2002 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 SuperCrew

Inside, the manly motif has been graced with a few new-for-2002 tweaks. The chrome steering column stalks, door pulls and seat adjusters remain, as do the machine-turned faces on the instrument cluster and the full-leather look for the quad captain's chairs and front/rear covered consoles. However, this time around, the gauges are also emblazoned with "Supercharged" indicia, the seats are done in black hide with special light-gray inserts and the lids on the central storage bins now carry an embossed flame motif. The final cosmetic flourishes include brushed stainless/rubber pedal covers and an individual number plate confirming its place in a limited-edition run that Ford promises will not exceed 12,000 units.

Seats are covered in black leather with light-gray inserts. Special brightwork and cosmetic flourishes further distinguish the Harley edition.

Other comfort/convenience upgrades include climate control air conditioning, keyless remote-entry with keypad, power-adjustable pedals, special power exterior and electrochromic interior mirrors, H-D logoed bedliner, Homelink/TravelNote systems, and a 7-/4-pin combo hitch that allows it to tow up to a 4,500-pound trailer.


The H-D SuperCrew shares the same basic suspension design as that found on its lesser F-150 kin: control arms and coils with a stabilizer bar up front team with a live axle on leaf springs and stagger-mounted shocks at the rear. Its 138.5-inch centerline-to-centerline dimension also is identical to the long-wheelbase Regular Cab and short-wheelbase SuperCab models. However, shorter, stiffer springs drop its ride height by an inch and demonstrably curtail body roll in corners. In addition to their extra grip, those wider, low profile tires also contribute to even-quicker response from its power rack-and-pinion steering. While still susceptible to modest trailing-throttle tail wagging when charging through corners at the limit, the H-D F-150 definitely ranks well up in the sport truck-handling hierarchy. The only legitimate blot in its copybook is that certain sections of humpback freeway can cause some decidedly unpleasant resonant wheel hop at certain speeds.


Even without Harley-Davidson embellishments, Ford's new SuperCrew has proven a wise and welcome addition to the F-150 family. With four full-size doors, an adult-scaled rear seat, 5 1/4-foot box that can be stretched another two feet with the optional bed extender and an add-on two-piece hard tonneau, it's a versatile alternative to a full-size SUV for people who frequently carry items too bulky or too dirty to be at home in the interior cargo bay of a conventional sport-ute.


While the new King Ranch luxo variation and FX4 premium off-road package enhance its appeal to conventional buyers, only the Harley-Davidson edition packs the kind of visceral punch that brings out those formerly dormant Wild One tendencies that lurk under the surface of all right-thinking pickup partisans. Price of admission to this surprisingly civilized road warrior starts at $35,995 plus $740 in destination fees. Ours also had a manual sliding rear window, which added an extra $125. All things considered, it seems like money well spent. (www.fordvehicles.com)