Sleeper

[Geezer]

There used to be a chopper shop in my neighborhood and those guys were just pane @$$holes. I rode a 1973 R5C in those days and I'm sure the Harley riders in the area hated me. I'd come up on them from behind and as soon as I'd see them grab a fist full of throttle, I was around them and gone before their bikes could pick up any speed.

I've found that a lot of the new generation of HD riders too be good people but still too many of them are all attitude. It also pisses them off when I point out all the Japanese made parts on their bikes...

Tony

[Crazcnuk]

I would just point and make a big show of laughing at him, if that ever happened to me.

Those guys are a joke, may as well laugh.

[Bigfoot]

Most of them around here seem to be OK. They usually give a wave when they see you. Haven't really had a problem with any of them. It is only really fun blowing them away if they want to play, which most don't. They are content to ride in their packs at 5 under the limit for the most part.

[Crazcnuk]

Yep, I have no trouble with them , either, most wave. I don't always wave, either, sometimes daydreaming, or what ever so I don't assume they are being snobs if they don't wave back.

Personally, I would prefer if everyone DIDN'T wave all the time!

The ones that bother me are my freinds, who go from rational inteligent beings on thier utilitarion, reliable inexpensive bikes, to Kuryakin drooling, bling hoarding morons, when they buy thier first Harley.

When they start planning 18,000km excursions to hop from Harley dealer to Harley dealer TO BUY T-SHIRTS at $50a pop I know they are ceritfiable.

When thier first service costs more than my entire bike...etc.

When they start spending $1,200 on crappy pipes to replace the perfectly good ones on thier brand new $30,000 bike because people aren't staring enough at thier new overpriced piece of junk.

[stoked]

Truth is, I would always rather buy American if I can. The other truth is, I respect the way the Japanese run their organizations a lot more than I do Harley's or even compmanies like GM. From the more reasonable pay the executives make to the supply and availability of parts for the bikes. I owned a Buell so I got to experience the "Harley Lifestyle" when I needed parts. I absolutely dreaded going to their parts counter. They give you a customer number and you build like a status in the store with the more garbage you buy.

My first experience at the parts counter was waiting in line for almost a half hour while some pint size jackass wearing a decked out Harley Fonzy jacket with his slacks was browsing the catalogue for chrome accessories with the parts guy and continually repeating his customer number for effect. By the time the ass hat was ready to help me I had no sense of humor left and almost had a Seinfeld soup nazi experience.

The roads around here are about 60% Harley and there is one store in town and one nearby. Now for Jap and other bikes we have at least 3 independents and more dealerships than I can count. And the independents can get you parts for hideously cheap. It's hard to ride a Harely and not be either an ass hat or one patient, tolerant som bitch.

That being said, I really like bikes like the nightster and still love the Buells. Just can't afford to buy one, maintain it, or deal with the Wild Hog mentality of the dealership.

[MindWebs]

my only real gripe..

stoked, I here you there!!

when i was 19 they came out with that 883 that looked like the flat-tracker
it was black and orange and VERY little chrome.

I talked to my bank, He approved the loan.

I talked to my auto insurance, i could be covered, call with the VIN.

I went to a nearby dealership, They had one on the floor!!

I looked the bike over for 15 minutes, and then wandered the floor for another 10 minutes.

There were 6 sales people on duty, there were 4 couples looking over bikes.

My point?

I was in the store for 25 minutes,

Not 1 person came over and talked to me.

I was furious! I decided then and there that if they wanted an "exclusive" club, They could step off, and i'll smoke any HD rider that wants to try me.

[barberad]

I had a simular experience as Mindwebs. When they were selling the 883 new for $6k I figured hell, its a 900 cc bike. When they wanted an extra $1700 for local delivery in Japan (mind you I was sitting on the bike), and the salesman told me "If you don't ride a Harley, then you don't understand!"
I looked at him and said "I guess I just don't understand." and went out and purchased a honda in line four. No regrets here.

[mro]

It's the ride

does not matter what you ride.
does matter if YOU enjoy the ride.
Everything else is extraneous!


mro
PS: XSept if your posting on XS11. C o m

[stoked]

I just happened to have an interesting Harley experience on the way to work this morning. Not so much an experience but a sighting. I was on the highway and it was unusually cool and I was thinking man, my winter gloves sure don't keep my hands very warm. I'm glad I decided to wear my heavy jacket today, cause I'm freezing my ass off. Then I come upon a guy on a nice looking, nice sounding older Harley. He had ape hangers, no windshield, is wearing a t-shirt, no gloves, and somehow has a cigarette sticking out the side of his mouth smoking it. I got to give him props, there's no way I could pull that off. My arms would be frozen there and I'd end up wrapped around a pole or something with the cigarette smashed into my face and arms sticking straight up in the air.

[CatatonicBug]

I just happened to have an interesting Harley experience on the way to work this morning. Not so much an experience but a sighting. I was on the highway and it was unusually cool and I was thinking man, my winter gloves sure don't keep my hands very warm. I'm glad I decided to wear my heavy jacket today, cause I'm freezing my ass off. Then I come upon a guy on a nice looking, nice sounding older Harley. He had ape hangers, no windshield, is wearing a t-shirt, no gloves, and somehow has a cigarette sticking out the side of his mouth smoking it. I got to give him props, there's no way I could pull that off. My arms would be frozen there and I'd end up wrapped around a pole or something with the cigarette smashed into my face and arms sticking straight up in the air.

LOL! Reminds me of the flying witch decoration I have for Haloween! It mounts on the outside of my chimney, and looks like the witch's legs are sticking out of the side of the chimney.

[webbcraft2150]

The bro-in-law went to HD'S from a Warrior about 3 years ago. He has been thru 3-HD's, keeps "upgrading". His Warrior did give my XS a run for the money. He has only tried once with his latest HD, and it was a pitiful disaster on his part. Most of our riding together is with HD owners. Some of them have made comments about my ancient "rice burner" but the bro-in-law always smiles and advise them not to "f_ _ _ with it" Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't. The vast majority of HD riders are just riders like us, just with a thicker payment book.

[Geezer]

The last dealership I turned wrenches for was a Harley - Kawasaki shop. There were several HD's I liked. I'm not anti-HD, but the attitude of so many of the riders is all arrogance and stupidity.

I'd like to pick up a rat Evo-Sportster and put the engine in a GSXR or similar chassis.

Geezer

[mro]

GSXRXLH ???

That should turn a few HD heads

mro

[Geezer]

GSXRXLH ???

That should turn a few HD heads

mro

One would only hope. I was thinking it would be like a poor-boy Ducati but with good parts availability.

Geezer

[Korr]

One speeding ticket is enough for me hahahahaha!