foxtrapper wrote: It does not have the counterbalanced engine that the Softails and maybe Dyna have.
Only the Softails have the counterbalanced engines, which are solidly mounted to the frame. ALL (since 2004) other HD engines are rubber mounted.
foxtrapper wrote: It does not have the counterbalanced engine that the Softails and maybe Dyna have.
Only the Softails have the counterbalanced engines, which are solidly mounted to the frame. ALL (since 2004) other HD engines are rubber mounted.
Does owning a bike that shakes your eyeballs in your skull and effectively blinds you while in traffic due to excessive shaking every time you come to a stop make zero sense to anyone else?
And this is coming from a guy who daily-drove a Samurai with spring-over lift and 33" Super Swampers with no doors, no top, no tailgate, sometimes with no windshield even having to scrape frost off my seats some mornings.
When you understand that a Harley is not a motorcycle but rather a lifestyle accessory then it makes perfect sense. 
You know having over 20 cars and bikes makes absolutely no sense to most people, but that hasn't stopped me yet!
Curmudgeon wrote: When you understand that a Harley is not a motorcycle but rather a lifestyle accessory then it makes perfect sense.
I know plenty of hardcore riders, with multiple brands of bikes, that own harleys. Most of the serious riders I know are on either Harleys or BMWs. I don't own a Harley but will probably grab a turbo vrod when the right deal comes along. I generally put 1500 to 2k miles a month on a bike, mostly commuting, so no lifestyle accessories here.
Cotton wrote:plance1 wrote:All my cars with performance cams must be crappy. My BMW k1200s had a lopey idle too. Guess that bike was also junk. I'm glad there are people like you that can help us dummies see the light.RealMiniDriver wrote:sign of a crappy bike when it can't idle smoothly...foxtrapper wrote: I have a quiet harley. I occasionally blip the throttle so I can see. At idle my harley shakes so bad my eyeballs rattle in my skull and I can see anything. Blip the throttle and the engine smooths out and I can see what's going on around me.Yeah, this. I have stock mufflers on my Harley (I know, shock, right? Take away my patch.) A little blip on the throttle takes the shake out, to see the clock, odometer, etc.
There's a difference between a lopey idle and the thing shaking like mad because it was a poor design compromise in the 20s, carried on for no particular reason.
HD bikes haven't been good performers since the Germans and Japanese went and built better motorcycles.
It's funny to see the differences in demographics between our countries.
In the USA it seems like the spread is 50% Harley Davidson ans 50% everyone else.
Up here in Canada it's more like 50% Japanese bikes and 50% everyone else.
Around here, the serious riders are on BMW's and Goldwings. The HD guys are usually parked at the local bar.
Kenny_McCormic wrote:Cotton wrote:There's a difference between a lopey idle and the thing shaking like mad because it was a poor design compromise in the 20s, carried on for no particular reason. HD bikes haven't been good performers since the Germans and Japanese went and built better motorcycles.plance1 wrote:All my cars with performance cams must be crappy. My BMW k1200s had a lopey idle too. Guess that bike was also junk. I'm glad there are people like you that can help us dummies see the light.RealMiniDriver wrote:sign of a crappy bike when it can't idle smoothly...foxtrapper wrote: I have a quiet harley. I occasionally blip the throttle so I can see. At idle my harley shakes so bad my eyeballs rattle in my skull and I can see anything. Blip the throttle and the engine smooths out and I can see what's going on around me.Yeah, this. I have stock mufflers on my Harley (I know, shock, right? Take away my patch.) A little blip on the throttle takes the shake out, to see the clock, odometer, etc.
Well the vrod is a very good bike stock, so there goes your generalization. As far as the Germans and Japanese building better bikes I guess that all depends on what you're after. I own bikes from Germany, Britain, Sweden, and Japan now and they all have their pros and cons.
ebonyandivory wrote: Does owning a bike that shakes your eyeballs in your skull and effectively blinds you while in traffic due to excessive shaking every time you come to a stop make zero sense to anyone else?
I said sometimes, though it always shakes at idle.
And yea, it makes great sense to me. As soon as it's moving, it's the most comfortable and pleasant bike I've ever ridden. I certainly never expected to find myself on a harley, but it love this bike.
Am I the only one that thinks it would be hilarious to dress up in a full leather Harley costume and ride one of these to the local biker bar?
bgkast wrote: Am I the only one that thinks it would be hilarious to dress up in a full leather Harley costume and ride one of these to the local biker bar?
Or just full racing leathers...
