Harley Davidson

[Mr. Dazzle]

Love the logo/tank.

It does look a little bit like it should be written on a blank VHS cassette packet, but I find that endearing.

[Taipan]

Hows you getting on with it now?

[Docca]

So it’s really easy to hate this bike:

- if you’re carrying anything on your back, the geometry of forward controls means that all the weight is pushed through your coccyx. I can see why people fit saddle bags

- even without carrying heavy rucksacks, the ride gets uncomfortable about about an hour. I rode 4 hours in a day a few days back and was pleased to be getting off the bike. This is not a bike for going down to the south of France on

- you’ll have plenty of opportunity to stretch though as you’ll be filling up every hour. You might get 70 miles to the tank. Brimming from empty is about £8

-it’s not quick. It’s good on the acceleration but anything like an A road and you’ll be around 60-70mph before getting too uncomfortable / burning through fuel.



That said- once you get used to the change of pace, riding style etc - it’s extremely difficult not to love it.

In the past I’ve had no issue getting a new bike, hating it and it going up for sale within 3 days. I have to ‘click’ - and I have with this.

Ear to ear smiles- and on many occasions, genuine laughs as you throately pull around bends/ride country roads/ go through towns.
There is something about the complete package: look, sound and ride that has just got me.

The mini grenades has an app and you can adjust all sorts of stuff, including the fuelling and how many bangs/loud they are

I’m under absolutely no illusion that I look badass and dangerous or whatever cliche- but I do know I look as though I’m having fun. It’s a toy, it’s fucking fantastic fun and I’ve already ridden it more times in the last few weeks that I’ve ridden bikes in the last couple of years. I’ve stuck 1k miles on it since purchase.

[Taipan]

What shocks has it got on? Getting the right ones can make a massive difference. I put air shocks on mine, but can't remember what they were off of. I imported them from America for about the 3rd of a price of progressives, which is a make that are a firm favourite with the sportster lot. The peanut tank is a bit of a nightmare in reality as its very impractical. A guy I knew put one off of a Iron model onto his 48 to make it more usable. I think its a very easy thing to change if you wanted to.

[Druid]

It’s a toy, it’s fucking fantastic fun and I’ve already ridden it more times in the last few weeks that I’ve ridden bikes in the last couple of years. I’ve stuck 1k miles on it since purchase.

That's what matters. I'm glad you're enjoying it

[Screwdriver]

Let’s not forget just riding a motorcycle in the first place is automatically cool.

Riding an iconic motorcycle (brand) is also pretty damned cool even if those of us in the know enjoy ripping the piss.

[Docca]

Forgot to add- the tank cover has the paint job and protects the (also nice looking) tank underneath. I quite like that.


Also- went out again tonight. For years I’ve had that fragile male ego thing of needing a sports bike or a litre this and that. Fuck it- who cares. I wish I’d got a Harley sooner, it’s absolutely superb.

Also, also- on previous bikes I’d have that ‘I’ll have him’ attitude; race other cars/bikes, try and be the quickest etc. not now. It’s chill and smiles

[KungFooBob]

I had a similar epiphany when I bought my 500 Bullet.

Sometimes you just need to slow down and chug along on a slow, loud bike that you don't need to prove anything on and that makes you grin.

[Bustaspoke]

I had a similar epiphany when I bought my 500 Bullet.

Sometimes you just need to slow down and chug along on a slow, loud bike that you don't need to prove anything on and that makes you grin.

Same here when I bought my SV650,I only bought it as a cheap Winter hack bike.If I had to go down to one bike I'd keep the Zuki

[Screwdriver]

Door sign? (for the inside!)

[KungFooBob]

SV650, that's a proper motorcycle, my Bullet barely qualifies as one with it's 27bhp... yet it's the best bike I've ever owned (and I've got a 16 R1200GS and a 92 GSXR1100 in the garage).

[Bustaspoke]

SV650, that's a proper motorcycle, my Bullet barely qualifies as one with it's 27bhp... yet it's the best bike I've ever owned (and I've got a 16 R1200GS and a 92 GSXR1100 in the garage).

My mate had one of those WWII Paratrooper Flying Flea replica bikes.At the time he also had a 650 Interceptor & a BMW G/S.
He loved that single cylinder Enfield & kept telling me to try it,but he chopped all 3 in for some fancy G/S before I got around to riding it.
He also had a Harley at one point.

[Taipan]

Also- went out again tonight. For years I’ve had that fragile male ego thing of needing a sports bike or a litre this and that. Fuck it- who cares. I wish I’d got a Harley sooner, it’s absolutely superb.

Also, also- on previous bikes I’d have that ‘I’ll have him’ attitude; race other cars/bikes, try and be the quickest etc. not now. It’s chill and smiles

Exactly how I was with mine. I spent a small fortune upgrading stuff on it and loved very minute of doing so. Riding it was joy and it made me very happy just pootling along on it. On other bikes you need to work them to get something our of them or see what they're good at. On the Harley its just about being on it!

[MyLittleStudPony]

It sounds awesome. If I bought a bike right now a Harley would be one of the contenders.

[ajlog]

You've nicely summed up the epiphany I had when getting the Triumph.
It's over 2years since I got it and I still get the same joy on a sunny Sunday morning riding for no other reason than just riding.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I've only just spotted the "AMF" logo.

That's the very same AMF that lots of Brits would be familiar with via Ten Pin Bowling They make/made other stuff too - like Motorcycles!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_ ... nd_Foundry