Seems a bit slow, so how about a bit of Harley bashing?

[andyb]

Also, why is it that cruiser riders in general ride directly ON the back bumper of whatever vehicle they are following? What's with that?

Because they're riding the same way they drive their car.  And they don't drive their car particularly well, either.

A motorbike is not a car, and you don't use one in traffic the same way.  It also is not a car and doesn't get used in the same way when there's not traffic around.

I've ranted endlessly on about this in the past, so I'll refrain here, but that's the reason why you see people, usually "weekend" riders doing things like not holding a line through a curve, turning in too early, tailgating, and so on.  They don't understand the difference between a motorcycle and a car, and it seems that the bulk of the population isn't particularly good in a car either.

That's why so many people wad their bikes up when it "wasn't their fault".  They were riding it like it was a car.

[crzyjarmans]

Harley Bashing?
No, not the bikes, some of the riders that define themselves through having one, do you understand the difference?
If you like your Harley, that's great,ride it,enjoy it and why give a shit what people on a site dedicated to Japanese sports touring bikes think about it or the faithful?

Bite, eh?
Let's de-construct your post a little, eh?
Your premise seems to be based on more than one thing, not "The only reason I can come up with"
For convenience, let's overlook that and look at your "reasons"

Can't handle bikes this size at high speed?
An FJ weighs around 590 pounds,has around a 59" wheelbase, a Dyna Wide Glide, around 680 pounds,about 68" wheelbase, both biggish bikes.
High Speed.
You really suggesting that 80 mph is "High Speed"?
You honestly believe that?
I guess for something that is loud,slow,outdated, overpriced and ridden poorly it probably is, but not for a competent rider on an FJ.
So, no, that first point of yours looks to be incorrect.
n
Investment?
Seriously?
What, you going to get more for a H.D after a few years than what you paid for it?
Because that's what an "Investment" is.

A different lifestyle, eh?
Guess that's what Jim Jones followers were looking for down at Jonestown, Guyana too,eh? A different lifestyle.
Drink the Kool-Aid, wear the T-Shirt, pretty much the same thing.

For you,riding 80-90 mph ,swerving etc is just stupid.
Yes, for you, it most probably is.
When you were young, you thought going 80 mph was cool.
Then, when you grew up you heard others on this forum saying parts fall off Harleys.
You say you've had many and no parts have fallen off.
Your anecdotal evidence relates to your particular machines, not the ones others have observed.
Your observations don't prove anything other than what has happened to your bikes.
You've been a member here since the delightfully apt date of April 01, 2013,so effectively you are saying that's when you grew up.

No need to get angry, you guys are the ones that started with the bashing, If you cant take the retaliation, you should chime in on the bashing, Maybe I should have posted that the 80-90 MPH was on surface roads, not freeways, but if you think this is smart living , that is your choose, but getting angry over it, OH, And the picture of the dresser looks just like the one I had

[Bill_Rockoff]

Eh, last week I worked up a good sweat replacing a control arm in my wife's car in the Georgia afternoon August summer heat and humidity.  With a bit of daylight left, I decided I'd like to make a nice breeze for myself so I hopped on the FJ wearing just the grimy shorts, sneakers, and t-shirt.  I wore a helmet so I wouldn't get pulled over in my extended ride-around-the-block, but if it wasn't mandated by law I probably would have skipped it too.

Felt nice.  And I can see why a bike suited to street-clothes speeds (where 40 is nice, 50 is brisk, and 60 mph feels downright fast) can be a nice way to go.  The couple of Harley-engined bikes I've ridden felt right at home in the speed range I used last Friday.  Not the sort of riding I do normally (or even enough to warrant a bike better-suited for it) but I can see the appeal. 

By contrast, girding yourself in boots, gloves, full Aerostich (Andrew) or even just jeans and a Vanson (me) and riding behind a half-fairing as on an FJ or EX500 makes 60 mph feel like you're standing still, and even 80 mph feels largely the same except there's more noise and buffeting.  When Andrew and I went out Saturday afternoon, opening the visor was necessary to get any enjoyable sense of motion when among traffic - and when traffic cleared, we needed to step up the pace considerably to amuse ourselves.  Completely different kind of fun.

When we waved, it wasn't out of some hope that a bunch of weekend pretend-pirates would wave back and thereby offer us tacit approval or admission to their club - it was just us being polite.  And when we passed those two couples on their loud shiny Harleys and they gunned it to show us they had a lot more power than they were using, it's a good thing they were loud because otherwise we never would have known they were trying when we passed them.  Afterward, they got to resume riding at the speed they felt was most fun for them, and we got to resume riding at the speed that was most fun for us. 

I find myself a lot less frustrated with slower riders when I just pass 'em wherever I safely can - wave-by or no wave-by, passing zone or no passing zone.

