A Harley I may have even bought...

[Crazcnuk]

but I doubt it...

http://www.bikerenews.com/AntiqueBikes/CodeNameNova.htm

At least not til lit was 10 or 20 years old!

[stoked]

I'd love to know some more history on this. It just looks so much like a early 80s v65 magna design. Gotta wonder if Honda jumped on this when Harley dropped it.

[xschop]

Nova

Spanish for No-G0. Fitting. looks like a cheap copy of the Vmax. Maybe they should have reconsidered the name and called it Vcrap.

[stoked]

Re: Nova

Originally posted by xschop
Spanish for No-G0. Fitting. looks like a cheap copy of the Vmax. Maybe they should have reconsidered the name and called it Vcrap.

Problem is according to that article that prototype was made in 1976. Eight to ten years before the Magnas and Vmaxs were made. It looks more like Vmax copied them. Which isn't to far a reach when you consider all the Jap cruisers copying Harley in the mid 80s on up.

[Crazcnuk]

Also, the engines were made by Porsche!

It is very reminiscent looking of a v-4 Goldwing from the mid 70's.

I was just amazed they've had any idreas at all since 1920.

[The Lorax]

I saw a thing about that beast on a documentary once. it would have been a "v-rod" 20 or so years earlier, but the ownership @ the time (AMF) canned the idea during its early development stages. would've liked to see it personally, I rather liked the concept.

[Guy_b_g]

Ever see the V4 Ducati Apollo? Prototype was made in the late 60's to compete with MotoGuzzi and Harley for police bike sales, but it was too powerful for the street tires of the era.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/flashback/122_0313_ducati_apollo/photo_04.html

[81xsproject]

More like the V45 than the V65.

[Crazcnuk]

The neat thing is that it came in a V2, 4 or 6, and shared a lot of parts.

A 135hp V6 would have set the industry on it's ear in the early 70s.

Off the floor street bikes didn't hit 130+hp until the V65 Magna in, what, 82?