Quote:
Originally Posted by jimjamuser
OK. I respect that opinion. I rode often for over 5 years. I NEVER dropped my bikes. I did have to roll upside down once to void death when I was in Nebraska in a thick fog and some dork in a car tried to pass on a 2 lane road and ended up in my lane at about zero visibility. My life stopped for a long minute as I looked UP at my feet on the pegs as I rolled over on my back. This was one of the 3 near-death occurrences in my life, very exciting.
.......Truth be told, I could never afford a Harley as I always could purchase motorcycles that I considered better built and engineered that met MY NEEDS for MUCH less money. To me, truly, a Harley is just a big vibrator that I never needed. I never needed a cycle that went faster than 60 MPH because I never wanted a windshield and even at 60 MPH the wind force was like a hurricane that would slap around your clothes.
........The fastest cycle that I ever owned was a 2-stroke Yamaha 300 (or 400, I forget)that could go 80, but I never went above 60. It was a new one-year-older model Yamaha that was in a crate when I picked it up (save big bucks). I also owned several 4 strokes that same-same I kept under 65. Every cycle that I owned got at least 60 miles per gallon. The most that I ever paid for a cycle was about $5,000 in today's dollars. So, my concept of a motorcycle was to get from A to B in the least expensive way. I was NOT about to pay $30,000 for a heavy, vibrating Harley because I could only justify taking a chance with my life IF I got GREAT CASH VALUE for going from point A to B.
.......Different strokes for different folks (that was the old saying). And now you know the rest of the story!
........OH yes, there is another old saying. Honda and Yamaha owners RIDE their bikes from up north to bike week in Daytona......BUT Harley owners put theirs on a trailer and pull it down to Daytona because they are AFRAID that it will BREAK DOWN !!!!!!
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The prevailing "wisdom" was always "if you want image, get a Harley. If you want dependability, get a metric bike". That was probably more true before Y2K than now, new bikes seem to have more quality across-the-board but then the issue of cost rears it's ugly head. All things considered you'll pay more for an HD than for just about any other equivalent bike. Often a lot more. Image is expensive.
I've gone both ways. To be honest riding a Harley is much more tiring than, say, a Suzuki C90T which is built from the ground up as a touring bike and fits the bill very well. The shaft drive and the way the motor is tuned makes it virtually vibration-free, and the soft suspension maybe gives you a bit less responsiveness but you'll be thanking it after, say, eight hours in the saddle.
I really have no dog in this particular fight either way. People ride what pleases them. As it should be.