Aermacchi - Harley Davidson CR-TT Road Racer

In the 1960s Harley-Davidson bought a 50% share in Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aermacchi, they did this specifically to get access to Aermacchi’s lightweight motorcycles which they wanted to rebadge and sell in the United States to compete with the small, popular two and four-strokes coming out of Europe and Japan.

Aermacchi was originally an Italian aircraft manufacturer, the name is a contraction of “Aeronautica Macchi” after company founder Giulio Macchi.

After WWII Aermacchi began designing and building small-capacity motorcycles to both stay in business, and fulfill the need for affordable motorised transportation in Italy. Companies like Vespa, Ducati, and Lambretta were their primary competition.

Despite not fairing as well as these three companies Aermacchi motorcycles were known for being well designed and well built, and they remain popular with collectors today.

Aermacchi Harley-Davidsons were sold at dealerships across the United States with mixed success, though they did prove popular with younger riders who wanted a Harley. By the early 1970s Harley-Davidson bought 100% of the Aermacchi motorcycle division and kept selling the bikes until the late 1970s when they sold it on to Italian company Cagiva.

Har ley Davidson's CRTT Road Racer went through etfensrve development sod refinement between 1961 and 1968. it began as a long-stroke tour-speed and ended up a short stroke five speed, lis 250ec horizontally mourned, overhead-valve single-cylinder engine began with a 9.5:1 compression ratio and 8,500 ipm redline. good for 22 horsepower. The 1968 version had a 12:1 compression rabo and generated 32 horsepower at 10,400 rpnv Front and roar brakes were 8-inch-diameter drums: (he front was a double loading-shoe design

The 1965 model featured a 10.5:1 compression ratio and generated 28 horsepower at 9,500 rpm.

The Italian factory built 35 of these CR models lor competition wi 1965. although lecords did nol specify how many of them were TT road racing types. The company sold these motorcycles for $690.