But, with proper gear, somebody riding a cruiser can keep a pace I'm perfectly happy with.  I'm never bored riding behind John The Beer Scientist on his Virago 750.  Dan, do I remember correctly a Boone rally where you and two friends on a CBR1000, a VFR, and a Shadow rode east out of Damascus on a damp Highway 58 behind me and John?  You guys didn't seem bored by his pace either.  And John's stepdad Ralph sure had no trouble running away from me through Deal's Gap on his Sportster 1200 the last time I rode with him.

[Dan Filetti]

Dan, do I remember correctly a Boone rally where you and two friends on a CBR1000, a VFR, and a Shadow rode east out of Damascus on a damp Highway 58 behind me and John?  You guys didn't seem bored by his pace either.

We/I was not bored at the pace John set that day. He's not particularly slow.  I really enjoyed that ride.  I remember it in detail.  The wet twisty Highway 58 had me being particularly cautious as I tend to be on wet roads in general.  This is true for roads with patches of gravel or tar and stone roads as well; I slow way down and simply enjoy riding without pushing it.  I vary my ride based on conditions as most do I guess.  Had that road been dry, John's pace would likely have been too slow for me.  Side note: I do remember you telling me that my CBR was running rich, I found out after that rally that my air filter had been clogged for quite a while -oops.  

And for the record, I don't 'hate' cruisers, not even Harley's.  In fact, I've seen people on Harley's and cruisers that were indeed faster than me, in any conditions. What I rail against is the Harley rider, and the company that purport themselves and their bikes to be something they simply are not. They do this with such attitude and bravado that it begs the sort of negative attention this thread seems to be about.

Dan    

[yamaha fj rider]

Had a friend back in the mid eighties who rode a harley roadster 79 1000. At 13,500 miles the top end was shot. New pistons, rings, valves, cams. He was told that his bike had done well most did not make it that long before this needed to be done. I have owned 2 stroke bikes that had more miles on them before the rings were replaced. He still rides them and we don't ride together any more. To me a motorcycle is about performance and the Harley brand is the opposite of this. You are not about going fast ok. An advantage for the sake of safety, stopping, handling are important for dealing with incidents that arise when ridding. Just the stopping alone are huge, this alone can be the difference between going home or to the hospital. JMO.

Keep the wheels turning.
Kurt

[rktmanfj]

No need to get angry, you guys are the ones that started with the bashing, If you cant take the retaliation, you should not chime in on the bashing, Maybe I should have posted that the 80-90 MPH was on surface roads, not freeways, but if you think this is smart living , that is your choose, but getting angry over it, OH, And the picture of the dresser looks just like the one I had

FTFY... at least that's what i think you really meant.

You do realize that this isn't a Hardley-Ableson forum... right?       

Seems that you're the one that got angry to me.

[Klavdy]

No need to get angry, you guys are the ones that started with the bashing, If you cant take the retaliation, you should chime in on the bashing, Maybe I should have posted that the 80-90 MPH was on surface roads, not freeways, but if you think this is smart living , that is your choose, but getting angry over it, OH, And the picture of the dresser looks just like the one I had

Angry?
Retaliation?
Smart living?
Haha!
C'mon Shawn, what do you reckons going to happen when someone comes onto a website dedicated to Japanese sport touring bikes and attempts to inarticulately defend those awful land barges?
We know the truth about Harleys, they just aren't very good motorcycles and the majority of their apologist riders are deluded, doesn't matter what you splutter.
Not working out quite the way you expected,is it,especially when your posts make you look like a near illiterate moron.
Try again.
We've been pecked harder and smarter by ducks.

[Thmsdoyle]

Man you guys took the worm and ran with. If you ride your alright in my opinion. Some of you speak of Harley riders being moronic assholes, seems we have a few here also! Some of you are bashing Harley riders but in the same voice you have become what you are bashing. Children what have we become?

[Klavdy]

Hahaha!
Course you'd say that.
You've got a Harley.

[The General]

Sorry... ...he started it...My tribe...Not his...(Fags!)


Distraught over what people are saying, the bikers realize what they must do ta stop the "F" word..

We're Turning Some Heads!

Meh!...Child?....am not.

[Firehawk068]

I've got an excellent update to this thread................
My co-worker at the county fleet shop owns a 100th anniversary model..............I think it's a 1340cc but I'm not entirely sure..........
He tells me today that on his way home yesterday(he has the 6:00-2:30 shift), his bike started making all sorts of clanging noises coming from the bottom end, then just as the noises started, the bike dies on the freeway.
He has it towed to Mile High Harley, and upon inspection, it turns out that the flywheel decided to exit the crankshaft.............Now keep in mind, his Harley has 4500 miles on it!
And the best part about it.................Get this........................The Harley shop tells him "This is a common problem, it happens all the time"

When he got the Harley, he traded in a Suzuki Boulevard (I think) cruiser...........which he never had any trouble with..........

[Capn Ron]

I had a buddy, Chris some years back that owned a similar sailboat on the same dock as I did and through that, we became pretty good friends.  At some point he started asking about my FJ and said he had been thinking about getting a bike, but wasn't on board with the Japanese stuff.  I wasn't offended...I even encouraged it...It'd be great to have a riding buddy!

