Hiya, joined this forum about 6 months ago when I bought a 1987 600 Transalp. Mainly bought because the narrow country lanes where I live are frequently covered in mud, slime and cow
cow sh*t, and I wanted a chance to wash this less often ;

She's a 2004 Softail Standard, my 6th Harley, and there's been one in my garage since I bought my first in 1989, so you could say I'm a fan. There's usually been at least one other bike keeping the Harley company, but don't we all end up with more than one bike whenever we can afford to?
As I'm posting this in the HD section I guess I'm preaching to the converted to some extent, but having read through this and other forums I do notice the poor old Harleys getting a bit of a slagging from time to time. I am genuinely at a loss to see why they generate such negativity, often outright hatred, it's just a bike for f*ck's sake!
I actually chose my 1st Harley almost by accident, I had a Guzzi California 11 at the time and when the mk 111 came out I was really disappointed to find I just didn't fit it comfortably. Looking around for other options I decided that the Harley almost looked as good. What can I say? I've been in love with V twins since my first CX500 in 1977, and once I felt that Harley thump I was hooked.
Please don't ever tell me that Harleys only do straight roads, mine have been over the Alps several times, two up with camping gear, and I'd have to ride a fair way from my house to find a straight road anyway. Okay, it's no sports bike, but neither are lots of other bikes either, I reckon my Transalp handles pretty well but it wouldn't be any quicker on a cross country route than the Harley.
I know they get slagged for being noisy too, and yes I agree that any bike with straight through pipes is going to be anti-social, but why pretend that only applies to Harleys? I like my bikes to sound like a "proper" motorbike, that's why my CX had Dunstall silencers and why the pipes on my Harley are louder than standard but still baffled. Just like the after market pipe on my Transalp!
I agree that some HD riders give proper bikers a bad name with the dressing up as bad ass dudes, but I see no difference from the guys who dress up in leather romper suits to ride their sports bikes on sunny Sundays. They're all acting out some kind of fantasy. If you want to talk about real bikers, my brother in law commutes 30 miles every day in all weathers on a Chinese 125 because that's all he can afford after providing for his family, now that's a real biker.
BTW, the Transalp idea hasn't actually saved me from too much bike washing, the damn thing's turned out to be so good I've totally fallen for it, I can't bear to leave it covered in crap, so it gets washed just as often as the Harley now!
cow sh*t, and I wanted a chance to wash this less often ;

She's a 2004 Softail Standard, my 6th Harley, and there's been one in my garage since I bought my first in 1989, so you could say I'm a fan. There's usually been at least one other bike keeping the Harley company, but don't we all end up with more than one bike whenever we can afford to?
As I'm posting this in the HD section I guess I'm preaching to the converted to some extent, but having read through this and other forums I do notice the poor old Harleys getting a bit of a slagging from time to time. I am genuinely at a loss to see why they generate such negativity, often outright hatred, it's just a bike for f*ck's sake!
I actually chose my 1st Harley almost by accident, I had a Guzzi California 11 at the time and when the mk 111 came out I was really disappointed to find I just didn't fit it comfortably. Looking around for other options I decided that the Harley almost looked as good. What can I say? I've been in love with V twins since my first CX500 in 1977, and once I felt that Harley thump I was hooked.
Please don't ever tell me that Harleys only do straight roads, mine have been over the Alps several times, two up with camping gear, and I'd have to ride a fair way from my house to find a straight road anyway. Okay, it's no sports bike, but neither are lots of other bikes either, I reckon my Transalp handles pretty well but it wouldn't be any quicker on a cross country route than the Harley.
I know they get slagged for being noisy too, and yes I agree that any bike with straight through pipes is going to be anti-social, but why pretend that only applies to Harleys? I like my bikes to sound like a "proper" motorbike, that's why my CX had Dunstall silencers and why the pipes on my Harley are louder than standard but still baffled. Just like the after market pipe on my Transalp!
I agree that some HD riders give proper bikers a bad name with the dressing up as bad ass dudes, but I see no difference from the guys who dress up in leather romper suits to ride their sports bikes on sunny Sundays. They're all acting out some kind of fantasy. If you want to talk about real bikers, my brother in law commutes 30 miles every day in all weathers on a Chinese 125 because that's all he can afford after providing for his family, now that's a real biker.
BTW, the Transalp idea hasn't actually saved me from too much bike washing, the damn thing's turned out to be so good I've totally fallen for it, I can't bear to leave it covered in crap, so it gets washed just as often as the Harley now!