Harley Davidson

[KRH1326]

Besides boats, are there any Harley guys here?

My 1st was/is a 1974 sporty. Used it to cruise bar to bar teens thru late twenties. Crazy old bike. 1st of the 1000 cc's last of the old shift on the right side. Still have it, but am in the process of chopping it out.

My 2nd was a 1942 WLA (45 cid flathead.) from WWII. I found it in an auction in Russia. It went with lend lease during the war. Served after for years as a russian mail carrier, farm tool and who knows what eversince. Took me 6 years to restore it. It was easier to restore to civilian model. That had foot clutch, stick shift on gas tank and timing advance as a left hand throttle type setup. What a crazy ride that was, I always felt like a drummer riding it, feet and hands all going at once. Was not cool to ride after some bar hopping. A collector offered me way too much money, to not sell it. I do miss that bike.

Current 1987 FXSTC (Softail). Was called Softail Custom, that was the model that went on to become the Heritage.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: Harley Davidson

Still a harley guy at heart! Started out on a Honda 50 many years ago, jumped up to a Kaw 90 then a 1983 883 sportster..realized that falling off a ride on water beats hard ground/cement anyday...haven't looked back{too much lol}...besides back then drinking ruled my ways and we know how that mix ends up.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Harley Davidson

I started with a Honda 50, then a Suzuki RM125 in grade 8 and part of highschool. Was fun tearing up the fields. Found a '76 Honda CB750 for $250, restored it and sold it for $850 and bought a '79 Suzuki GS1000 that transformed more times then I can count and is not changing again (it's a very unique chopper that turns a ton of heads). Last year I picked up a totaled '89 FLHTC from Minnesota for $4000, brought it across the border and spent $200 fixing it. Rode it over 2500miles in 5 days on a trip 2 months later where I spent another $600 on the stator. It has become my daily rider without the tour pack. The hard bags and windshield are just too nice. The chopper will show its face once in a while though

 

[Genonbamagirl]

Re: Harley Davidson

Not really. We have a couple of Ducatis, an r6 and a 95 cb1000 Honda. I would really like to own a Harley but they just refuse to advance into the late last century in technology.

 

[dave11]

Re: Harley Davidson

My first Harley was a 1956 KHK. What a great bike. I wish I still had it.
Then a 1969 custom FLH dresser.
The last one was a 1989 FXRS Low Rider. Another great bike.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Harley Davidson

96 Heritage Classic

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Harley Davidson

I've got a couple.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Harley Davidson

I just never got into Harleys. If I did get one these days, it would be a Sportster. I know that they are considered a "chick bike" these days, but I don't care - I'm not interested in riding a bike that weighs as much as my van!

Truth be told, what I would really like is a restored Honda CB750, just like theone I had back in the day.



???

 

[Stachi]

Re: Harley Davidson

I just never got into Harleys. I did get one these days, it would be a Sportster. I know that they are considered a "chick bike" these days, but I don't care - I'm not interested in riding a bike that weighs as much as my van!

Truth be told, what I would really like is a restored Honda CB750, just like theone I had back in the day.



???

I had two Honda CB 750s...'73 and a '75....great old bikes....HEAVY !

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Harley Davidson

Mr. LadyFish had a '75 Superglide when I met him. He taught me how to drive it. I loved that bike.

 

[gbb]

Re: Harley Davidson

2001 ultra classic

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Harley Davidson

I never saw anything in Harleys. Their incredible unreliability, sluggish performance, outdated technology and horrible gas mileage always made me turn a blind eye. How their engines make that unique Harley sound though is cool. Anyone know how it's done? (and don't google it! LOL)

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Harley Davidson

WITF, honestly. I had a Honda and due to the fact that I am 5'9" tall the wind buffed me in a way where it was hard to control the bike at times because I sat so high. The bigger Harleys fit around you and you sit "into" the bike, a much more comfortable ride for me.

I always preferred to ride the Harley and Mr. LF let me while he drove my Honda.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Harley Davidson

double pop on the plugs
and the cylinders don't fire opposite each each other

edit: meaning spark on the exhaust and compression stroke

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Harley Davidson

I never saw anything in Harleys. Their incredible unreliability, sluggish performance, outdated technology and horrible gas mileage always made me turn a blind eye. How their engines make that unique Harley sound though is cool. Anyone know how it's done? (and don't google it! LOL)

Maybe you should look at one that was made in at least the past 25 years, then. My 2000 has been nothing but reliable. 77k trouble free miles so far. It runs pretty darn good and is especially suited for heavy touring. I wouldn't call fuel injection outdated technology. It gets in the low 40's as far as gas mileage goes.

Yeah, there were some troubles back in the AMF days, but even not all of them are bad. My '77 has 53k miles on it. I can ride it anywhere, anytime and never have to worry about being stranded.

Here's some of that sound:

http://s34.photobucket.com/albums/d141/xxxflhrci/?action=view&current=MVI_3517.flv

 

[Bronc Rider]

Re: Harley Davidson

My first was a 1976 shovelhead. It was one of the AMF bikes. The joke with them was that you would most likely be pushing it than riding it.
I thought the sound was due to off set wrist pins?

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Harley Davidson

Honda CB750s were heavy compared to smaller Japanese bikes of the time, but I wouldn't call them heavy compared to most of the Harley lineup. To me, they were just right - heavy enough to be stable on the highway, but not so heavy that they were a pain to deal with. I toured mine all over the US and moved from the east coast to the west coast on it, in the early 70s.

Another issue with Harleys, is vibration. People tell me that they have balancing that they didn't have in the past, but I still see them all the time at traffic lights, with the mirrors shaking like crazy. That is not a feature that I want in a touring bike.

As for reliability, I think we would all agree that the AMF days were pretty much a joke in terms of quality. From the comments that I hear, however, those days are long gone and reliability is much better.

I'm almost glad that I don't ride any more, because I'm not a Harley fan and there isn't much offered by anyone else, that resembles the type of bike that I would want. I don't care for the V-Twin arrangement on any brand and I'm not interested in "crotch rockets" either. Actually, the closest thing I've seen lately that I might be inclined to buy, are the new Triumph road bikes.



???

 

[skargo]

Re: Harley Davidson

I've had a few, but none that are roadworthy right now. I have a '47 Knuck that is in a thousand pieces and is going to be my retirement project.

 

[marlboro180]

Re: Harley Davidson

I had one a long time ago that I had to sell in order to eat and keep a roof over our heads. Ahh, those were the days. 1985 XR 1000. Rare bird , a buddy kept track of it for me so I could buy it back when I had the dough. When I did, the bike was gone.... Then at the 95th party, a guy showed up at a friends house party on his perfect XR1000. I checked out the VIN and it was not the one.
Mrs M says she would support my search for it. But seeing as we have now sold her M900 Monster,( the last in the stable) I am thinking our biking days are done.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Harley Davidson

Harleys sound great and do feel good to ride, but I prefer the rush of acceleration that very few harleys can come close to out of the box.