My latest experience with Harley dudes...

[Shuriken]

So I am giving my sister a ride on my XS after I swapped out a faulty ignition control module with a spare. I stopped at a stopsign and waited to cross an intersection. I see 2 Harley dudes approaching from the left on the street I am going to cross. I wait for them to get close enough and I wave at them like I do to all bikers, scooter riders, etc.

So what do they do? They don't waive at all. They look at eachother and both roll on the throttle and blast my sister and I with that sh**** and obnoxiously loud exhaust note.

I was REALLY tempted to have sis hop off the bike and catch up to them with the XS just so I could leave their *sses in the dust.

I didn't. But I knew I could have.

Sometimes ya' just have to fight the impulse, even without a bore kit.

Ben

[randy]

Ben,

If you want to have that faulty module evaluated, and if possible repaired, send it to:


Randy Rago
1435 Sycamore Avenue
Merrick, NY 11566

NO CHARGE EXCEPT POSTAGE. WE ALL NEED THE INFO IN THE BLACK BOX FOR ALTERNATIVE IGNITION RESEARCH. IF YOUR BOX IS REPAIRABLE, IT WILL BE RETURNED REPAIRED FOR THE PRICE OF POSTAGE ONLY.

Randy

[Pat Kelly]

I hear about HD rallies trashing "Jap Bikes" for fun....

My favorite local radio station is giving away a customized (104.1 The Hawk stickers?) Harley Fatboy. The final drawing will be at the local HD dealer. I was thinking how cool it would be to win the bike, take possetion of the keys, wheel it to the parking lot, retrieve a sledgehammer from my truck, and smash this brand-new HD to pieces in front of the dealer and HD minions.

I have nothing against HD's (they make my bike all the faster) or their owners (makes me more of a biker as I ride rain or shine). I just think it would be funny to do.

If I win the bike please make all donations for my recovery or funeral to my Wife and family.....

[Shuriken]

HAHAHAH. THAT made me feel much better. I totally forgot my trauma...

[Geezer]

Many years ago I round a corner on my old RD350 to see a Harley chopper about 100' infront of me. I could tell that he saw me in the bottle top sized rearview mirror on his ape hangers. He grabbed a fist full of throttle and I heard the harley exhaust get louder but I don't think he picked up any speed.

I blew by him so fast that I'm sure he didn't know what happened. I also had the oiler on that 2 stroker set up full and I left him in a cloud of 2 stroke smoke. My only fear was that the next signal light would be red when I got there. Fortunatly I didn't have to run that light.

Geezer

[Underdog]

Believe me, I've seen plenty of a-holes on Harleys that I wouldn't care to associate with much less ride with. I've also seen the "attitude" ....you know.. the "I'm better than you cause my bike costs more" deal. Having said that there are lots of nice people on HDs too. I think that can be found in any group. I currently ride a Heritage but this XS11 stuff has caught my interest. Long story but I've actually been thinking about one on-&-off for some time (since before the Harley actually) and have really been bitten by the bug lately. I think the trip to Mid-Ohio last year & seeing all the interest in the old stuff really put me over the edge.
Personally, I respect anyone with the balls to ride on 2 wheels as long as they don't prove to be the aforementioned a-holes. I have 22,000 on my 00 HD, which I guess isn't a ton but it's not a garage queen either. My wife and I wear 3/4 helmets, I've done both MSF courses , I don't drink & ride and I do wave at everyone regaurdless of what they're riding. Not what is expected of the quentisential HD rider I suppose. BTW, I've noticed that some of the "tough guy" Harley dudes don't wave back even though I'm rideing one! Maybe cause we look like squares with the helmets?
If it makes you feel any better, there is some of the same crap in the HD community. Some would call my bike a "Garbage Wagon" cause of the windshield, studded bags ect. Touring bikes are "Geezer Glides". The Touring crowd calls the Wide Glides & Softails "Dirt Bikes" or "Bar Hoppers" I guess it never ends like the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge & now Toyota. As long as it's in fun and not mean spirited, I think it's normal.
Didn't mean to come off as a lecture. I do consider myself a guest here until I actually am an owner. Just wanted to share some of my perspective.

