Motorcycle Riders?

[Creedmoor]

I have a FLHRC and a BMW RT. I have had at least one of about every other Japanese brand and multiples of some brands like Honda.

Why do I own the two bikes I have? They fill a purpose: touring & sport touring with both being 44 mile daily round trip commuters much of the year. I stick with these two for now because HD and BMW are a bit unique in that parts are rarely obsoleted out and if you can actually turn a wrench, you can keep them running forever. As an example, one of my more recent bikes - a Suzuki DL1000 VStrom - had obsolete parts at only 8 years old. That is BS, throwaway-society garbage. I'm not interested in searching Ebay for NOS parts for a bike that I may ride cross-country.

Why do HD riders suffer the brunt of ribbing from non-HD riders? I have a theory... remember that first bike you owned? It was exhilarating. You were proud. You felt free! And then, you walked into a gas station to grab a soda. The old, toothless clerk noticed riding clothes. Here comes the question: "Oh?! Do you have a Harley?" You proudly and innocently answer - if it is the first time you've gotten the question - "No, I have a ___________." The immediate response from the non-riding, non-experienced clerk is a sad, "Oh... should have bought a Harley." That kills the enthusiasm and so many then feel the need to justify their decision. After you've heard the question and crestfallen response from a person who knows nothing about bikes anyway, it gets old.

So, two camps begin to emerge: those who eventually bought a HD later and those who didn't. If you bought a HD later then I applaud you if the reason was because it was the best suited machine for your purpose. If you bought it for Village Pantry cred, to only wear HD branded gear and pose as a "real biker," then that person bought a lifestyle/image - not a bike. One sees the same thing with Apple, Duluth Trading, and... BMW GS / Other Adventure Bike riders who never leave pavement. The person bought an image. Starbucks and the GS is a constant meme and I weary of memes. I like to ride.

For those that experienced that same convenient-store/stranger response and never bought a HD, then there exists a tendency to be catty about how their bike choice is "just as good or better" than HD. The ribbing begins. The ribbing is actually pretty easy since so many folks DO buy HD just to dress the pirate-part, brand every vehicle and piece of clothing with HD and do the Harley Owner Group slow-mo parades. Again you can replace HD with Adventure bikes and end up with the same costumes/branding/image-buy-in. The same thing occurs with the self-justification speeches of scooter riders and those with scooter-levels of HP/Torque: "nothing is needed beyond 500cc and 50 hp."

I love my Road King. It is a great touring bike with a classic style but with modern ABS/Fuel Injection/Electronic Ignition & Fuel Management/Cruise Control. It has huge aftermarket support and OEM parts support. I was also considering a Triumph T120 & BMW RNineT at the time. I bought the Road King in spite of and not because of the HD Rider community, branding, and HOG groups. The bike just ticked the boxes. Next bike will be a Indian FTR, BMW RNineT or Triumph Speed Twin.

Buying a bike is both parts emotional and practical in the decision making process. The ribbing can go too far since the subject is emotional for so many. I intentionally don't rib those that buy goofy-looking asian cruiseresque/chopperesque bikes that parrots HD and look like they came out of a cartoon. I love 80s standard and sport Japanese bikes. The 80s (and often later) cruiser Japanese bikes were not to my taste. I did have a 2nd Gen edit: 3rd Gen V-4 Magna but that was more like a Ducati Monster than an attempt to look like something else for the sake of parroting an image.

The most unkind group I've seen is the BMW MOA members who seem to HATE anything HD for - in my opinion - the reasons stated above. They - in turn - are most like HD image folks for their brand allegiance and elitism with so many (GS) who never leave pavement. The BMW Airhead guys - on the other hand - are fantastic.

My best friend and riding partner grew up in Oconowomoc, WI. His Dad owned a HD dealership, They were a shop race sponsor of Willie G's son. This same friend owns three HD, a BMW and is looking at a Triumph Scrambler XE for the next bike.

Ride what ya like - it is your passion, I hope. Remember it is likely the other guy's passion as well and don't crap on his/her enthusiasm.

/Rant

Seems you left your humor in the top drawer this morning, see if you can wear it tomorrow.

Im a buy American guy when possible. Europeans build some fine motorcycles, as a kid I owned a Triump 650 Tiger and a Norton 850 Commando.But for me since 1976 its been Milwaukee Iron.
Not a Harley tee shirt or or overwhelming HD gear man. I own two Harley sliding jackets and thats about it for Harley Branded gear.
They were both gifts from my girl.
I dont belong to HOG or Eagle Riders either.
I'm an FX rider, I own a few old ones also.
Not a fan of heated grips and seats, cruise control, windshields or Fosgate stereos.
Its not my idea of riding a motorcycle.

If you knew me, you can catch me in the pits of the vintage flat track races and we can bust the balls of the airplane sounding import guys.

 

[paddling_man]

What I wouldn't give for a 850 Commando...

