Harley Davidson

[Mother]

i have been to maggies diner to find out what riding motorcycles is all about               


 

[BuRP]

also to Burps post and i havent even looked at it ...

Go watch it Mother, interesting and unexpected, at least for me!

(Edited: Ah, I think you did  )

My guess is drastic downscaling, and with that becoming more exclusive hence even costlier, is perhaps their way to go.

[Mother]

also to Burps post and i havent even looked at it ...

Go watch it Mother, interesting and unexpected, at least for me!

(Edited: Ah, I think you did  )

My guess is drastic downscaling, and with that becoming more exclusive hence even costlier, is perhaps their way to go.

i did .....hence the chirp about maggies diner and the purpose of riding as said by Peter Fonda at the end

[madmax]

i have not read the whole thread ...i will just state those who know know … those who think they know think they know
i currently have 4 bikes … my drz suz.. my  1200gs adv and 2 x hd's ..one a 2014 ultra ltd with fongkong after market shocks n a lower screen so mrs don't buffet
i have a 98 softail custom that i bought new in 98 , still have, still ride,,chopped it into a bar hopper.
call me what u want ..i ride every day to commute, every weekend ..as many rallys as i can afford and on annual vacation we ride now theres no children to cart with. offroad is less n less due to obesity and arthritis but grayvel road i do . so if u or anyone else wanna call me a poser or whatever plse read my first sentence again

hd is a heart thing like Italian bikes (i rode ducati's in my youth) and heart thing well sint that what biking is all about

[Wayne]

Madmax that 98 custom is super cool.

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[madmax]

Madmax that 98 custom is super cool.

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originally looked like

[Wayne]

The after version is way better

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[Mother]

i have not read the whole thread ...i will just state those who know know … those who think they know think they know
i currently have 4 bikes … my drz suz.. my  1200gs adv and 2 x hd's ..one a 2014 ultra ltd with fongkong after market shocks n a lower screen so mrs don't buffet
i have a 98 softail custom that i bought new in 98 , still have, still ride,,chopped it into a bar hopper.
call me what u want ..i ride every day to commute, every weekend ..as many rallys as i can afford and on annual vacation we ride now theres no children to cart with. offroad is less n less due to obesity and arthritis but grayvel road i do . so if u or anyone else wanna call me a poser or whatever plse read my first sentence again

hd is a heart thing like Italian bikes (i rode ducati's in my youth) and heart thing well sint that what biking is all about

 

i think there are quiet a few of us on this forum that own a harley or two

being an adventure forum this can and will always be a contentious issue

 

[bud500]

I am enjoying this thread. Have always been attracted to these bikes, never owned one but rented a few and test rode way too many.
Would prefer to have at least as many pics as talking in the thread though....

I have always maintained, you can have an adventure on any bike and it doesn't always have to include gravel riding. 

[Mother]

im willing to share my experiences with a picture or two        as i said before im not an expert on harleys ....... .....ive just owned a few over the years ......and i love harleys inspite of their short comings.........just on that many other makes have short comings too.....but we wont get into that......with lockdown theres lots of time to write or post

further more i love talking motorcycles or trips or anything bike related   

A very popular harley is the Streetglide Model i have owned one ........love the muscular bulldog appearance look with the low stance to the rear.....these models sell very well

its the model with the bat wing fairing and a sound system and no tour pack which is the "top box" on the rear......some folks fit removable ones so they can keep the look when doing town riding or not on tour

i dont know if its the rake or the bigger front tyre but this bike handles beautifully in the corners........i would almost like to say this was my best handling harley i owned

every year  they make a few changes here and there mostly good upgrades but the bikes keep the same or similar look

the colours seem to change and recently the blacked chrome look was in then the matt paint

i always advise my friends when wanting to buy a harley.........shop around buy second hand as you get low milage bikes where the original owner has taken a hit............you can get a few models ago for half the price of new model ones and the bike has probably done less than 10000 km

here is a beautiful street glide......not my picture (borrowed)

[Mother]

this is my dads street glide with the tourpack on

one can get so many optional extras on these bikes every year they brought out catalogues a few inches thick


only your budget held you back


this was a 2007  88 cube motor which we converted to a trike later on

[Mother]

over the years some of you will know i used to ride a lot with my olman but last year at 84 he retired from biking


i used to own this black street glide.......was very nice harley.......lovely power and sound

it was a 96 cubic inch motor


they have come a way as my current CVO is a 117 cubic inch motor now

[Mother]

@Knucklhead

Hi man sorry i got carried away on your thread sorry for the hijack


its a harley thing when i saw the topic i just shared away.......

[m0lt3n]

Mother is it you that do the regular iron butt rides?

[2StrokeDan]

i have not read the whole thread ...i will just state those who know know … those who think they know think they know
i currently have 4 bikes … my drz suz.. my  1200gs adv and 2 x hd's ..one a 2014 ultra ltd with fongkong after market shocks n a lower screen so mrs don't buffet
i have a 98 softail custom that i bought new in 98 , still have, still ride,,chopped it into a bar hopper.
call me what u want ..i ride every day to commute, every weekend ..as many rallys as i can afford and on annual vacation we ride now theres no children to cart with. offroad is less n less due to obesity and arthritis but grayvel road i do . so if u or anyone else wanna call me a poser or whatever plse read my first sentence again

hd is a heart thing like Italian bikes (i rode ducati's in my youth) and heart thing well sint that what biking is all about

 

i think there are quiet a few of us on this forum that own a harley or two

being an adventure forum this can and will always be a contentious issue

 

Why? Lots of guys on here owns a roadbike, and anyway, for me bikes are all interesting. If there were only GS1250 available and no other bikes, I'd be on a GS. Or an R1, or SR250.

