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Remembering The 1987 Harley-Davidson FXR 1340 Super Glide

1987 Harley-Davidson FXR 1340 Super Glide

People that are passionate about riding motorcycles can be quite discerning when it comes to deciding what they want to ride and what they would prefer to avoid. That makes it all the more special when a motorcycle comes out that is still revered years or even decades later. That is precisely the case with the Harley-Davidson FXR 1340 Super Glide that was manufactured for the 1987 model year. There are a lot of reasons why people finally remember this particular motorcycle and it's not just because it was manufactured by Harley-Davidson. In fact, that's only a benefit for those individuals who are dedicated Harley-Davidson fans. Perhaps the thing that really makes this particular bike stand out is the fact that it's revered on an almost universal spectrum, even among those individuals who don't normally consider themselves fans of the manufacturer.

The Beginning of an Era

In 1982, Harley-Davidson made the decision to create a series of motorcycles with various displacement that were all referred to as Super Glides. By the time the 1987 model year had rolled around, they had perfected this particular line of motorcycles to a point where they were already becoming somewhat legendary. No one would argue that the motorcycle that ultimately became available to the public as the 1987 version was special. Technically, it was designated as a cruiser but it could also be customized in order to fit the specific needs of the customer. This was a definite plus because it gave consumers more options than they had with most other things that were available at the time. In addition, it's also an important factor for those individuals who are interested in finding one of these motorcycles available all these years later.

It's highly likely that when you find one, it won't be quite like any of the other examples are still available. That makes this particular bike even more special. When you look at it in this context, it's easy to see why so many people want to have one for themselves. After all, who doesn't like having something that is just a little bit unique from all of the other examples that exist? In reality, it gives you an opportunity to express yourself as an individual while still enjoying something that is immensely popular. It serves as an important reminder that being unique doesn't always necessarily mean that you have to go find something so obscure that no one else has even heard of it. You can very much enjoy mainstream things that have a bit of a flare.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson is well known for creating motorcycles that tend to be heavier than most of the competition, but they also tend to have a power plant that's capable of moving them down the road without any trouble whatsoever. Such is the case here. The power plant that the company decided to go with was a V2 four-stroke engine, one that was capable of producing roughly 58 horsepower when running full out. When the bike is properly tuned, this combination is enough to allow it to go 170 mph with very little effort. The question is, is it easy enough to handle that the rider still has some form of control at this speed? Fortunately, the answer is a resounding yes. Just as you would expect from a company like Harley-Davidson, both the front fork and the rear suspension are designed for maximum controllability as well as comfort.

As a matter of fact, the company did such a good job with these things on this particular bike that riders were routinely able to go well above 100 mph without ever feeling like they were losing any form of control or sacrificing comfort in the process. If you've ridden very many motorcycles, you know that this is definitely not always the case. In fact, when something like that does come along, it's quite the special occasion, and one to be celebrated. If you're worried about the bike's ability to stop when the need arises, there's no need to concern yourself there, either. Large disc brakes were placed on both the front and the rear of the bike, allowing it to stop on a dime without causing the rider to get whiplash in the process.

Not Like Other Harleys

The reason that some people like this particular motorcycle so well is because it doesn't seem quite like most of the other Harleys made by the company. Remember, Harley-Davidson motorcycles have a tendency to be quite heavy. This is something that most Harley aficionados don't necessarily have a problem with, but most other motorcycle riders will name that at the top of their list for why they don't like to ride Harley-Davidsons. This one is a little bit different. Its empty weight is only 608 pounds, far less than most of the other motorcycles made by the company. If you're wondering how far you can get on a single tank of gas, it's worth noting that this particular bike has a fuel tank that will hold just under four gallons of fuel, allowing you to travel across vast distances without having to stop and refuel. That's always a plus, especially when you're talking about a cruiser.

As you can see, this is a motorcycle that had no problem standing out from the crowd when it was manufactured and it's capable of doing exactly the same thing today. It's easy to see why so many people remember it fondly. It's even easy to understand why a number of people are still searching for this particular model to keep in their own collection, despite the fact that more than 30 years have passed since it was manufactured and there are plenty of motorcycles on the market that are more advanced. There's just something special about this particular bike. Whether you're a Harley-Davidson fan or not, this is a bike that almost everyone can love.

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Benjamin Smith

Written by Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith is one of the managing editors of Moneyinc. Ben's been focusing on the auto and motorcycle sector since 2005. He's written over 1000 articles in the space and continues to learn about it each day. His favorite car is "any Bugatti" and he's a die hard Harley Davidson fan.

Read more posts by Benjamin Smith

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