In the winter 1981 I made a trip to the MoCo when getting my dealership franchise finalized. I was given a tour of the Juneau Ave complex. I was blown away when I went into the prototype area and saw almost one of every brand of motorcycle made. I asked how much they spent on buying the competitors machines. I was told that all the motorcycle makers gave each other their latest machines "For evaluation". My host at the time had someplace to go and gave me directions to my next appointment. As soon as she left I quickly moved over to the corner of the room where the welding curtains were pulled together and clamped so no one would see what was there. As I opened the curtains I saw what had only been a rumor. There sat two different designs of The Nova. A twin and a four. A few months later I was invited to a factory event in Van Nuys, CA held in a warehouse. There were all different brands of dealerships represented there. The MoCo was showing it to people in the motorcycle industry. Taking us on guided rides through this industrial complex which was deserted on the weekend. It was there that I got to throw my leg over the Nova and take a ride. After we all had rides on them it was back to the warehouse where we had discussions about it and filled out forms giving our opinion about this and that.
A few months later Vaughn Beals, Harley's CEO, made the announcement that the Nova Prototype project was completed. But from the information gathered at the presentation events around the country the MoCo decided it was not the right time, or place for this new motorcycle. Many who rode it compared it to a Gold Wing.
A few years later I was again at Juneau Ave. I was talking to the curator of the museum. A gentleman named John Gadke. John told me he just happened to be walking by the loading dock when a forklift came by carrying a Nova. It was headed for the recycling roll off. John grabbed it and the other remaining prototypes and had them taken to the archives. If not for that there would be no evidence of the Nova project today.
A few months later Vaughn Beals, Harley's CEO, made the announcement that the Nova Prototype project was completed. But from the information gathered at the presentation events around the country the MoCo decided it was not the right time, or place for this new motorcycle. Many who rode it compared it to a Gold Wing.
A few years later I was again at Juneau Ave. I was talking to the curator of the museum. A gentleman named John Gadke. John told me he just happened to be walking by the loading dock when a forklift came by carrying a Nova. It was headed for the recycling roll off. John grabbed it and the other remaining prototypes and had them taken to the archives. If not for that there would be no evidence of the Nova project today.
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