H-D's past of offering the US military with motorcycles stretches straight to The First World War. The motorcycles that have made up the majority of the armed services inventory have usually been private bikes that have been redesigned for hardy use. World War I watched the utilization of the Harley-Davidson JD, most equipped with side-cars for personnel utilization or gun platforms for enemy 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.
First put together by SWM of Italy during the start of the 1980s, the bike experienced some success in trail bike racing, receiving some awards and championships in the course of its brief production under that nameplate and endorsed under the model type XN Tornado. Sometime around 84', SWM had gone down, and the manufacturing rights were acquired by CCM Armstrong Motorcycles of Bolton, Lancashire, England. Sometime in the mid-80's this corporation produced the Armstrong MT 500 and the MT 350 and offered somewhere north of 2,000 units to the British military service, Canadian military service, and Jordanian armies.
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.
What made these motorcycles so eye-catching for Harley was the Rotax motor. These 1 cylinder, 4-stroke, overhead-cam motorcycles were reported to be bullet proof, and lots of US racers were employing the Rotax motor for dirt track racing back then. The engines were designed by Bombardier in its Austrian plant and installed with the frame in the York, Pa, plant according to the information from the Harley Gallery.
These bikes are with a rating of 32 horse power, and weighing only 380 lbs, can perform a max speed of 90 miles-per-hour with a driver. A Mikuni carburetor feeds the gasoline and a 5-speed transmission puts the action to the streets. The steel-boxed frame provides oil within the tubing, plus the swing-arm rear utilizes twin shocks and an 18" back rim with disc brakes, while upfront the telescopic front forks features a 21" wheel with a disc brake. The ground clearance is 8.6inches, adequate to clear the toughest of ground. The gas tank holds 2.85 gallons of gasoline, and the motorcycle runs a 12-volt electric system.
It appears military specs have changed as time passes, and the idea was to shift to a one-fuel and one-army approach, with diesel powered vehicles. As a result, 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.
First put together by SWM of Italy during the start of the 1980s, the bike experienced some success in trail bike racing, receiving some awards and championships in the course of its brief production under that nameplate and endorsed under the model type XN Tornado. Sometime around 84', SWM had gone down, and the manufacturing rights were acquired by CCM Armstrong Motorcycles of Bolton, Lancashire, England. Sometime in the mid-80's this corporation produced the Armstrong MT 500 and the MT 350 and offered somewhere north of 2,000 units to the British military service, Canadian military service, and Jordanian armies.
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.
What made these motorcycles so eye-catching for Harley was the Rotax motor. These 1 cylinder, 4-stroke, overhead-cam motorcycles were reported to be bullet proof, and lots of US racers were employing the Rotax motor for dirt track racing back then. The engines were designed by Bombardier in its Austrian plant and installed with the frame in the York, Pa, plant according to the information from the Harley Gallery.
These bikes are with a rating of 32 horse power, and weighing only 380 lbs, can perform a max speed of 90 miles-per-hour with a driver. A Mikuni carburetor feeds the gasoline and a 5-speed transmission puts the action to the streets. The steel-boxed frame provides oil within the tubing, plus the swing-arm rear utilizes twin shocks and an 18" back rim with disc brakes, while upfront the telescopic front forks features a 21" wheel with a disc brake. The ground clearance is 8.6inches, adequate to clear the toughest of ground. The gas tank holds 2.85 gallons of gasoline, and the motorcycle runs a 12-volt electric system.
It appears military specs have changed as time passes, and the idea was to shift to a one-fuel and one-army approach, with diesel powered vehicles. As a result, 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.
