Harley Motorcycles | National Geographic

the source of that power is the next
step in our motorcycle build the heart
of the v-rod the engine all the
components the transmission the water
pump the Pistons are put together in the
engine assembly area a 23,000 square
foot factory within a factory over here
we actually build the engine
that’s the power before
feel the life these employees may wear
jeans and Harley t-shirts but there’s
nothing casual about this line it
requires focus and attention to detail
the slightest flaw can cause it not to
run properly
you
center stage is the engine assembly line
divided into 10 workstations
it’s a tough taskmaster the line
advances every seven and a half minutes
employees must work efficiently to
complete their tasks oh you got a hurry
right along which
here’s how a motorcycle engine works
inside the engine cylinders a spark
ignites a mixture of air and fuel this
causes an explosion which drives the
piston down turning the crankshaft and
that rotational force is transmitted
through a set of gears in the
transmission to the bikes rear wheel the
v-rod’s
engine build begins with parts about 370
of them they’re hand checked for
scratches breaks and imperfections in
just two hours technicians will assemble
this jumble into a working engine the
clock starts ticking when they lift the
v rods lower engine case on to the sub
assembly line first step install the
transmission and 5-speed gearing system
the v-rod motor puts out an awful lot of
horsepower
to get that horsepower from the motor to
the wheels you need a good solid
transmission next the lower case and
transmission join the main assembly line
from computer-controlled torque guns
that screw the individual parts together
to heavy lifting manipulators that make
moving the heavy parts easy this line
comes packed with high-tech help even
the silicon dispenser is automated with
laser precision it traces the edges of
the engine case the result of a perfect
seal each part of the v-rod’s engine is
designed for performance these are the
Pistons to increase combustion and power
they’re housed in big bore cylinders the
water pump plays a vital part in keeping
the high revving engine running cool the
engine assembly is nearly complete and
to finish it all off chrome clutch and
alternator covers the end result the
heart of the v-rod the revolution engine