Harley's reputation of offering the armed forces with motorbikes stretches straight back to The First World War. The motorbikes which have rendered up the bulk of the military service inventory have generally been private bikes which had been redesigned for hardy application. WWI watched the purpose of the Harley JD, some designed with side-cars for staff application or gun platforms for engagement.
WWII observed the widespread utilization of the H-D 45" flathead, although the popular XA model type made short appearances in the field. Vietnam-era bikes included Sportsters and full dressers utilized by MPs for patrolling and escort assignments. Zoom in to the late 80s when the armed services was looking for a mixed-sort bike that's flexible to be employed on all terrains. Say hello to the MT 500, today's motorbike highlight.
The bike was first developed by SWM of Italy during the start of the 1980s, the motorbike experienced some victory in trail auto racing, garnering a couple of prizes and championships during its brief manufacture under that name tag and marketed under the model XN Tornado. Sometime around 84', SWM had gone bankrupt, and the production legal rights were attained by CCM Armstrong Motorcycles of Bolton, Lancashire, England. From 1985 to 1987 this corporation produced the Armstrong MT 500 as well as the MT 350 and offered somewhere north of 2,000 pieces to the British armed forces, Canadian military, and Jordanian forces.
Harley-Davidson purchased the rights towards the machine and its production from Armstrong in the later 80's and commenced making them around the early 90's. Harley-Davidson constructed them in constrained numbers up through 2000, and it is said about 2,250 bikes were manufactured. Based upon Nick Rymond, a famous authority on this model type and proprietor of Force Motorcycles, an outfit in England that specializes in these and various ex-police motorcycles, Harley engineered the motorbikes in groups on an "as needed" basis. He estimates that about 1,700 motorcycles were MT 350s created.
Everything that made these bikes so eye-catching for Harley-Davidson was the Rotax motor unit. These 1 cylinder, four-stroke, overhead-cam machines were believed to be bullet resistant, and many US racers were making use of the Rotax engine for dirt track racing during those times. The motor engines were produced by Bombardier in its Austrian factory and mated with the frame in the York, Pennsylvania, plant as outlined by the info from the Harley-Davidson Museum.
These motorcycles are rated at 32 horsepower, and weighing only 380 pounds, is capable of a maximum speed of 90 miles per hour with a driver. A Mikuni carburetor feeds the gas and a five-speed transmission puts the action to the road. The steel-boxed frame carries lube within the tubes, plus the swing-arm rear end utilizes dual shocks and an 18" rear wheel with disc braking system, while upfront the telescopic front forks carries a 21" wheel with a disc braking system. The floor clearance is 8.6inches, adequate to clear the toughest of terrain. The fuel tank secures 2.85 gallons of gasoline, and the bike runs a 12-volt alternator/battery electric system.
It seems like forces specs have changed after awhile, and the thought was to shift to a one-fuel and one-army approach, with diesel the fuel of choice. Therefore, the MT 500 faded into history.
The featured Harley belongs to Davey Katz from Connecticut, who got it in a trade with Bridgeport Harley-Davidson for audio visual work he made for the store in its Hog Room.
WWII observed the widespread utilization of the H-D 45" flathead, although the popular XA model type made short appearances in the field. Vietnam-era bikes included Sportsters and full dressers utilized by MPs for patrolling and escort assignments. Zoom in to the late 80s when the armed services was looking for a mixed-sort bike that's flexible to be employed on all terrains. Say hello to the MT 500, today's motorbike highlight.
The bike was first developed by SWM of Italy during the start of the 1980s, the motorbike experienced some victory in trail auto racing, garnering a couple of prizes and championships during its brief manufacture under that name tag and marketed under the model XN Tornado. Sometime around 84', SWM had gone bankrupt, and the production legal rights were attained by CCM Armstrong Motorcycles of Bolton, Lancashire, England. From 1985 to 1987 this corporation produced the Armstrong MT 500 as well as the MT 350 and offered somewhere north of 2,000 pieces to the British armed forces, Canadian military, and Jordanian forces.
Harley-Davidson purchased the rights towards the machine and its production from Armstrong in the later 80's and commenced making them around the early 90's. Harley-Davidson constructed them in constrained numbers up through 2000, and it is said about 2,250 bikes were manufactured. Based upon Nick Rymond, a famous authority on this model type and proprietor of Force Motorcycles, an outfit in England that specializes in these and various ex-police motorcycles, Harley engineered the motorbikes in groups on an "as needed" basis. He estimates that about 1,700 motorcycles were MT 350s created.
Everything that made these bikes so eye-catching for Harley-Davidson was the Rotax motor unit. These 1 cylinder, four-stroke, overhead-cam machines were believed to be bullet resistant, and many US racers were making use of the Rotax engine for dirt track racing during those times. The motor engines were produced by Bombardier in its Austrian factory and mated with the frame in the York, Pennsylvania, plant as outlined by the info from the Harley-Davidson Museum.
These motorcycles are rated at 32 horsepower, and weighing only 380 pounds, is capable of a maximum speed of 90 miles per hour with a driver. A Mikuni carburetor feeds the gas and a five-speed transmission puts the action to the road. The steel-boxed frame carries lube within the tubes, plus the swing-arm rear end utilizes dual shocks and an 18" rear wheel with disc braking system, while upfront the telescopic front forks carries a 21" wheel with a disc braking system. The floor clearance is 8.6inches, adequate to clear the toughest of terrain. The fuel tank secures 2.85 gallons of gasoline, and the bike runs a 12-volt alternator/battery electric system.
It seems like forces specs have changed after awhile, and the thought was to shift to a one-fuel and one-army approach, with diesel the fuel of choice. Therefore, the MT 500 faded into history.
The featured Harley belongs to Davey Katz from Connecticut, who got it in a trade with Bridgeport Harley-Davidson for audio visual work he made for the store in its Hog Room.
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