Today, I rode a Harley...

Well, that's killed my dream of going to america and renting out a H-D to ride about on for a few days

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Well, that's killed my dream of going to america and renting out a H-D to ride about on for a few days

Those American's have some straight roads, you'll be fine. I was on Anglesey - hardly known for long straights.

*Changes sig to "dream killer" *

Don't make the mistake of assuming that all Harleys are like that. I quite fancied a Sportster once, until I had a test ride. Horrible thing, every bit as nasty as you describe. I then test rode a Wide Glide, which was a bit better, but I still wasn't very keen on it. Then I tried a Low Rider, which was far better. The V-Rods are at the other end of the scale completely, they're superb bikes though, like all Harleys, considerably overpriced.

True...but all those vibrations, and stupid levers and controls...I dunno, I think I'd see if I could rent out a V-Max instead.

Or a Buell, mwahahahaha

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

all those vibrations, and stupid levers and controls

Aha! I knew I'd forgotten something. Those damn indicator controls, what's that all about? Forget the indicators you get on most bikes.

On the Sportster, I set off down the road, looked for the indicator stalk "WTF, where is it? I can see a lot of buttons, almost no lights, and nothing looks like it's got anything remotely to do with indicators." Yes, I know, I should of figured out all the controls before setting off ... yadda yadda yadda.

It was only half way up the second road that I saw them, a button on each bar with an arrow. That's fine, but how do you turn the damn things off? Are they on a timer? No. Do you press the opposite one in a stoke of pure genuis? No. You press the same indicator again. Ah, OK.

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Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Well, that's killed my dream of going to america and renting out a H-D to ride about on for a few days

Do it do it! I rode 1600 miles around California with 'er indoors on the back. It was an Electra glide. Yeah ok it was a tractor but when in rome. The only difference in controls was the indicators which were in fact self cancelling on the bike we had. Dunno how they did it. It's not as if they lean far!

Haha, I rode a Harley on that handling course at the bike show last year, they'd taken the Buell that most others rode to get some fuel. I felt conned

[ethariel]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

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+1

from a V-Max to a harley...................................

I really cant type anything more due to the fact it's a PG forum

I'm guessing it was a Sportster custom.

I had two Sportsters years ago. They had nearly flat bars and "normal" footpegs. Still a bit forward compared to most bikes, but I never had any issues with the controls. Mine had self cancelling indys too. The brakes were rubbish but as single disc ( at that time) even with an aftermarket 6 potter on was never gonna haul up a 200kg+ bike very quickly.

Mine could hustle and proved very entertaining at times. Not ridden a modern Sporty though and I suppose the Jap bikes especially have kept on moving the goalposts whilst Harley plough their own furrow, almost literally, and blithly make their bikes 20 kgs heavier whilst every other bike maker shaves of tenths of grams.

Got to be of a certain age to enjoy them perhaps