What's new

Harley-Davidson does the impossible (for them): design a modern motorcycle. (1 Viewer)

Jack Briggs

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Messages
16,805
Back in late 1988, Honda introduced a beautiful little gem of a naked sportbike called the CB-1. With all of 400 cubic centimeters of displacement, the little liquid-cooled DOHC Four sprinted through the quarter mile in the upper 12-second bracket (at around 108 mph). Wide open, on a level surface on a cool-to-warm day, the little machine would top out in the low to mid 120s.
The closest HD ever came to that--until the V-Rod, that is--was with a machine Willie G. designed (or, rather, styled) in the mid-'70s, called the XLCR1000. It was a cafe-racer version of the Sportster. Nice-looking, but, technologically, still the same old thing.
Now, for $16,000, HD is giving you performance that can be easily excelled by any 600cc sportbike (including Tirumph's).
Talk about progress.
------------------
2001-a.jpg

[Edited last by Jack Briggs on October 24, 2001 at 12:43 PM]
 

Todd Hochard

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 24, 1999
Messages
2,312
I've been to Daytona three times for bike week and once for Biketoberfest. My observation is that the yuppie poseurs outnumber the true motorcycle enthusiasts by at least 4:1.
I've been as "curious onlooker," and I've observed about the same ratio. REAL bikers are not the majority owners of HDs, sad to say.
Todd
 

tim55

Grip
Joined
Feb 3, 1999
Messages
22
I'm curious, whats a "real biker"? And who is going to get a vrod for anything less than 20K? This spring I was going to reward myself with a deuce but after doing some research I wizened up. The first thing you get when you walk into a Harley dealer is attitude. Attitude from the employees and attitude from other customers. Don't even think about asking a question, you might as well ask for their left nut. "Real bikers" as far as I know are considered "1 percenters" or real bad asses that I would cross the street to avoid. Most of the Harley owners I know or have met think that throwing a leg over a harley somehow makes them tough and more of a man. I cringe every time I think that I was so close to joining the harley cult. What made me come to my senses? I priced out the bike $23K after options for technology that was designed in the 1950's. Since then I have shopped around and found this same attitude with BMW owners (won’t be buying one of them either). I personally couldn’t care less what anyone rides as long as they enjoy riding and show mutual respect to any other rider with a wave or a nod.
------------------
 

Philip_G

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2000
Messages
5,030
I personally couldn’t care less what anyone rides as long as they enjoy riding and show mutual respect to any other rider with a wave or a nod.
around here the HD guys will wave back long before the sportbikers... (sad since I'm on a silver R1)
 

Philip_G

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2000
Messages
5,030
oh and BTW I'd give my left nut for a BMW... integrated braking with ABS.... Oooooooh yeah.
 

Henry Carmona

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 7, 2000
Messages
1,299
Location
San Antonio
Real Name
Henry Carmona
quote: The closest HD ever came to that--until the V-Rod, that is--was with a machine Willie G. designed (or, rather, styled) in the mid-'70s, called the XLCR1000. It was a cafe-racer version of the Sportster. Nice-looking, but, technologically, still the same old thing.
Now, for $16,000, HD is giving you performance that can be easily excelled by any 600cc sportbike (including Tirumph's).
Talk about progress.[/quote]
Hello!! No one but the uninformed buys a Harley for speed!!
quote:

The first thing you get when you walk into a Harley dealer is attitude. Attitude from the employees and attitude from other customers. Don't even think about asking a question, you might as well ask for their left nut. "Real bikers" as far as I know are considered "1 percenters" or real bad asses that I would cross the street to avoid. Most of the Harley owners I know or have met think that throwing a leg over a harley somehow makes them tough and more of a man.[/quote]
Dam Tim, where have you been hanging out.
First, the Harley shop here in town has the nicest people you could ever meet. Very freindly and helpful!
I always seem to have a laugh with at least one customer when im in there.
"Real Bikers"? I know quite a few "Real Bikers" most in their 50's and 60's and they are definitely not the types i would cross the street to avoid. Yeah I consider them friends, but they wouldnt be friends if they acted like assholes when i met them.
Ive met my share of asshole bikers, but ive also met assholes that werent bikers :)
------------------
RobertDuvall.jpg
"Charlie don't surf."
[Edited last by Henry Carmona on October 24, 2001 at 12:44 AM]
[Edited last by Henry Carmona on October 24, 2001 at 12:45 AM]
[Edited last by Henry Carmona on October 24, 2001 at 12:46 AM]
 

Sean Conklin

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 30, 2000
Messages
1,720
A little off topic here but....
When I was living in Orange Ca. I pulled up next to a Harley, looked to be a shovelhead, all white with purple flames, very awesome. I had my window down, and this bike was rumbling and growling like no other Harley I've seen on the street before. As we are sitting there I smell the familiar smell of burning Alcohol(As a Drag racer I love the smell of burning Alcohol and burning rubber Sniiiiiiff Ahhhh!)
Anyhow when this thing took off I know I was looking at a 9 second bike, I'd bet the pink slip on my 13 second Dodge Dart
biggrin.gif

Beware Altima owners I have an "old" Dodge that has a voracious appetite :)
Now I don't know how much money he had into it, but it was cool as hell and probably worth every penny!!!
------------------
Sean
"I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates who said.......I drank what?"
 

