Why Does It Always Have To Be A Harley........

[lilsmokey]

Originally Posted by High Country Herb;20091038[COLOR=Black

][/COLOR] I have nothing against Harleys per se, but that kind attitude gets all over me. I would be tempted to egg him on, telling him that HD is a sell out company, and the only real American motorcycle company was Indian. I'd go on to say that HD was just a copycat startup when Indian was a pionier in motorcycle racing in 1901, and they are only still in business because they sell t-shirts to people who don't even know how to ride.

I think the majority of people with that attitude believe that because they are loyal to USA made vehicles, so they would have a hard time putting down Indian, and the t-shirt comment should send his tail hiding between his legs.

I really don't believe any of that, but love to play devil's advocate. Harleys, Indians, Hendersons...they are all cool in their own right, but I also love the Hondas, BMWs, Triuphs, and Ducatis. Personally, I like sporty performance machines, but I wouldn't tell someone their choice sucked, even if it was a scooter with a top speed of 20 mph with a flower basket on the handlebars. (OK, I might snicker quietly to myself ).

You dont live about 50 yards away from a biker bar. I swear to god its fucking terrible. Bunch of fat ass old white guys with their nasty looking girlfriends screaming up and down the read all day. I live off of a major street. So my house is between a stop light and the bar. Its fun to watch all these fags do full throttle and crappy shifts down the road, over train tracks then slam on the brakes and fly into the parking lot.

Just a few days ago they were having some swap meet or something so a group of about 50 riders go down the road.... a few seconds later their buddy (Got stopped at the light) flys down the road, catches air over the train tracks, lays the bike down and slamms into the back of the last 5 or so bikers. I felt sorry for the douchebag but it was hilarious

[tripods]

There is no "across the board" best motorcycle in the world. There is only one's own best motorcycle. I look at my own two-wheeled history. My first and best motorcycle was the one I made by cutting up our steel tubing hammock frame, bolting it together into a trike frame and taking an engine for it off our reel mower in 1971. Then the best motorcycle in the world was my no-name minibike, then the Honda 161, then the Triumph Trophy Trail, then......and this one carried me around the country for six years...... a 1947 Harley Knucklehead. I rode it in the New England winters, I rode it in AZ on road and off, Up to Maine, New York, Cape Cod, and it was my daily driver. The only time it left me stranded was when I got a flat, or sheared the rivets on the rear sprocket from too many long smoky hole-shots. I beat the tar out of that bike, and it always held together. Yes, I performed regular maintenance (valve adjusts, oil changes, timing, carb adjusts, clutches). While I was riding that one, I passed up on some really cool bikes that I should have grabbed......but it had me in that Harley mystique. As I think back, I think it just may have been the "best" motorcycle ever for me, but that is probably because it was my one and only bike, and it was everything I needed. My youth may well have been the best part of that bike. However, I always loved anything with two wheels. I never had a Harley sticker on my truck or car, I never wore Harley T-shirts as a "uniform" unless I just happened to pick one from the drawer instead of a Bob Marley or Judas Priest T-shirt. I never got a tattoo, just because I knew that I always had a problem with commitment (to bike choice, clothing, girlfriend etc). However, I have always been a non-denominational motorcycle rider. I like them all. I rode choppers, Nortons, Goldwings, BMW /2's, sidecar rigs, Lambrettas, Ducati, you name it. It always makes me a bit sad when any rider demeans riders of "That other brand" based on the actions of the obvious but minority part of "that" brand group. Late night motorcycle talk around the campfire is always great, until some other group starts getting bashed. I had, and have, a lot of Harley rider friends, and a lot of those guys were true adventure riders back in the day, riding those old-technology machines on a daily basis, in all weather, cross-country on highways, secondary roads, and dirt roads. Sure, there was a percentage of ass-hats in the group, but they would pull their fuel line to give you a couple of beer cans of gas to keep you going, they would stand shoulder to shoulder with you if you were hassled, and they would bring tools and parts to get you on the road if your bike was down before a ride. And yes, some of them would belittle the riders of Japanese bikes, or other foreign machines. But secretly, a lot of them appreciated the capabilities of "the other brands", even though they did not need those capabilities. And being an old Harley rider, I gotta tell you, most of those guys are ok if you get to know them. The European settlers conquered the Native Americans by getting them to try and kill "the other tribes". It is not good to attack the other tribes. All motorcycle riders should try to respect the rights of all of us to ride...and support legislation that ensures we can continue. Now that guy that blows by my house at 2:30 AM with wide open drag pipes, or the Haybusa with open Vance and Hines pipe.... they need to get some common sense. That guy with 25K worth of chrome and custom paint that never sees rain.... that's his bag, and let him enjoy it for what it is. Time to go add some lighter oil to my Ural.....snow's coming.

[Vincenthdfan]

Originally Posted by lilsmokey

Bunch of fat ass old white guys with their nasty looking girlfriends screaming up and down the read all day. Its fun to watch all these fags do full throttle and crappy shifts down the road, over train tracks then slam on the brakes and fly into the parking lot.

I felt sorry for the douchebag but it was hilarious

See what I mean?? The stereotype just keeps on giving...

I give up.

[marksbonneville]

Originally Posted by lilsmokey

You dont live about 50 yards away from a biker bar. I swear to god its fucking terrible. Bunch of fat ass old white guys with their nasty looking girlfriends screaming up and down the read all day. I live off of a major street. So my house is between a stop light and the bar. Its fun to watch all these fags do full throttle and crappy shifts down the road, over train tracks then slam on the brakes and fly into the parking lot.

