Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Thoughts on Harley bashing.

It's not the bikes, it's the 90% a$$ holes that ride them.

Know what? After riding his HDs a few times, I changed my mind. They are cool, and comfy--but still slow, relatively unresponsive to hard riding and expensive. Would I buy one? Probably not unless it was selling for a song, but I did learn that they ARE a helluva' lot of fun to ride.

This may sound backward, but I just can't get comfortable on cruisers in general. It seems like all of my weight is directly on my tailbone. I think I'm a little weird, but I can (and have) ride for hours on my sportbike (1000c.c. Yamaha). Big comfy seat, short reach to the clipons, and rear-set foot pegs which I prefer.

I rode my brother's 1100 V-Star (looks just like a Heritage), and I just kept trying to put my feet on the passenger pegs so I could sit up! Like I said, backward.

I had a 76 Bi-Centenial Sportster and it was fun to ride, but I had to work on it constantly to keep it running. I bought a new Kawasaki KZ 1100 Spectre shaft drive in 81. It is still running fine. It has 126,000 miles on the odometer, and I drove it without a speedometer cable for 4 years. I did have it stripped to the frame, sand blasted engine rebuild and punched 30 thousanths, new paint, handle bars, etc. about 8 years ago.

It came from the old "Kaw" 900 design, and I had the 900 heads installed with the rebuild as they are a higher compression head. The drive shaft has never given me any trouble. It gives me very smooth, maintenance-free, non-oil slinging performance. I've had this bike as long as I've had my wife. I'm still crazy about both of them.

This old rice burner has never once left me stranded. I did have to buy a new starter for it 5 years back, but other than that, I just ride it and put tires on it. I wasn't stranded when the starter quit, but I did have to push it off to get it fired up. That's not much fun. It handles great, stops on a dime, corners well, and will flat out scream.

I like Harleys just fine. I hear they are made to a higher standard in recent years. They are over priced, to me, but I hope you enjoy your investment as much as I have mine.

Ride what you want to. I don't care. Be safe, and have a good time while you're riding. Come see me, and we'll hit the Blue Ridge Parkway and make a run down the Dragon's Tail. I live 9 miles from there, and it's cool up there, even in August.

I do wear leather a lot of the time. I have had road rash before, and therein lies my reason for the cow hide. I use a full helmet with a face shield. I'm not into fashion, but have grown accustomed to having my face. I wear jeans, usually Carhharts, and whatever the weather decides that I need. I like Carhharts, as they are not like a cheap hotel with no Ballroom. I do have some chaps, but only use them for a long haul. When my wife is on board, she insists that I behave myself. Other than that, it's just a big dirt bike, and meant to play on. I do need to slow down though...heck, I'm 55 now, after all.

I really like to cruise, but I love to race in these mountains. If I had any smarts, I'd park it, but it's a part of who we are, huh? Besides, I can think of many worse ways to die.

Most who badmouth Harleys can't afford them.

I wonder what the modern day typical HD owner is trying to be ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd68WjDIBqk&feature=related

Was that your first bike?

Was that your first bike?

I had the 400Four...Damn I wish I still had it. Actually used to take road trips on her, once a yeat over the Sierra to Tahoe.

I hear you on that! My buddies tell me I'm nuts because I don't think having my legs all stretched out on the front pegs is comfortable. Personally, I can't see how they can ride like that, though maybe it is simply what we are used to.

That's less gay than the crotch rocket guy wearing the chartreuse and lime green leather jacket that's two sizes too small and a full ninja helmet.

Some interesting responses, and it's remained fairly civil.

As expected, most of the detractors have basically zero first hand experience, and most of their negativity is based on the usual "my brother in laws best friend" or a "good buddy of mine" type thing. I get a big kick out of those who claim a Harley won't handle. Check out a few YouTube videos of some LEO Motor Officer rodeos. I'm also guessing the "chicken strips" on my Road Glides tires would compare favorably with that of guys driving Gold Wings, and their equivalent.

Always a pleasure to hear the usual Harley rider stereotypes. I guess I'm the oddball H-D rider. I have a job, no tatt's, short hair, and I don't refer to my wife as my "old lady" or "seat meat". Don't dress like a pirate either, just protective gear, for the possibility of a crash.

As for reliability. I've logged about 100k miles on several Evo powered H-D's, and now have 6k on my new Twin Cam powered bike. Thus far, I've never had a break down, of any sort. Nor have any parts "vibrated off" any of my bikes. Can't say the same for the BMW R100R I put about 15k on. It stranded me along side the road with electrical problems twice.

The hostility towards foreign bike riders must be a regional thing. I've never seen a brand x rider get hassled at any of the H-D dealerships up here. Pull into the local Kaw/BMW/Triumph dealer here on a Harley if you want to feel the cold shoulder. Talk about snobbery.

Ride safe guys, whatever you're riding.

Jeff