Nestled behind the garages, chicken coops and backyard organic gardens of Portland, Oregon are 128 miles of unimproved (and largely forgotten) alleys. Every spring the Sang-Froid Riding Club takes to these neglected byways, ranging from gravel to nearly-impassable single-track mudbogs, to host the “Alley Sweeper Urban Enduro†ride. Not your traditional enduro, this is rather a ‘critical mass’ of sorts—with over 250 bikes squeezing, buzzing, smoking, splashing, and whop-whop waaah-ing up and down the alleys making friends and occasional enemies. The ride has become a phenomenon, attracting riders from up to 300 miles away.
It’s a constant refrain, often querulous, from my many sport bike riding buddies, their simple skepticism hiding all manner of derogatory implications. Sometimes, it merely infers a general antipathy towards anything cruiser. At other times, it’s to convey a more brand-specific enmity. But the intimation is the same: Harleys are anachronisms compared with their latest double overhead frammich-valved road rockets. The insinuation is always that the Milwaukee iron is lesser, its customer based deluded and somehow the motorcycling world is not right for the brand’s incredible popularity.
Experts posit all manner of rationalizations for The Motor Company’s popularity from the simplistic  … More
Take a look inside the Thunder Stroke 111â„¢ engine. A forged single pin crankshaft, extensively tested for over 1 billion revolutions, is the heart of the 49 degree V-Twin. A three cam pushrod engine allows for a reduction in overall height, centralized mass, and maximum torque.
The six speed transmission features helical cut gears for smoothness, reliability, and easy shifting. The large clutch is designed to harness that power without a heavy clutch pull. One thing is for certain, The Thunder Stroke 111â„¢ will never be mistaken for average.