so who here has a harley?

NICKG · 04-29-2008, 10:13 AM

confession: I am 37 years old, had sport bikes and dirt bikes all my life...i consider my self to be a pretty sporty kind of guy, but i have found i really like the new Hd nightster...i alway felt that HD's were gay...having owned several Ducati's and various 2 stroke sport bikes (sill have 2 rz 350's) My idea of Harley was that they were junk...and the people who roxde them were not much better.
Anyone here have a nightster?

KFC911 · 04-29-2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NICKG

.... My idea of Harley was that they were junk...and the people who roxde them were not much better...

And you want us to raise our hands

?

pwd72s · 04-29-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NICKG

confession: I am 37 years old, had sport bikes and dirt bikes all my life...i consider my self to be a pretty sporty kind of guy, but i have found i really like the new Hd nightster...i alway felt that HD's were gay...having owned several Ducati's and various 2 stroke sport bikes (sill have 2 rz 350's) My idea of Harley was that they were junk...and the people who roxde them were not much better.
Anyone here have a nightster?

Where Cindy & I often play pool, a local Harley group calling themselves the "road maggots" hang out. They might take offence at some of your comments.

Gogar · 04-29-2008, 10:25 AM

I think at this point I would equate Harley ownership to,

I don't know,

Maybe - Boxster ownership? You get the "brand" and you have fun, and the technology of the vehicle is the best it's ever been, but the guys on Shovel and Pans and Ironheads (like the air-cooled Porsche guys) kind of look down their bifocals at you and snicker.

But those bikes are better than they've ever been. And harder to work on by yourself, too.

Oh and the stereotypes about 'new' Harley owners are - Well, stereotypes are usually based in fact.

KFC911 · 04-29-2008, 10:27 AM

My Harley is older than my 911, but she's a beaut

varmint · 04-29-2008, 10:30 AM

raise your hand if you've owned harleys and now hate the motor company.

NICKG · 04-29-2008, 10:34 AM

i had a boxster....
i understand that, i am more interested to know if they are reliable, and aren't a waste to consider

Dueller · 10:38 AM

I ride Buells which are sporty powered. I love the simplicity of the evo based motor...mine have been extremely reliable albeit you have to keep an eye on stuff vibrating off. The nighster is that all black sporty, right? I dunno...everybody (male) I know kinda outgrows the sporty after a while. YMMV

Here's a link to a site that has a lot of Nightster owners.

http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=205117

Gogar · 04-29-2008, 10:36 AM

I think they're more reliable than EVER before. If you felt OK maintaining your Ducs I don't think you should be scared of maintaining a HD.

KFC911 · 10:43 AM

I have lots of friends with newer HDs who put lots of miles on them...basically trouble free and very reliable. I'm not a good source of info however as I ride a "girl's bike" ('87 Sportster)

.

ps: I'm only 5'11"...Dueller is probably correct if you're much taller than I am...

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Dyna Low-rider.
96" FI.
Not exceptionally quick, but handles pretty good for 600+ lb pig.
No harder to work on than anything else FI anymore.
Nice cruiser.
I ride with people who have Hondas, Yammies, HD's.
Doesn't matter 'til the girls want a ride...

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

my brother has a sportster he bought 15 years ago, and a big hog that was a 100th anniversary special of some sort. He has never had any problems at all with either one, maintains them himself and is not mechanically inclined at all. Best musician I ever saw, can pick up and play anything, trombone, accordian, guitar. He took piano and guitar lessons long ago. Can listen to something once and play it back to you. I don't know what you call it, but it is odd to see a guy pick up a violin for the first time and play a song you recognize.

NICKG · 04-29-2008, 10:47 AM

i am 5'10"
the ducs i had were about bulletproof...never had a single issue
The nightster is all blacked out essentially...save the actual black painetd ones are shiny black...the others are matte finish(they called it suede)

Joeaksa · 04-29-2008, 10:56 AM

Ride a good German product, a BMW motorcycle.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

All image. No interest.

I'd rather ride my Katana. Fun, quick, agile, comfortable and unpretentious. And I don't have to buy $2,000 of leather crap to "fit in" with the image.

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Snipped.......
And I don't have to buy $2,000 of leather crap to "fit in" with the image.

Nobody I know does either....

KFC911 · 04-29-2008, 11:11 AM

Not to "all" POP...I like "air cooled stuff"...cars, bikes, boats, doesn't matter. I couldn't care less about image or I'd be wearing a dress while riding my "girls bike". I agree that many do fit the "stereotype", but certainly not everyone.

KFC911 · 04-29-2008, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhoward

Nobody I know does either....

Nor I...

asphaltgambler · 04-29-2008, 11:21 AM

There are a LOT of choices in the sport-cruiser / cruiser catagory, not just HD. Your height, weight, and riding style will narrow those choices somewhat. The nightster is a small, agile and torquey bike. Great for bar hopping, running around town, bar hopping, etc. .....................Did I mention bar-hopping ?

Mike_Lettrich · 04-29-2008, 11:26 AM

I've never ridden the Nightster, but like the look of it. Very cool and stripped down.

I did have a Sportster a few years back when the motors were rigidly mounted in the frame. Fun for around town and back roads. Terrible on the highway for any length of time. Not fast, handling and brakes were just adequate, but quick enough and fun in its own sort of way.

Very different experience from a sportbike. I went with a '97 CBR1100XX after the Sportster, and still have it. In '02 when the V-Rod came out, I picked up one of those. I suppose it was a decent intermediate step between a sportbike and a cruiser. It has around 105 h.p. Fairly fast in a straight line, handling is just O.K. Styling is a subjective thing, but I like the way its aluminum body and wheels look. Kind of reminds me of an old Auto Union or something.

Harleys are fun, but in a different sort of way than sportbikes are. They are fun at reasonable speeds in a way that a sportbike is not. It is the sound and feel that makes them fun. It is just a different experience, I suppose. Even coming off a Ducati, I think you could have fun with it if you treat it as what it is.