Harley guy converting?

[Irondog]

I joined this site for some tech help while helping my nephew fix his 1980 XS that he recently bought and has never ridden. He got a good enough deal, I'm guessing.
At any rate, I've been a "Harley guy" for a lot of years. This site has been so helpful and informative for me doing a few fix-ups on his bike. It's got me thinking about getting a Yamaha now. My old buds will give me all kinds of grief and mess with me a lot....but whatever. Looks like a lot of fun.
Thanks everyone for all of the contributions to this site.
Rick

[b.walker5]

Join the converted, you'll not regret it.

[ddragon63]

My Dad was always a "buy American" kind of guy. I remember when I was young asking him why he owned this XS rather than a Harley. His answer.... "I like to ride my bike son, not work on it!"

[tom clisham]

Everything old needs work

Doesn't matter if it's an HD or a Yamaha.
I've owned a bunch of HDs & they were no better or worse than the Yamis.
Just cost more to buy.

[fredintoon]

- - - got me thinking about getting a Yamaha now. My old buds will give me all kinds of grief and mess with me a lot.. - - -

Hi Rick,
well, they might; but they'd have to catch up to you to do that, eh?

[Jfries]

when they give u grief on it.. just let them ride it.. that will shut em up lol

[natemoen]

Was talking to a guy the other day. We got talking about the nice weather and bikes. He had a Harley jacket on so I asked what kind of Harley he had and he saidhe sold his last Harley a few years back, just liked the jacket and dint get ride of it with the bike. He had been.converted and now rode and restored Honda cbx 1000's. He said he used to own an XS 11 and it is one of his alltime favorite bikes.

[jetmechmarty]

I live in "Motorcycle Disneyland". This place is full of bikes every weekend year round. In the warm months, it's every day. The last time I parked my bike on the square, there was a note placed on it asking to buy it. Somebody is looking at it every time I park it there. Of coarse, it's always "old" guys.

Harleys are great. You can buy parts for them. If you break down someplace, the dealer will help you get on your way right now. They're bikes are pretty, too. I get attitude from some Harley riders, but never from real motorcyclists. I don't want a Harley in these parts because they don't negotiate the tight corners well enough. A Sportster with pegs under my a$$ as God intended would get it done, but I'd be in the same place with that "girl's bike". I ride my XS650 because it makes me smile. Nothing else matters.

[trbig]

When someone brings up that "Made in America" crap, my conversation goes something like this..

Me: "What do you think about illegal immigration in this country?"

Of course you get the died in wool "I'm an American" speech with Lee Greenwood singing the "Proud to be an American" song playing in the background.

I then ask, "What do you think about LEGAl immigration?"

I've never heard anything but "If you pay your dues and come here legally and give to the system instead of be a drain, then it's fine.. blah blah"

Me: "So someone born in another country can become a true American, right?" (Some see it coming.. most don't)


My bike may have been born in another country, but it came here legally, it's first breath was taken on American soil, and has been putting money into America's coffers for over 30 years with tags, tires, fuel taxes, trips taking me places, etc. Of course, I then tell them about the nearly 50% of their bike being made in other countries. I'd rather have parts made in Japan than parts supporting China.


Now.. wanna race American bikes?

[jetmechmarty]

I recently heard that Harley-Davidson is moving wheel production to China or Taiwan. If that's true, I wonder if it will hurt sales once the word gets out. That being said, I'd buy a "made in Taiwan" Triumph Bonneville, if that's what I decided I wanted. I'm sure there are some that won't.

[Irondog]

I remember buying parts at the Harley shop for my old bike. I'd be willing to bet that if I had kept track, that MOST of the parts I bought were made in China. I always brought that up in conversations with my buds. No one had anything to say about that. Most everything has a "Made in China" stamp on it nowadays. My Red Wing boots even....are "Made in China". That really surprised me. The Harley jacket I paid $450 on sale wasn't made in America, either. Our cars may be GMC, Chevy, Ford, Dodge.....Jeep.....but if you look at where the majority of the parts are from....NOT IN AMERICA!
So, I'm thinking....what does it matter if I have a Harley, a Yamaha,....or a good old reliable Honda? It doesn't. What matters is the fact that I'm doing what I like to do and it's not hurting a soul. That's all I have to say about that.

[DGXSER]

What matters is the fact that I'm doing what I like to do and it's not hurting a soul. That's all I have to say about that.

[crazy steve]

Doesn't matter if it's an HD or a Yamaha.
I've owned a bunch of HDs & they were no better or worse than the Yamis.
Just cost more to buy.

But you can sell them for more....

Being a Harley owner as well as an XS owner, I see both sides. Both bikes have their charms and shortcomings, it's all about what you like. Yeah, there's a lot of 'richard craniums' riding Harleys (and 'wings and BMWs too from what I've seen), but nearly all of the HD lot are posers, there's plenty of 'real' HD owners that are no different than XS riders, you just don't notice them as they're not the loud obnoxious types.

The 'Made in America' thing? Tod's right, you won't find much that's wholly made here anymore. Harley buys their cast wheels, gauges, forks, rear shocks, carbs (when they still used them) from off-shore sources and have for years. Go to the dealer and buy 'accessories' and nearly all of that stuff comes from overseas. With that said, I do try to 'buy American' as best I can so more of my money stays here.

It's bit ironic now, as I've found many of the new parts I've bought for my XS's are made here, as Yamaha quit offering parts for these years ago and it's the American aftermarket that's stepped up to furnish parts....

[Joab]

I like Steve's view...just own both Now if I could just afford that Softtail Deluxe I have been drooling over for years...

[jetmechmarty]

My Red Wing boots even....are "Made in China".

Last I was aware, that was only true of the motorcycle boots. "Made in the USA" is apparently too expensive for bikers, so Red Wing moved that biz overseas. I don't think Red Wing has biker boots at all anymore. The rest of the Red Wing shoes, including the ones on my feet, are made in Minnesota.