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Was there ever a faster stock bike?

Laverda_Jota1.jpg


Fastest production bike 1976 and 1977

Brian
 
Harley VR1000  1.jpg This should have won its debut race @ BIR when we were in Sturgis watching the race but it got disqualified, then had crank and overheating issues despite the Best riders @ the time, going on to morph into the V Rod
Vr 1000
Alleged to make a comeback to Super Bike racing
 
Unfortunately HD did not really put the effort in Superbike racing. Gemini ran the team, not the factory. Pascal Picotte was their best rider with more podium finishes then any other HD rider. Chris Car actually put on the pole. BUT, the program was funded out of the advertising budget, not from a "racing department". As the advertising budget was cut, so was funding to the program. While Gemini was limited by the rules for development, nothing that they could continue working on, was developed.

The VR1000 never had a chance. It was actually a test vehicle for the Vrod engine, nothing more. There was never any real intention to race full out, or a "in it to win" attitude within HD. The assets of the VR1000 program were given the factory drag racing team. But wait... That factory drag racing team did not run HD motors. Those motor were special built for that type of racing.

As for HD going World Superbike racing. No way, no how. They would have meet the homologated standards.


Homologations for Superbike, Supersport and Superstock.


a) The maximum retail price for Homologation:

i) The maximum retail price for Superbike 1000 class Homologation is
40.000 Euro

ii) The maximum retail price for Superstock 1000 class Homologation

machine is 33.000 Euro

iii) The maximum retail price for Supersport & Superstock 600 class

machine is 20.000 Euro

b) The minimum number of motorcycles to be produced are:

i) 125 units of the motorcycle model intended to be raced at the time

of homologation inspection visit.

ii) and 250 units on the 31st December of the homologation visit/year.

and 500 units on the 31st December of the following year.
------------------
Those rules do not include the "spares kits" requirements,

Most of HD VR1000s required production for homologating were leased overseas or leased to a few racing teams. And at the end of the program the bike were returned and destroyed.

HD will not invest the money to go WSB racing. They would have develop a new machine that could do the job. Not happening. They had a shot at it until they killed Buell. Not enough profit in trying to create a motorcycle their core customer will not purchase.

Perhaps HD needs another test vehicle to develop the next generation of engine. That would be the only reason I can see that they would do it.

Perhaps ex-MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden would ride it. It would be a money ride only. No way HD can compete with Ducati, Aprilia, MV Augusta or any of the Far East manufactures that have been doing this for years.

They would be better getting a factory Ducati and re-branding it as an HD.

But I would love to see them try race down the big boys in WSBK. It would make the racing more interesting to watch.

Fastest production bike.... Ducati 996 SPS. But I'm biased. I have one as a track day bike.
 
https://rideapart.com/articles/harley-davidson-builds-racer
If you have enough money you can buy one, But I would not make the investment
Considering the problems surrounding this bike
Plus it is not street legal? In this country I dunno
The Harley-Davidson VRSC (V-Twin Racing Street Custom) is a model of muscle bike, produced by Harley-Davidson. The engine, called the Revolution engine is based on the VR-1000 Superbike engine and jointly developed with the German sports car manufacturer Porsche. Production is a joint venture between Harley-Davidson (51%) and Porsche (49%).
 
The VR1000 actually did win @ BIR but was disqualified then the crank broke and fuel problems and coolant leaks it never recovered very good even with Duhamel piloting it he went back to team Honda i believe
 
I had a Kawasaki 750 triple brand new in the early 70's. It was my first bike and I was young and crazy. Hard to keep the front wheel on the ground. I decided to sell it when I got a ticket for 65 over in a 45 zone. Now at age 65 I have slowed down quite a bit!
 
I had a Kawasaki 750 triple brand new in the early 70's. It was my first bike and I was young and crazy. Hard to keep the front wheel on the ground. I decided to sell it when I got a ticket for 65 over in a 45 zone. Now at age 65 I have slowed down quite a bit!
I still see them at the drags occasionally,usually with a wheelie bar.I had a buddy who had one,he let another friend of mine ride it.And the guy he let ride had only ridden mini bikes and stuff.Well,this fool didn't know what he had under him,and decides he's gonna get on it,hits a curb,all I saw was the guy doing a pinwheel,and the bike went headlights,then taillights,over and over.We took him to emergency,and almost got kicked out cause the guy kept lighting cigarettes thru his bloody face.I don't recall him ever getting on a bike again. Ah,memories.
 
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