Attention Motorcycle Enthusiasts

[res308]

13 minutes ago, Ugly said:

bikes are like footwear, that's why you need several!

Indian is working on a 1200 flat track style bike for the general populas, should be out next year. 

https://newatlas.com/indian-scout-ftr1200-custom-flat-tracker/52111/

Many of us are getting more off-road as the masses become worse drivers. I think Indian will hit it out of the park with this new model and I hope Harley gets there act together and comes up with something similar. 

 

I don't know if Harley itself will get their act together, but I did see where Smokey Mountain Harley has been building their version of the Sportster Scrambler. Looks promising.

[Ugly]

I checked out the scramblers they made. They were ok but I think a little more dual sport than scrambler would be better. 

They resembled triumphs version of scramblers but seemed a little bigger. 

All a sporty needs is a few more inches of travel, bigger fuel tank and an exhaust that has good clearance and is tucked in. Inmo

lighter weight wouldn't hurt either but a 1200 is big enough to travel the country comfortably. 

[Murgatroy]

5 hours ago, Ugly said:

bikes are like footwear, that's why you need several!

Indian is working on a 1200 flat track style bike for the general populas, should be out next year. 

https://newatlas.com/indian-scout-ftr1200-custom-flat-tracker/52111/

Many of us are getting more off-road as the masses become worse drivers. I think Indian will hit it out of the park with this new model and I hope Harley gets there act together and comes up with something similar. 

 

 

4 hours ago, res308 said:

I don't know if Harley itself will get their act together, but I did see where Smokey Mountain Harley has been building their version of the Sportster Scrambler. Looks promising.

Harley is trying to compete using the Street Series. A lot of the dyed in the wool Harley devout are really bent out of shape at the idea of an entry level water cooled bike. The new Street Rod makes comparable power at 750cc to the 1200cc Sporty. I think it is great that Harley is trying something new, but they aren't moving. At the price point they sit at you can go get a Yamaha Bolt or a Sportster, both of which are better looking. Harley realizes that the generation coming up is just not that into baggers and touring. Blacked out stripped down models are more appealing. They just haven't learned how to properly market them and get them moving. They are trying though.

[res308]

The dyed-in-the-wool Harley devout are the people I mentioned in my first post. It's like a religion to them, or a cult. Harley has dared to make something different, such as the Vrod and the Street Rods, and Harley has had the audacity to try to reach a market segment other than this same group of people, all without clearing it with them first. To me, the fact that they have gotten all bent out of shape over this just displays the elitist mentality that I've always seen in them. Yes, I do know a lot of them. "I'm better than you, therefore I ride this, and you can't have one, but if you wish to be counted among the worthy, you must ride one of these." Or something along those lines. A lot of them seem to think Harley should only make whatever model these people ride and cater only to their group. But it's impossible for a company to stay in business that way. Honestly it's what has always turned me off to Harley. I never wanted to be a part of that since I'm more of an independent old coot and I believe that no one is better than anyone else. It's why I've always loved seeing a big group of riders on a widely varied mix of brands. I'm glad Harley is trying to reach different segments of the market. I just hope their "loyal fans" don't sink them in the process. 

[peejman]

The Vrod is the coolest modern bike HD made. That it was discontinued was telling of the state of HD. 

Fun memory.... been riding the dragon all day and it's getting dark so one last pass on my way home. I'm tired so not pushing the pace, just rolling comfortably.  

This tremendous noise comes up behind me, it's loud over my bike and earplugs.  Then blinding headlights begin to appear in my mirrors. I thought was the Cobra club that I'd seen earlier.

I turn up the wick a little but it's still right behind me. I decide to put my ego in my pocket and let whoever/whatever that is go past. 

A guy wearing full leathers goes thundering past on a Vrod and lays a shower of sparks into the next corner.     No way. I'm on it and it's all I can do to keep up with this guy.  Again, self-preservation kicks in and I back off. 

As i approach the overlook, I see the guy getting off the bike and decide to stop and chat.  Turns out he's been a club racer for years, as evidenced by the well worn,  '80's gear he's wearing.  The rear tire is a shredded race slick with balls of gooey rubber hanging off both sides.  The pegs are heat discolored and beveled back so they're maybe 1-1/2" long. The exhaust has a slot about 1/3rd of the circumference ground into it. 

His comment... "ya know, these things go pretty good once you make a little clearance.  "

[Ugly]

The streets are decent bikes. The biggest problem for Harley right now is the same for all manufacturers. Sales have been declining for a decade. Perhaps a good economy will turn things around but it's been tough. Die hard harley riders are dying off and not being replaced at the same rate. Their new bikes are nice but if customers aren't there, ther aren't there. 

