Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I suppose if I had to pick one of the above, it would be sport touring, although most bikes I've owned have been standards (the sport-touring category hasn't been around that long!). My 1984 Honda V65 Sabre makes a good sport-tourer, although it's difficult to find accessories for (and if it ever breaks down a long way from home, I'm in big trouble).
Back in 85 when I bought my wideglide a buddy of mine-about 8 yrs older than me-had a Honda V65...........that was the baddest bike I'd ever seen. Talk about fast! And he could ride the hell out of it. I saw him smoke the back tire for a full city block and he didn't once touch the brakes. I saw him pull a wheelie at 60mph and ride it for 100 yards. He later upgraded to a Goldwing and was still trying to do the same stuff with it. Something about a Goldwing with the front wheel in the air just aint right.
I own a 2004 Harley Sportster Custom 1200. I've owned Japanese motorcycles prior to buying my Harley. It is a different ride. I like the powerful torque off the line with the Harley and the low rpm cruising. This bike is not built for 80 mph+ riding or laying it down in the corners. For that type of riding the Japanese and European models are better suited.
My bike is quick and responsive without having to ride it like I'm on the track. I've had it for 8 years and have had zero problems. The fact that it is designed and assembled here is a plus.
It's all personal preference. I liked riding the Buell models too and are disappointed they didn't have a bigger following. Their partnership with Harley definitely contributed to a better 1200 engine.
I like sport bikes, but love Harley's (and the Victory line as well, but never liked any of the Triumph bikes or some of the others). I'm in my 30's (not fat, lol). Always been partial to cruiser bikes over sport bikes and have lost interest in sport bikes over the past few years. I think cruisers are mostly in the over 40 crowd because as you get older, your interest, priorities, etc change. For many, thats in their late 30's or 40's. I guess thats why my love for sport bikes has died almost completely, while my love for HD grows. In my 20's, I did want to go fast. Now in my 30's, I have zero interest in going fast these days. Unfortunatley the sport bike circles are composed of young riders who think speed is everything. I was never that guy. These days I just want to cruise. Unfortunately both crowds have their morons and their elitists. As if dealing with today's cagers who think they can text and drive safely wasn't enough to worry about, I have to deal with other bikers snobbery. Particularly since i'm an ATGATT rider. That just doesn't sit well with some of the HD riders I've met. To me, there are too many morons on the road. And I value my life more than some douchebag's opinion of me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by McGowdog
To these folks who have never owned a Harley, I'm not interested in your opinion of which you know nothing about.
But I've got a real Harley... a 74 Iron head... not one of these electric start yuppie bikes.
Funny. It's a historical fact that the vast majority of bikes by HD in the 70's and 80's were junk. Yea you got one of the few decent bikes from that era. But hardly a good enough reason to look down upon the rest of us who like some of the newer HD bikes. You don't like the newer bikes? That's fine but this world would be one boring place to live if we all liked and owned the same things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by flynavyj
The simple truth is that HD doesn't have any REAL diversification in their lineup. If you wanted a "sporty" bike, you buy a sportster, if you want a muscle bike you buy a V-rod...and then there are 900 interpretations of cruisers, which sometimes use different tire combinations to differentiate between models. The dark custom lineup is cool, seems most folks I meet who own one are in their 30's, and were looking for their first bike. So I guess they do appeal to a "younger" crowd. I'm sure there will be plenty of folks who continue to buy HD products, specifically as they age. But there's an equally large demographic of individuals who thus far have no interest in HD, and believe that most of the other competitors can build and equally nice bike, at a lower price.
I think part of the problem is the elitist crowd that dominates the HD circles, although things are slowly changing. Just look at the mcGowdog's post. HD add's high tech things like "electric start" or "brake lights", fancy bells and whistles like "functioning wheels" or "functioning speedometer's" and suddenly its a yuppie bike. "Oh, your bike runs? Well, had you bought that '79 Shovelhead I was trying to sell you last month then you wouldn't be some yuppy biker. You could be broke down on the side of the road like me. Maybe one day you'll see the light and be a real biker." Fortunately not everyone in the HD crowd is an elitist rebel pretender with this attitude. But I run into them and they are just annoying as the douche on the busa splitting lanes at 180mph. I guess every subculture has similar types of problems. At least it's that way in car cirlces too. Domestic vs import. Chevy vs Ford. etc etc.
What I don't get is seeing how those of us who do ride make up such a small portion of the population and share a common enemy, the typical clueless cager who's in a hurry while texting, yelling at the kids, changing the radio station, putting on makeup while eating a #3 from Wendy's, etc. Can't find common ground. Human nature I guess to dislike someone who's opinion differs from your own. If such wasn't the case, we'd have no debates on religion, politics, etc. I guess I just view it as, life is too short for me to give a rat's a$$ about what some one thinks of how I live my life. I'm just trying to navigate this world the best way I know how. To get the most enjoyment I can out of it. To live it to the fullest. Life is short and depressing. And I don't need someone telling me "I'm doing it wrong" or point out about how it was better "back in the day". Because unless you are sitting on a time machine that you want to loan me, I'm stuck in the here and now. And just trying to make the most of it. Stay safe my friends.
Good post, I agree. I've found myself gravitating less from my sportbike, but I still want some performance. I am having a difficult time selling my sportbike however, I just can't bring myself to put in on Craigslist, but I haven't been attempting to drag knees anytime recently either. I do like some performance from my machines, and really place emphasis on value. I've managed to purchase four used motorcycles for less than the typical price of one used sportster. Everyone has their own ride, and HD makes a fantastic product, just not for the price point that I want.
Gotta agree with you. I don't care what anyone else rides. I can do without the superior attitude of some H-D riders (and others with equivalent prejudices).
Yeah, they are pricey, but I was in a Honda shop yesterday, and the ST1300 is over $16K. Gold Wings are around $25K now. Yikes. All big bikes are expensive nowadays.
Yeah, they are pricey, but I was in a Honda shop yesterday, and the ST1300 is over $16K. Gold Wings are around $25K now. Yikes. All big bikes are expensive nowadays.
yup. Victory bikes as well. The new Hard Ball is 19k!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Talk about fast! And he could ride the hell out of it. 
I saw him smoke the back tire for a full city block and he didn't once touch the brakes. I saw him pull a wheelie at 60mph and ride it for 100 yards. He later upgraded to a Goldwing and was still trying to do the same stuff with it. Something about a Goldwing with the front wheel in the air just aint right.
