Harley Davidson

[lazybike]

After 45yrs of motorcycling, mainly Japanese, Austrian, Italian and German bikes, I have a weird impulse to get a Harley! Namely the Street Bob, anyone been in the same position? All opinions welcome , I won't be growing a beard or getting tattoos etc..

[spoodler]

After fifteen years of old Brits, big "U.J.M.s" and a selection of streetfighters and the like, I bought my first Harley. Since then, thirty or so years, I've not been without one or two...
Mine have been among the most reliable bikes I've known, plenty fast enough for me nowadays and a joy to own. I've a good few mates with newer examples who have had problems, but they sound similar to those that owners of new BMWs, Dukes and Triumphs seem to suffer. That said, a mate with a modern 'Glide has managed to cover most of Europe on his with no trouble whatsoever, something his Ducati adventure traily thing spectacularly failed.

[HBelder]

Eighteen years back I bought one after two decades of Ducatis, both bevel and belt.

Riding the Harley was/is weird by comparison, but it’s been reliable and has done a couple of European tours in the past two years - a couple of months each time - and carried both of us and our luggage without any problems.

Recalibration of riding style is definitely a requirement!

[Rollin]

I bought a Low Rider ST late last year after having a Ducati Monster 1200 for 8 years-ish previous.
I've done looong road trips in the US and hired the same Harley Fatboy there each year. The experience gradually grew on me and I'm very pleased with the ST, despite some suspension shortcomings.
Here's a crap photo

[aeropilot]

Rollin said:

I bought a Low Rider ST late last year after having a Ducati Monster 1200 for 8 years-ish previous.

I had one of the last of the original shape M750's from new in 2001 up until its was nicked in 2004 from my garage, so didn't replace it straight away in case the bds came back 6 months later.

After a couple of years I bought a brand new Harley Dyna Superglide Custom after talking myself out of a Softail.

I never really gelled with the Dyna, and eventually after 5 years with it, I traded for a new Softail Slim, which proved how stupid I was in talking myself out of the Softail 5 years earlier, and I should have traded it for a Softail much earlier
Loved riding the Softail, and was gutted that only after 3 years with it, I had to sell it when health reasons forced me to give up riding for good.

My old much missed Softail Slim with various mods.

Edited by aeropilot on Monday 8th April 20:17

[slime bomb]

It's an age thing me thinks. I've had some icon Japanese bikes in the past and always looked at Harleys and BMWs with the same eye, old blokes bikes, then as I got older I started looking at BMWs in a different light. Had one for 23 years now. I've ridden Harleys too just prefer BMs.

[bogie]

I had a bad RTA in a car in 2008 and spent the following years having a dozen operations and learning to walk again. My goal was to get back on a bike, but most were too tall and I felt most comfortable in a feet forward position. So I went looking at Harleys, and ended up with a V-Rod in 2012. It was great to get back on a bike and it became a project, something to focus on at the time

I still have it now, and have covered 34k miles, its been touring Europe a few times. Its more of a sunny day bike now as in recent years I have other bikes too. Never had any problems with it or breakdowns, its been just as reliable as any other bike. Its really comfy to ride, I dont see myself getting rid of it.

[lazybike]

My current bike is a BMW R1200r, and it's great...but I hardly use it now, Sunday cafe run, a bit of errand running on a sunny day, nothing I couldn't do on any bike really, think I'll go and try a street bob and maybe an Indian scout.

[bogie]

lazybike said:

My current bike is a BMW R1200r, and it's great...but I hardly use it now, Sunday cafe run, a bit of errand running on a sunny day, nothing I couldn't do on any bike really, think I'll go and try a street bob and maybe an Indian scout.

The Indian Scout is a great bike, Ive had one of those for a few hours whilst waiting at a dealers. Also hired a big Indian for a trip across the states.

If I was shopping for an American cruiser now, Indian would certainly be top of the road test list, they have a great range of bikes that go well "out of the box" which didn't used to be the case for HD. I hear Harley have improved in recent years, but cannot speak from experience as I've not ridden any recent models.

[BishBosh]

Rollin said:

I bought a Low Rider ST late last year after having a Ducati Monster 1200 for 8 years-ish previous.
I've done looong road trips in the US and hired the same Harley Fatboy there each year. The experience gradually grew on me and I'm very pleased with the ST, despite some suspension shortcomings.
Here's a crap photo

Lovely...