You seem to talk a lot about white guys asses and fags and very little about the girlfriends, focus more of the women and you may become a happier person.

[zataomm]

Morons are everywhere, and they aren't going away anytime soon. The only reason we hear so much about Harley morons in these forums is because Harley sells so many bikes. The ratio of idiots to non-idiots in the Harley world is probably no greater than it is in the general population, which may not be a comforting or hopeful thing to consider, but there it is. There's no point complaining endlessly about them.

If Honda sold 250,000 Ascots every year we'd all be complaining about those obnoxious Honda Ascot wannabe's.

[elite1]

Originally Posted by Vincenthdfan

Man, Im glad you clarified that because my hackle was standing up at your original stereotypical Harley Character bashing comments.

You see, Ive owned several Harleys, still own an old Ironhead Sporty (look it up, its a classic design), and an 02 Road King that has become such a part of the family with its reliability and pure enjoyment that we named her Ruby.

Ive been riding since I was 4 years old, the son of a professional hillclimber. Im now 48 years old and owned so many Japanese bikes of all types and brands that I could never remember them all.

I currently own multiple Yamahas, Hondas, a Vstrom 1000, a '70 Triumph Bonneville, etc...

I got into the Harley scene because as a kid I remember dad always talkng about how much he wished he still had his old Panhead Dresser from his younger years.

Much like you, I always thought "what the hell is the attraction, I dont get it?".

After he died totally unexpected at such a young age (57) of an aneuryism, I did a lot of soul searching.

I missed my best friend...so as sort of a tribute to him I figured Id give the Harleys a shot, because I know he always wanted to get another one.

I started riding mine more and more and I instantly "got it".

These bikes arent cookie cutter, faceless, sewing machine feeling bikes.

They have chracter, feeling, torque, fun. And, best of all and in spite of what everyone thinks...they are dead nuts reliable.

My gal and I have put 56,000 trouble free miles on Ruby together and loved every minute of it.

So next time you see what you think is a knuckle dragging, biker wannabee...look past the stereotype.

There just might be more to the story than what you assume you see on the surface.

Rant over...thanks for listening.

See, dude, you get it. I can totally relate to your story. Ride on, brother.

[lilsmokey]

Originally Posted by tripods

There is no "across the board" best motorcycle in the world. There is only one's own best motorcycle. I look at my own two-wheeled history. My first and best motorcycle was the one I made by cutting up our steel tubing hammock frame, bolting it together into a trike frame and taking an engine for it off our reel mower in 1971. Then the best motorcycle in the world was my no-name minibike, then the Honda 161, then the Triumph Trophy Trail, then......and this one carried me around the country for six years...... a 1947 Harley Knucklehead. .

+1

As my dad has told me and his dad told him the best motorcycle out there is the one you ride. Same goes for Cars, guns, woman etc.

You seem to talk a lot about white guys asses and fags and very little about the girlfriends, focus more of the women and you may become a happier person.

If you saw some of the ladies around here you'd understand.

[willis 2000]

Originally Posted by caponerd

You're joking. Kuckleheads, cheap?

One on ebay, already restored

Another, chopped, would take a lot to bring back to original spec

Another expensive project

One listed at Walneck's, a bobber.

I won't directly comment on their ridability, except to say that I know a few guys who do ride them, some quite a lot.
Have you owned a vintage Harley?
They're no different than most other old bikes; they need regular maintenance to be reliable.

You are correct, my brother sold a panhead cheap because nobody wanted it ten years ago. The shovelheads are still cheap, but I suppose they will also become collectible.

[Bloodweiser]

don't we have like 9 of these threads in 'road warriors' and 'perfect line' ?
I thought olds cool was safe.

[anotherguy]

It's a reality that the Harley-Davidson is recognized everywhere. That's why so many aspire to ownership but will never own any brand of motorcycle. Like it or hate it the Harley is viewed as "cool" by many. And who doesn't wanna be cool?

[presto88]

I don't have any problem at all with people who think that their bike (or car, or beer, or whatever!) is "the best". I would guess that most people think that about something that they own! My problem is with the Harley guys who think that every other motorcycle brand is a piece of shit and you're an idiot for riding one! It's that attitude that I object to. I realize not ALL Harley owners have that attitude, but for the life of me I can't think of ever meeting a motorcyclist with that attitude who didn't own a Harley!

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by presto88

I realize not ALL Harley owners have that attitude, but for the life of me I can't think of ever meeting a motorcyclist with that attitude who didn't own a Harley!

I've seen a lot of that too, but I've also met plenty of BMW snobs who are every bit as much "lifestyle riders" as a lot of the suburban midlife crisis dentist-turned-weekend-outlaw-pirate-wannabe. I have my preferences bike-wise, but I don't care what anyone else rides as long as they don't get in my face about it. I find it's usually people without much actual riding experience that get all high and mighty about brand. Their riding credentials aren't deep enough to give them their self confidence, so all they can hold onto for reassurance is the brand of their bike.

[lilsmokey]

Harley Davidsons are like tampons.....


Every pussy has one.

[yukonjon]

Originally Posted by lilsmokey

Harley Davidsons are like tampons.....


Every pussy has one.

rofl.....might be stealing this for certain moments

[Tosh Togo]

Originally Posted by lilsmokey

Harley Davidsons are like tampons.....


Every pussy has one.

But they're only needed when they're raggin' and cranky.

As a compliment...this concept does clarify the term "douchery" very well.