Underdog
still searching

[chevy45412001]

non h-d rider

I ride with all harley people. All my buds own and ride harleys.It is pretty cool to go on rides and be the only original person there.Even still they dont take a second look at my bike till theres are in the shop...lol(knock on wood) out of ten people i normally ride with,mine is the only bike that has made every ride we've went on .Someone is always in the shop for this that or the other.Now they all want bigger cams bigger carbs etc.Yet with a 20,000 bike and another 6-7,000 dollars worth of aftermarket parts they still can't touch my stock 1982 xj-1100.At a total cost of under 1200 dollars.Ain't life grand?

[Geezer]

I was referring to the so-called badass Harley riders. 25 years ago when I smoked that chopper rider, there was a lot more animosity between Harley riders and riders of Asian bikes but the real nose in the air snobs are the BMW riders.

I’d like to have a 1200 Sportster for an around town bike and back road stormer. They’re light and good handling like the Nortons I had many years ago.

Geezer

[Shuriken]

My friend rides a BMW. He thinks it's the best bike in the world. I don't think it has that much getup and I hate the way the engines look. Just my taste. However, anti-lock brakes, and unique suspension and other features are attractive. He's in a lot of debt to own that bike. I payed cash for mine and can pay cash for parts I need.

Some Harley dudes have waived at me. I've found that happens only when we are passing head-on and they can't tell what I'm on until it's too late to take back their waive!

I've seen the Sportster 883 close up.

And I always hated (and still do) the look of Harleys for some reason. They represent bulk, weight, and noise - to me. But I saw a V-Rod and that's the only Harley that I think is just beautiful. Of course, the old timers would say "sure," and call me a kid. But another reason I like it is because of the performance.

I talk to all bikers about their bikes. Just yesterday I talked to a doofus about his GS550 (with only 2500 one-owner miles on it). Before that I stopped a guy in the middle of a street, pulled to the side, and talked to him about his 78 XS11. I did a compression test for him right there and told him about the list and other stuff. I don't care what people ride, I love bikes.

I hate being disrespected by Harley dudes. In all of the time I've owned a bike, they are the only ones who do that.

Granted, there are the ones that waive and talk about bikes, too. Underdog would have waived at me had we passed on the road.

Ben

[scalded dog]

A lot of times Harley riders, don't wave. but they are just passing up a great opportunity, to share the spirit of riding. I don't let it bother me, I ride with Southern Cruisers, we have alot of Harleys, in our club. most of them are amazed at my 1100, the speed, the dependability,the affordability. We had alot of members at "Thunder Beach" , on the way back I kept seeing a lot of Harleys, on one stretch of hwy 431, I saw two bikes, break out of the group and begin to pick up speed, in my rear view, I was cruising about 75-80 mph, as the bikes gained a little, I stepped her up to around 90 mph, they kept gaining so I cruised about 3 miles allowing them to gain a little, then stepped up to about 95 mph. as they go t closer, I opened her up on a long straight away, Left them way back, finally I slowed to around 75-80 again, and they finally cauth up and went on by, with a thumbs-up and a big grin, both Harleys, they had to respect my bike, It was agreat feeling. Later 'Dog

[Underdog]

There's no doubt that these 1100s are way faster than your average HD. I'd venture to say faster than any of the V-twins, includeing the new Jap clone bikes. That's why NHRA gives the V-twins a big displacement break in Pro-Stock Bike so the HDs can compete. I guess the inline 4 is just much more efficent.
I try & wave at everyone. Lot's of the sport-bike guys don't wave back. Maybe cause if they take a hand off the bars, there chins will hit the tank! hahaha!

UD

[T1ny]

What scares me about the zip splat guys is when you wave and they bring the front tire into the air and wave at you that way. <shudder>
Those guys are just scary.

[skids]

About a year ago, there was a midnight special gassing-up at the same station as my bike. I thought I would check out his bike and strike-up a conversation. The dude did not want to talk whatsoever. I am telling you, there all jerks all over the place, riding every kind of bike imaginable. But in my experiences, there are more good bikers than bad. Period!

[desert1]

same in Canada

All HD guys that I meet on the road never acknowledge your on the road......
Bruce

[Underdog]

Jeez... Skids, I got a Harley & lookds like soon a MNS. Sure hope that doesn't put me in a poor demographic group! hahaha! I agree, most bikers are good people. Desert 1, If I ever make it up to Canada, I promise to wave. Only time I don't is if my hands are busy on the controls or if i'm in a real pissy mood, which ain't too often when I'm on the bike! Maybe some of the Harley dudes think waveing is just a "Harley thing" ???

UD