[Bob_Defly]

bogie said:

lazybike said:

My current bike is a BMW R1200r, and it's great...but I hardly use it now, Sunday cafe run, a bit of errand running on a sunny day, nothing I couldn't do on any bike really, think I'll go and try a street bob and maybe an Indian scout.

The Indian Scout is a great bike, Ive had one of those for a few hours whilst waiting at a dealers. Also hired a big Indian for a trip across the states.

If I was shopping for an American cruiser now, Indian would certainly be top of the road test list, they have a great range of bikes that go well "out of the box" which didn't used to be the case for HD. I hear Harley have improved in recent years, but cannot speak from experience as I've not ridden any recent models.

From everything I see here in North America, I would do the same. Indian bikes are just better designed, more reliable, cheaper, and better performing.

[mick_coupe]

My latest Harley

[Legacywr]

In my opinion, if you want Americana, you buy a Harley. Otherwise you might as well buy a Japanese cruiser or a Triumph.

This thread sent me to look on eBay…

Not heard of these before, don’t look bad though?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155802237336?mkcid=16&a...

[Olza23]

Will always be a big Harley fan, I could never dream of affording a new one these days. Two more Harley dealers have closed in the North West recently.

[mikey_b]

aeropilot said:

I had one of the last of the original shape M750's from new in 2001 up until its was nicked in 2004 from my garage, so didn't replace it straight away in case the bds came back 6 months later.

After a couple of years I bought a brand new Harley Dyna Superglide Custom after talking myself out of a Softail.

I never really gelled with the Dyna, and eventually after 5 years with it, I traded for a new Softail Slim, which proved how stupid I was in talking myself out of the Softail 5 years earlier, and I should have traded it for a Softail much earlier
Loved riding the Softail, and was gutted that only after 3 years with it, I had to sell it when health reasons forced me to give up riding for good.

My old much missed Softail Slim with various mods.

Edited by aeropilot on Monday 8th April 20:17

Genuine question - what's the difference? They look more or less identical.

[TheInternet]

Legacywr said:

In my opinion, if you want Americana, you buy a Harley. Otherwise you might as well buy a Japanese cruiser or a Triumph.

This thread sent me to look on eBay…

Not heard of these before, don’t look bad though?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155802237336?mkcid=16&a...

Chinese knock off Harley with Italian badging? No thanks.

[aeropilot]

mikey_b said:

aeropilot said:

I had one of the last of the original shape M750's from new in 2001 up until its was nicked in 2004 from my garage, so didn't replace it straight away in case the bds came back 6 months later.

After a couple of years I bought a brand new Harley Dyna Superglide Custom after talking myself out of a Softail.

I never really gelled with the Dyna, and eventually after 5 years with it, I traded for a new Softail Slim, which proved how stupid I was in talking myself out of the Softail 5 years earlier, and I should have traded it for a Softail much earlier
Loved riding the Softail, and was gutted that only after 3 years with it, I had to sell it when health reasons forced me to give up riding for good.

My old much missed Softail Slim with various mods.

Edited by aeropilot on Monday 8th April 20:17

Genuine question - what's the difference? They look more or less identical.

Pretty much everything!
Whole frame is different. Softail has the look of a traditional 'hard tail' rear end, with a 'hidden' rear suspension, whereas the Dyna is more conventional with a pair of spring shocks either side etc. Softail is physically bigger and heavier, with footboards rather than pegs, and bigger and wider from forks etc.

[FNG]

Legacywr said:

In my opinion, if you want Americana, you buy a Harley. Otherwise you might as well buy a Japanese cruiser or a Triumph.

This thread sent me to look on eBay…

Not heard of these before, don’t look bad though?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155802237336?mkcid=16&a...

I have a mate who thinks very much the same. He’s a pretty die hard American fan. Confederate flag in the garage, bald head big beard. You know.

I got an Indian bobber and he gave me all sorts of abuse for it. But then saw it and conceded, yeah it’s actually a decent bike.

We ended up agreeing it’s like a Harley, except it goes, corners and stops.

[Legacywr]

That does look nice.

[HHZ]

I've had three, 1200, Fat Bob and Heritage Classic. I couldn't get comfortable on a long ride on any of them unfortunately. I might get a Softail Slim when I give up doing long tours.