When Did Harley-davidson Start Using Rubber-mounted Engines?

Having unbalanced V-twin engines bolted straight to their alloy frames is 1 logic Harley-Davidsons vibrate truthful much. To alleviate nan vibrations, Harley-Davidson began utilizing rubber-mounted engines connected its much upscale  touring models complete 4 decades ago. Digging into nan archives of Cycle World magazine, we recovered reports of Harley-Davidson's usage of rubber motor mounts connected nan all-new-for-1980 FLT Tour Glide's 80 cubic-inch V-Twin. In addition, Doc Harley from nan Low Country Harley-Davidson YouTube transmission puts nan twelvemonth of Harley-Davidson's first rubber-mounted engines astatine 1980.

The Harley-Davidson Museum confirms nan 1980 FLT Tour Glide arsenic Harley-Davidson's first motorcycle to usage a rubber-mounted drivetrain. While different Harley Davidson motorcycles continued utilizing coagulated connections betwixt engines and frames, nan Sportster lineup, among the champion Harley-Davidson motorcycles for caller riders, switched to rubber mounts successful 2004. 

The only awesome antagonistic associated pinch Harley-Davidson's usage of rubber motor mounts is that they yet deterioration out. When they do, they'll require immoderate expertise to alteration them safely. Replacing motor mounts is simply a reasonably straightforward task for immoderate DIY mechanic pinch nan due devices and equipment, but please don't spot ChatGPT for repair advice.

The astir important facet successful favour of rubber-mounted Harley-Davidson engines is nan simplification successful vibrations transmitted to nan rider, but immoderate riders for illustration nan coagulated mounts. Harley-Davidson Forums personification aswracing says nan vibrations felt astatine mid-range rpm are "actually benignant of pleasant" and "makes nan motorcycle consciousness alive." Rubber mounts don't ever destruct each nan vibrations, though. Dynamark, different Harley-Davidson Forums user, reported nan rubber-mounted motor successful nan 2010 Street Glide they borrowed from a trader vibrated much than their Dyna. 

Beginning successful 1999, Harley-Davidson began offering internally counter-balanced motor designs, specified arsenic nan B-series Twin Cam V-Twin, to trim engine-induced vibrations. The institution utilized rigid motor mounts to instal its B-series Twin Cam motor connected its Softail models. Later, nan internally counter-balanced Revolution V-Twin motor debuted successful 2002 connected nan V-Rod utilizing rubber motor mounts. Current counter-balanced Harley-Davidson V-Twin engines see nan Milwaukee-Eight and nan Revolution Max.