Harley-Davidson Puts Its Name on a Semi

Owners of the Harley-Davidson Ford F-150 are all too familiar with the fact that no production H-D motorcycle will actually fit in the bed of one of those things.

Well, no more sissy trucks for you, Harley-Davidson lovers. Behold the new International LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition. It will hold and haul as many motorcycles as you can stuff in a trailer. By my reckoning, that has to be at least a dozen full-size Ultra Classic touring bikes.

This bad boy was introduced on Wednesday at the Mid-America Trucking Show, an annual heavy trucking industry extravaganza, in Louisville, Ky. Only 250 of the trucks will be made in 2009, in sleeper configuration only, and orders will be taken next month. Production begins in June.

The only sticking point may be that the base price starts at $155,000. And more than 40 customization options will be available, potentially driving the price into uncharted territory.

This heavy-hauler H-D is based on the International LoneStar, inspired by the International 1939 D Series truck, which was introduced at last year’s Chicago Auto Show.

Willie G. Davidson, Harley-Davidson’s designer, helped with headlamps from Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Harley badging on the 150-gallon chrome fuel tanks, seven-foot chrome exhaust stacks, Harley gauge faces, silver-and-orange striping for the underlying black paint (the only color offered) and a horizontal bar billet-style Harley-Davidson chrome grille.

The gear shifter also carries a limited-production number plate.

Personally, my favorite feature is inside the cab, where there is a 42-inch-wide sleeper sofa in the back, surrounded by dark rosewood cabinets and a walnut floor. That is roughing it, in style. Who needs to deal with bugs in your teeth?

“This truck,” said Ron Hutchinson, a Harley-Davidson senior vice president, “oozes the freedom and spirit of the open road.”

Well, yeah, sort of. As much as any diesel-powered Harley-Davidson can.