Question for Harley Owners

In My Humble Opinion
21

I’ve owned lots of motorcycles over the years but only 2 Harleys, so I’m not a big snob about it. I do like my current Hog better than any other bike I’ve had, though.

What I don’t get is why somebody would buy a brand new Japanese cruiser when for the same money one can get a Harley custom sporty and have the real thing.
I understand buying a used rice cruiser as they are fairly cheap, but not a new one over a Harley. It’s ridiculous!

I always thought the Suzuki Intruders were the among the best “Hardleys” coming out of Nippon.

22

I’ve owned a ton of bikes from Ricegrinders and Spaghetti-benders to some of the classic British makes. But I have never been without a Harley on the road and that has always been my primary ride from dirt to street to track.

Personally I couldn’t care less and I think the MotherCompany’s attempt to “trademark” the engine sound was stupid to the n’th degree. But it’s fun to sit at the top and watch everyone else stretch out below you. :slight_smile: There have always been better bikes out there; faster sometimes, more reliable sometimes. Cheaper, better made, more intelligently designed. You name it – its true. But no-one (except maybe Indian or Triumph) has ever been able to add that touch that makes fanatical fans and owners. In other words, every marque has an owners club but none will ever come close to HOG.

(And as my one Gold Wing riding buddy would pipe in about now – ya know what HONDA stands for? Harley Owners Need Dependable Alternatives)

23

You tell him Harley is now the most dependable bike there is, and they have been for over a quarter century. The AMF nightmare is ancient history.

24

Why do Harleys and Hondas have such small tanks?

One won’t get far enough to empty one,

The other reduces the risk of being seen on one.

25

I could debate that a little but if I won I’d get endless grief from my HOG chapter for doing so. :wink:

I actually miss the AMF days a little. If you went over your scoot well when it was new and did the regular tune and tighten routine, you could really rack the miles. My 72 Sportie got around 175k and never got the Ride of Shame (trailer) home and my XR 750 is still competitive after all these years. But ----- you almost had to be a full-blown mechanic and fanatic fan to know how to do the tune and tighten and find all the things the factory got wrong to start with.

Plus since the average dealership got like a dozen FLs and a couple dozen XLs a year, we were a pretty exclusive brotherhood. Within most regions, we all pretty much knew each other or at least crossed trails now and then. Now any asshole with enough cash can get one and the “shops” are as much LL Bean as they are motorcycle places. The shovelheads took talent ----- but if you had it that AMF meant “Adios Mother F*%^@#”.

26

I’ve had a number of different brands of bikes. During the past 10 years, I’ve had a Honda, a Yamaha and Harley. I’ve liked and disliked some aspects of all of them.

The touring style Harley I’m riding today is a great machine and I do love the rumble and feel of the bike. But a 1650cc engine is really big to be air cooled. My thighs fry in slow traffic.

When it’s time to get a new bike, I’ll consider the Harley again, but I might just be swayed by the Honda Goldwing.

In short, I’m not married to a brand for the long term. That would be rather shortsighted.

27

One of my other favorite bikes ever was a Honda Hawk 650 GT. It was great stock, but I put pipes, racing fairing, Corbin seat, and a jet kit on it. It was a total blast to ride and there is a reason it has a cult following today.

Unfortunately it was also the only bike I ever took a dive on. $1100 damage, road rash from hell, and I broke my ankle. :(:mad:

28

Those were great twins. I’m a big fan of thumpers and twins. I have 6 bikes in the garage right now and only 10 pistons amongst them. I have little need for 4 cylinder bikes. Never tried a 3-cylinder…some day. :smiley:

29

I don’t have a Hog in this fight but…

I’ve always found that its not what you can afford to buy; its what you can do with what you do buy and if you are happy with it. People with deep pockets but less skill usually grumble something that sounds like “skill monkey” at this point and skulk off into the corner to do a slow burn.

No, I don’t ride, but if its true for cars its true for bikes.

30

Harleys make me hungry.
When I’m next to one at a stop light, they’re always going ‘Potato, potato, potato, potato…’

How do you tell a Mexican Harley?
‘Cabron! Puta, puta, puta, puta…’

Why are Harleys like homosexuals?
They can be a lot of fun, but I don’t want to throw my leg over one!

Personally, I’m not a fan of cruisers. They look very uncomfortable on the lower back. I prefer the sportbike stance, where you can rest comfortably on the tank, or a more upright position with my feet underneath me.

31

Actually, I did have a question; but the phone rang and I had to answer it.

Harley owners: Why don’t you wave at non-Harley riders? Why do you seem so reluctant to wave back when I wave at you?

32

My HD has an upright position with mid-controls. They don’t all have forward controls.

