I want a bike

[Swoop]

See, people always say that.  The problem is bikers passing their tests and buying some 180bhp monster without learning to ride the thing properly.

17 years I've been riding now.  Not gonna jinx myself by telling you how long it's been since I had an accident......

[DREDIOCK]

If you have to travel at speeds that cut a 6 hour trip into a 3 hour trip I would strongly suggest doing it on a track.

Otherwise no matter how well trained you are.
your really nothing more then a future darwin award candidate.

Just because your well trained doesnt mean everyone or everything else that might be on the road is.

Even the luckiest craps shooter will tell you.
Keep rolling the dice.
Eventually your gonna loose

[Swoop]

I'll let you know when I do.

[Strip]

If you want a BIKE talk to Jay Leno. 

<----drool

Strip

[MiloMorai]

I'll let you know when I do.

You mean someone from your family will post your obit.

Btw, Japanese bike racer Norifumi "Norick" Abe was recently killed by a truck making an illegal left turn. Now you can't get more experienced than that.
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=99&id=3063333

[Swoop]

yeah you can, race experience is totally different to real world riding experience.

It's these old gits who ride something pristine for one week in the summer and say "I've been riding for 30 years I have!" that annoy me.  No mate, you've been riding for 30 weeks.

[lazs2]

dred.. always liked the knuck the best too..   

Why do you guys want an imitation anything?    Do you enjoy telling girls "well.. no it's not really a Harley.. it's like.. better than a Harley."

I don't want an imitation anything.. the japs make some neato and very fast sport bikes and cruisers that aren't (too much) an imitation of anything.. you don't need to make excuses for em.

Thats the thing.. I don't want to own anything that I have to say "no it's not a real one but it is just as good" or "its better than a real one."

sheesh.. they even try to make the emblems and stuff look like a Harley... badly done tombstone tailights and fatbob fenders.. its pretty disgusting really.

lazs

lazs

[AKIron]

See, people always say that.  The problem is bikers passing their tests and buying some 180bhp monster without learning to ride the thing properly.

17 years I've been riding now.  Not gonna jinx myself by telling you how long it's been since I had an accident......

I haven't ridden in over a decade but I rode a lot before that and even had to take a 3 day motorcycle course before the AF would let me ride overseas. I am experienced enough to know that every car is out to get you.

[Shuffler]

Check your jap bike's specs.... you'd be surprised how many are naturally aspirated. The Harley has fuel injection. Jap bikes tend to be smoother around town but on long trips the Harley generally wins out. Resale value of a Harley will far outstrip that of a jap bike also.

That being said.... whatever you get have fun and be careful.

[Swoop]

he's got a point on the resale value.....

[WilldCrd]

I like Harleys but lately I have been seriously considering trading my honda shadow in on a Victory. 100 cubic inch engine's, 6 speed. And they are a lil cheaper priced than a harley

[Megalodon]

LOL I was wondering who would be the first to say that.  Or paper boy bike....

I absolutely loved it when somebody said something like that to me when I had mine.   When we hit the road I would get next to them and rap it couple of times just to prod them into grabbing a handful of throttle.....then walk away from them.  Get to the next stop and tell them that the sporty has been Harley's street fighter since 1957.  They rev harder, corner better and will dust most other aircooled HDs.  I only had a stage1 on mine and I would pick the front wheel up in first and bounce it up in second.  Stock, it's a 1200cc and only weighs 550 lbs.  do the math.  Not bad for a girls bike, eh?  I took the ribbing in good humor, but some guys got pissed when I dusted them.

Though I have moved on to a bigger bike, I respect sportsters.  Bottom line: they are still a Harley, made of all metal.  No chrome-covered plastic.  And the value does not tank like some other bikes as soon as you drive off the lot.

yeah I had 1 guy say the same junk. Wanted to race pulled the light,  I could see him doin wheelies in 1st about the time i hit second then 3rd he was toast. My bike wont do a wheelie.  It does a nice burn out though

[texasmom]

All my boys have asked me to buy them bikes. I told them:  "Sure, for your last birthday. Just let me know which one you want it to be."  They didn't get it.  And then TxDad bought them bikes... I'm assuming to prove me wrong.  They have fun anyhow.

[bergy]

Its funny how the Harley guys don't like the metric bikes but the metric bike guys don't mind the Harleys. Has anybody noticed that every year the metric bikes are dumbed down to look like a more traditional Harley, and every year the Harley is more refined to look like a metric bike?

If one is going to buy based on performance, nobody would ever buy a Harley! Any Japanese 600cc bike will put a whoopin on a Harley in every aspect of performance. Face it, when it comes down to HP per C.I. or C.C. Harleys are outclassed. The only thing Harleys have is resale value, and looks.

Since I am on a bit of a rant, and I have the Harley guys attention, I have one more question. Why is it soooo cool to have straight pipes and no muffler? I ride off road, out in the middle of nowhere and I have to have a muffler and conform to a 96 db level (I have even gotten tickets for violating that), but some knuckle dragger on his Harley can blow the windows out of my house at 110db+, not cool.

Happyness is seeing a muffler on a Harley! And to you Harley guys that have mufflers...thank you

[Megalodon]

See, people always say that.  The problem is bikers passing their tests and buying some 180bhp monster without learning to ride the thing properly.

17 years I've been riding now.  Not gonna jinx myself by telling you how long it's been since I had an accident......

Its not the bikers it's the ricerocketrangers.

This is pretty much the reason we have the F****** helmet laws now. Some punk 17 year old w no experience, goes to the bike store and they sell him the 12000 ninja rocket special and he dies shortly after with his little reflector suit on. 3 states still have no law the rest have a 18 or younger law ,except Maine 15 and younger, or all riders. Just as bad as the seatbelt laws.

Ricerocketrage,