Cotton wrote:plance1 wrote:All my cars with performance cams must be crappy. My BMW k1200s had a lopey idle too. Guess that bike was also junk. I'm glad there are people like you that can help us dummies see the light.RealMiniDriver wrote:sign of a crappy bike when it can't idle smoothly...foxtrapper wrote: I have a quiet harley. I occasionally blip the throttle so I can see. At idle my harley shakes so bad my eyeballs rattle in my skull and I can see anything. Blip the throttle and the engine smooths out and I can see what's going on around me.Yeah, this. I have stock mufflers on my Harley (I know, shock, right? Take away my patch.) A little blip on the throttle takes the shake out, to see the clock, odometer, etc.
well, let me help you a bit more. Harley's are stupid and slow, being loud does not make your bike a performance machine. I can't help it if you aren't able to tune your bikes to idle properly lol...seriously guy, you can't come on a harley rant thread and defend these crappy bikes. I have a KLR650, it only has a single cylinder and I don't have to blip the throttle to check the time or my mirrors. My 66 Honda 305 superhawk had twin cylinders just like those duma$$ harleys out there and I could have run rings around any harley out there. Now just for posting your nonsense I have decided to kick over the next 5 harley davidson's I see parked in front of the nearest white trash poser bar I can find. Since I don't circulate in those areas, I may have trouble finding one but rest assured when I do find one I will yell out "Cotton!!!!!" and then do my best Bruce Lee (was he japanese???) impersonation. I will then stand there and watch as members of the girl scout troop that rides these bikes stumble out of the bar with their a$$less chaps to fight me. But, AH HA! I will already have my Kawasaki ready to go (this means, sitting there idling waiting for me, yes my bike can idle) so I can jump on it and make a quick get-a-way.
plance1 wrote: well, let me help you a bit more. Harley's are stupid and slow, being loud does not make your bike a performance machine. I can't help it if you aren't able to tune your bikes to idle properly lol...seriously guy, you can't come on a harley rant thread and defend these crappy bikes. I have a KLR650, it only has a single cylinder and I don't have to blip the throttle to check the time or my mirrors. My 66 Honda 305 superhawk had twin cylinders just like those duma$$ harleys out there and I could have run rings around any harley out there. Now just for posting your nonsense I have decided to kick over the next 5 harley davidson's I see parked in front of the nearest white trash poser bar I can find. Since I don't circulate in those areas, I may have trouble finding one but rest assured when I do find one I will yell out "Cotton!!!!!" and then do my best Bruce Lee (was he japanese???) impersonation. I will then stand there and watch as members of the girl scout troop that rides these bikes stumble out of the bar with their a$$less chaps to fight me. But, AH HA! I will already have my Kawasaki ready to go (this means, sitting there idling waiting for me, yes my bike can idle) so I can jump on it and make a quick get-a-way.
This post makes me sad to be a member of this forum. 
In reply to Cotton:
Wasn't the Vrod the one where Porsche did the engine?
Yeah, Porsche and H-D developed it jointly. The big changes: 60 degree V instead of 45 (that angle is the biggest basic design flaw of the traditional Harley engine, is the source of the 'potato potato' idle and it dates from 1903), overhead cams and liquid cooling.
plance1 wrote: well, let me help you a bit more. Harley's are stupid and slow, being loud does not make your bike a performance machine. I can't help it if you aren't able to tune your bikes to idle properly lol...seriously guy, you can't come on a harley rant thread and defend these crappy bikes. I have a KLR650, it only has a single cylinder and I don't have to blip the throttle to check the time or my mirrors. My 66 Honda 305 superhawk had twin cylinders just like those duma$$ harleys out there and I could have run rings around any harley out there. Now just for posting your nonsense I have decided to kick over the next 5 harley davidson's I see parked in front of the nearest white trash poser bar I can find. Since I don't circulate in those areas, I may have trouble finding one but rest assured when I do find one I will yell out "Cotton!!!!!" and then do my best Bruce Lee (was he japanese???) impersonation. I will then stand there and watch as members of the girl scout troop that rides these bikes stumble out of the bar with their a$$less chaps to fight me. But, AH HA! I will already have my Kawasaki ready to go (this means, sitting there idling waiting for me, yes my bike can idle) so I can jump on it and make a quick get-a-way.
Curmudgeon wrote: Yeah, Porsche and H-D developed it jointly. The big changes: 60 degree V instead of 45 (that angle is the biggest basic design flaw of the traditional Harley engine, is the source of the 'potato potato' idle and it dates from 1903), overhead cams and liquid cooling.
I have heard that the vrod engine was originally planned for the touring chassis. No idea if that is true or not, but it could make for a heck of a nice touring bike. I have seen threads about installing one in a touring bike.
Beautiful day. To heck with projects that need to be done, I'm going riding!
I rate my headaches in Harleys, as in how many driving by my house at the same time would cause that level of headache, 1 to 16.
The laws in NY are no longer enforced, I get to listen to cars, trucks and bikes driving full throttle in a school zone with little or no exhaust system.
My truck had a straight pipe when I bought it, putting a muffler on was the first thing I did. I think most peaple have given up trying to get the cops to enforce laws, all they care about now is DUI and cell phones.
pjbgravely wrote: I rate my headaches in Harleys, as in how many driving by my house at the same time would cause that level of headache, 1 to 16. The laws in NY are no longer enforced, I get to listen to cars, trucks and bikes driving full throttle in a school zone with little or no exhaust system. My truck had a straight pipe when I bought it, putting a muffler on was the first thing I did. I think most peaple have given up trying to get the cops to enforce laws, all they care about now is DUI and cell phones.