The VROD is bad ass. I rented one when they first came out when I was doing some TAD time in the California desert. Absolutely incredible bike. I'm not a speed demon at all but figured I'd see what it had since it was just me and the desert. 

The bike climbed to 140 without a flat spot or hiccup, it had more go but my rental helmet started to try to yank my head off my spine like a parachute. 

Before 07 they had itty bitty fuel tanks too, not good with power like that. 

Its too bad the MoCo discontinued it for sure. It was on my short list but long term ownership will prove problematic for parts in the years to come. 

The market is suffering across the board with all brands. Used bikes are a dime a dozen. I'm finding big twins cheaper than sportster in some areas. 

I might have to fatten my heard!

[Murgatroy]

When I bought my Sportster the dealership tried really hard to indoctrinate me into the cult of personality. Gave me a free HOG membership, invited me to a member's only bike night. I went. I am knocking on forty. I was the youngest person there by twenty years. I was the only Sporty. There was maybe one Dyna and one Softtail. It was all baggers and trikes. Everyone was guzzling cheap beer in their leather vests and chaps. I drank a bottle of water and left.

I only go to the dealership when I want to check out new models or I need a part I can't get online cheaper.

Bluegrass H-D is a great place. I have made friends with a couple of the sales cats. They are all bearded and tattooed rough around the edges guys like me. But man, I just do not fit in with the majority of the clientele.

In the years I have had my bike, I haven't found a group to ride with. I haven't looked that hard though. For me it is more of a meditation thing. I put my headphones in, put my helmet on and gear up. Turn up some metal and disappear into the backroads for a few hours. Come back when I need gas.

 

I won't lie. I wanted a Sportster. It was a Harley. IMO if you are riding a cruiser, you wish it was a Harley. Regardless of the fact that Japanese bikes are more reliable and more economic, all modern cruisers are based on the Harley design. Sportbikes, naked bikes and Goldwings, yeah, you ride what you wanted. But if you are on a cruiser, you wish it was a Harley. At least it was that way for me. I had a Shadow and it was impossible to find parts to customize it. NOTHING was available. The Harley sound is iconic, the look is iconic. That is why I bought a Sporty. It was a Harley and I have a 2000 page book absolutely full of aftermarket parts to help me make it whatever I wanted, without making it look just like someone else's bike.

I get grief from the old guard. "Why didn't you buy a Dyna?" "Oh, you will love it when you upgrade to a Street Glide!" "You could have got a really nice used Softtail for what you paid for your Sportster." "Sportsters are a girl's bike."

Don't bother me. I like what I ride, it fits me and my purposes, goes like hell and looks really sweet.

I was considering a Yamaha Bolt and an Indian Scout when I made the purchase, but even my wife knew, "You won't be happy unless you buy the Harley."

I guess years of marketing did work.

[res308]

Yeah I never got the "Sportster is a girl's bike" propaganda. I've even had people try to tell me the same thing about the Dyna series. It's usually the people who either don't ride at all, or who ride the biggest road sofa they can find. They're full of it. There is but one commandment, and 'tis thus: Thou shalt ride what thou liketh.  

Edited June 29, 2018 by res308

[Murgatroy]

Since everyone seemed to enjoy my bike, I took a few pictures of it today on my ride.

 

[Ugly]

Few of us don't fall in to the lifestyle of leather and tatoos. I have bought a few shirts from my travels but quit when they quit carrying parts for my shovelhead. They have all the shirts you can stomach but no parts.

I was surrounded by those that lived the lifestyle growing up, it's a different breed of folks now. The majority at least. 

I ride to ride, in fact my bikes are ugly and I frequently use a tank bag on my Harley's, you don't see that often! 

The dealer and aftermarket network is is like no other. As are the bikes.  

I ordered a gel pad from JC Whitney years ago for my low profile seat on the low rider. Peeled back the cover and dug out the foam put it there and recovered. It added many hours of comfort, it's like sitting on a breast implant!

Of course I have 3 other seats for that bike as well as a couple extra for the other bikes. 

Harleys are so easy to modify and cheaper to do than other brands. 

The best part is that some companies out there engineer many components that modify and update some of HD's flawed designs. 

I put a Rivera engineering clutch and primary belt drive on the shovel and it even out performs my stock twin cam. It added 50 years of technogy to the crappy shovel design. 

Back to bike shopping!

[res308]

3 hours ago, Ugly said:

it's like sitting on a breast implant!

 

I guess the only thing better is laying on one!

[res308]

4 hours ago, Murgatroy said:

Since everyone seemed to enjoy my bike, I took a few pictures of it today on my ride.

 

Very nice man! Wish I was doing that today.