Harley-Davidson Sprint Ss 350
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPRINT SS 350
CYCLE WORLD ROAD TEST
This Italian-American Marriage Is No Mismatch
AN ALL-AMERICAN heavyweight could hardly be more distant in concept from a lightweight Italian sportsbike. The Harley-Davidson Electra Glide gloats in noisebarfing majesty, as its V-Twin engine devours freeway miles. Simplicity and agility mark the Mediterranean motorcycle, a lithe mount for sprints through crowded streets, or tempestuous dashes along twisting byways.
A marriage between the two surely would be doomed to disharmony like a hard rock guitarist blind dating an operatic soprano-but that's not the way Harley-Davidson sees it. The world's sole source of highway heavies has combined talents with the Italian Aermacchi factory to produce a lightweight 350 that blends nimble Italian design with vivid American looks.
The new bike lives with the lengthy title of Harley-Davidson Sprint SS 350. It's called an H-D, rather than an Aermacchi, because the American manufacturer's cash controls the Italian plant. In fact, the Sprint 350 is fully manufactured and assembled in Italy, apart from one or two minor items. Handlebar grips, for example, appear to be of H-D origin.
U.S. influence is very evident in matters of styling. The H-D factory seems almost to have modeled the Sprint as a scaled down version of the mighty Sportster. Its fuel tank bears distinct resemblance to that on a Sportster. And, like the fenders, it is finished in a delicious bright orange, shipped to Italy from Milwaukee, Wis., a color that exactly matches the gaudy image of the latest domestic H-Ds. There are several other reminders that the 350's big brother is a Sportster. Location and forward sloping angle of the rear suspension units unmistakably bear the H-D stamp;such a radical angle is the factory's trademark. Side panels, handlebar clamp, and upper fork legs are finished in a crisp black matte. It's the sort of material that would not disgrace the interior of a $10,000 automobile, and on the Sprint it looks really smart-just as it does on the Sportster.
For anyone still not convinced that the Sprint is an H-D, the factory plays as its trump card the throttle grip. Borrowed unashamedly from the big V-Twins, it possesses no return spring. The rider can run the bike up to his desired cruising speed, release the throttle, and the Sprint chuffs along at a constant rate. Cynical people will say that this type of throttle is fitted to the larger H-Ds so the rider can rest his right arm from vibration. Whatever the reason, the stay-open throttle is another singular H-D feature that has been added to the Sprint.
The effect of all this careful attention to styling detail is to give the bike a pronounced carnival aura. It's a handsome machine, in a youthful, groovy kind of way, and collects countless admiring onlookers during its travels. While the CYCLE WORLD version was supplied in bright Milwaukee orange trim, the factory also offers what its advertising brochure terms "Radiant Blue" and "Midnight Black," both of which appear equally attractive.
While appearances favor the American market, the basic philosophy behind the Sprint's design is uncompromisingly Italian. What other country is so beloved of ohv four-stroke Singles, with the engine laid horizontally beneath a backbone type frame? This type of construction differs considerably from Japanese thought on 350-cc class machines, where two cylinders and duplex frames form a starting point.
Central portion of the Sprint's crankcase, and the cylinder barrel, head, and rocker cover sections, all are left in the as-cast condition. Crankcase outer casings, however, are highly polished. Bore and stroke dimensions, at 74 by 80 mm, are identical to those in the H-D Aermacchi 350 racers. The factory says, however, that the two engines share little else in common. Peak horsepower of the roadster engine is delivered at 7000 rpm, though the crankshaft will spin to 7500 rpm or more without complaint. Compression ratio is 9.0:1, and valve diameters are 39 mm for the intake, and 31 mm for the exhaust.
When a motorcycle engine is laid horizontally, with the intake port facing upward, problems frequently are encountered in locating the carburetor and air cleaner in the limited space below the fuel tank. On the Sprint, H-D has compromised. Induction tract is angled to the rear and to the left. The air cleaner is installed above the carburetor, in a recess in the tank. Finning on the cylinder barrel is cut away to make room for the carburetor body. The carburetor itself is a 27-mm Dellorto, of the new square body design, with central float chamber. Its performance is excellent. An even mixture flow is provided from tickover to peak engine speeds.
To mitigate the engine's bark, a dual exhaust system is employed, though only a single exhaust port feeds the pipes through a Y-type header. The layout produces a very quiet machine, at the expense of some 2 bhp, according to the manufacturer. Harley-Davidson is to be admired for this sacrifice in the battle against street machine noise, when at the same time the firm is engaged in a head-and-head horsepower duel with other manufacturers worldwide.
