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What is it with Harley Davidsons ?

#61
Jazz Ad said:
It's hard not to make a parallel with Fender. There are better products but a Harley is the idea of what a bike should be.
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Just like the Fender Jazz, it's the sound I had in my head from day one.

When I started looking at buying a bike, nothing sounded like the bike of my dreams. Then I started the Harley. I sat down on my Sportster, without any money nor a job, and it fit me like a glove and sounded like what I expected in a motorcycle. I told the sales manager to put a sold tag on it and I'd be back in a few days with a check, and I was.
 
#62
fokof said:
There is a very good South Park episode about Harley's.
The 12th episode of the 13th season.
Ther episode is called "The F word"

It Is EXACTLY what I think of Harley's. :smug:
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sp_1312_clip03.jpg
 
#63
Just a little input regarding my 2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 883 Custom...

old fashioned bike - only in terms of styling, my bike has EFI, starts every time and I've never had a mechanical issue.

that does not go fast - goes fast enough to break any speed limit in the US and gets there fast enough

handle well or brake effectively, especially in comparison with MIJ/European bikes - sure, it's a 600 lb. bike with a single caliper brake in the front (a tradeoff I made to get a 21" laced wheel)

a bike that requires a lot of maintenance - nothing but fluids every 5,000 miles.

is heavy and - yes, it's heavier than some other competitors. once again, styling.

expensive in terms of what you actually get - yes, I paid a bit of a premium to get that Harley name, but it also came with the Harley sound and Harley parts availability.
 
#64
Built For Comfort



Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon

Some folk built like this, some folk built like that
But the way I'm built, you shouldn't call me fat
Because I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed
But I got everything all the good girls need

I don't have no diamond, and I don't have no gold
But I've got a lot of lovin' and I want you to know
That I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed
But I got everything all the good girls need

Some folk built like this, some folk built like that
But the way I'm built, you shouldn't call me fat
Because I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed
But I got everything all the good girls need

Some folk rip and roar, some folk b'lieve in signs
But if you want me, you got to take your time
Because I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed
But I got everything all the good girls need

But I got everything all the good girls need
I, I love you baby
I, I love you baby
But I got everything all of the good girls need

And I don't got no diamonds, don't have no gold
Got a lot of lovin' to satisfy your soul
I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed
But I got everything all the good girls need

by Willie Dixon

I've got a 56 FL and I can't think of it without thinking about this song.
 
#68
tastybasslines said:
I agree with the "defense mechanism" idea, but it didn't always work. When I was on the freeway with my Shadow 750 (w/custom loud pipes) I'd frequently rev just to notify drivers I was there before passing.

However, I also got my share of jerks who construed that for wanting to race or me showing off and they challenge you, stare at you, pretend to drift into you...(insert angry behavior here).

I honked at someone once for drifting into my lane and forcing me out of it, and they did it again, on purpose, and kept flipping me off!
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:sigh: Welcome to SoCal man... :scowl:
 
#70
tastybasslines said:
I agree with the "defense mechanism" idea, but it didn't always work. When I was on the freeway with my Shadow 750 (w/custom loud pipes) I'd frequently rev just to notify drivers I was there before passing.

However, I also got my share of jerks who construed that for wanting to race or me showing off and they challenge you, stare at you, pretend to drift into you...(insert angry behavior here).

I honked at someone once for drifting into my lane and forcing me out of it, and they did it again, on purpose, and kept flipping me off!
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I know just what you mean. Sacramento has some of the unfriendliest drivers towards motorcycles I've ever been around and is chiefly why I no longer ride coupled with my brothers accident and my mothers horror of potentially losing another son.

Since my moms passing I've toyed with the idea as gas to and from work is crazy ( 37 stop and go miles a day.. in a mini van )

I've recently burned the ears down of some kid who was splitting lanes and driving very aggressive. He even brake checked a pick up. Can you imagine? I pulled along side him at a light and lit into him. Who knows what good, if any, it did, but those riders are what cause a lot of bad interactions on the road for other riders.

As an aside I went to take a peek at the Triple as a result of reading this thread ... man, I want one I think :) Great looking bike.
 
#71
Funky Ghost said:
I know just what you mean. Sacramento has some of the unfriendliest drivers towards motorcycles I've ever been around and is chiefly why I no longer ride coupled with my brothers accident and my mothers horror of potentially losing another son.

