# How is riding a crazy ass motorcycle like this on the road legal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 7, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149 "2011-11-07T07:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/41 "2011-11-10T15:43:20Z")
Oh I forgot, my bikes. [VTX](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/6332178022/in/photostream) [GoldWing](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/3631611488/in/photostream) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/42 "2011-11-10T15:44:41Z")
> [@justrob](#): > > I suppose I can concede that although I wouldn’t agree that “dressing out our rides” with bolt on accessories translates to being able to do basic motor work. Even if 75% of Harley owners can do basic motor work that would still leave thousands of riders who can’t which is a not small number. Remember that dressing out can mean getting the 1200 kit for your 883 and fancy replacement heads or having your cylinders diamond cut. Or like me making a 1972-6 suspension work on a 1994 bike. Even just for pipe changes you can get really involved with everything from the injector all the way to downloading new software. Most brands stop at replacement timing covers and air cleaners; the stuff we put in bags sometimes can be frightening and mean dozens of hours labor to “bolt on”. Which is why we DIY rather than pay the shop fees. ---
**Author:** ![Bambro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@Bambro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambro)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/43 "2011-11-10T16:27:29Z")
> [@The\_Surb](#): > > Oh I forgot, my bikes. > [VTX](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/6332178022/in/photostream) [GoldWing](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/3631611488/in/photostream) Nice rides. I had an '06 VTX 1300R I traded in a couple of months ago. It was my first bike and I hated to see it go. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/44 "2011-11-11T14:38:49Z")
> [@The\_Surb](#): > > I like the bike. That bike is from an era when bikes were bikes and men were…Jesus? 😃 > [@The\_Surb](#): > > Oh I forgot, my bikes. > [VTX](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/6332178022/in/photostream) [GoldWing](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/3631611488/in/photostream) Nice bikes, it sure looks like you have some great riding out there. > [@kopek](#): > > Remember that dressing out can mean getting the 1200 kit for your 883 and fancy replacement heads or having your cylinders diamond cut. Or like me making a 1972-6 suspension work on a 1994 bike. Even just for pipe changes you can get really involved with everything from the injector all the way to downloading new software. Most brands stop at replacement timing covers and air cleaners; the stuff we put in bags sometimes can be frightening and mean dozens of hours labor to “bolt on”. Which is why we DIY rather than pay the shop fees. But dressing out can also mean peeling the back off the double stick tape to put the chrome accent pieces on your running boards. I think you are an outlier **kopek** , and I’d love to see your bikes. I just don’t think most riders, of any marquee, are getting as involved as you are in working on/modifying their bikes. I’m probably wrong on how many Harley riders work on their own bikes so I’ll just end with this. I don’t care if someone works on their own bike or not, as long as they have fun and don’t ride like a dick I’m happy to share the road with them. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/45 "2011-11-11T14:49:07Z")
It looks like the guy is begging to be punched in the gut. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/46 "2011-11-11T16:25:49Z")
> [@justrob](#): > > But dressing out can also mean peeling the back off the double stick tape to put the chrome accent pieces on your running boards. I think you are an outlier **kopek** , and I’d love to see your bikes. I just don’t think most riders, of any marquee, are getting as involved as you are in working on/modifying their bikes. Tried to PM but it didn’t take. My 1994 mix and match [http://www.nouilles.info/illustrations/sdmb\_portraits/68402.jpg](http://www.nouilles.info/illustrations/sdmb_portraits/68402.jpg) since then I powdercoated my crash bars and rear chrome. You can see details of the tank here [http://northhillscycle.com/gallery/detailGallery.asp?imageID=108](http://northhillscycle.com/gallery/detailGallery.asp?imageID=108) Wrenches I bend - for paint I hire an expert. I hope to get a couple shots of the RK and LGC on the SDMB gallery in the spring. By the time I’m done with the Road King this winter I hope to have it as the worlds first Amish dresser. Don’t ask - it will either be really cool or really dumb ------ and I won’t know for sure which until I bolt it all back together. And I’ll leave it at ---- we sorta talked it around at my one HOG meeting last night. The common consensus among those present is I am odd; very very odd. Not in terms of how much work I can/will do myself - most folks there felt I was pretty close in my guesstimate. But they did still make it a point of saying I’m odd. I love those guys and gals. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/47 "2011-11-12T16:36:17Z")
