I spent lot of time on the site. I like it. But I didn't know there was such hatered of cruisers before. I have never seen so much brand bashing as I have on that site.
Also close minded. They hate Harley for noise, I mean hate. Somehow they think they all have straight pipes, but have never heard a dirt bike or a guy putting after market on DS. If you are going the speed limit, that must mean you have a slow bike and don't know how to ride, according them.
I was talking to some DS riders, on my Road King, with my girlfriend. Mentioned I also own a Conncours, they asked why I wasn't riding that. They thought I was lying when I said my bagger is just a comfortable ride. I bet 3/4 of DS don't even see gravel, but they get some kind of attitude.
I've rode Harley Ultra to Arctic Circle, so I have been on dirt before.
When they quit making GLs in the US, I thought they started making them in Thailand or Cambodia, not Japan.
I think what pisses people (even some gearheads) off the most is that HD seems to get a free-pass on noise in a lot of jurisdictions....... running a car or truck that is just as loud is often way more of a ticket magnet than HDs.
Excess noise (whether it's out of a pipe, or somebody's mouth) gets old quick...... it's what gets motocross tracks restricted or shut-down, gets wilderness areas closed off, and serves to alienate non-enthusiasts. Some of the older ADV riders make a point of trying to counsel other riders to keep the noise down in these wilderness areas, to try and prevent future restrictions being implemented. They post suggestions on ADV like "when approaching a horse on a trail, shut off your bike and take your helmet off" - to prevent spooking a skittish horse. Getting thrown off on a rocky trail is something both bike and horse riders can relate to. Call it courtesy, or maybe it's just not starting a fight with the biggest guy in the bar...... in some areas, horse owners carry a huge lobby.
Any IC engine can be made obnoxious.... some of the loudest stuff around here is on ATVs that are run on the street.
Never running a dual sport off-road..... that makes about as much sense to me as up-spec'ing a 4x4 truck to the Off-Road package and only driving to Costco...... you'd almost get the impression that plenty of products are sold on image alone....
A lot of the time I find the less experience a rider has, the more preaching they do about what you should be riding..... :confused3: some people have issues and/or too much time on their hands.....
It's all 2 Wheels In The Wind to me...... just get out there, and safely enjoy the ride..... whether it's on a Ruckus, or something that can break every speed limit in first-gear......
Rgds, D.