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Let me be up front about something right now – I am no expert on anything ‘motorcycle’. I have the resultant scars from three shoulder operations, including two steel rods and chucks of my thigh muscle, tendon and ligaments transplanted up to my shoulder to prove it. Obviously, motorcycles and I do not mix well. But apparently TFM and bikes do. My goodness, just go to our Car List & Reviews and click on, “Franklin Mint” under, “Manufacturer Brands” then click, “1:10” beside the, “Motorcycles” grouping and you’ll pull up three pages of the stuff! A lion’s share of these are Harley-Davidsons. Oh mama, where have y’all been hiding? You’ll find the Harley Road King Classic 2002 Road Rally Edition, the 2004 Firefighter Bike Ultra Classic Electra Glide and a 2006 Road King in white among the many elite bikes that the famous brand has to offer.
Harley-Davidson honors the country's firefighters with the exclusivity of ownership of this bike to active duty and retired fireman. But thankfully, FM makes it possible for us to get in on this great act, if only in 1:10th scale. So lament not, because most of the features and functionality are right here for you to enjoy. Good grief, who’d expect it? We have functional suspension. Yeah, the front forks are sprung and the rear wheel moves on operational springs. And check it out – the rubbery drive belt glides from the trans to the rear wheel. The front wheel and tire aren’t immune from great detailing either; twin outboard rotors turn within Harley-Davidson disc brakes – I know, because with a magnifier glass FM was kind enough to imprint the almost imperceptible brand name on them the way H-D does on their 1:1’s.
As with the finest car diecasts, detail renderings give us great gauges, logo emblems, paint, brake cabling, reflectors, plug wiring and functional features. Those latter elements include working gear shift foot pedals; one down, five up, with operational linkage, working right foot brake pedal and fully articulated front wheel steering and rear passenger foot pegs that fold up and down.
FM does cycles right. At a limited edition issue price of $145, you have as near motorcycle replica perfection as exists currently on planet Earth. I, for one, say, “Go for it!”
(09/17/2006)
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