Since my moms passing I've toyed with the idea as gas to and from work is crazy ( 37 stop and go miles a day.. in a mini van )

I've recently burned the ears down of some kid who was splitting lanes and driving very aggressive. He even brake checked a pick up. Can you imagine? I pulled along side him at a light and lit into him. Who knows what good, if any, it did, but those riders are what cause a lot of bad interactions on the road for other riders.

As an aside I went to take a peek at the Triple as a result of reading this thread ... man, I want one I think :) Great looking bike.
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Isn't lane splitting legal there? Of course you have to be cautious when doing it, not just whipping in and out of traffic lanes without any regard for safety or common decency.
 
#72
Funky Ghost said:
I guess your ears work different than mine because I hear them when they are idling behind me just fine. I hear them when they rev it before they get in my blind spot and I hear them as they pass.

It would suck to have hearing that limited. . .
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Since most car-bike accidents are left turn "I didn't see him" variety, the loud exhaust doesn't help much if at all. The HURT study did find that the wearing of hi-Vis jackets, vests, and helmets helped a lot, or really any bright color, just not black or gray.
 
#74
CDweller said:
Loud pipes? Used to be against them, now see they serve to announce your presence- this enhances your safety. Sorry; bikes are hard to see. The loudness helps drivers become aware of your presence.
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...but not nearly as well as a high visibility vest will.

Yet, after seeing thousands of Harley riders with loud pipes - I don't think I've seen a single one wearing one of these:

2010-Firstgear-Military-Spec-Vest-Yellow.jpg
 
#75
aborgman said:
...but not nearly as well as a high visibility vest will.

Yet, after seeing thousands of Harley riders with loud pipes - I don't think I've seen a single one wearing one of these:
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Same reason they wear this for a helmet:

Invalid Link Removed

Those will keep your brains in nice condition even after they separate from your body.

Why? to answer this question, i did yahoo answer search.

"The reason I only wear a half helmet (other than a helmet is required in CA) is because I know my Harley is only about half as fast a sport bike. Therefore I know I will never hit the ground as hard as those losers would." - i hit ground so much softer then you, LOSER! Follow me and grow some fat roles on your head!

"The half helmt has it's roots in the mandatory helmet laws, which the vast majority of us oppose. Don't get me wrong, we are not all opposed to helmets, we are only opposed to being told we have to. There is a Motorcycle Rights Organization called ABATE, American Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments. It was started in 1973 by Easy Rider Magazine. There are now ABATE groups in each of the 50 states, and many chapters in each state. Now a days we deal wtih lots more than just the helmet issue but that is where we got our roots." Damn the man for trying to protect the stupid.

"Full face helmets are dangerous." Sure are...

"Because they have faith that their loud pipes will save their lives." Yep.
 
#76
kserg said:
Same reason they wear this for a helmet:

Invalid Link Removed

Those will keep your brains in nice condition even after they separate from your body.

Why? to answer this question, i did yahoo answer search.

"The reason I only wear a half helmet (other than a helmet is required in CA) is because I know my Harley is only about half as fast a sport bike. Therefore I know I will never hit the ground as hard as those losers would." - i hit ground so much softer then you, LOSER! Follow me and grow some fat roles on your head!

"The half helmt has it's roots in the mandatory helmet laws, which the vast majority of us oppose. Don't get me wrong, we are not all opposed to helmets, we are only opposed to being told we have to. There is a Motorcycle Rights Organization called ABATE, American Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments. It was started in 1973 by Easy Rider Magazine. There are now ABATE groups in each of the 50 states, and many chapters in each state. Now a days we deal wtih lots more than just the helmet issue but that is where we got our roots." Damn the man for trying to protect the stupid.

"Full face helmets are dangerous." Sure are...

"Because they have faith that their loud pipes will save their lives." Yep.
Click to expand...

Stereo type much???

I could pull up hundreds of quotes from this site that would make bass players look very stupid.
 
#78
RustyAxe said:
Troll? Surely you could find a motorcycle website where you could denigrate Harley owners and they, in turn, could make fun of MIJ Crap ... why bring that here?
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What rubbish, I have not denigrated anyone, all I have done is explore the reasons for the popularity of Harleys, how is that making fun .
Why such a defensive post ?

I think its cool that such a huge group of people around the world can be so passionate about a company that has refused to conform to modern idealism and stuck to its core beliefs and is still successful in this day and age .
 

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