![]() ![]() ![]() Over the course of the 1960s and much of the 1970s Harley-Davidson would import various Aermacchi models that were carrying Harley-Davidson branding, and sell them across North America. Harley-Davidson must have realized they were leaving a lot of money on the table by not building smaller or even mid-sized motorcycles, and so in 1960 they bought a 50% stake in Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aermacchi – a company with an established range of sub-500cc bikes. The benefits of smaller-capacity motorcycles that were both considerably lighter and cheaper to buy made them appealing to many Americans, and by the end of the 1960s they were dominating the sales charts – led by the all-conquering two-strokes. It came with no headlight, brake light, blinkers, speedometer, of front fender. The Aermacchi Harley-Davidson Sprint CRS was the member of the Sprint family designed specifically for off-road use. With a few exceptions scramblers had often been large capacity street bikes with a few modifications for off-road use – bikes like the Triumph TR6C and the Norton P11. The 1960s were arguably the age when the small-capacity motorcycle really came into vogue in the United States – particularly for off-road use. It’s powered by an OHV 250cc single producing 25 bhp, and period reviews of the bike were glowing. The Aermacchi Harley-Davidson Sprint CRS was developed as the off-road racing member of the Sprint family, alongside the road-going Sprint, and Sprint H.In 1960 American motorcycle manufacturer bought a 50% stake in Aermacchi, the Italian company then became the primary manufacturer of small and medium capacity motorcycle that would allow Harley to better compete with its Japanese and British rivals.After WWII the market for aircraft all but dried up, so Aermacchi turned to small-capacity motorcycle and scooter production to fulfill the strong demand for cheap transport – alongside companies like Vespa, Lambretta, Iso, and Ducati. #Harley davidson scrambler licenseAermacchi is today best-known for their alliance with Harley-Davidson, however the Italian company actually started out as an aircraft manufacturer, building Nieuport planes under license for the Italian military.Fast Facts – The Aermacchi Harley-Davidson Sprint CRS They strategically bought a 50% stake in small motorcycle specialist Aermacchi, to give them an entry into the world of small and medium-sized bikes. Harley-Davidson enjoyed good sales figures for their large-capacity motorcycles in the 60s, but the entire small-capacity motorcycle market was unserved by them. This was the pure racing version of the Sprint, designed for both fun and competition use. This is a rare and recently restored Aermacchi Harley-Davidson Sprint CRS, the result of an alliance between Harley-Davidson and Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aermacchi in the 1960s. ![]()
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