 

[Creedmoor]

What I wouldn't give for a 850 Commando...

I wish I still owned it. That stuff was cheap 40 years ago.

 

[paddling_man]

Saw this one at Barber Vintage Fest in 2015 or 16. Stunning.

CNW

 

[tmschuller]

Rode to work and changing the clutch this weekend.. kinda getting tired of the noise from the cans on the exhaust.. pretty sure even with earplugs my right ear hurts after riding for awhile. Maybe time to change bikes. 3 vmax I’ve owned since 95. But what?

 

[semperfi211]

 

[KokomoDave]

My friend Dan Oaks had one of those minibikes and we rode it til the cows came home. Fun intro to the m/c world.

 

[Emerson Dambiggins]

Rode to work and changing the clutch this weekend.. kinda getting tired of the noise from the cans on the exhaust.. pretty sure even with earplugs my right ear hurts after riding for awhile. Maybe time to change bikes. 3 vmax I’ve owned since 95. But what? View attachment 190461

If you are wanting to stay with cruisers maybe a Diavel or a Rocket III? Owned the Triumph first gen Rocket and other than a few electrical issues (Brits still haven't figured that out) it was a fun toy.

 

[paddling_man]

Try an Indian FTR as well. Same HP as the VMax (awesome bikes,) nearly 200 lbs less, handles shockingly well. Not as much torque as the Vmax, of course, but still torquey and spins up fast.

 

[KokomoDave]

FTR1200 was the bike I wanted but like a couple of other dealerships was the low ball trade value of my Harley.

 

[paddling_man]

FTR1200 was the bike I wanted but like a couple of other dealerships was the low ball trade value of my Harley.

That KTM looks like a blast though!

I only have one concern about owning a FTR and one concern about purchasing a (new) one.

Owning: The tiny tank makes fill ups happen < every 100 miles. The fill tube is poorly designed - IMHO - and requires you to *burp* the fill neck in order to get that last gallon in, which apparently takes some time. Makes it worse with the limited range and routine fill ups. Everything else about the bike was spectacular.

Purchasing a new one? The local Indian dealer used be Falcone. Now it is Flat Out. FO is close to me in Fishers but the positive comments end after that. Buying used and it doesn't matter.

 

[paddling_man]

Another beautiful day for a ride up along White River to Cicero, along River Road to Anderson then down to Cabelas for some stuff. Only about 80 miles but still good to get out and forget last week at work. Gorgeous with the gray skies, flurries in the air, chocolate-brown leafless trees with an icing of snow.


Any bike is an adventure bike if you have an adventure. Any bike that you cruise around on is your cruiser. Any bike you ride to the bike limits or your limits is a sport(ing) bike. There is no such thing as a "motorcycle season" - just some days I don't ride. Any thing on two wheels that moves your butt and your soul, is a good thing. ~What motorcycling means to me.

 

[KokomoDave]

I sissie'd out. I got cruise control installed in the rain and now becoming a fair weather rider. Sheesh!

 

[JCSR]

I sissie'd out. I got cruise control installed in the rain and now becoming a fair weather rider. Sheesh!

 

[TheGhostRider]

Been riding since 1971... My butt is almost as hard as my head.
19 Street Glide - Midnight Blue Metallic. Ride it like I stole it... Good Times!
AKA: The Ghost

 

[Fester]

2005 Roadhawk

 

[tmschuller]

That KTM looks like a blast though!

I only have one concern about owning a FTR and one concern about purchasing a (new) one.

Owning: The tiny tank makes fill ups happen < every 100 miles. The fill tube is poorly designed - IMHO - and requires you to *burp* the fill neck in order to get that last gallon in, which apparently takes some time. Makes it worse with the limited range and routine fill ups. Everything else about the bike was spectacular.

Purchasing a new one? The local Indian dealer used be Falcone. Now it is Flat Out. FO is close to me in Fishers but the positive comments end after that. Buying used and it doesn't matter.

Same! But kind of used to range close to that.. only 3.5 gallon tank on the max.
Love the FTR and the scout. I would love ride either and would like to go test ride. Son just bought a street glide and it was a nice ride. I would love to find something soon.

 

[paddling_man]

I haven't tried the Scout. They do look great.

I got to do an unsupervised test run on the Dark Horse Chief. With 120ft/lb of torque - that part was impressive. Frankly, nothing else was impressive about it. It would be a fun bar hopper but not much else - at least IMHO.

That FTR though...

 

[KokomoDave]

I like the dirty look of my bike. I could never let mt Harley look like that fearing the chrome would rust.

 

[KokomoDave]

The orange squat looking box in the background with all the shooting related stickers is my millwright tool box. The gray tall box draped with a bike cover is my gang box. Notice they are in my garage and not work. Apparently I am not good enough to work in Marion even tho I was a millwright for 31 years in Kokomo. I thank the Lord for the skill he instilled in my brain that makes my hands do much work.
We need to do a sticky of our toolboxes.