Fans Go Behind The Scenes via Facebook Live To See New Big Twin Engine Being Made
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More Power. More Comfort. More Control. Today, Harley-Davidson unveils the all-new Milwaukee-Eight™ engine, the ninth Big Twin in its history, plus all-new front and rear suspension for its Model Year 2017 Touring motorcycle lineup.
"These are the most powerful, most responsive and most comfortable Touring motorcycles ever offered by Harley-Davidson," said Scott Miller, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Styling and Product Development Strategy. "You truly have to ride one to feel the difference – so we're inviting all riders to visit a Harley-Davidson dealer and take a test ride."
To launch the Milwaukee-Eight™107 and Milwaukee-Eight™114 engines, Harley-Davidson – in a brand first – will take fans where they've never gone before: The floor of a Harley-Davidson factory in a virtual tour on Facebook Live to watch the making of its newest Big Twin engine today at 12:30 p.m. CST.
"We're excited to open our doors to allow the world to see our newest Big Twin engine come to life in our state-of-the-art factory," said Randy Christianson, General Manager of Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations in Menomonee Falls, Wis. "With an all-new design, the new Milwaukee-Eight engine offers quicker throttle response, more passing power, purer sound, a smoother ride and more of the feeling riders want from a Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycle."
Power. Comfort. Control.
The new Milwaukee-Eight™ engine is a ground-up design that combines the classic look, sound and feel of Harley-Davidson® Big Twin engines with improvements in performance, comfort and control.
Retaining the classic 45-degree V-Twin cylinder angle, the Milwaukee-Eight™ engine produces 10 percent more torque and features four-valve cylinder heads that offer 50 percent more intake and exhaust flow capacity than previous year models.
The Milwaukee-Eight™ engine is counter-balanced to cancel 75 percent of primary vibration at idle, retaining the classic feel of a Harley® V-Twin engine while being very smooth at highway speeds. A new heat management strategy improves rider and passenger comfort.
New Engine and Much More for Model Year 2017
Along with the Milwaukee-Eight™ engine unveiling, Harley-Davidson also announced:
- New Touring Suspension: All-new front and rear suspension components enhance the comfort, control and performance of all 2017 Harley-Davidson® Touring models. New dual bending valve front suspension technology provides the performance of a racing-style cartridge fork with linear damping characteristics and reduced weight. New emulsion-technology rear shocks offer 15 to 30 percent more pre-load adjustment than previous standard Touring shocks, with a single, hand-adjustable knob to hydraulically dial in pre-load.
- Screamin' Eagle® Performance: Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® Performance will offer a full selection of street-legal performance components for the Milwaukee-Eight™ engines, including Screamin' Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight™ engine Stage kits that deliver up to a 24-percent increase in torque over the stock engine (availability varies by market).
- Harley-Davidson® Custom Vehicle Operations™: Harley-Davidson® Custom Vehicle Operations™ (CVO™) models combine prestige and performance in three limited-edition factory-custom motorcycles for 2017. The CVO™ Limited and CVO™ Street Glide® models feature the refined performance of the new Twin-Cooled™ Milwaukee-Eight™ 114 engine, while the CVO™ Pro Street Breakout® motorcycle is powered by the Screamin' Eagle® Twin Cam 110B™ air-cooled V-Twin engine.
- 2017 Harley-Davidson Street® 500/750 Motorcycles 2017 Harley-Davidson Street® motorcycles are now available with ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) and the Harley-Davidson® Smart Security System with hands-free, proximity-based security fob, each as a factory-installed option.
- Powerful Cruiser Lineup: With the High Output Twin Cam 103™ standard for all 2017 Softail® models and Dyna® models (U.S. models only) except the Street Bob® model and the S Series cruisers with the Screamin' Eagle® Twin Cam 110™ engine, Harley-Davidson continues to offer its most powerful cruisers ever.
"We want all riders to save the date of Sept. 23," said Dino Bernacchi, Director of U.S. Marketing at Harley-Davidson. "That weekend, Harley-Davidson dealers across the country will host open house events so riders can throw a leg over our Model Year 2017 touring motorcycles and feel the difference of the all-new Milwaukee-Eight engine for themselves."
To experience the transformation of the 2017 Harley-Davidson® models now, visit h-d.com/testride to schedule a test ride.
* All comparisons in this communication are drawn between Harley-Davidson 2017 Touring models and 2016 Touring models.
** Not all models are available in all countries. Please contact your local Harley-Davidson dealer for more information.
About Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Since 1903, Harley-Davidson Motor Company has fulfilled dreams of personal freedom with cruiser, touring and custom motorcycles, riding experiences and events, and a complete line of Harley-Davidson® motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise, riding gear and apparel. For more information, visit www.h-d.com.
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SOURCE Harley-Davidson
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