Whats everyone's opinion on Harley's

[Bill in OKC]

I've been drooling for a night train for years and now they don't make them anymore.  Eventually I'll find a used one at the right price.

[zarn02]

I've been drooling for a night train for years and now they don't make them anymore.  Eventually I'll find a used one at the right price.

I've had Night Train. It's sugary-sweet and makes you feel like a hobo. Also, the hangovers are terrible.

Wait, what are we talking about?

[Kopfjäger]

http://www.erikbuellracing.com/motorcycles/1190RR/

$45,000 !!!!!!!!!
He must be doing well at those prices.

Well they are track only bikes..

You can, go the less expensive route. 


http://www.erikbuellracing.com/motorcycles/1125R/

[Bill in OKC]

I've had Night Train. It's sugary-sweet and makes you feel like a hobo. Also, the hangovers are terrible.

Wait, what are we talking about?

"sober to stupid with no roundtrip tickets available"  lol

I think the 2010 Wide Glide is sweet too - the solid black one.

[ROBsS4R]

Bah... Who cares...

Ride what you like and as long as your not a Arse about it which I have seen both Cruisers and Sports bikers be A holes on the road you will have my respect    [moto]

[ungeheuer]

What's everyone's opinion on Harley's what??

[Kopfjäger]

What's everyone's opinion on Harley's what??

I'd own one before I would ever own a .........................

[Mojo S2R]

I'd own one.  I like all bikes in general.  Brand doesn't matter.  If I were to own a HD: I liked the Night Rod.  I like the Cross Bones, Iron 883, and the Forty-Eight.

[ducatiz]

I've had various incarnations of Ducatis throughout my life, but I've also had a couple of HDs.  My first HD was a '61 XLCH, which I bought as a basketcase and restored - no battery, had about 5 wires total.  Magneto kicker.  It was fun putting it back together except for the engine was a pregnant dog to get right.  I enjoyed riding it, but then again, I love bikes in general.

Second HD was a '73 shovelhead.  I bought it at the end of a summer, rode it a bit, spent the winter cleaning it up and fixing electrical problems, then rode it all the next summer all over Florida.  Some guy walked up to me in Pensacola and offered me 5 grand for it, which was double what I put into it.  I sold it.   I wasn't in love with it anyhow and he got a great deal (as far as the engine and electrics were concerned).  He just needed to finish the paint and clean up the wheels.  And maybe put a few thousand in shit chrome on it. 

I have no problem with the bike, I just roll my eyes at the huge percentage of old guys riding them wearing loafers, no gloves and a golf shirt.  I don't care what your "other" lifestyle is, but when you're on a bike, at least wear some make the beast with two backsing gloves and proper shoes.

I would ride an XR...750... Not the new one unless someone fixes the exhaust and cleans up the look (i.e. lightens it).  It's nice, but the new one is a pig.  The old XR750 is a great balance imho. 

[Travman]

XR750 is a race bike.  How are you going to get it on the street? 

[ducatiz]

XR750 is a race bike.  How are you going to get it on the street? 

same way i ride my other race bikes on the street. 

[Slide Panda]

Though I've only take them on demo rides, I've not been impressed. I think there's much better value out there in the Metric cruiser market if you want a cruiser.

And the cross bones... sweet jubus that thing scared the crap out of me. It's got useless front brakes on a heavy bike.

[Ahks]

In all seriousness, before I was really hell bent on a Duc I was seriously considering a Harley...

An XL883n specifically. But I'd decided that to get the suspension performance I REALLY wanted I'd have to drop about $3k into it (new forks and custom built rear suspension), then I'd want an Axtell 90" big bore kit, then I'd want to test the performance of  velocity ported heads vs flow ported heads, a nice midrange torque cam, TTS Mastertune, then of course I'd get annoyed that it still weighs 500+ lbs and cant lean more than 30* without scraping the SHIT outta the expensive V&H Competition Series exhaust I'd want.

At that point I started looking for a bike that I could get a mostly or partly upright riding position out of that I wouldn't have to drop drop $5k-$6k into to have a little fun on a freeway onramp or a twisty road. So I started looking at sporty, bikes with torqy twins that can lean a bit, that wasn't like everything else on the road.

Edit: Amusingly I still haven't totally ruled out a Sportster... awaiting final judgement for when I test ride them in the spring.

[derby]

I'm not going to go into the reasons why I dislike HD, Im just going to leave it at…it's not my cup of tea.





Ok maybe one
1. They screwed Eric Buell over

your argument might hold a little more weight if you'd spelled erik's name correctly. 

[BCMonster]

I have ridden several HD's over the years and found some to be OK, some horrible, and some in between. HD riders seem to be able to make alot of concessions. I think they offer a starting platform that the rider then can customize into a decent bike. Unfortunately that add$ up in a hurry. In addition to my M1100 I also have a custom Victory 8 Ball. It will run circles around any comparable Harley. It out accelerates, out handles, and out brakes most cruisers out there and has a nice clean custom look right from the factory. Their new baggers are making HD pay attention as well. I think it is similar to Ducati in that we are buying into a lifestyle, so to speak. We might put up with a couple of annoyances for the moments on the road where all is good and the corners are many.

If you were to buy a motorcycle based only on what makes sense on paper many of us would be on something different. But we buy Ducati's, and even Harleys, because they draw us to them. I remember the first time I saw the 1100 at the dealer. Was there looking at something totally different but had to have the Duc. It just about loaded itself into my truck!!