Philip Hamm

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 23, 1999
Messages
6,874
I'm curious, whats a "real biker"? And who is going to get a vrod for anything less than 20K? This spring I was going to reward myself with a deuce but after doing some research I wizened up. The first thing you get when you walk into a Harley dealer is attitude. Attitude from the employees and attitude from other customers. Don't even think about asking a question, you might as well ask for their left nut. "Real bikers" as far as I know are considered "1 percenters" or real bad asses that I would cross the street to avoid. Most of the Harley owners I know or have met think that throwing a leg over a harley somehow makes them tough and more of a man. I cringe every time I think that I was so close to joining the harley cult. What made me come to my senses? I priced out the bike $23K after options for technology that was designed in the 1950's. Since then I have shopped around and found this same attitude with BMW owners (won’t be buying one of them either). I personally couldn’t care less what anyone rides as long as they enjoy riding and show mutual respect to any other rider with a wave or a nod.
Please excuse me for quoting the entire response.
(1) "Real Biker" : (Phil Hamm's Definition) One for whom their motorcycle is a primary form of transportation and/or a passion. "poseur" : aka "weekend warrior, RUB, squid, etc. etc." One for whom motorcycles are a "hobby" or a "toy". Notice the complete lack of any specification of the type of motorcycles these people ride. There are plenty of "real bikers" who ride Harleys, and plenty of "poseurs" who ride high tech sportbikes. Very few "poseurs" ride BMWs.
(2) You need to try other H/D shops. The one near my old town (which was also a Kawasaki dealer for a long time then the K split off) was fantastic. They charged list price only for all their bikes, had very little attitude, and hosted multi-brand events like Poker runs on a regular basis. I've been in a few of the "attitude" shops you mention. Leave and find a good dealer, they are out there.
(3) Buy a Kawasaki. :) The new Vulcans have rubber mounted counterbalanced fuel injected V-Twins, beautiful styling including a seamless tank (when are the other Japanese manufacturers going to wake up to how important this is?), and are consistently raved about by Motorcycle Consumer News, a very tough magazine.
------------------
Philip Hamm
AIM: PhilBiker
 

Philip_G

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2000
Messages
5,030
(1) "Real Biker" : (Phil Hamm's Definition) One for whom their motorcycle is a primary form of transportation and/or a passion. "poseur" : aka "weekend warrior, RUB, squid, etc. etc." One for whom motorcycles are a "hobby" or a "toy". Notice the complete lack of any specification of the type of motorcycles these people ride. There are plenty of "real bikers" who ride Harleys, and plenty of "poseurs" who ride high tech sportbikes. Very few "poseurs" ride BMWs.
I have to disagree. I love my bike, when people ask for pictures of me I have none, but can offer hundreds of my R1. Motorcycling is, and should be a hobby. Yes, in the summer my bike is my daily driver for the most part.. but there are days it belongs in the garage.. ride because you want to, not because you have to, or you're going to get yourself in trouble.
 

Philip_G

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2000
Messages
5,030
saying to be a real biker your bike has to be your primary means of transportation.. that just doens't make sense unless I'm mis-understanding your definition
 

Todd Hochard

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 24, 1999
Messages
2,312
I think Phil is trying to emphasize poseurs as those that went to Daytona bike week once, just HAD to get a Harley, and only ride it once every three weeks (and go through some "bad-ass" transformation when they do
rolleyes.gif
). I had a VFR for a few years, but never really considered myself a biker, even though it was my ONLY mode of transport.
Anyhoo, couldn't you get a REALLY nice Ducati for the price of most Harleys?
Todd
 

Philip Hamm

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 23, 1999
Messages
6,874
saying to be a real biker your bike has to be your primary means of transportation.. that just doens't make sense unless I'm mis-understanding your definition
You may want to read that again..... :)
------------------
Philip Hamm
AIM: PhilBiker
 

Jack Briggs

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Messages
16,805
If you want that old, OHV/pushrod, air-cooled HD ambience but with Japanese reliability, I might also recommend Yamaha's hulking 1500cc V-Twin. The thing's as retro as any HD (just look at those pushrod tubes alongside those barrels), but engineered to the limits of the OHV art.
Back when I was very much into the sport, it always disturbed me that the HD riders never waved back. But, what the hey.
Anyone who loves motorcycles with passion is a "biker." Too bad we've let the marques come between us. I mean, look at all those four-wheelers out there terrorizing us ("officer, I just didn't see him"--how many times have we heard that nonsense?).
Has anyone here ridden a GSX-R1000 yet? It's an R1 beater, which is hard to imagine. I'd love to take one of those honeys on Highway 33.
------------------
2001-a.jpg
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top