Well, fast forward a month and he knocked on the cabin of my boat like a kid on Christmas morning!!!  He walked me out to the parking lot to show me his brand new bike.  A Harley Sportster!!!  WHAT?  Ug.  I tried to be positive even though it was a Harley...AND the *little* Harley that a girl I dated in college rode.  Well, nevertheless I was encouraging as he told me about the "deal" he got on it at the Harley shop.  I nodded endlessly as he driveled on about the extras he bought with it...The chrome gas cap...the chrome belt cover...the chrome kickstand...it seemed to go on forever and I was thinking to myself, "who the eff cares if your kickstand is chrome??"  He told me he ran out of money and had to stop, but there were lots more chrome parts he had on his list!  I was slackjaw over the amount of money he dropped on that bike! 

Over the next few days, he kept poking me about how much better his bike was than my JAPANESE bike!  No worries...that weekend we went on a first ride and I had no idea what to expect.  He was actually a decent rider!  We were riding around the SoCal beach towns of Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan on our way to a burger joint for some lunch.  We pulled up to a stop light and over the roar of his Harley, I loudly asked if he needed to stop for gas on the next corner.  He unscrewed his gas cap, looked down into the tank, shook the bike left to right and said, "Nope...I'm good."  I lost it!  I was STUNNED!  I started cracking up and through the laughter asked, "That fawking thing doesn't even have a fuel guage???!!!"  For the money they get for those bikes, I couldn't believe it!

He just flipped me off and we rode on.  At the next light, he pulled up along side me again...With my best acting, I shook my head, gestured to the guages on my FJ and barked, "SON of a BITCH!"  He got a big grin on his face and said, "Ahhhh...what's wrong with YOUR bike???"  I said angrily, "The digital clock didn't automatically reset for daylight savings time!!!!"  He flipped me off again and we proceded to The Shack in Playa del Rey to get some burgers.

In the parking lot when we pulled up there were two full-dress seriously custom Harleys...I mean the stuff even I look at and say...WOW...The amount of effort, money and time they put into those bikes...and the obvious passion for a hobby is something I admire.  He was BEAMING!!  He proceded to explain all the bits and bobs on these two amazing bikes.  I have a short span of attention for these things beyond the initial glance so I gestured towards the open door of the bar.

When we got inside, there were two patrons seated near the end of the bar who were obviously the owners of those Harleys.  One bearded guy all in leathers and tatoos and a very large, rough-looking woman sitting next to him who was very preoccupied with a bacon cheeseburger.  My buddy Chris strikes up a conversation..."Say, are those your two (something I don't remember) Glides out there?  I see you have the chrome whozit and the extra wide whatzit on those!!"  The guy replies, "Wow, you really know your Harleys...what do you ride?"  Chris says rather sheepishly..."Well, I got a starter bike...uh...y'know, something I could afford...uh...I got me a new Sporty 883!"  The woman dropped her cheeseburger, looked at my buddy and said, "I'm sorry...I thought you were a MAN!"

I couldn't say a word...I actually felt bad for him.  The following week he rode it out to Phoenix to get some overly loud exhaust installed that the
California dealers weren't allowed to sell.  Apparently, he need to repair his ego with even more noise and shiny bits.  About halfway through the Arizona desert (in July) the entire wiring harness fried on his bike leaving him stranded.  This was a bike that was less than a month old!  He had to get it towed to the nearest Harley shop to get it fixed.  That took two weeks and two rental cars back and forth.  A month later, he sued the original Harley dealer to take the bike back and was riding a metric cruiser...a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 at much less than he had into his Sporty! 

If a cruiser bike is your style...go for it...but at least do it on a bike that's engineered well...not something that's WAY over priced for what you get and is marketed (and priced) on image alone.

Cap'n Ron. . .

[FJscott]

I traded a 2000 sportster for my 92fj, best horse trade I ever made. rewind 10 years...traded a 98st1100
for a 20ft boat. had the boat for 9 years and had it for sale when a guy offered to trade for the sportster, thought what the hell, never owned a Harley before. biggest piece of junk ever thru a leg over(besides my first wife) however, this has a happy ending because when I was trying to sell the Harley a guy approached me with a trade for a cherry 92FJ....aaah true love at last. the st was a good bike too, but I give the nod to the FJ.

Scott

[mst3kguy]

i've avoided this thread for a while.

anyone watch the UFC?  i love it.  but it really bugs the shit out of me, one of their sponsors is H/D, which is fine.  but their slogan is:

"harley davidson.  the only motorcycle worthy to be in the octagon".

that whole elitist attitude.  clueless sheeple following marketing b.s.  reminds me of bose.  did i just say that?

[jamesearthdrum]

i've avoided this thread for a while.
That whole elitist attitude.  clueless sheeple following marketing b.s.  reminds me of bose.  did i just say that?

No highs, no lows, must be BOSE!