> [@Troppus](#): > > I’m willing to wager there is a higher percentage of mechanically inclined Harley owners vs conventional bike owners, if for no other reason than the vigilance that must be paid to the firing system. There is a tendency for carbon build-up on the spark plugs and riders are frequently familiar with the process of cleaning and re-gapping fouled plugs and/or ensuring the timing is correct. Me too. I mean if you spent all your money paying to fix your POS everytime it broke down you would be broke. So, out of need you learn how to work on the obnoxious thing. ---
**Author:** ![lordairgtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@lordairgtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lordairgtar)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/48 "2011-11-12T17:24:51Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I always get a laugh when I see a rumble of motorcycles go by. All those tough, rugged individualists all dressed alike, riding from bar to bar to drink and then drive. Then on Monday, it’s back to the coat and tie and selling insurance again. What a joke. Except for the guys who actually work at Harley here in Milwaukee. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/49 "2011-11-14T14:53:45Z")
Nice rides. I don’t know what you plan to do to make the RK an Amish dresser but it would definitely fit with your look. > [@kopek](#): > > Wrenches I bend - for paint I hire an expert. Sounds about the same as me. > [@kopek](#): > > And I’ll leave it at ---- we sorta talked it around at my one HOG meeting last night. The common consensus among those present is I am odd; very very odd. Not in terms of how much work I can/will do myself - most folks there felt I was pretty close in my guesstimate. But they did still make it a point of saying I’m odd. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149/50 "2011-11-14T21:31:36Z")
> [@justrob](#): > > Not bragging (well actually I am a little bit) but since I ride a [76 Triumph Bonneville](http://s493.photobucket.com/albums/rr295/justmagnus/?action=view¤t=IMG_1979.jpg) (vertical twin) my brother and I restored I’m well aware of how vibration can affect screws. Nice bike! 🆒 > [@kopek](#): > > The theory is “loud pipes save lives” … Make enough noise and you don’t have people cutting you off or “not seeing you”… I do indeed want to make enough noise that if I’m in your blind spot you can hear me even if you can’t see me … > V-twin motors do not HAVE to shake themselves apart. I throw in the Yamaha Virago series as well as the newer Harleys as evidence of that … > That being said I will disagree with **justrob** a bit and say that Harley owners are more likely to be mechanically inclined and more inclined to work on their own scoots than any other brand. Its an odd cultural thing that goes with the brand like HOG and leather… Agreed, with the introduction of the Evo motors, checking for loose nuts, bolts and screws became a “before every ride” thing, as opposed to “every time you stopped and got off of it” necessity. 😃 > [@The\_Surb](#): > > Oh I forgot, my bikes. > [VTX](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/6332178022/in/photostream) [GoldWing](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39476722@N02/3631611488/in/photostream) Nice bikes! 🆒 > [@kopek](#): > > Remember that dressing out can mean getting the 1200 kit for your 883 and fancy replacement heads or having your cylinders diamond cut. Or like me making a 1972-6 suspension work on a 1994 bike. … the stuff we put in bags sometimes can be frightening and mean dozens of hours labor to “bolt on”. Which is why we DIY rather than pay the shop fees. And how! 😉 > [@kopek](#): > > … Wrenches I bend - for paint I hire an expert… By the time I’m done with the Road King this winter I hope to have it as the worlds first Amish dresser. Don’t ask - it will either be really cool or really dumb ------ and I won’t know for sure which until I bolt it all back together. > > And I’ll leave it at ---- we sorta talked it around at my one HOG meeting last night. The common consensus among those present is I am odd; very very odd. Not in terms of how much work I can/will do myself - most folks there felt I was pretty close in my guesstimate. But they did still make it a point of saying I’m odd. > I love those guys and gals. 😉 Odd = Unique and ‘standing out from the crowd’! +1 IMHO 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-riding-a-crazy-ass-motorcycle-like-this-on-the-road-legal/602149.md?page=2)