Just had my 1st ride on a Harley

[mister c]

What a bag of spanners. I have always wondered what the fascination for Harley Davidsons was all about. My mate has just bought a 1200 Night.... something or other & he let me have a go today.
It shook like it was going to fall apart when it was sat at tickover, that was then transmitted through your body, my lips went numb :eek:
On the road you could feel every single pothole & undulation in the road & again that was transmitted through to the rider. At one stage I couldn't see where I was going because of the vibration.
I couldn't see what the big things for Harley was before I had a go on one, now I've ridden one, I still haven't got a clue, what a bag o ****e.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/croozenooze/LGIM0186.jpg?t=1243091809

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/croozenooze/LGIM0187.jpg?t=1243091843

[yorkie_chris]

Condolences mate :-(

[husky03]

buy one of them next thing its the leather chaps with the ass cut out

[xXBADGERXx]

They could have blacked those forks out to complete the look , lazy sods . Well at least you have ridden one and can now comment with Authority on their "Character"

[ArtyLady]

I've heard about the vibey thing before - sounds like a nightmare!:o I've often wondered what the attraction is and whilst sailing past one on the twisties yesterday because he couldn't get round the bends faster than 20 mph, I'm still wondering! :rolleyes: :lol:

[yorkie_chris]

The org is well going downhill.

Talking about jailbait in one thread, and this agricultural piece of yank $hite in here. Dear me I'm going back to oldskoolsuzuki....

[Speedy]

I think mister c wants one really and he's posted that to see if we laugh at him or not!!?!?? :D

I've ridden a few Hardlys and I can't get on with them. Especially with the stupid "forward controls".

Saying that though, my Dad has ridden his all over europe and the UK, it's been as good as gold for him.

The only reason he has one, well two and this is his excuse, is that he needs a hip replacement and they're the only thing he can ride in relative comfort!!!

WILD LOGS!!

[dizzyblonde]

lol your first and your last ride eh?

My first ever ride on a bike of any sort was a Harley Dyno thingy lowrider 1340cc.
The owner has since confessed his attraction to Jap bikes, its only taken him 8 years

I hate harleys:mad:

ps..the ape hangers aren't big enough ;-)

[Lozzo]

<bites lip and says nothing>

[Lozzo]

The org is well going downhill.

Talking about jailbait in one thread,

Which thread? ;)

[dizzyblonde]

Saying that though, my Dad has ridden his all over europe and the UK, it's been as good as gold for him.

The only reason he has one, well two and this is his excuse, is that he needs a hip replacement and they're the only thing he can ride in relative comfort!!!

!!

My other half rode for ten years with a foobarred hip, all sorts of bikes from RD500 to Raptor 1000. He now has a nice new hip which is far more comfortable than it ever has been in the ten years of painful riding.......

...I say in his defence whilst he toils at work, he'd never ride a Hardly, he'd suffer the pain first:shock:

I'm in no means insulting your dad, as I know how he probably suffers like hell, I'd rather he be comfy on a Harley and still be riding, than suffer how my other half did with stubborness;)

[TheRamJam]

looks cheap

is that the entry level Harley?

[Stingo]

I don't think I could ride one for laughing.:smt119:D

[natcar]

1200 cc and a single brake disk up front :o My mountain bike has more braking. Looks really cheap and nasty. I was phoned by a harley dealer offered me bike to try for the weekend. I was a little bit interested why anybody would want to ride one instead of a proper motorbike but said no thanks :sick:

[lee67]

i sold my h-d 883 sportster not long ago....the scene is a good crack'...but the bikes take some getting used to...**** forks/shocks..brakes aint good...and very expensive to run..dealers want £500 for a pair of tyres!!:smt021..as for cornering..i could throw it about real easy on bends and know a few harley lads that can give plenty of powerrangers a runh for there money!..glad i sold it tho lol

[ophic]

Japanese cruisers are cheaper, faster, lighter, smoother, better. But still cruisers :D Still if its sunny next week, I might take Miss Ophic's Shadow to work one day, just for a change.

[Baph]

My review of a Harley Sportster...
#!?& me it was shockingly bad! Not the throttle, just the whole experience. I think I've learned a few things about Harley riders though today. So i suppose that's a plus (not talking ill of something before experiencing it etc).

The whole geometry of the bike felt completely wrong. Anything more than what felt like 10degrees lean & it looked like the engine bars were going to come home far less shiny than they started out. The gears are about 4 miles apart, and the lever is about 10miles ahead of the bike! Get it up to 70mph (officer) and you back off the throttle because you're scared of three things. Either you're going to find a corner & have to lean the thing over, your teeth are going to fall out because of the vibrations, or your hands will drop off for the same reason.

The clutch was heavy (supprisingly so for a smaller model like the Sportster), and the whole thing about the engine trying to trick you by pretending to stall every time you slow down - can someone explain that to me?

Once I got my head around the fact that you ride it in a rediculously high gear permenantly, and use gentle acelleration, the vibrations went and it actually felt a little bit comfortable.

I was going to head out to a road that's very straight, and very long (I was riding a Harley afterall) to test rolling on/off the throttle for him. But about half way out I figured "sod this, this aint a fun ride, I'm heading home."

Once I'd pulled up back where I'd left, the neighbour asked me what I thought. Simple answer. "I think you're f&!£ing insane! You swapped your V-Max for this pile of vibrating $&!£, what were you thinking?!?"

