Harley Davidson
Discussion
Mr2Mike said:
It was a Rob North frame with a BSA Rocket 3 engine, so how was it a Triumph T160?
Because it was a T160 but if you know more than the Trident and Rocket 3 Owners Club I bow to your superior knowledge,they gave it out as a Rocket 3 but it was corrected later that it was a T160 but anyone who knows could tell them outer cases were from a T160 not a Rocket 3 and it couldn't have been a T150 as the heads and barrels were leaning forward.Raygun said:
Because it was a T160 but if you know more than the Trident and Rocket 3 Owners Club I bow to your superior knowledge,they gave it out as a Rocket 3 but it was corrected later that it was a T160 but anyone who knows could tell them outer cases were from a T160 not a Rocket 3 and it couldn't have been a T150 as the heads and barrels were leaning forward.
I was going from what Guy Martin said on the actual show. Maybe you should contact his employer and give him some abuse about Guy's lack of knowledge on British bike engines 
That said fitting a Triumph T160 engine into a special does not make the bike a Triumph T160.
Legacywr said:
f
k me - I quite like that.....A friend of mine has a brace of Sportster 883s (trike and a 2 wheeler) and I have had both of them out for a run. Compared to even my 20 year old GS500 the 2 wheeler is an old tractor but I quite like the plod factor of it.
Didn't seem to want to go above 80 but it cornered with a lot more grace than I was expecting (but I'm not a knee down rider so grounding out wasn't going to be an issue
). Despite being 6ft+ I was comfortable and the foot forward position is quite nice.
The gearbox seems redundant as it just plods along on the torque whatever gear it seemed to be in (which compared to needing to give the GS a wristful to get moving was novel).
Love to ride it but wouldn't really fancy one in the garage. Can see why people like them but there are better bikes out there.
The trike on the other hand is an understeering workout so I only use that when I need to (I take it for MOT etc while my friend works).
Didn't seem to want to go above 80 but it cornered with a lot more grace than I was expecting (but I'm not a knee down rider so grounding out wasn't going to be an issue
). Despite being 6ft+ I was comfortable and the foot forward position is quite nice. The gearbox seems redundant as it just plods along on the torque whatever gear it seemed to be in (which compared to needing to give the GS a wristful to get moving was novel).
Love to ride it but wouldn't really fancy one in the garage. Can see why people like them but there are better bikes out there.
The trike on the other hand is an understeering workout so I only use that when I need to (I take it for MOT etc while my friend works).
Interesting thread. I was about to ask what the problem with Harleys is, but luckily it’s been covered six years ago! I especially liked ‘All Harley riders were bullied at school’ contrasted with ‘one time a Harley rider shook my hand too hard 
’. Good stuff.
Though I do get the accountants-in-chaps theory, it does seem a bit sweeping. You could say that about all the Ewans on GSs, Marquez wannabes on their Repsol Hondas etc.
I don’t really understand the “heavy, slow, poor handling” stuff. My Mrs passed her test last year and we’ve just sold her CB650RR. Beautiful bike but unbelievably gutless despite having more power than the Softail Slim we just replaced it with. The gearing was so short it was ridiculous. The weight in the Softail is low down, the power is low down, it pulls as much as you’d need, and filters traffic fine if you’re not a spastic. Much easier than literally anything with panniers. Is it fast for a bike? Not really, but most bikes are quick compared to most things on the road.
I’ve had a lot of bikes, mostly mid size sports tourers because I find them to be the best combination of handling, power and comfort so I’m hardly a masochist. The HD is compromised massively, and I assume most owners are aware of this. A ‘68 Mustang isn’t going to see which way an M3 went on track, won’t carry as much to the tip as an A6 Avant, and won’t off-road like a Defender. But that isn’t the point of having one. My V8 Vantage was by all accounts a horrible car, but at the same time one of the best I’ve owned.
