Harley Davidson
Discussion
Prof Prolapse said:
Yes of course it's different. Sportsbike riders at their most dedicated are largely function over form. Their choice of bikes and gear almost always reflects this (I don't deny there are outliers however).
By contrast Harley Davidson owners are buying a brand and an image, presumably because they are not happy with their own. If it wasn't about image at the very least they wouldn't wear such questionable gear, or ride inferior equipment.
Now you could equally argue sportsbike owners are bit sad as well. A bit nerdy, and perhaps even pretending to be racers even though they're fat old blokes. But to my mind there is at least something admirable about the fact that regardless of pretenses, they are practicing and attempting improving a skillset which you have to work hard for, and which punishes you for disrespect. From what I have seen of the riding standards of events like "thunder in the glen" this is patently not the same for those HD rider style bikers.
By contrast HD riders are basically old men making horrible noises playing dress up.
I know you're just trolling, but I'm happy to indulge you. So, despite being cognizant of your likely response, how do you deal with people who ride both Harleys and sports bikes? By contrast Harley Davidson owners are buying a brand and an image, presumably because they are not happy with their own. If it wasn't about image at the very least they wouldn't wear such questionable gear, or ride inferior equipment.
Now you could equally argue sportsbike owners are bit sad as well. A bit nerdy, and perhaps even pretending to be racers even though they're fat old blokes. But to my mind there is at least something admirable about the fact that regardless of pretenses, they are practicing and attempting improving a skillset which you have to work hard for, and which punishes you for disrespect. From what I have seen of the riding standards of events like "thunder in the glen" this is patently not the same for those HD rider style bikers.
By contrast HD riders are basically old men making horrible noises playing dress up.
Pennyroyal Tea said:
I know you're just trolling, but I'm happy to indulge you. So, despite being cognizant of your likely response, how do you deal with people who ride both Harleys and sports bikes?
I'd have them sent to a camp where they can learn the error of their ways. "Man shall not lie with Harley in the way that man lies with superbike for it is detestable", that sort of thing.I try not to be prejudice, so it depends entirely on how they behave. I'm not a dick to people just because they pull up in a Harley and look like someone from ZZ top.
AW111 said:
Of course fat sportsbike riding middle aged bikers wearing GP replica helmets and bulging skintight leathers are not buying into any image at all...
Dont forget about the brand new knee sliders that will only see tarmac during an off 
and more marks out of ten for colour matched leathers, or even race team replicas to match the bike of their hero
/only jealous because im not 25 and agile anymore, and sold the colorful leathers
Nothing against HD riders or anyone else but I thought I'd give you an example of the type I came across last.
Was at Rivvy Barn on Sunday just gone. Just got a brew and sat down and three lads turned up on Chinese 125's with L plates, a cruiser, a super moto thing and a Bandit type clone. They asked if they would be ok parking next to my blade ? I laughed and said course you can it's a carpark you can park wherever you like. Seems it was the first time they had been up there and they didn't know if they'd be accepted.
Anyway we all had a chat about the upcoming test and bikes they liked etc. When the lad on the cruiser said he wanted a Harley once he'd passed and was going to go and have a chat with the guy sat behind a HD 883 to pick his brains. The bloke had a bandanna, chaps, waistcoat and more tassels than a cheerleader.
After about 5 mins he came back looking a bit sheepish and I asked him if he was ok. He said the chap just answered his attempts at conversion with yes / no answers before telling him to fug off and come back when he could ride a real bike.
I told him to ignore the ignorant soft arse and have another go when some other HD's or cruisers turned up.
I'm not saying all HD riders are like that but I wonder how the view of the young lad who wanted one has now been affected by this type of owner ?
Mind you I couldn't talk him onto a sports-bike as he thought we all looked a bit sad in one piece race suits
Was at Rivvy Barn on Sunday just gone. Just got a brew and sat down and three lads turned up on Chinese 125's with L plates, a cruiser, a super moto thing and a Bandit type clone. They asked if they would be ok parking next to my blade ? I laughed and said course you can it's a carpark you can park wherever you like. Seems it was the first time they had been up there and they didn't know if they'd be accepted.
Anyway we all had a chat about the upcoming test and bikes they liked etc. When the lad on the cruiser said he wanted a Harley once he'd passed and was going to go and have a chat with the guy sat behind a HD 883 to pick his brains. The bloke had a bandanna, chaps, waistcoat and more tassels than a cheerleader.