I ride many different type of bikes but I typically cannot tell if someone coming the opposite directions is on an HD or a clone. Sportbikes are easier to pick out. What I can tell you is the beginning of the season or off-season I typically wave at every bike that goes by (including mopeds and bicycles). During the height of the season when I might go by hundreds of bikes during a days ride I don’t wave at a one. I have better things to do like pay attention to the road. Don’t take it personal. I love you all but I get tired of waving and I probably didn’t even see you wave. I do this if I’m on my HD, my Buell or one of my Japanese bikes.

33

I wave at everybody but 50% won’t wave back because I am scary looking.

I’m old and a ‘lay on the tank’ would limit my rides to less than 3 minutes.

BMW riders are way worse that HD riders for not waving back. Straight & level they are not too bad but in a corner or during shift in heavy traffic, they are not a skilled on average because on average they are 20-40 years older than your demographic.

The absolute worst are dual-sport riders, double that if it is a BMW dual sport bike with the panniers & top trunk, smoked face mask, etc. They will absolutely never take their hand off their heated grip.

What is actually in the garage now.

1977 Yamaha 500 thumper endruro, kick only
1978 Chopper, well the HD engine is a 78 shovel head, the rest is sorta, well different. Hard tail, kick only
1995 EVO FX. it can run over seams in the highway without causing major back pain. Who knew a MC could be that smooth?

Until just recently:
1977 KZ 1000
1973 HD Chopper even more radical than thre one I have kept.

Over the years:
1948 Flat head, 80 cu.in.
KZ 440 very old.
Yahama Route 66 (2)
Honda 50 with big wheels. (old)

Been riding since a lot since 1964. Kid stuff before, horse, tractor, trucks, airplanes etc…

It is not what they ride but where they live that makes the average…

Nation wide, HD riders of any kind are more likely to stop & offer to help a stopped bike of any make that any other rider set except as the real sanctioned races. The mechanics are very good to all the teams on average.

You just keep on living in the wrong places. he he he :smiley:

34

I’ll field this one, and the answer applies to a range of vehicles. Waving is what enthusiasts do with other enthusiasts. When you’ve got a brand that’s both aspirational and popular, you’ll run into tons of people who have one not because they’re enthusiasts but because they wanted a motorcycle/sports car/etc. and a Harley/Ducati/Porsche/Corvette seemed to be the one to get. The delay in waving or flashing their lights, if they do at all, is because they’re puzzled why you’re doing it.

That said, most of my on-bike conversations at lights with other riders have been with Harley folks. Okay, those conversations start with “Why don’t you ride a Harley?” but still, they do speak.

BTW, if anyone’s in the Chicago area, remember that the vintage bike gathering Motoblot (formerly ModsvsRockers) is tomorrow and Sunday, Ashland and Lake.

35

I see motorcyclists as a group of enthusiasts, and it’s not important what they ride.

36

Most of the people I know on Harleys wave at anyone or no-one at all. Some folks just ain’t letting go of that bar no matter what. The only difference I have is that I’ll usually give a normal type wave at non-HD riders and the “secret” upside-down “V twin” wave to other Harleys. I’ll even wave at crotchrockets and scooters although I find few folks on bullet bikes wave back. I always figured their spines were so bent their hands went numb. :wink:

Something else I’ll do that some (but not all) my bros do is fall into formation behind other marques – right down to scooters. I “made the day” of a couple out on their scooters on Rte 8 when I dropped into line behind them on my Sportie for about 15 miles rather than just blast past. They were doing the speed limit, I wasn’t rushing anywhere ----- and there is safety in numbers sometimes no matter what makes up those numbers.

Something I’ll do few Harley riders will do is let you ride my Sportie. Not the Road Kow — forget it. Even my beloved and actual brother isn’t allowed to throw a leg over her. But the Sportie is my “daily mud bike” and I’m not above swapping for a bit with someone if they strike me as responsible.

37

Anybody who puts over 100,000 miles on any bike is not an enthusiasts as you are defining them IMO.

I know lots of folks, not just the 1% type that live, ride, breathe, make a living with motorcycles. Ride to work in rain, shine, snow & sometimes even ice. Need a real good reason to get me out in ice in any type of machine.

I am not a flying enthusiast, I am a pilot, made my living that way, had many ratings, flew 54 different types of planes etc.

I drive a car a lot. I am for sure not an auto enthusiast.

::: Grump :::: :stuck_out_tongue:

38

You asked why they weren’t waving and I told you.

39

And that’s just the L.A. riding. (More than one bike, though.)

40

Hafta disagree with you there.

Hafta agree with you there. One of my current rides. Funny thing is I bought mine with the fairing and Supertrap and Corbin, and put it all back to stock. So far ahead of its time, time is just now catching up.