I'm starting to get the anti-HD vibe

[Ginger Beard]

Originally Posted by Kamikuza

Ok so 10x is an exaggeration... unless you take into account the buckets of chrome polish, tassled jackets, HD dog bowls and assorted "accessories"

Following pictures that seem familiar I get 2,700,000 and I bet that's not out the door. What's that, US$35,000 these days?
http://www.harley-davidson.co.jp/lin...php?model=D140
Yes we do pay a premium (especially on parts!) for non-J bikes...

I'm still riding kiddie bikes - mine cost 800,000 yen to get me on the road. But then, I don't need flashing blue lights and stereo systems to enjoy my rides ;)

I guess that if you are one of the tools spending fistfuls of cash on the "lifestyle" it could get a bit expensive. The people doing that tend to be HD owners, not riders.



I don't consider any bike a kiddie bike. What are you riding? If I lived in Japan I would be all over an Estrella 400 or CB400. I wish that the USA mentality of bigger is better didn't have such a role in dictating our market.


No flashing lights or stereos on my bikes. Just the good old music of a 1200cc Vtwin but then again I ride a Sportster, not a Harley.

[flying_finn]

There must have been some blue haired oldies ridden them wings.. everybody knows that the goldwing is the motorcycle equvialnt of a motor-home

Originally Posted by royal

This has nothing to do with Harley Davidsons and everything to do with the riders. As you said, it happened to you with a couple of Goldwings. So, should we now rant on Honda ?

[Berto]

Originally Posted by Kamikuza

Ok so 10x is an exaggeration... unless you take into account the buckets of chrome polish, tassled jackets, HD dog bowls and assorted "accessories"

Following pictures that seem familiar I get 2,700,000 and I bet that's not out the door. What's that, US$35,000 these days?
http://www.harley-davidson.co.jp/lin...php?model=D140
Yes we do pay a premium (especially on parts!) for non-J bikes...

I'm still riding kiddie bikes - mine cost 800,000 yen to get me on the road. But then, I don't need flashing blue lights and stereo systems to enjoy my rides ;)

must be a lot of import duties charged. That bike in the states is 20 to 22 thousand usd

[Al Goodwin]

I ride a very HEAVY and WEAK KLR650....there's nothing more frustrating than catching a group of fat/slow bikes that have no consideration. When a faster bike catches me, I'll get the heck out of the way...watch and learn as long as they're in sight.

[JoeDuck]

Originally Posted by AZbiker

Around here, pulling over to let faster traffic pass is practiced so often it is part of the local social mores.

Sorry it's not where you're at.

Really? Not when I was living in Flagstaff. No one would ever pull over on 89 to Sedona. 17 to PHX if you passed someone they'd zip past you and slam on their brakes. That was a few years ago but at that time no traffic ever used pullouts for me.

[AZbiker]

Originally Posted by JoeDuck

Really? Not when I was living in Flagstaff. No one would ever pull over on 89 to Sedona. 17 to PHX if you passed someone they'd zip past you and slam on their brakes. That was a few years ago but at that time no traffic ever used pullouts for me.

I noticed that too. Usually I just do the 89A from PV to Jerome over and over--the pavement on the Sedona-Flag leg is really rough. Plus, Flag is too expensive and the traffic is worse than Phoenix.

Odd how the behavior is so different on 2 stretches of the same highway. I do see a lot more rentals and out-of-state plates on the Sedona-Flag leg.

[PhilB]

If y'all in AZ let people by at home, you forget how to whenever you cross over the border and drive in CA.

Just one example: a few years back I was motorcycle camping in Yosemite, and did a fair bit of riding in the park. I found that I could predict, with near 100% accuracy, when or whether someone would pull over and let faster traffic pass, simply by where the license plate was from. AZ = never. CA = when about 5 vehicles are stacked up behind. NV = when about 3 vehicles are stacked up behind. Mexico = as soon as they could, even if it was only me behind them.

PhilB

[AZbiker]

Originally Posted by PhilB

If y'all in AZ let people by at home, you forget how to whenever you cross over the border and drive in CA.

Just one example: a few years back I was motorcycle camping in Yosemite, and did a fair bit of riding in the park. I found that I could predict, with near 100% accuracy, when or whether someone would pull over and let faster traffic pass, simply by where the license plate was from. AZ = never. CA = when about 5 vehicles are stacked up behind. NV = when about 3 vehicles are stacked up behind. Mexico = as soon as they could, even if it was only me behind them.

PhilB

Sorry, I wouldn't know--CA does not approve of my lifestyle choices so it's off limits to me.

[PhilB]

Originally Posted by AZbiker

Sorry, I wouldn't know--CA does not approve of my lifestyle choices so it's off limits to me.

Well, I'm very happy to have finally escaped the state myself. But a lot of "zonies" do go there, and apparently forget how to drive in the process. The times I've driven in AZ, the drivers have seemed OK, so I don't know if it's a border thing, or if it's just that all the AZ people who know how to drive go somewhere else for vacation, and CA only gets the bad ones.