After about 5 mins he came back looking a bit sheepish and I asked him if he was ok. He said the chap just answered his attempts at conversion with yes / no answers before telling him to fug off and come back when he could ride a real bike.
I told him to ignore the ignorant soft arse and have another go when some other HD's or cruisers turned up.
I'm not saying all HD riders are like that but I wonder how the view of the young lad who wanted one has now been affected by this type of owner ?
Mind you I couldn't talk him onto a sports-bike as he thought we all looked a bit sad in one piece race suits
Pennyroyal Tea said:
Genuine question: does anyone buy or ride a Harley and expect them to handle? I like them because they don't handle! I like the fact that they're pig lazy and wont be rushed. The challenge of will it/won't it grind out on a roundabout is all part of the appeal to me.
Having said that however, they can be reluctantly hustled, which I find uniquely rewarding.
I do want to try a Victory or an Indian, though.
I've had four Harley's, a Sportster, a Roadster (big tank early '80's Sportster), two FXRT's and recently bought my fifth, a Street 750.Having said that however, they can be reluctantly hustled, which I find uniquely rewarding.
I do want to try a Victory or an Indian, though.
I've also had a VTR Firestorm, Triumph Street Triple, Tiger 800, Victory Vegas, a Suzuki SP400, Norton Commando 750 Combat and two T160 Tridents.
Current big bike is an Indian Chief Vintage.
About half of my total bike mileage is on Harley's, and until the late '90's I'd ridden every model released since 1984.
Harley can be made to handle, but they take a different style of riding to really hustle them.
However, for the type of riding they aim at, the Polaris products are better in every way. In some states in the USA Indian and Victory are out-selling Harleys.
My biggest gripe with Harley is the amount you have to spend on the things after you've bought them to put them in the state that they should have left the factory.
I'm not going to bother with the Street as it's my commuter bike, but my last RT cost me nigh on £2500 to sort, and that was back in 1989!
As has been mentioned before, I also can't stand the nose-in-the-air attitude of an awful lot of Harley riders. If your bike is that good, wouldn't you be happy to talk to people about it?
maggit
They sound awful, have no power and look awful, personally I think I'd have more fun through a twisty stretch of road in an Articulated Lorry, probably would be faster in one too.
That said, they obviously just don't appeal to me, if they do to someone else and they enjoy it, good for them.
That said, they obviously just don't appeal to me, if they do to someone else and they enjoy it, good for them.
Edited by Walter Sobchak on Monday 21st March 21:04
Walter Sobchak said:
They sound awful, have no power and look awful, personally I think I'd have more fun through a twisty stretch of road in an Articulated Lorry, probably would be faster in one too.
That said, they obviously just don't appeal to me, if they do to someone else and they enjoy it, good for them.
so which models have you ridden then?That said, they obviously just don't appeal to me, if they do to someone else and they enjoy it, good for them.
Edited by Walter Sobchak on Monday 21st March 21:04
Mr2Mike said:
GrumpyTwig said:
Can confirm, looks ace and who needs 999999hp when you're bimbling around town.
OTOH if you're only bimbling around town, then why get an HD?Whatever you want to use a bike for, be it bumbling around town, blasting country roads, touring continents, doing track days, eating motorway miles, commuting through traffic etc., or any combination thereof, HDs, compared to other makes and models, are good at none of them. Many bikes are very good at one or two and others are pretty good at 3 or 4 from that list but HDs are not particularly good at any. Add to that the fact that they are expensive to buy (and, I understand, maintain), they’re not cheap to run, they're heavy and agricultural and I just can’t understand why people buy them.
That said, each to their own and if people want to spend their money on a HD, then good luck to them, just don’t be surprised at a little negativity from others.
black-k1 said:
Add to that the fact that they are expensive to buy (and, I understand, maintain)
Yes, they are expensive to buy (but they hold they value so well, that often isn't such an issue) but they are not especially expensive to maintain at all (the bills for both of mine have been generally less than my Ducati was) and frankly, if you can afford to buy one, the cost of maintaining one isn't really an issue anyway. And if you are buying a 6-7+ year old bike, non-HD parts and items from specialists that import all sorts of stuff from the huge US market make maintaining them 'on the cheap' not a problem at all if so desired.
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