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Owning a Harley Davidsons Will Change Your Life!

How do you feel about HD's ads/image?

  • I love HD's bikes, ads, and community!

    Votes: 5 3.2%

  • The ads and/or folks that buy into them turn me off to buying one.

    Votes: 60 38.0%

  • I don't care about the ads or image, I just like Harleys.

    Votes: 31 19.6%

  • Who cares? Harleys are junk!

    Votes: 62 39.2%
  • Total voters
    158
Another pirates vs Power Rangers thread.


Funny how everyone posts pics of Harleys crashing.. yet pay 2x the amount for insuance on thier awesome claped out sport bike with rashed up fairings...
 
A Harley can change your life. So can any bike, probably.

I'd been riding non-cruisers for over 25 years when I decided a cruiser for when I was in a more casual mood might be a good idea. I poked around at metrics and such and decided to get a 2007 Harley Road King right off the showroom floor.

I haven't regretted it once. Sure, it's not flawless. Every bike has some weak points. Some have many. But the Harley, after more than 40,000 miles has proven to be the most reliable bike I've ever owned. It's taken me across 1/4 of the US and never once stranded me. Yeah, some more ponies would be nice, but those are easy enough to add with a trip to any of a few dozen places in the Bay Area. 100hp is easy and not too expensive and 150hp+ is quite achievable for under $5000 or so. Personally, I'd be happy with about 100. The Harley isn't a sport bike. Trying to ride it like it is will only lead to trouble.

But to get back to the subject, how did that Harley change my life? Well, after 10 years since I'd bought my last bike, I now had another one. And there's nothing like buying a new bike to reinvigorate your interest in riding. Not that mine was waning, but buying a new bike pumped it up.

I started searching the web for info and stuff and that's how I came across Barf and joined. Odd, because I work on internet software for a living, but for some reason this Einstein never thought to look for riding forums. (kicks self). Oh well, can't change the past, only the future. Getting involved in forums meant I went on more rides and met more riders. I started doing a lot more day rides as well as long trips.

The months rolled by and next thing I know, I'm getting into dual sporting and looking for great pavement AND dirt. I bought an '09 BMW F800GS, which is one HELL of a fun bike to ride. And recently an '03 Husky TE610e. I'm doing water crossings, rugged terrain as well as all the great pavement like Highways 36, 229, 108, 175 and Ebbetts Pass (Hwy 4).

So yeah, buying a Harley changed my life. It might change yours too. If you've never owned a cruiser, it might broaden your horizons. If you have, well, maybe it won't change your life then. But next time you buy something new and fresh, I'll bet that it gets you pumped up and really excited about riding.
 
Blind_Io said:
you can't ride a slow bike quickly.
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When it comes to the street, it's more about the rider than the bike.

Someone who knows what they're doing can keep up a respectable pace on a Harley.

That said, if I could only own one bike right now... it wouldn't be a Harley. It's fun, it's reliable, but it's not versatile enough for me.
 
Having owned sportbikes, trackbikes, dirtbikes and supermotos, I can say my Harley is by far my favorite bike. It doesn't handle the best, isn't the fastest, certainly wasn't the cheapest, but the "smile per mile" factor just can't be beat -- for me. I like the bike for what it is, not for what it isnt and not for the crowd that rides them.
 
as a former cruiser owner...i actually want another one :cry



but it would definitely not be a harley :laughing




well maybe if it was free





but then again i would probably just sell it to get a warrior or vmax
 
Periodically I get curious. Then I ride one. The most uninspiring pigs ever made.

Ask me again when I'm 70.
 
xgambit said:
as a former cruiser owner...i actually want another one :cry

but then again i would probably just sell it to get a warrior or vmax
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I'll trade you unloved bikes for a day sometime. Buell vs Yamaharley? Just watch the ground clearance. I consider the footboards a wear item, and will probably have to replace annually. :laughing
 
mnb said:
When it comes to the street, it's more about the rider than the bike.

Someone who knows what they're doing can keep up a respectable pace on a Harley.

That said, if I could only own one bike right now... it wouldn't be a Harley. It's fun, it's reliable, but it's not versatile enough for me.
Click to expand...

True, but all things being equal (ie, same rider, different bikes) I stand by what I said, having ridden both cruisers and sportbikes.

It takes much more effort to ride a slow bike with poor geometry at anything more than a pokey pace in the twists. An ST bike would do the same speed with less effort and have a greater safety margin. There were times I was taking my cruiser around corners with my inside foot lifted off the peg so it could fold up and I could get a little more lean angle. I was often within millimeters of scraping pipe, and the slightest bump in the road would cause my bike to slam into the pavement mid-corner.

Sure I could ride like that, but I took it as my cue to get a bike with proper geometry. I ended up with a 5th generation VFR and I've never looked back.
 
i like how people forget the 80 ft/lbs of torque at the wheel
 
Blind_Io said:
True, but all things being equal (ie, same rider, different bikes) I stand by what I said, having ridden both cruisers and sportbikes.

It takes much more effort to ride a slow bike with poor geometry at anything more than a pokey pace in the twists. An ST bike would do the same speed with less effort and have a greater safety margin. There were times I was taking my cruiser around corners with my inside foot lifted off the peg so it could fold up and I could get a little more lean angle. I was often within millimeters of scraping pipe, and the slightest bump in the road would cause my bike to slam into the pavement mid-corner.

Sure I could ride like that, but I took it as my cue to get a bike with proper geometry. I ended up with a 5th generation VFR and I've never looked back.
Click to expand...

I think we had a magna at the same time. I loved that thing! It might not be able to take a turn as fast as non-cruiser bikes but getting it to take a turn at any kind of speed was really fun and very rewarding for me.

I wouldnt want it as my only bike, but I would definitely have a place for it (or better yet - see 2 bikes below) in my current stable.

cycle61 said:
I'll trade you unloved bikes for a day sometime. Buell vs Yamaharley? Just watch the ground clearance. I consider the footboards a wear item, and will probably have to replace annually. :laughing
Click to expand...

Dood I said warrior or vmax! Floor boards = bad!


:laughing
 
mmm vmax
 
orbframe said:
i like how people forget the 80 ft/lbs of torque at the wheel
Click to expand...

Can I call you when I need a tree stump removed from my front yard? :p

BTW, you can't have "appreciate" without "hate".... um minus the "h." ;)
 
72SBC said:
Another pirates vs Power Rangers thread.


Funny how everyone posts pics of Harleys crashing.. yet pay 2x the amount for insuance on thier awesome claped out sport bike with rashed up fairings...
Click to expand...

Damn, you pay $80 per year for insurance on your Harley? Here I am, pissing away $160 a year, LIKE A SUCKER!
 
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