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Remember
when the words Harley-Davidson conjured up images of big, burley men covered
in tattoos, spitting epithets at old ladies and drinking beer from the
keg? Talk about a change of image. The Harley-Davidson of today means
accountants, doctors, salesmen and moms out for a Sunday ride on their
Softails, Sportsters and Dynas. The general population has discovered
that these bikes, which produce one of the most distinctive sounds in
the world, are actually fun to ride. And it doesn't hurt that they enjoy
the tough, wild, and free image they think comes standard with these bikes.
Not wanting to be left out of this moneymaking and popular image, Ford
has joined the gang with its 2000 Ford F-150 Limited Edition Harley-Davidson
pickup.
The
basics are a 4x2 SuperCab model with the FlareSide box on a 139-inch chassis.
The truck is painted black with a Harley-Davidson orange accent tape stripe
along the sides and on the tailgate. Added to that are two fairly large
badges with a combined Harley-Davidson/F-150 stamp that reside on the
front fenders. The front and rear bumpers are painted black and feature
integrated foglights up front, and the grille and lower air intake area
are chrome billet for a customized look. Chrome pipes run alongside the
doors, but are for show, not blow, and are no help when climbing in and
out of the cabin. The truck was originally intended to feature a black
hard tonneau cover, but, according to Ford, quality problems at the supplier
level have delayed that part. The good news is you'll get a $500 credit
for the cover, plus you'll receive a voucher for a jacket that sports
the logo found on the front fender. Ford was still working out the details
of this bonus; see your Ford dealer for more information. Because we didn't
get a tonneau cover, Ford included a rubber box floormat that also sported
the H-D logo.
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To
finish up the exterior look, Ford fitted the truck with massive 9
x 20-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels mated to P275/45HR20 Goodyear
Eagle GT II tires; this is the first time 20-inch wheels have ever
appeared on a production Ford product. The wheels were made by Superior
Industries, and we ran into a representative from the company who |
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informed us that the wheels are custom and unique to the truck. They're
a 10-spoke design and look great with the chrome finish. |
Inside
the bike theme carries over, with Ebony black Nudo leather captain's chairs
with the Tyca Harley-Davidson logo stamped into the seatbacks. There's
a stitched black leather accessory pouch with logo on the center console,
chrome steering column stalks and door release handles, a black leather
steering wheel, black instrument panel with Ford/H-D dash ornament, unique
Harley-Davidson "spun metal" instrument cluster to match that found on
the bikes, and black floor mats that, surprisingly, are missing the logo
imprint. If you wanted to see bright orange anywhere, the floormats would
have been a logical choice. The F-150 comes with the usual items most
owners desire: air conditioning, cruise control, tilt steering wheel,
keyless remote entry, and privacy glass, which help reinforce the image
of black as "bad."
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Inside
(the Harley Davidson Edition
F-150) the bike theme carries over...
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Appearances
aside, what makes this truck the most Harley-like is the throaty
exhaust sound from the tailpipes, with the 3.5-inch round dual "slash
cut" chrome exhaust tips. The exhaust is courtesy
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of the SVT Lightning, and features a single inlet/dual outlet muffler.
While it sounds more reminiscent of a Mustang Cobra than the put-put-put
of a Harley, it's cool nonetheless, and garners plenty of attention
when you blip the throttle a few times at a stoplight. |
Under
the hood sits the 5.4-liter Triton V-8 engine, producing 260 horsepower
and 350 pound-feet of torque. The truck receives a 3.55 limited slip rear
axle for better off-the-line performance, and the suspension has been
lowered one inch, with revised springs and a larger front stabilizer bar
added for improved lateral stability. The only transmission choice is
the 5-speed automatic with overdrive. Disc brakes front and rear with
4-wheel ABS are included with this model.
If
you think Ford and Harley make strange bedfellows, you must not be a racing
fan, as Ford is a big provider of technical support and sponsorship to
Harley's Superbike racing program. In addition, both companies began in
1903, with Ford selling the Model A, and the William Harley/Davidson brothers
producing three motorcycles at the same time. And both will be celebrating
centennials in 2003. The partnership formed between the two companies
is slated for a five-year run, and Ford is hinting that there may be other
jointly developed products appearing within that period. For now, first-year
production for the truck is set at 7,000 units, and depending on demand,
the numbers can be raised or lowered. Our test truck started at $32,305,
and added $125 for the sliding rear window and another $210 for the center-console-integrated
6-disc CD changer. With destination, the grand total was $33,330.
| We
spent a few days with the Harley truck, and had a chance to take it
to the primo biker hangout in Southern California, the Rock Store
on Mulholland Blvd. in the Santa Monica Mountains. Every Sunday, bikes
descend upon this tiny diner like relatives on a lottery winner. Parking
for big trucks with four wheels is nearly impossible, but we scooted
up close to the lot to give the riders a chance to check it out. Most
of the responses were positive, and the exterior package won the approval
of more than a few female riders. While we liked the package, the
truck definitely needs more of a posturing attitude. |
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The one-inch drop isn't nearly enough; to really capture the image
and turn the F-150 into a true custom vehicle, another five-inch drop
would have been perfect. The 20-inch wheels get lost in the open wheelwell;
with the truck lower to the ground, the 20s would have looked more
impressive. |
On
the twisties of Mulholland, where at least one rider a day dumps his bike
trying to maneuver the tight corners, we drove the H-D-F around with impressively
little body roll. The large tires did a good job of providing grip-much
better than the captain's chairs, which could have used more lateral support
to make the driving experience more fun. On the highway it's another story.
If you intend to drive the truck only on flat, fresh asphalt, you'll have
no complaints. In the real world, where there are potholes, expansion
joints, uneven pavement, and cement road grooves, we discover the ride
is bouncy, floaty, and rougher than expected. In defense of the truck,
we drove around with the bed unloaded. Throw some weight in the back,
and the ride is bound to improve. The tires created some road noise, but
there are trade-offs. You can have a quiet ride, but look like a pinhead
with rubber that won't help create the impact for which Ford and Harley
were aiming.
On
the plus side, steering was direct and linear, and the Triton engine produced
gobs of torque for hill climbing and impromptu green-light drag races
(up to the speed limit, of course). Third gear felt tall, and we kept
punching the throttle to downshift. Half of the time we drove around with
the overdrive gear off.
What
we really wanted to do was load a Harley in the bed, but it wouldn't fit,
and there are no plans to put the extended bed on this truck. This means
the truck is for driving around when the bike is in the shop or it's raining,
not for bike hauling. You can, however, take a fair amount of equipment
with you, as the truck has a 4,000-pound tow rating with a 1,300-pound
payload capacity. But it's okay. Trucks don't always have to be everything
to everybody. There are plenty of other trucks that you can bang up and
get dirty. This is a show vehicle created to make a statement, not be
a pack mule.
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I
have to admit; driving the Harley-Davidson F-150 does give you a "don't
mess with me" attitude. It makes you want to get a couple of eagles
or skulls branded on your arm, and drive around with a bandana tied
on your head. Until you get home, of course, and your |
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hands you the kid with the dirty diaper and the news that your mother-in-law
is coming to visit. Which is why this truck is cool; when you're behind
the wheel, you're tough, wild, free, and you don't have to wear a
helmet. |
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