To prevent link rot since craigslist will age out that post. I'm leaving the formatting and carriage returns as it was originally posted:
This Harley VR1000 and the collection of spares that goes with it is not for everyone or someone wanting to collect a Harley Superbike for their static collection. It is about the possibilities it presents to participate in Vintage Racing with an incredibly rare Factory Road Race Motorcycle, one built in limited quantities with no source other then the parts included with the bike to maintain and support many seasons of a unobtainium experience, of riding one of few Harley Factory Superbikes. If you are of a mind to understand what is being offered in the description and images and want to have the opportunity to race at any level a factory Superbike without reinventing the wheel, read on. This is not just a bike for sale, it is an experience very few will ever have to place yourself in the middle of a piece of history.
The story of Harley entered into the world of AMA Superbike racing is one of a two headed chicken attempting to go in one direction and being of two differing minds, fell on it's self. In 1988, Mark Tuttle, VP of Engineering at Harley, started the ball rolling by assigning engineer Mark Miller to design the engine. After getting the bottom end completed, the project was taken to Roush Racing in 1999 to complete the first running engine. From that point, Harley brought the project back to the factory to complete the program. Harley-Davidson parts and sourcing used what they could internally and outside parts suppliers, some that had no experience in racing as opposed to method Honda used earlier when it entered world class racing by hiring the best designers, best tuners, best managers and best riders no matter where they worked or for whom. Honda committed to wanting to win what ever it took, Harley never really wandered far from its normal suppliers or domestic sources during the initial gestation. Possible politics, possible mismanagement, possibility a gamble that back fired, the results were to be a failure before the Harley finally pulled the plug.
But before that, Steve Scheibe was hired from Roush in the early 90's to manage
the development of the bike inside of Harley. Scheibe had worked on the heads
and the machine's fuel injection system and was as familiar with the design as
anyone at the time. Scheibe was behind the eight ball from the get go. The bike
had been commissioned in 1988 and it was now 1993 before they had a running
motorcycle. The original brief the bike was based upon what was currently state
of the art Superbikes in 1988. It would seem today unreasonable to think that
other factories would have remained stagnate in their development for five
years, but the lack of experience shown by Harley did not take the lengthy
development period of getting the bike to a finished state. By the mid-nineties,
most Super Sport prepared motorcycles would give the VR1000 fits at the track
much less Superbikes in their current state of tune. The performance goal line
had not changed, it had moved into another state. It's first races were in fact in
1994 with Miguel DuHamel and Fritz Kling. DuHamel could ride a wheel barrow
faster then most riders of the day could ride a Superbike and it was his supreme
effort that led to great qualifying at Mid-Ohio and actually leading the race until a
mechanical failure stop the run, this after grenading at Daytona part way
through the race. The bike was not ready to race, it was dramatically
underpowered and the results showed. Harley management fought a divided
war on whether to scrap the project or continue, the result being unpredictable
funding each year, lack of direction and corporate back room back biting that
even included Eric Buell.
A long story made short, the bike became a rolling test bed of developing parts
and new solutions to track demonstrated issues. Harley encouraged several
private teams to campaign the bike including Tilley's and the bikes for sale here,
owned by Mike Canepa's 10-K Racing, run out of San Jose Harley-Davidson.
The best finish for the VR1000 was by Tommy Wilson at Mid-Ohio in 1996 who would have finished the race in 1st place, but because a red flag had been thrown earlier in the lap, positions reverted back to the previous lap and the win was vapor. 1996 was the best year for the VR1000 with Carr and Wilson placing well and having a shot at podiums at Sears when another red flag was thrown and they suffered mechanical failures at the restart (Carr's bike is the roller chassis included with the sale).
Disaster after disaster chased the factory team, the worse was Tommy Wilson's crash at Loudon that ended his career. The powers to be finally pulled the purse strings close that year and the bikes were sold off to the private team owners or others wanting to seize a part of history. Rumor is that the engine was the basis for the V-Rod engine, another Harley miscue that has left heads scratching.
The selling price is $127,495 which includes the $1000 worth of accessories added to the bike. . See at Automania, 895 SE Gladiola Drive, Grants Pass, OR 97526.
http://www.automaniagp.com 541 479 8888 Oregon Dealer DA1287
