Harley Davidson 250

[SPman]

Whilst browsing some photos the other night, I came across this one I took of Ginger Molloy on his HD 250 at Puke, January 1976.
Anyone know what happened to this bike? Has he still got it?

The other pic is Crosby on his H1R.

[pete376403]

A two stroke HD - that would send shivers down a few spines.
Do HD still own the Aermacchi brand?

[xwhatsit]

A two stroke HD - that would send shivers down a few spines.
Do HD still own the Aermacchi brand?

Ah, that's what it'd be, an Aermacchi rebadged as an HD. I think they bought Aermacchi in the 60s or something? And Aermacchis were sold in America as Harleys, as Harley didn't want to have their name on such small capacity machines, and also didn't know much about smaller bikes. At least that's what I think I read.

[SPman]

Walter Villa on a HD (Aermacchi - espec in Italy) won the world 250 GP championship , 1974-5-6. Renzo Pasolinin was killed at Monza in 73, when his Harley! seized, (also killing Jarno Saarinen) http://www.tz350.net/roger_gowenlock_stories3.htm
I haven't seen this bike in historic racing in NZ - thought it would make an appearance to keep the TZ's honest,so wondered what had happened to it.

[twinshock750]

The bike Ginger is riding is actually a 350RR, not a 250.

The bike is still around and I know most of it's previous owners, plus the current owner. It has been rebuilt and is in beautiful condition.

The 350's are rarer than the 250's. Reputedly only 19 350's were ever built.

Hate to dispell anyone's dreams but the current and previous owners views were that whilst a nice bit of kit, it wasn't well made by the factory which caused some down stream reliability and perfornance issues in a number of areas.

The current owner is also very familiar with 73-81 TZ350's performance and has said that it won't live with one, nor is he likely to prove anything by trying. It does get seen occassionally at events around the place, or on display.

He did say it was more comparable with say a TR3 350 Yamaha from 1972 to which it would have originally raced against.

Funnily enough, many Yamaha TR3 and TZ350 parts fit inside with no issue....

Aermacchi evolved into Cagiva when the Castiglioni's bought in, who then in turn tried to build an Italian M/c dynasty with Ducati, MV, Husquvana being added or removed at various times.

[SPman]

Thanks for that - I thought it was a 350, but then.........you know how it goes...

[twinshock750]

No probs. You sure that's Crosby on the H1R? I'm not aware of him ever having one - a bit too early for him I though as they came out in 70 and 71.

[idleidolidyll]

Whilst browsing some photos the other night, I came across this one I took of Ginger Molloy on his HD 250 at Puke, January 1976.
Anyone know what happened to this bike? Has he still got it?

The other pic is Crosby on his H1R.

It's an Aermachi, a company bought by Harley but the bikes were still Italian and made there. Gingers is the pukka race version.

They were merely labelled Harley because of yank nationalism and paranoia.

The NZ Air Force bought Aermachis too but with a jet engine and wings, they were a tad faster: same company but Harley doesn't own them any longer.

There were also 2 stroke trail bikes and 350cc 4 stroke road bikes.
I've owned 4 of the 350cc road bikes in the past. They are heavy but as quick as a Ducati 350 desmo (I know that 'cause I still have the Ducati and owned the Aermachis at the same time)

[Motu]

You see those Harley/Aermachi 2 stroke around at most Classic meetings,the first one I saw was in Auckland Motorcycles when Ned was still involved with the business,so that's going back a bit.My wife had a 350 Sprint,the trail bike version,SX I think.It was a petty good/pretty wierd bike,disapointing to her because she wanted a thumping single.I thought it went well sideways on gravel,and I raced it at a meeting at Puke once and thought it went well,but limited by the Pirreli MT53's in the wet.

[SPman]

No probs. You sure that's Crosby on the H1R? I'm not aware of him ever having one - a bit too early for him I though as they came out in 70 and 71.
Yep - definitely Croz on the H1R!

Yep -know that they were Aermacchi's. Almost bought a 350 single myself back in 73. The AMF company bought Aermacchi when they owned Harley, hence the connection. Does the Aermacchi (bike) company still exist? Or is it a name only, now.

Aaaaah...Ned and the boys at Auckland Motorcycles - used to get my Duke GT750 serviced (and rebuilt) there. There was a lovely Rickman Trident they had in...."75?, I was sorely tempted by - I think they wanted $2400 for it - if I had of sold the GT, I could almost have afforded it!

[twinshock750]

Croz confirmed to me that it is him and gave a bit more detail. He didn't own the bike - It was owned by Laurie Summers and was a 71 H1RA. He was an aprentice at Shafts at the time....

[F5 Dave]

They look nice in the flesh, but Italian bikes of the era. . .

Always used to fantasise about owning a 2-stroke 125 Harley trail-bike & turning up at a HOG meeting with some crudely installed ape-hangers & forward controls, fake beard & all the Tat. Then having enough power & handling to see them off.

Sadly today's Harley groups probably wouldn't take as much offence & are largely populated by business people. I have a friend who has had some sort of mid life crisis & is a HOG "Road Captain" or something equally gay. So obviously all the fun has gone out of acting like an outlaw. Maybe the truly rebellious dress up as teenagers & go baiting cops in sad boy-cars?