Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

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desertrefugee
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#31

Post by desertrefugee »

HOTT (you can tune a motorsykle, but ya' can't tuna fish)
With apologies to REO Speedwagon...
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
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x01660
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#32

Post by x01660 »

desertrefugee wrote:
x01660 wrote:My buddy let me borrow his 83 Suzuki GS1100 with an 1150 motor in it...

***
It also shakes and vibrates and is REALLY loud.
If that Suzuki shakes and vibrates, there's something wrong with it, i.e. it's running like crap. Even built, it should be smooth.
Let me clarify (I was a bit buzzed when I wrote that);

The handlebars and footpegs vibrate a lot compared to a GL. It is butter smooth in terms of the engine operation, but the whole bike is very buzzy, plus there are no vibration dampeners in the handlebar ends.
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#33

Post by BlueThunder »

In a word, when buying a HD you are not buying it for the bike. You are buying it for the "sizzle". That is, you are not buying the steak, but for the sizzle. So ask yourself ... do you want to eat or listen. Just my two cents.
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desertrefugee
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#34

Post by desertrefugee »

BlueThunder wrote:In a word, when buying a HD you are not buying it for the bike. You are buying it for the "sizzle". That is, you are not buying the steak, but for the sizzle. So ask yourself ... do you want to eat or listen. Just my two cents.
:lol:

I love to eat. I love to listen, too, but selectively. A friend once told me that the ubiquitous tendency of Harley riders to continually blip their throttles is the human equivalent of a gorilla beating its chest. I never forgot that. I actually think he's right. Wonder what Desmond Morris would have to say about that?
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#35

Post by OCR »

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bwaaaahahahahah!
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x01660
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#36

Post by x01660 »

desertrefugee wrote:
BlueThunder wrote:In a word, when buying a HD you are not buying it for the bike. You are buying it for the "sizzle". That is, you are not buying the steak, but for the sizzle. So ask yourself ... do you want to eat or listen. Just my two cents.
:lol:

I love to eat. I love to listen, too, but selectively. A friend once told me that the ubiquitous tendency of Harley riders to continually blip their throttles is the human equivalent of a gorilla beating its chest. I never forgot that. I actually think he's right. Wonder what Desmond Morris would have to say about that?
I always thought they did that because the thing has a really lopy idle and if they don't blip the throttle, the bike will stall when they go to take off....

lolol
-x01660

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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#37

Post by Oldboy »

This just keeps getting better.....To each his own.
Cheers...

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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#38

Post by rcmatt007 »

I just love seeing all the myths.... look at the MRSP of a GL1800 and the MRSP of e.g. a Road King. And we blip the throttle "because we can"
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#39

Post by Gashog »

I have owned, Honda, Ducati, BSA, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Harley. Wouldn't dare try to explain any of them. You either like 'em or you don't. Never thought about image on any of them. I just like things with motors on them. All kinds of motors. I like old stuff with motors most. Right now I own a 1978 Shovelhed that I have ridden for over 25 years, so durability is not a factor. Maintenance is. Don't tell me you have to work on a Harley more than an old Goldwing. I have one of those too. !984 Intestate. Do Harleys vibrate? Sure they do, but not all the same. The vibration in a Harley has a lot to do with the guy that put the flywheel assembly together. Mine doesn't vibrate much because it was rebuilt 30 years ago by a master. The only thing I have had to do to the engine is replace a camshaft. My fault for adjusting the solid lifters too tight. I learned my lesson. Went to hydraulics. The riding experience between a Goldwing and a Harley is very different. I like them both. Just depends on my mood. Sometimes I want to be close to the "Beast". Sometimes it's the "Caddy". You will just have to try it yourself.
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#40

Post by rcmatt007 »

well said :crosso
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#41

Post by tlbranth »

It's the feeling of belonging. The joy of having "Harley Davidson" embroidered on your leather jacket, leather chaps, leather underoos, nazi helmet, boots, socks, scarf thingy on your head, leather vest, gloves and other stuff so you don't forget what that noisy thing you ride is called.
Terry
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#42

Post by CYBORG »

tlbranth wrote:It's the feeling of belonging. The joy of having "Harley Davidson" embroidered on your leather jacket, leather chaps, leather underoos, nazi helmet, boots, socks, scarf thingy on your head, leather vest, gloves and other stuff so you don't forget what that noisy thing you ride is called.
NOW NOW,watch your blood pressure :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#43

Post by rcmatt007 »

:twisted: Not my blood pressure. Just watching jealous play out
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#44

Post by gregforesi »

"There ain't no Swiss army knife in motorcycles." - Me
"We sell a lifestyle." - a Harley salesman

A buddy had a '05 Screaming Eagle Ultra in yellow. It was one of the prettiest motorcycles I've ever seen. In 85k miles, it suffered 1 broken throttle cable, and 1 cracked muffler clamp. Pretty darn good service.

But even at 103inches, and with cams, and a dyno tune...either wing would beat that bike in a straight line. As for handling, the 1800 had it all over the Harley.

BUT, if Bubba's bike was next to either of my wings, nobody ever looked at the wings.
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Re: Someone explain the Harley Davidson experience

#45

Post by robin1731 »

I actually tried to buy a Harley a couple seeks ago. Couldn't come to an agreed price. Not a new by any means. I didn't have to have it but would have taken it home for "my" price. It is still sitting where I looked at it. ;)

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