Just for the record, I’m early 30s, no affinity for Americana particularly, won’t be wearing any leather, won’t be joining any owners clubs and won’t be wearing any patches. It’s a bike my Mrs will be using as well and she grinned like a kid on its inaugural start up after taking delivery, and isn’t that the point of bikes?
Anyway, not looking to reignite some typical PH 10 page bick-fest so let’s say each to their own, and that’s just my two penneth re stereotyping.
’. Good stuff. Though I do get the accountants-in-chaps theory, it does seem a bit sweeping. You could say that about all the Ewans on GSs, Marquez wannabes on their Repsol Hondas etc.
I don’t really understand the “heavy, slow, poor handling” stuff. My Mrs passed her test last year and we’ve just sold her CB650RR. Beautiful bike but unbelievably gutless despite having more power than the Softail Slim we just replaced it with. The gearing was so short it was ridiculous. The weight in the Softail is low down, the power is low down, it pulls as much as you’d need, and filters traffic fine if you’re not a spastic. Much easier than literally anything with panniers. Is it fast for a bike? Not really, but most bikes are quick compared to most things on the road.
I’ve had a lot of bikes, mostly mid size sports tourers because I find them to be the best combination of handling, power and comfort so I’m hardly a masochist. The HD is compromised massively, and I assume most owners are aware of this. A ‘68 Mustang isn’t going to see which way an M3 went on track, won’t carry as much to the tip as an A6 Avant, and won’t off-road like a Defender. But that isn’t the point of having one. My V8 Vantage was by all accounts a horrible car, but at the same time one of the best I’ve owned.
Just for the record, I’m early 30s, no affinity for Americana particularly, won’t be wearing any leather, won’t be joining any owners clubs and won’t be wearing any patches. It’s a bike my Mrs will be using as well and she grinned like a kid on its inaugural start up after taking delivery, and isn’t that the point of bikes?
Anyway, not looking to reignite some typical PH 10 page bick-fest so let’s say each to their own, and that’s just my two penneth re stereotyping.
forrestgrump said:
I don’t really understand the “heavy, slow, poor handling” stuff. My Mrs passed her test last year and we’ve just sold her CB650RR. Beautiful bike but unbelievably gutless despite having more power than the Softail Slim we just replaced it with. The gearing was so short it was ridiculous. The weight in the Softail is low down, the power is low down, it pulls as much as you’d need, and filters traffic fine if you’re not a spastic.
Blimey........surprised to this old thread pop up!Congrats on the Slim purchase......they really are a great ride. After 5 years riding a Dyna, I only had a brief 3 years riding my Slim before health issue's forced me to hang up my crash lid for good, and I had to sell the Slim. Lost a bloody fortune on it of course, but hey ho
forrestgrump said:
A ‘68 Mustang isn’t going to see which way an M3 went on track, won’t carry as much to the tip as an A6 Avant, and won’t off-road like a Defender. But that isn’t the point of having one.
But that's comparing a 50-year-old car against new technology, Whereas HD is still trying to (mostly) peddle pretty much the same tech as it was in 1968 at premium prices in 2022!boyse7en said:
forrestgrump said:
A ‘68 Mustang isn’t going to see which way an M3 went on track, won’t carry as much to the tip as an A6 Avant, and won’t off-road like a Defender. But that isn’t the point of having one.
But that's comparing a 50-year-old car against new technology, Whereas HD is still trying to (mostly) peddle pretty much the same tech as it was in 1968 at premium prices in 2022!Its really not hard to understand.
But, their days are numbered now outside of that market especially in EU because of emissions.
Pat H said:
Modern Harleys do nothing for me.
But there's something about a stripped down late 1960s digger that quite appeals.
I would look like a bit of a tit trying to negotiate a mini roundabout in Merseyside on one, but they have a certain vintage charm.
This sort of thing...
Yeah, I can see the appeal of that. I also have no interest in the modern ones! But there's something about a stripped down late 1960s digger that quite appeals.
I would look like a bit of a tit trying to negotiate a mini roundabout in Merseyside on one, but they have a certain vintage charm.
This sort of thing...
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