More new Harleys!

Dirt Track replica and Cafe Racer fill out Milwaukee’s new-gen platform

Words by Mitch Boehm      Photos courtesy of Harley-Davidson

Back in early December, when the word coronavirus meant ‘nasty beer hangover’ and not ‘pandemic’ (at least to anyone other than the Chi-Comms), we wrote about the exciting new-generation motorcycles slated to emerge from the Harley-Davidson factory in late 2020. These were the Pan America adventure tourer and naked Bronx streetfighter, each of which will immediately and dramatically broaden the Motor Company’s potential buyer base – if the economy survives the current shutdown, that is.

Turns out there are two more new-gen motorcycles on the way (economic caveats, notwithstanding), and they’re every bit as interesting and – to us, exciting – as the Pan and Bronx. They are what we’ll call the Café Racer and Dirt Track replica, and each harkens back successfully to a model that’s near and dear to the hearts of Harley fans and motorcycle fans alike.

Although Harley is typically close-lipped about these two, it’s pretty obvious what they are, at least generally. The Café Racer is a sportier but more retro version of the Bronx and will likely use the larger (1250cc) of the two new Revolution Max V-twin engines (the Bronx uses the 975cc version). It’s dressed in gloss black, has a little quarter fairing up front and immediately recalls the much-maligned but near-legendary XLCR Café Racer of the late 1970s. That’s a good thing.

The other bike, which untold thousands have been asking for, drooling over and trying to build themselves for years (no, decades!) is the Dirt Track replica, which to our eyes looks damn near spot-on aesthetically. We’d rather see it in orange and black, and we surely will, but with the high pipes, braced race-spec swingarm and from-the-paddock body pieces, it’s bound to be a hit with enthusiasts in all age groups, and especially those who dig and follow dirt track racing.

It’s a good guess these two will appear after the Bronx and Pan America, probably in mid-2021, depending on how things shake out corona-wise. And while that’s a year away, the idea of riding and owning one of these should keep folks plenty interested.