Suffice to say, I won't be buying a Harley on the basis of that ride - not until the men in white coats take my licence away anyhow! I may ride a girls bike, but it's definately better than his Harley!

The owner of the Harley now has a Yamaha instead.

[Speedy]

[quote=dizzyblonde;

I'm in no means insulting your dad, as I know how he probably suffers like hell, I'd rather he be comfy on a Harley and still be riding, than suffer how my other half did with stubborness;)[/quote]

Yeah you're right.

I mean he used to have a CX500 Turbo, after that two CBR1100XX's, suffice to say, age is getting him.....plus the couple of offs he had when he was younger.

He's just happy he can still ride a motorbike, even if its a hardly.

[Beenz]

A buddy from work has a pretty old 4 speed 1200, I had a quick go on it and it was lets just say... it had a character. The brakes were not good (well it is 20 years or so old) and I've never ridden anything that needed so much input to the bars to get it around corners, but it did corner. I can see why some peeps like em although its not for me.

Different people like different things, just respect that.

[Tiger 55]

Some things in life are essential, so life affirming that - if you possibly can - you should reach out and grab them, The experience of owning a Harley is one of those things.

Open up a whole new world, one of endless adventure and limitless fun, just you and the wind and the sky.

I love speaking Harley! Got a brochure when I took this XR1200 for a demo and a bloody good laugh it was, the bike and the brochure. It wasn't for me but it looked great, sounded fantastic and was plenty fast.

Your mate's Night Train was a bag of sh*te doesn't mean all Harleys are. Try an XR and a V-Rod Muscle and a Street Glide and a Fat Boy and then you can comment with Authority on their 'character'. :)

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/tigerboz55/SV650%20Forum/DSC00038.jpg

And remember, they're born from an unconquerable spirit of freedom.

[yorkie_chris]

:smt043

These hardly engines are coming on. I reckon pretty soon they will make a motor to match the jap supersport bikes, from the 80s.

[Baph]

Some things in life are essential, so life affirming that - if you possibly can - you should reach out and grab them, The experience of owning a Harley is one of those things.

Open up a whole new world, one of endless adventure and limitless fun, just you and the wind and the sky.

I love speaking Harley! Got a brochure when I took this XR1200 for a demo and a bloody good laugh it was, the bike and the brochure. It wasn't for me but it looked great, sounded fantastic and was plenty fast.

Your mate's Night Train was a bag of sh*te doesn't mean all Harleys are. Try an XR and a V-Rod Muscle and a Street Glide and a Fat Boy and then you can comment with Authority on their 'character'. :)

And remember, they're born from an unconquerable spirit of freedom.

You were clearly hungry when you too the demo bike out, and must of eaten the sales brochure!!

The OP tried one Harley, I tried a different model. We both found pretty much the same thing. Now I'm not saying they're all like that, but a trend has already been started...

[yorkie_chris]

Now I'm not saying they're all like that,

I am.

[Specialone]

I must admit i have always liked the look and sound of harleys but i know sod all about bikes yet so cant really comment on them.
I have a classic lambretta which vibrates on a smaller scale and that gets annoying after a bit (wife seems to like it though for some reason)so that would put me off owning one in the future.

[lazymanc]

The Buells are the same for vibrations, I've never seen a bike shake so much at idle. I'd imagine women find them rather appealing though :D

[kwak zzr]

ive always fancy'd a go on a night rod but thats just cus i like the look of it.

[dizzyblonde]

The Buells are the same for vibrations, I've never seen a bike shake so much at idle. I'd imagine women find them rather appealing though :D


haha yeah our mate has a Buell, it made me laugh that it almost rode itself down the drive at idle. He loves his, and again it has charactor, hes a bit of a loveable rogue, so the bike fits:p

The guy whose harley I rode all those years ago, also had another two, that were different again. I remember one of them had a Karyakin (sp) hypercharger on it, it was purple, and looked really ghey, but bloody hell if you rode that thing I bet it would frighten you to death!
The last Harley he had was a 100th aniiversary Fatboy, it was a lovely looking thing cost about 14 grand. He was very disappointed with the finish of paint in some areas, and had a massive dispute with Harley over it. Hes not had much luck with them, as he had a Buell at the same time. That was brand spanking new and first the belt snapped, then IIRC he nearly binned it when the rear axle collapsed on the M62 slip road:smt089 well put it this way the rear wheel nearly dropped off.:mad: Hes never owned a Harley since!

[yorkie_chris]

I remember one of them had a Karyakin (sp) hypercharger on it, it was purple, and looked really ghey, but bloody hell if you rode that thing I bet it would frighten you to death!

After having read up on it it appears the "hypercharger" is an overpriced pod filter in a tin.

And yes, I am quite sure riding a bike with non-functional brakes and suspension would be utterly terrifying.

[sinbad]

ive always fancy'd a go on a night rod but thats just cus i like the look of it.

Being 10ft away as Craig Jones roars past on the back wheel of one with what seemed like straight through pipes made me want one of those too.

[dizzyblonde]

After having read up on it it appears the "hypercharger" is an overpriced pod filter in a tin.

And yes, I am quite sure riding a bike with non-functional brakes and suspension would be utterly terrifying.


:smt037 well you know we both sing from the same sheet as far as tractors go, so no arguments there:D

[Lozzo]

You can only own a Harley if you're so far in the closet that you're damn near in Narnia

[yorkie_chris]

It's a f#ckin expensive excuse to buy rseless chaps though...