I also like teasing, but Harleys is the stuff of legend, the bikes we first were told stories of by Dads or uncles. And despite brilliant Japanese cruisers, Harley will always be the original.

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Cool Bananas! Great info. Who knows, just maybe some day ...

[madmax]

riding hd is a mindset … going nowhere slowly describes it best … me vrou jump on the ultra ..ride 120 to wherever(longer trip) and arrive mostly same time as superbike ous for the overnight etc..reason less petrol time, less rest time cos more relaxed and comfortable …. stops become lot shorter cos u don't need so much rest

[madmax]

Having owned 5 Harley’s...currently own two, I can tell you now, for a person with motorcycle experience, the sportster will get boring very quickly. It is Harley’s entry level series, and designed as exactly that.  I don’t know what your motorcycle  experience is, but anyone coming from a modern dual sport/ road bike back ground would be better off looking for a dyna or later model softail, early softail’ were terrible rides. I have owned a 2010 dyna since almost new, it was my first Harley, coming from ktm 990 and later bmw GS, can honestly say it will never be sold, fantastic bike to ride. If you are set on the sporty, R 40 k for that bike is reasonable.

Tell me about a 2005 Night Train?   There's one for sale and god it's a good looking bike.   I've heard the Softails dont handle as well as the Dynas though?

Night train is a great looking bike. Handling wise, I don’t like any softail pre 2013. The handling will not be great, but that of course is personal opinion although quit well known. There are guys that ride way older softail, that rave about them. The whole ‘braking’ argument is a load of rubbish, you have to compare apples with apples, you cannot compare a dual sport/ super bike braking characteristics to a Harley, so I’m not going to comment on that. My dyna is a great bike to ride, braking needs to be planned, but if need be and you have the  know how, can be stopped ASAP. My roadglides  braking is better than my ktm990’s, with a pillion and 35kgs of luggage, bearing in mind it almost weighs double. At the end of the day, the argument of Harley’s being bad rides is antiquated, take some of the new 2019/2020 bikes for a spin, and your eyes will be opened, just give them a chance, they are completely different to any dual sport bike.
If you are interested in buying a Harley, I suggest you pick the model you looking at, and watch ‘Matt laidlaws’ review on the model on YouTube, he gives a very accurate view of the entire bike, from aesthetics to handling, and he has huge experience with the brand.

riding my 98 softail ..especially when i was young and stupid with drag bars on bike ..i just drop knee into bend , obviously counter steer and have surprised many a squid in etv etc … hd can handle a bit u just need become one wif bike glasshopper (",) ..so above quote 100% keerect … i know im sounding my own trumpet here but many people have commented to me until i started believing it

[madmax]

Having owned 5 Harley’s...currently own two, I can tell you now, for a person with motorcycle experience, the sportster will get boring very quickly. It is Harley’s entry level series, and designed as exactly that.  I don’t know what your motorcycle  experience is, but anyone coming from a modern dual sport/ road bike back ground would be better off looking for a dyna or later model softail, early softail’ were terrible rides. I have owned a 2010 dyna since almost new, it was my first Harley, coming from ktm 990 and later bmw GS, can honestly say it will never be sold, fantastic bike to ride. If you are set on the sporty, R 40 k for that bike is reasonable.

Tell me about a 2005 Night Train?   There's one for sale and god it's a good looking bike.   I've heard the Softails dont handle as well as the Dynas though?

Night train is a great looking bike. Handling wise, I don’t like any softail pre 2013. The handling will not be great, but that of course is personal opinion although quit well known. There are guys that ride way older softail, that rave about them. The whole ‘braking’ argument is a load of rubbish, you have to compare apples with apples, you cannot compare a dual sport/ super bike braking characteristics to a Harley, so I’m not going to comment on that. My dyna is a great bike to ride, braking needs to be planned, but if need be and you have the  know how, can be stopped ASAP. My roadglides  braking is better than my ktm990’s, with a pillion and 35kgs of luggage, bearing in mind it almost weighs double. At the end of the day, the argument of Harley’s being bad rides is antiquated, take some of the new 2019/2020 bikes for a spin, and your eyes will be opened, just give them a chance, they are completely different to any dual sport bike.
If you are interested in buying a Harley, I suggest you pick the model you looking at, and watch ‘Matt laidlaws’ review on the model on YouTube, he gives a very accurate view of the entire bike, from aesthetics to handling, and he has huge experience with the brand.

guido quite correct re stopping and in late 90's early 2000's i was full of plans to put Brembo from older guzzis and even planned 2nd disk ..older pm catalogs had many calipers advertisded like 6 piston etc …. in the end my braking still stock and like he says once u know and plan etc ..works …...saying that in town i have had 1 or 2 stomach in mouth moments

[Mother]

Mother is it you that do the regular iron butt rides?

no i dont particularly go for iron butt rides.........but i like to ride......and after riding across America in Miles you realize how small our country is ......

ridden Pretoria to Cape Town many times and vice versa.......used to love riding around the country with a few mates.......Pretoria Durban Cape Town or vice versa mostly the back roads where possible......obviously tar roads
my favourite bike to tour is the Harley Ultra it has all the comfort to cruise all day long

I have to say the highlights of biking in my life are the 4 Harley trips I did with my wife across the States

one of the Harley trips that stands out for me was the one I did with my wife a few years back....up through Namibia to Windhoek then Rundu then the Caprivi Strip to Katima then into Zambia and down to Livingston to see the Vic Falls then back into Botswana over the pontoon down to Francistown then Selebi Pikwe out at Martins Drift then back home to Cape Town via Pretoria Coleburg etc

that was an awesome ride

some pics

the shitty tar road from Katima to Livingston on Zambia side

finally arriving in Livingston

Harley in Africa tends to draw a crowd

on our way home over the Zambezi pontoon to Botswana