Quote:
Originally Posted by LWJ
That is one jiggly video! I have never ridden a Harley. I have an inkling that they might vibrate a bit!
Larry
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That's actually a pretty realistic representation of what you see when when you're riding one of the old ones with the hard mounted engines. Ever wonder why Harley riders don't wear full face helmets? It's because your helmet spins around on your head at about three rpm. Notice the big ridges on the ends of the foot pegs? It's the only way your feet stay on them. You're like the little men in one of those old electric football games we had in the '60's.
I can't believe I actually rode this thing as much as I did when I was younger. It just beats me senseless in pretty short order today. Definitely from a different time. A time, actually, when most bikes were just as bad, or worse. The Triumphs, BSA's, and such were no better. Norton Commandos, with their "isolastic" frames, were a noticable improvement, but still not up to modern standards.
No wonder Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Suzuki buried all of those guys so quickly. They brought modern, smooth running bikes to the market, while the others were unwilling to change (and really couldn't afford to). No one in their right mind would hop back on a machine like my old Ironhead after experiencing the alternative. Hell, I didn't, for over ten years. Just couldn't bring myself to do it. The only reason Harley survived that era was the fierce loyalty of their core customer base. The individual British brands had no such base; maybe as a whole, but not individually.
I'm glad I put the effort into returning this old pig to road worthiness. I won't ride it much, what with the 900 SS and Road King parked right next to it in the garage, but it is nice to have it back. It's a far different vibe than the other two bikes, contrasting them against the way it used to be. It makes me appreciate them all the more. Plus, since I've had it for so long, it's good for many a fond (and maybe not so fond) memory.