oldNslow wrote on 04/02/17 at 06:16:56: Quote:I think that the Indian FTR750 will evolve into a street bike. If so it will be a proper "street fighter" type bike with an up-right seating position and feet somewhere between the knee and but.
I'd like to see that happen, but it's going to take some pretty significant re-engineering of that motor. The FTR has no starter, removable external flywheels, a right side shift, four speed gearbox, chain final drive,and no provision for valve adjustment except grinding the inside of the buckets to set the clearance for each valve. And of course it doesn't have to meet the emission and noise standards that a street bike engine needs to meet.
The FTR is a very different motor than the motor in the Scouts. It's not made in the US either.I's made in Switzerland.
I'm not saying that Polaris couldn't do what was needed to make a production version.I'm sure they could. I question whether they would decide that such a bike would be a commercial success though.
I wouldn't be too surprised to see an FTR STYLED Scout sometime down the road. Using the existing Scout motor, Standard riding position. redesigned tins and paint, maybe even a different frame. Something akin to the Harley' XR1200 of a few years ago, which was as close as HD ever came to building a street bike that somewhat resembled the XR750 flat track bike.
Such a bike would still be pretty heavy compared to a real "streetfighter" though. I don't know how much an FTR weighs, but the minimum weight for a Flat Track Twin is 310 pounds. I'm sure Indian got the race bike as close to that as they could. No way that's ever going to happen with a street version.
http://www.cycleworld.com/indian-motorcycle-ftr750-dirt-track-race-engine-exc...http://www.cycleworld.com/sites/cycleworld.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/... My point exactly.
"An FTR - styled Scout" with a Scout engine, frame, riding position... just "go faster" paint and maybe flat-track handlebars.
That's exactly my point.
Ditch the "Street Rod" concept, keep the engine, create something credible.
No, not this...
THIS !
Create a Sportster-based dual sports !
...or even a Dyna-based sports tourer
(pictured: mid 1980's Moto Guzzi 1000 SPiii and mid 1980's FXRT)
As you can see, HD did have good ideas in the past, but they were "the same old engine and frame" with new bits added.
What I dould like to see is, for example, the 1250cc Street Rod firebreather engine on a specific, "screape your knees to the bone" frame and enough kudos to look at Ducatis, BMWs and Triumph square in the eyes...
Is it really so difficult...?