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.
Heres what I ride, not quite a full blown sport bike, more of a standard, my arms are to short for a sportbike, it hurts my wrists and neck but I need a bike with my feet underneith me. My next bike will be a sport tourer, the riding position just suits me best.
What I dont get is why they must constantly rev their engines at redlights???? I feel like asking them why doesnt that 20,000 POS idle?
A word on motorcycle safety:
If you've put yourself in a position where someone has to see [hear] you in order for you to be safe -- to see [hear] you, and to give a s**t -- you've already blown it.
There may be no written facts to the effect that loud pipes save lives but with full cobra exhaust on my Yamaha I can personally tell you that people may not have seen me coming but they heard me coming and from a riders point of view every little bit helps when you're on the road. Don't care if it's loud pipes or bright florescent helmets and clothing. If they can see you AND hear you they might not run over you. And now that's a written fact from a 30+ year rider.
What I dont get is why they must constantly rev their engines at redlights???? I feel like asking them why doesnt that 20,000 POS idle?
A word on motorcycle safety:
If you've put yourself in a position where someone has to see [hear] you in order for you to be safe -- to see [hear] you, and to give a s**t -- you've already blown it.
There are no FACTS that back up the safety argument.
And this is purely someone's opinion. Everyone has one. Doesn't mean it's right, doesn't mean it's wrong. Just an opinion. It doesn't make him an expert.
Of course people that have them like the sound. That's why they don't put mufflers on dragsters and racecars. That would be like sissyin 'em up. If you like quiet things on 2 wheels I suggest a Huffy not a Harley. More justification of sound..ever been to a sporting event where everyone's quiet? Hell they even yell when Tiger Woods sinks a 50 ft putt. That's why we're known as Loud Americans. Live Free Ride Free.
HDs are sooooooo over rated and overpriced. Another thing about some of the folks who are really into HD and live and breath every thing "Harley Davidson" Key rings, shirts, wallets, everything with Harley Davidson logos on it. A bunch of posers they look like to me. The friggin bikes are gas hogs too. If you want to waste a ton of money for an image go ahead and buy a HD. I'm not saying they are bad bikes but there are a few American made large street bike companies now that are giving HD some serious competition. They are all overpriced too. Remember if your getting a bike to save gas you'll end up spending the savings on a lot of upkeep. My next bike will most likely be a friggin Moped, a real cheap beat up old moped !
For a little perspective, my somewhat modified FLHTCU ElectraGlide averages about 50-55 mpg if I don't get ignorant on the throttle or buck a high wind. That's with me and a passenger and about twenty - thirty pounds of tools and road gear. A friend of mine who owns a Honda Goldwing fully dressed gets about 35-40.
You are correct that there are quite a few companies that are striving to catch HD, but mostly in the "lifestyle" catagories - HD has been selling their image for a long time - that is what basically saved the company after the difficult years under AMF's yoke. And actually, HD is trying to catch up in the technological advances catagories, i.e. the Revolution engine (water-cooled), better frame building technology, better seating and rider accomodation, improved controls and reliability, and marketing to women. Female buyers account for something like 12% of their sales anymore. Make no mistake, Harley treats their demographics very seriously and realizes that they cannot change the fact that many of their designs have to be changed very slowly. It is a more traditional look and is combined with a traditional air-cooled engine which may go the way of the do-do if emissions requirements ever get really tough.
And not to pick on you rickers, as you are one of my favorite posters, but I'm not sure that Harley fans are singularly guilty of the accessories overkill. About any hobby or pasttime - sports, cars, etc. - has it's share of people who bleed the colors and logo of whatever they're into. To an unhealthy extent, at times. And there are a lot of us HD fans out here that think the MoCo sold out to commercialism a long time ago, and won't wear anything that isn't faded and at least a decade old.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sohappyIleft
If you buy a HD for the investment fine. If you buy one cause you love to ride fine. Most HD owners have this attitude which is totally unwarrented. It's not what you ride but it's that you ride. Don't care if it's a scooter, a hog, a rice-burner...as long as you're hung out in the wind we're all doing what we love. I'd still take my Yamaha Star over a HD anyday.
Yup, there are a lot of HD riders out there who definitely have a poser quality to them. Don't know about the "most" clause as I work too much to get out a lot. My riding buddies follow the philosophy you stated in your post, we're out to have fun and we happen to like our HDs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilot1
LOL! Yes some of them are overly loud. Screams, "look at me, look at me!!!"
And to some of us who like to build engines and tune our rides in our shops, it screams, "Open road, open road!!". Can't argue with the noise thing, but am somewhat amused from time to time that folks who don't much care for that have a set of earbuds plugged in to an iPod and couldn't hear a bike over the music unless it was right next to them.
And to the OP's question, my next rig will be an old DuoGlide if I can find one to fix up. Or possibly an older ElectraGlide that I can strip down to the tins and frame and rebuild with a big S&S 113" engine hooked into a six speed tranny with a Barnett clutch.
Right now I'm enjoying the fruits of a three-year project, a modified '95 FLHTCU and have a '96 FXDL Low Rider slightly modified.
And yes, I'm a "poser" with a dirty little secret. I confess the Harleys are just over-compensation for my real love. I commute 26 miles to work everyday from about the 1st of April to Thanksgiving. On a thundering powerhouse of an '82 Honda Trail 110. Cutoff for riding is 20 degrees above and/or snow on the road. Milk crate zip-tied on back for lunchbox and warm gear. PVC pipe holds registration papers. Old pair of Tingley overshoes for rain. Look ridiculous. 1.20 gallons a week for gas. Do the math. Bought the Low Rider with several years' savings from pickup maintenance, tires, upkeep, fuel, and insurance.
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.
