Over the years, Triumph beat the snot out of HD on the race track. I am a member of the Southern Cruisers Riding Club. A fellow member, sales manager at the local HD shop will not talk to me at gatherings, he looks away whenever I show up on my bike. This rivalry never really existed, because all the competition was on Harley's side, trying to keep up. Mert Lawell was the best rider on the flat track, but he rarely finished a race. Harley finally started supporting him in more ways than a free bike, and he started winning races. That was, however about the time Triumph slowed down their support of racers.
