Harley-Davidson’s core business is, and will always be, big American V-twins. But there are moments in The Motor Co.’s history where it has deviated from this formula in a bid to attract a wider audience, with varying levels of success.
In the 60s and 70s, Harley leveraged their part (and later full) ownership of the Italian manufacturer Aermacchi to create a handful of smaller bikes—like the 1974 Harley-Davidson SX250. Released during Harley’s infamous AMF era, this single-cylinder two-stroke was designed to compete with the lightweight Japanese enduro bikes of the day. But since it was effectively just a rebadged Aermacchi, it faded from existence when Harley sold the Italian firm to Cagiva in 1978.
These days, Aermacchi Harleys enjoy a niche following among vintage racers, and anyone else who has a soft spot for 1970s oddballs.…