DB levels are not a "please think of the children" issue is why.
plance1 wrote:Cotton wrote:well, let me help you a bit more. Harley's are stupid and slow, being loud does not make your bike a performance machine. I can't help it if you aren't able to tune your bikes to idle properly lol...seriously guy, you can't come on a harley rant thread and defend these crappy bikes. I have a KLR650, it only has a single cylinder and I don't have to blip the throttle to check the time or my mirrors. My 66 Honda 305 superhawk had twin cylinders just like those duma$$ harleys out there and I could have run rings around any harley out there. Now just for posting your nonsense I have decided to kick over the next 5 harley davidson's I see parked in front of the nearest white trash poser bar I can find. Since I don't circulate in those areas, I may have trouble finding one but rest assured when I do find one I will yell out "Cotton!!!!!" and then do my best Bruce Lee (was he japanese???) impersonation. I will then stand there and watch as members of the girl scout troop that rides these bikes stumble out of the bar with their a$$less chaps to fight me. But, AH HA! I will already have my Kawasaki ready to go (this means, sitting there idling waiting for me, yes my bike can idle) so I can jump on it and make a quick get-a-way.plance1 wrote:All my cars with performance cams must be crappy. My BMW k1200s had a lopey idle too. Guess that bike was also junk. I'm glad there are people like you that can help us dummies see the light.RealMiniDriver wrote:sign of a crappy bike when it can't idle smoothly...foxtrapper wrote: I have a quiet harley. I occasionally blip the throttle so I can see. At idle my harley shakes so bad my eyeballs rattle in my skull and I can see anything. Blip the throttle and the engine smooths out and I can see what's going on around me.Yeah, this. I have stock mufflers on my Harley (I know, shock, right? Take away my patch.) A little blip on the throttle takes the shake out, to see the clock, odometer, etc.
E36 M3 man you bitch about slow bikes then go on to say you ride a klr? You'll have trouble outrunning the local scooter club not to mention a Harley.
And just for the record I have never owned a Harley (yet), but people that stereotype and use generalizations get on my nerves whether is Vettes , Porsches, muscle cars, bike rant of the day etc.
Also I'm assuming you're joking about the superhawk. Those things have what, 20-30hp? I have a couple of vintage honda 450s and they're okay bikes, but I would never brag about them being 'fast'.
What??? I race scooters all the time and beat them hands down! I agree with not stereotyping but when the stereotyping fits its, well, no longer stereotyping. Most people who own harleys are throttle-blipping posers, plain and simple. A few aren't but those aren't the clowns who take out their baffles.
I was kinda of joking about the superhawk, that thing was like the pee-wee herman of motorcycles, but it was a twin, just like a harley. My early 70's CB350s and my 69 450 (hey we have something in common!) were much faster of course.
By the way, my undergrad senior thesis was on Harley Davidson so at least I can say I know what I'm talking about somewhat more so than others...
Now write something funny to cheer up your friend who I made sad lol..
Stereotypes are based in reality...
Trans_Maro wrote: Stereotypes are based in reality...
That doesn't make it right. Do you like being judged by some shallow mother berkeleyer that knows nothing at all about you based on what you drive or ride? Most of the cars and bikes I own have a stereotype associated with them and I wonder what these people would think, when they are stereotyping me based on one specific thing, if they saw the rest of my garage.
Cotton wrote: That doesn't make it right.
Doesn't make what right? I (and everyone else) is entitled to their own opinion. If my opinion is that all BMW owners are giant bags of douche, then that is my prerogative. This is the internet. Man up and deal with the fact that people may not have the same opinion as you.
And no matter what, loud ANYTHING (cars or trucks) that go beyond sounding nice at WOT but are just hard on the ears are berkeleying stupid. But Harley's are by FAR the worst offenders, for whatever reason.
plance1 wrote: well, let me help you a bit more. Harley's are stupid and slow, being loud does not make your bike a performance machine. I can't help it if you aren't able to tune your bikes to idle properly lol...seriously guy, you can't come on a harley rant thread and defend these crappy bikes. I have a KLR650, it only has a single cylinder and I don't have to blip the throttle to check the time or my mirrors. My 66 Honda 305 superhawk had twin cylinders just like those duma$$ harleys out there and I could have run rings around any harley out there. Now just for posting your nonsense I have decided to kick over the next 5 harley davidson's I see parked in front of the nearest white trash poser bar I can find. Since I don't circulate in those areas, I may have trouble finding one but rest assured when I do find one I will yell out "Cotton!!!!!" and then do my best Bruce Lee (was he japanese???) impersonation. I will then stand there and watch as members of the girl scout troop that rides these bikes stumble out of the bar with their a$$less chaps to fight me. But, AH HA! I will already have my Kawasaki ready to go (this means, sitting there idling waiting for me, yes my bike can idle) so I can jump on it and make a quick get-a-way.
I am quoting this for posterity. Am I the only one who thinks this was more written in jest than in the serious business tone you all think? I believe this was humor, and it is hilarious lol!
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