Buy American!!

[neJeff]

You ever make fun of those "competitive" bicyclists who get dressed in there full "Tour De France" regalia to go on there 5 mile Sunday morning rides? Me and my family laugh are arse's off at them! I feel the same way when I see the Harley guys get into their full gear for a trip around town. Don't they ever just hop on the hog and go? Do they always got to have their vest and dew rag on? Just saying...

[DGXSER]

I do get a huge kick out of any rider I see in all the leather stuff and riding gloves, gear to the max...then the do-rag only on their heads. I guess it makes sense though, based upon those decisions they must be protecting only their valuable assets.

[crazy steve]

A co worker builds EXPENSIVE custom bikes that use an aftermarket V twin. Awhile back I asked him how big does his Harley V Twins need to be to make 95hp and he said 1900cc makes that.

That's a very conservative 'state of tune' if that's all they're getting...

I'm getting 85 RWHP out of 1200cc with my Sportster (roughly the same as an XS, with a bike that's 50 lbs lighter), and getting 100hp is entirely possible; I know of bikes making well over 100 with the right mods. With a Harley, it's not all about HP; their strong suit is torque, with those big-inch motors easily making about double the torque of what an XS can deliver...

[planedick]

Torque

Just means you got a big flywheel...

[mharrington]

That's a very conservative 'state of tune' if that's all they're getting...

I'm getting 85 RWHP out of 1200cc with my Sportster (roughly the same as an XS, with a bike that's 50 lbs lighter), and getting 100hp is entirely possible; I know of bikes making well over 100 with the right mods. With a Harley, it's not all about HP; their strong suit is torque, with those big-inch motors easily making about double the torque of what an XS can deliver...

OK you are continuing to make my point. A brand new high dollar bike makes 85 RWHP. I am saying a bike that is 32 years old, smaller in displacement and probably never been opened up is making near that. I have $1500 into my bike total and he has over $1800 into HIS FRONT WHEEL ONLY! I know all about Harleys and their torque. I also know whats made now is much better than than the AMF era. My rant is about Harley owners ATTITUDE- The attitude that "If it aint a Harley its not a real bike" Gets very VERY old.
I offered to race the guy and reminded him- If I pull away from you that means your $40,000 custom got beat by a $1500 jap rice burner- and if he beats me big whoop- $40,000 bike beats a $1500 32 year old "rice leaking" bike. He does not want to race.

[crazy steve]

...My rant is about Harley owners ATTITUDE- The attitude that "If it aint a Harley its not a real bike"

I'll remind you that I'm a Harley owner...

And I don't have that attitude...

[fredintoon]

I'll remind you that I'm a Harley owner...

Hi Steve,
no, you are a motorcyclist who owns a Harley and that's a different thing altogether.

[cywelchjr]

Hi Steve,
no, you are a motorcyclist who owns a Harley and that's a different thing altogether.

And there you make a good point. And there are also Harley owners who believe it's legitimate to be a Honda owner or Yamaha owner etc. It used to be at one time more valid to fall in love with a BRAND of bike, because each brand tried to differentiate themselves from the rest, and that was the stuff that riders fell in love with. This is not so much the case today although there are still exception such as BMW, Moto Guzi and a very few others who still differentiate from the crowd. These days everyone wants to build the same monkey fornicating a football bike or imitation Harley bike, with means with only a few exceptions, they're all the same, just variants on the same theme.

[crazy steve]

You see a lot of 'checkbook bikers' who think that they can buy the 'lifestyle', and that's generally the guys with the attitude. So yeah, a guy who's paid $40K for a 'catalog custom' and probably scurries back to the dealer when anything quits working doesn't have a clue of what a 'real biker' is. If you talk to guys who actually built and/or maintain their own bike, you won't run into that dollar snobbery. And it's not just just Harley owners either; I've always been amused when riding either my Sportster or XS about who returns a 'biker wave'. Chances are about even that I'll be ignored by 'wingers and beemers just as much as the BigTwin Harley riders do, regardless of which bike I'm on. I've also noticed lately that attitude seems to be spilling over into the big-dollar 'clone' owners too; if you're not riding a 100+ c.i. V-twin, you're nobody...

In the end, it's doesn't matter; I enjoy riding, and what some RUB who's decked out in his black leather and doo-rag thinks is the last worry on my mind...

[neJeff]

You see a lot of 'checkbook bikers' who think that they can buy the 'lifestyle', and that's generally the guys with the attitude. So yeah, a guy who's paid $40K for a 'catalog custom' and probably scurries back to the dealer when anything quits working doesn't have a clue of what a 'real biker' is. If you talk to guys who actually built and/or maintain their own bike, you won't run into that dollar snobbery. And it's not just just Harley owners either; I've always been amused when riding either my Sportster or XS about who returns a 'biker wave'. Chances are about even that I'll be ignored by 'wingers and beemers just as much as the BigTwin Harley riders do, regardless of which bike I'm on. I've also noticed lately that attitude seems to be spilling over into the big-dollar 'clone' owners too; if you're not riding a 100+ c.i. V-twin, you're nobody...

In the end, it's doesn't matter; I enjoy riding, and what some RUB who's decked out in his black leather and doo-rag thinks is the last worry on my mind...

My neighbor is in his late 40's and been riding for 2 years, his wife a little younger and been riding for 2 months (yes, 60 days). He has the big $14000 Harley and she has the new $30000 Harley Trike. If they need an oil change, something squeaks or rattles, or they need a drink holder its back to the dealer everytime. I'm scraping knuckles on two 31 year Japanese bikes on Saturday morning just to keep them going and their ride prep consists of wiping down the bikes with a soft cloth and maybe some gas additive. To each his own I guess. There good people and at least they don't go "full" matching Harley outfits. It's the wanna be "clone" guys are the one's who can't ever get their hand up for a wave around here.

[mharrington]

Great discussion! The thing about the snobby people is - such as in life it only takes a couple to sour my opinion of all! I know not all are that way- its just the annoying minority who engrain the negativity into my brain! I like old Dodge and Plymouth musclecars- I have owned 3 Challengers and 1 Barracuda. Most of my 42 years on this planet I have been snubbed by the "Camaro with a 350" people. Not all but enough to where I may walk past one at a show or race. Many may not like the big 4 rice burners because Japan attacked the US- maybe they dislike them because they are not American made but I tell you the 70s was a great musclecar/bike era for the big 4 Japanese bikes. Every year during the 70s a new 1/4mile king was crowned. For much of the 70s the only concern for a bike was the 1/4 blast- just like the musclecars. The bikes were overpowered, under braked and didnt handle well........JUST LIKE MUSCLECARS.(Kawasaki 2 strokers!!) The Harley snobs I refer to are muscle car guys but dislike Japanese bikes..........???...Go figure. My XS is looking great and only getting better. It pulls like a freight train yet is quiet and smooth! A couple hoochie mommas I have had on my XS (who have previously ridden as passengers on Harleys of varying years) were very pleased and said how fast and smooth my bike is. (Man those hoochie mommas have alot of tattoos!)

[Elevener]

I'll remind you that I'm a Harley owner...

And I don't have that attitude...

Yeah but thats a girls bike It dont count.

[mharrington]

Well if I had the money to buy a new bike I do like the look of the Harley XR1200. It hits almost all the right chords for me even though I have been sick of men,woman, girls and
children asking me how come you dont own a Harley?

[mharrington]

Triumph Thunderbird is cool too and it is not a V twin but a 1700cc inline twin.




Then again if I had that kind of money I may just have my XS1100 restored to museum like condition!!