Best motorcycle forum?

[Trials]

I thought they moved production some 3rd world Asian country.

Are you talking about Honda? A good portion of Honda motorcycles manufactured in Japan are intended for Japanese domestic sales. Honda is a huge multinational conglomerate with manufacturing operations around the globe. Honda in Thailand as well as Honda facilities in other countries produce a vast number of motorcycles both for export to North America as well as making motorcycles that aren't even available in North America. Honda owns Montesa of Spain and Montesa is sold around the world, but if you want that same bike and you live in Japan, it will come off a Japan domestic production line and have Honda stickers on it. It will also be more expensive! If you think Honda or any other huge motorcycle or car manufacturer makes it's parts all in one place, you're kidding yourself. Most companies likely design and develop their products within their own domestic R&D facilities, but production goes to wherever it is financially viable to support the sales of that particular product line.

Harley-Davidson has partnered up with one of India's largest motorcycle manufacturers to produce the "Street" 500cc & 750cc models, you can bet that any production of that line intended for India and countries on that side of the globe come directly from India, and units sold in North America will have parts made in India with some assembly and parts like tires happening in the USA. :/ kinda like your Goldwing that was once conceptually "made in USA" That is how they get around import tariffs and taxes that were put in place to protect their own domestic production, and it serves to give people the impression they are buying domestically produced products. It's far from a new concept and it isn't one that is exclusive to any of the multi-national corporations.

 

[3930dave]

Good site, but not to read about Harleys. They are very emotional about cruisers in general.

MCs being the multi-substance addiction that it is, there are a few folks on there who also ride heavy-cruisers, including HD. Most of us would go all Jay Leno on bikes, if we could . Agreed though, ADV is not an efficient way to get HD info.

Mostly it's a Wrong Tool for the Job issue, as opposed to just brand bias...... ADV does have a bit of the Just Get Out There and Ride flavour to it (I've been reading a long thread on a PA state forest, and they did a good job of welcoming a 73yo guy on a 650 Burgman), but as a lot of the focus on ADV is about getting way off-road, a heavy-cruiser is the last thing you'd want doing that.

I tend to tune-out fanaticism in general, but always appreciate balanced perspective...... Had a good chuckle reading about a Canadian journalist, along for a mega-dollar factory ride in the middle of Africa with BMW. As they had one of the family who controls BMW along for the ride, amongst all the extravagant resources they had on the trip, a German orthopedic surgeon traveled with them.

The skilled Canuck rider was describing standing around with the other riders, congratulating each other for being He-Men for just completing a tough hill-country section. Then he hears a putt-putt sound from the other side of the hill..... one of the locals drives through on not much more than a moped, wearing shorts, flip-flops, no helmet, and smoking a cigarette. I still chuckle when I think of that story.

HDs have a huge following, and after-market support, there have to be some good sites out there for DIY wrenching. My experience with HDs is limited, having only helped my neighbour with really basic things on his Heritage (changing tires, and a turn-signal switch), so haven't needed to dig up a reference site.

Enjoy the ride, we only get to do this once......

Rgds, D.

 

[Zerk]

MCs being the multi-substance addiction that it is, there are a few folks on there who also ride heavy-cruisers, including HD..

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.

Are you talking about Honda? .

When they quit making GLs in the US, I thought they started making them in Thailand or Cambodia, not Japan.

 

[DK35vince]

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.

That's my complaint about Harley, the noise.
It is extreamly rare to see a Harley in this area without straight pipes.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have completely stock exhaust on my Harley, and that's EXACTLY the way I like it!!

SR

 

[Zerk]

That's my complaint about Harley, the noise.
It is extreamly rare to see a Harley in this area without straight pipes.

Very few Harleys have straight pipes. You don't know what a straight pipe is.

 

[DK35vince]

Very few Harleys have straight pipes. You don't know what a straight pipe is.

Oh Please. Spare me.
The few Harley's I've seen with stock pipes are nice and quite like other bikes with stock pipe.
95%+ of the Harleys I see around here will rattle the windows in the house and I can still here them a half mile or more away.

 

[Zerk]

Most aftermarket pipes are not straight pipes. Again, you don't know what straight pipes are.

Rattle the windows? Ya right. You must poop yourself at the neighbors lawn mower.

 

[DK35vince]

Most aftermarket pipes are not straight pipes. Again, you don't know what straight pipes are.

Rattle the windows? Ya right. You must poop yourself at the neighbors lawn mower.

Straight pipes, aftermarket pipes, no pipes, I really don't give a dam what you want to call them, most Harleys in my area are LOUD.
End of story.

 

[Zerk]

Don't get mad at me, you are the one said they have straight pipes.

I don't advocate straight pipes. But I don't have stock pipes either. Mine are moderate. I recommend throttle control and concious of time of day and where you are at.

But in general men like to hear engines, trucks, hotrod, bikes, ect. Harleys are not the only ones.