An all-new dry clutch, which replaces the wet unit fitted to H-D's Italian-built 250s, handles power transmission to the four-speed gearbox. Gear change action is light and positive. The gearbox works faultlessly, and the changes are so smooth that it's almost possible to feel the cogs engaging. There is one complaint, however. Pedal movement is excessively long, which takes some of the pleasure from an otherwise excellent component. The pedal is mounted on the right, and the shift pattern features first gear at the top, with downward movements engaging the other three gears. Neutral lies between first and second.
The large diameter tube, that serves as the backbone of the frame, terminates just above the swinging arm pivot, and is met by a crosstube that passes between the rear frame legs. These legs extend from the rear fender to form an S-type curve before they terminate at the location point for the driver's footpegs. Two strengthening tubes extend from the upper shock absorber mountings to below the swinging arm to support each leg. The entire frame is a light, simple structure.
Like most H-Ds, the Sprint demands a set routine to be fulfilled before it will start. A kickstarter mounted on the left, contrary to regular practice, aggravates matters. The majority of riders simply are not accustomed to prodding a lever on the left hand side of a motorcycle. However, once the knack is acquired, the engine fires willingly. The routine itself is simple—switch on the ignition, open the fuel tap, close the choke lever on the carburetor body, and, with only a tiny whiff of throttle, start swinging the kickstarter. The carburetor possesses no primer control, a feature which, if added, probably would facilitate cold starts.
Acceleration and top speed figures are inferior to those achieved by the majority of Japanese two-and four-stroke 350s. This is hardly surprising, however, for a general rule of motorcycling says that a Single will not be as fast as a Twin of comparable displacement. But the Sprint is not exactly a slowpoke. It will top 80 mph in the standing quarter-mile, and its maximum speed is better than 90 mph. Seventy mph cruising is achieved at an engine speed of just under 6000 rpm, a rate which the Sprint will maintain for as long as is required.
The engine also is flexible, and fast progress is possible without the need to make a gear change every few seconds. Vibration unfortunately makes itself felt during a wide range of engine speeds. Although hardly apparent through the handlebar, it tingles merrily through the footpegs. After only a few minutes of fast riding, the sensation is enough to aggravate the feet. Rubber mounting of the handlebar protects this component from vibration, but the factory has gone a little too far, and allowed the bar to float too flexibly. During heavy braking and rapid cornering it moves in a way that is distracting to the rider.
Where the Sprint really scores is in controllability and cornering. It certainly is one of the sweetest handling machines on the market, regardless of displacement class. A weight of only 323 lb. makes the bike very light to operate. A low center of gravity, the result of horizontal engine layout, contributes greatly to handling ease. No physical effort is required from the rider, no matter how sharp the corner, how fast the speed of approach, or how extreme the angle of lean. Two-up riding is equally effortless. The Sprint's balance is so perfect that the additional load makes little difference in handling.
The front brake is only a single leading shoe unit, yet is capable of stopping the Sprint in commendably short distances. The rear brake also acts effectively, but its operation is marred by a pedal, situated far too high.
Rider comfort appears to be a matter of rider build. A 230-lb. six-footer who rode the Sprint for a considerable distance reported that in less than 30 min. he felt badly cramped. The forward tilting saddle forced him to slide toward the fuel tank, while the wide, high-rise handlebar extends rearward. The resulting position gave him backache. Shorter and lighter people experienced no problems, however. There is no doubt that the width and rearward curve of the bar is highly exaggerated for such a lithe machine, and most people would feel much more comfortable with an alternative arrangement, less chopper-like.
H-D personnel clearly recognize the controversial part that safety plays in motorcycling today, and have added amber side reflectors to the forks, and red side reflectors to the taillight. In addition, a sticker on the rear mudguard assures owners that the Sprint "complies with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards in effect at date of manufacture." A pity, then, that the factory did not go a little farther and add a rear view mirror, an item that is demanded by a great many state legislatures. To be tair, H-D is not alone in failing to provide mirrors. The majority of other new machines also lack them.
The Sprint is a safe motorcycle, with its light, accurate handling, fine brakes, easy-to-read speedometer and tachometer package, and, in the case of the orange versions, night visibility. It may not be as quick as some of its competitors, but for anyone looking for a satisfying 350, the Sprint is worth adding to a list of possibles.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
SPRINT SS 350
$795