PhilB

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by PhilB

Well, I'm very happy to have finally escaped the state myself. But a lot of "zonies" do go there, and apparently forget how to drive in the process. The times I've driven in AZ, the drivers have seemed OK, so I don't know if it's a border thing, or if it's just that all the AZ people who know how to drive go somewhere else for vacation, and CA only gets the bad ones.

PhilB

...or their brains have cooled back off cause they're out of the desert



M

[markk53]

Originally Posted by royal

This has nothing to do with Harley Davidsons and everything to do with the riders. As you said, it happened to you with a couple of Goldwings. So, should we now rant on Honda ?

Hey, the guy rides a Ulysses - a Buell Ulysses - an orphan! He has the right to rant on anything he wants since even the maker of his bike dumped it (talking HD, not Erik). Besides, it IS the ADVrider forum, isn't it?




I agree with one post, it's the rider/driver. We had people in WV pull over on the back roads to let us by. One waitress said so many there run ATVs on those back roads they know what it's like to be stuck behind some slow mover, so they are courteous when they are the slow mover. I keep that in mind. Besides, it's not my job to try to "police" those who want to pass me and go faster. It is their choice and they pay the penalties if caught - as I have done before, myself. A couple speeding tickets and one passing on double yellow, none really in any sort of risky situation, but still a violation. Pass me and do 160, I don't care, I'm not your babysitter.

[slide]

Guys,

If the road blockers are going that slowly, then a DY pass is easy to perform.

I think nothing of doing this and probably do so several times at each outing at nice recreational roads. No, I am not a boy racer trying for real speed. I just wish to ride my own ride but cannot with a bunch of flat landers doing 20 mph on a mild winding road.

[eatpasta]

Originally Posted by DynaSport

So, anyway, now I get what everyone gripes about. I must say, my HD riding buddies are for the most part fast enough not to clog up traffic and courteous enough to pull over if they do

Just about all the Harley riders that I have met while on the road for a long trip have been super cool - in fact most of the bikes I see while far from home are Harleys and they nearly fall off their bikes trying to wave.

Now, a completely different breed of Harley rider is the weekend warrior. Most of them are too cool for school for sure. Having lived in the capital city of Wanna-Be's for 10 years I have some experience with this....

One day I was having a blast riding down Hwy 33 north of Ojai (if any of you have ridden this bit, you know how amazing it is). The road was totally clear until I came across a long line of cars and I immediately thought RV at the front. I slowly made my way toward the front and I started to hear the rumble.
About 20 HD riders going (and Im not joking here) about 20 mph.
I was responsible, polite - overly polite I think and waited till a nice long, a legal spot to pass. Just as I pulled out to pass them all i noticed the guy at the back watching me in his mirror. Just as I move to pass him he makes a violent move toward me and essentially tried to take me out. I was just able to flick under him and in not letting him take me out, I almost took out one of the riders in his group.
I passed the entire land-mass of inconsiderate buffoonery in one go - thank god.

I have no idea what would possess someone to try to take out another biker simply because they don't desire the need to move at a glacial pace.


One day I actually got stuck in the perfect storm. This is completely true - I got stuck behind a car following 15 Harleys, stuck behind a cop and a schoolbus!

[waveydavey]

Originally Posted by eatpasta

Just about all the Harley riders that I have met while on the road for a long trip have been super cool - in fact most of the bikes I see while far from home are Harleys and they nearly fall off their bikes trying to wave.

Now, a completely different breed of Harley rider is the weekend warrior. Most of them are too cool for school for sure. Having lived in the capital city of Wanna-Be's for 10 years I have some experience with this....

One day I was having a blast riding down Hwy 33 north of Ojai (if any of you have ridden this bit, you know how amazing it is). The road was totally clear until I came across a long line of cars and I immediately thought RV at the front. I slowly made my way toward the front and I started to hear the rumble.
About 20 HD riders going (and Im not joking here) about 20 mph.
I was responsible, polite - overly polite I think and waited till a nice long, a legal spot to pass. Just as I pulled out to pass them all i noticed the guy at the back watching me in his mirror. Just as I move to pass him he makes a violent move toward me and essentially tried to take me out. I was just able to flick under him and in not letting him take me out, I almost took out one of the riders in his group.
I passed the entire land-mass of inconsiderate buffoonery in one go - thank god.

I have no idea what would possess someone to try to take out another biker simply because they don't desire the need to move at a glacial pace.

I can't understand it either but I am pissed off and I have never even seen anything like that. Lucky I guess. Where I live most of the riders usually travel 10-20 kph faster than the speed limit. Although for the big 'poker runs' they usually are slower. None the less, trying to take out another rider seems to be a kamakazi move to me. Crazy.

[windmill]

"Got stuck"?
It's one thing to pass a road hog or 2, but why fight a lost battle? Perfect time to stop for a snack and a drink, maybe snap a few pictures.
If you cant beat them, join them? I've never seen a road that is fun at a brisk pace that isn't also scenic enough to enjoy at a slower pace.

Always a better answer than beating your head against a wall.

Originally Posted by eatpasta

One day I actually got stuck in the perfect storm. This is completely true - I got stuck behind a car following 15 Harleys, stuck behind a cop and a schoolbus!