
They did what they had to do.

I remember thinking that it was cool, seeing the biker guys that would show up at the track, having a bike to root for.
And they did, they loved it. Just as much as the regular, mainstream motocross crowd hated having them there.
And it's still kinda that way. 2 tribes. Us, and them.
I don't know of anything, mini bike or whatever, that could bring them together.
Attend an AMA dirt track national, see for yourself, the difference in the type of crowd, is astounding.

But still, it was an empty feeling, for me at least, when HD pulled the plug on all but the 750 XR.
Just like it was with the Cannondale.

Hey, maybe some guy will someday build and mass produce a product for us.
But sadly, I just don't see it.
Hell, look up at what's going on with Buell, pull up "badweatherbikers.com".
The only American made sport bike, a very cool brand, just went thru bankruptcy, and the scrap dealer
that bought them can't find a buyer.

Ya, it would have been cool to have that mini HD 50 produced, still would. And I wish I knew why it isn't, but for the
life of me, I just don't know why this country can't, or won't.


UpTiTe
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2/23/2016 7:37pm
I have a 73 Shortster mini,fast little bike.
WeiserGuy
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2/23/2016 9:03pm Edited Date/Time 2/23/2016 9:05pm
Ing wrote:
As a Husky dealer from 72 thru 86 we begged the factory for a mini bike. While there was some interest shown and a couple produced...
As a Husky dealer from 72 thru 86 we begged the factory for a mini bike. While there was some interest shown and a couple produced (original Husky factory), it never materialized. Would have immensely helped business back then as all the Japs had a competitive mini.
Do you happen to have any photos of the Husky 50?



What's the size comparison to a modern 50 to the HD 50 Rick?
FWYT
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2/24/2016 12:26am
I could swear I remember reading an article in Dirt Bike way back on Larry Roesler's
Harley 90 or 100 or something. Hauling ass through the desert and with a bungee
cord holding on the seat.


Sweet bike, Rick!
2/24/2016 7:10am
FWYT wrote:
I could swear I remember reading an article in Dirt Bike way back on Larry Roesler's Harley 90 or 100 or something. Hauling ass through the...
I could swear I remember reading an article in Dirt Bike way back on Larry Roesler's
Harley 90 or 100 or something. Hauling ass through the desert and with a bungee
cord holding on the seat.


Sweet bike, Rick!
Silk Customs
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11/11/2020 3:59pm Edited Date/Time 11/13/2020 9:55pm
lostboy819 wrote:
No one bought the HD MX 250 so I doubt they would have bought a MX50 . Back in the 70s Harleys were junk and not...
No one bought the HD MX 250 so I doubt they would have bought a MX50 . Back in the 70s Harleys were junk and not the status symbol they are now and the only people who bought them were knuckle draggers and some die hards . I idolized Evel Knievel, its Evel not Evil by the way, but would not even consider a HD mx 250. Try again newbie Wink
Sorry Guys, I may have been hacked.
I did not write or post any negative comments.
8
-MAVERICK-
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11/11/2020 4:21pm
Sorry Guys, I may have been hacked.
I did not write or post any negative comments.
Ha, the irony.
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numbers
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11/11/2020 4:25pm
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/02/22/125073/s1200_HarleyMXModern.jpg[/img] Shhhhhh, secret spy photos smuggled out of HD Factory. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.


Shhhhhh, secret spy photos smuggled out of HD Factory. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

I actually like that look.
1
numbers
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11/11/2020 4:26pm
lostboy819 wrote:
No one bought the HD MX 250 so I doubt they would have bought a MX50 . Back in the 70s Harleys were junk and not...
No one bought the HD MX 250 so I doubt they would have bought a MX50 . Back in the 70s Harleys were junk and not the status symbol they are now and the only people who bought them were knuckle draggers and some die hards . I idolized Evel Knievel, its Evel not Evil by the way, but would not even consider a HD mx 250. Try again newbie Wink
Sorry Guys, I may have been hacked.
I did not write or post any negative comments.
Some nuns are Hot 🤫
TeamGreen
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11/11/2020 4:30pm
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/02/22/125073/s1200_HarleyMXModern.jpg[/img] Shhhhhh, secret spy photos smuggled out of HD Factory. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.


Shhhhhh, secret spy photos smuggled out of HD Factory. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

numbers wrote:
I actually like that look.
Admit it: It's the clutch cover, isnt it?
Laughing
That thing does look cool.
numbers
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11/11/2020 4:32pm
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/02/22/125073/s1200_HarleyMXModern.jpg[/img] Shhhhhh, secret spy photos smuggled out of HD Factory. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.


Shhhhhh, secret spy photos smuggled out of HD Factory. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

numbers wrote:
I actually like that look.
TeamGreen wrote:
Admit it: It's the clutch cover, isnt it?
Laughing
That thing does look cool.
Change the cover and that thing rocks. Imagine showing up to vintage race with that 🤣
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cable
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11/11/2020 6:24pm
Harley owns stacyc. they need to make another bigger model.

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