What's wrong with Harleys?

[dcstrng]

One area you don't find too much is that with old, second hand bikes with poeple that commute on them…

Very true… not sure I really count my commuting miles (700-plus a week) as enjoyable motorcycling, but there is something to be said for riding a well broken-in scoot… I’ve never owned a new scoot in my life, there are far too many garage queens out there – many barely broken in, even if the paint is half worn out from incessant polishing…

Nonetheless, high-mileage scoots can be a joy (Harley or otherwise) so long as they stay trustworthy… I know almost every squeak on mine and can tell when something has changed because the vibrations vary just a smidgen… I can’t say I clean or polish mine much (once over with a rag every few months…) but that has an advantage…

Riding a Harley, most knowledgeable metrics ignore me, crotch-rockets treat me as if I’m invisible and even other Harley riders seemed embarrassed to acknowledge my existence once they see the road dust on the ol’ gal – that’s okay since most are riding Twinkies (yep, there’s even an contrived pecking order in Harleydom…). Essentially I ride in a wave-free-zone, which is fine since I much prefer to just listen to my little Evo rumble along…

Almost the same when I’m on my Nomad… Harleys ignore me like the plague unless they don’t know what they’re looking at… sport bikes are too busy doing whatever they do to notice a big cruiser, so like on the Harley, the only folks who wave regularly are newbies or folks on a polished up new machine who are simply soliciting a return wave…

But when I run up on an old Evo or Shovel, or KZ, GL1000-1200, Ironhead, old Virago or other durable near-classic, then there is reason for conversation if time permits… and then the talk is just on riding, not bling or brands...

[CruisingRam]

Originally Posted by texrider

As opposed to "Real Bikers" like yourself, perhaps?

'sides that- I would hate to bite the hand that feeds my two wheel habit

[shmedly]

Originally Posted by bat4255

It's more of an "Image" thing with a lot of people.

Doctors and Lawyers posing as bad boys on the weekend.

Wild HOGS!

[DJs_GS]

I have friends with brand new bike of all sorts and Im on my bike riding right along with them , if I could afford to buy one I would look at them as well

[CruisingRam]

I want to clarify- I am a bike whore- I will ride anything, and I will take anyone's hard earned money to work on them if they ask me too. I am absolutely NOT brand loyal to any bike- my personal tastes run to Euro (non-BMW) sport bikes and sport touring bikes.

[mtalicarox]

I have a suzuki gsxr 1000, my dad has a harley sportster 1200. We go riding together every weekend.. it's all in the person/attitude of the people on the bike.. you can hear of some sport bike riders who dont like harleys too.. runs both ways, its all stupid opinions.. riders should be uniting as 1 brotherhood, riding safely together to keep all bikers safe. 'nuff said

[DJs_GS]

Originally Posted by mtalicarox

I have a suzuki gsxr 1000, my dad has a harley sportster 1200. We go riding together every weekend.. it's all in the person/attitude of the people on the bike.. you can hear of some sport bike riders who dont like harleys too.. runs both ways, its all stupid opinions.. riders should be uniting as 1 brotherhood, riding safely together to keep all bikers safe. 'nuff said

Great point!

[omegajim]

my personal tastes run to Euro (non-BMW) sport bikes and sport touring bikes.

I have to ask "what's the beef against BMW?"

Myself, if money were no object, would be looking at the old 1150.

[IntruderCruiser]

its not the bike, its the loose nut behind the handlebars

I personally wave at all bikes --- even the little scoots -- after all we are all on 2 wheels

[texrider]

Originally Posted by CruisingRam

I want to clarify- I am a bike whore- I am a slut.

I feel you, brother!

[IntruderCruiser]

I really don't know how to interpet that last statement

[texrider]

Originally Posted by IntruderCruiser

I really don't know how to interpet that last statement

I'll refer you to my previous 779 posts...

[mtalicarox]

Originally Posted by DJs_GS

Great point!

Thank you sir.

[themeatmanlandry]

I'll tell you what's wrong with *some* Harleys (like the one I saw yesterday). Apparently, they don't run correctly unless you have your tires within an inch of the yellow lane markers. Dude was cruising the line, with half his bike hanging in my lane.

Now what would he think if everyone drove with their freaking tires RIGHT ON THE LANE DIVIDER?

I just kept driving like he wasn't there. My truck already has dents, what do I care? It's his scar, not mine.

[Warputer]

Originally Posted by themeatmanlandry

I'll tell you what's wrong with *some* Harleys (like the one I saw yesterday). Apparently, they don't run correctly unless you have your tires within an inch of the yellow lane markers. Dude was cruising the line, with half his bike hanging in my lane.

Now what would he think if everyone drove with their freaking tires RIGHT ON THE LANE DIVIDER?

I've seen this too, especially when they're riding in groups, sharing the lanes. It's crazy !

[themeatmanlandry]

Originally Posted by Warputer

I've seen this too, especially when they're riding in groups, sharing the lanes. It's crazy !

It's bad enough that they make the baby cry with their penis-compensating unmuffled pipes (well, not any more . . . but they used to make her cry when she was small), but they really don't need to give me a *legal* opportunity to send them into the bushes!

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by themeatmanlandry

I'll tell you what's wrong with *some* Harleys (like the one I saw yesterday). Apparently, they don't run correctly unless you have your tires within an inch of the yellow lane markers. Dude was cruising the line, with half his bike hanging in my lane.

Now what would he think if everyone drove with their freaking tires RIGHT ON THE LANE DIVIDER?

I just kept driving like he wasn't there. My truck already has dents, what do I care? It's his scar, not mine.

Yep, those aer idiots, and for the record, my truck doesn't move over for them either. In my unofficial survey at Sturgis this year, (I was there for a week, and put on just under 1,000 miles) I counted 15 riders doing this insane act, but also for the record, 5 of them weren't riding Harley's.

[themeatmanlandry]

Originally Posted by Rickster

Yep, those aer idiots, and for the record, my truck doesn't move over for them either. In my unofficial survey at Sturgis this year, (I was there for a week, and put on just under 1,000 miles) I counted 15 riders doing this insane act, but also for the record, 5 of them weren't riding Harley's.

Yeah, I shouldn't have stereotyped ALL Harley riders into this group. I have several friends that ride Harleys and I've never seen them hug the line.

Of course, of the thousands of sportbikes that I've passed in 20 years of riding, I don't remember EVER seeing one of them riding right on the line like about 3%* of the Harley riders seem to do.

[*3% is a guesstimate, not an empirical observation]

[busa-boy33]

stp1971 ... That my friend was a CLASSY move..LMAO!! I would have given my left [edit] to have seen that.. lol.. price-less brotherman well done!

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by themeatmanlandry

Yeah, I shouldn't have stereotyped ALL Harley riders into this group. I have several friends that ride Harleys and I've never seen them hug the line.

Of course, of the thousands of sportbikes that I've passed in 20 years of riding, I don't remember EVER seeing one of them riding right on the line like about 3%* of the Harley riders seem to do.

[*3% is a guesstimate, not an empirical observation]

Of the 15 that I saw at Sturgis, one was on a sport bike,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,of course,,,,,,,,,,he was in the middle of a group of Harley's.