Harley Forum?

[TresCrows]

Each year I see people headed up the highway here to Sturgis. It is an annual migration up 135. All kinds of people headed north. Some are riding, most are on trailers, those riding are usually followed by a truck. The truck is for break downs and of course beer. Most of the trailers are pulled by motorhomes and fancy trucks with trailers loaded with fancy Harleys of all sort.
I do find it interesting they pull them rather than ride them but cannot blame them what with all the heat. Maybe they just don't want them dirty /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. J

 

[Wingnut]

Bob,

I think most people who ride bikes share a camaraderie with other folks that ride bikes ... and almost all will wave to you on the road .... unless they're in a group of Harley's and then all worry what their fellow riders would think of them ... LOL.

The seating position seems to be a real choice-maker when it comes to bikes. My brother is a cruiser guy ... likes that laid back and legs forward style .... doesn't like sitting on my bike. I, on the other hand, have no problem with 700+ miles days on my stock GL1800A ... no boards, no pegs, no custom seat or windscreen.

I used to do a lot of very long days ... but I always dragged my CombiCamp tent trailer behind me ... got tired of sleeping on the ground way too many years ago. Now my idea of roughing it is a cheap motel. I appreciate the decent bed and eating without cooking .... makes the long days of riding easier to take! The kidney belt sure helps too. My idea of a great vacation is what I did this spring .... long ride down to Tennessee/North Carolina ... and then spend all the daylight hours riding the hills .... I'm hoping to do the same thing on Arkansas mountain roads this fall.

ride like it's paid for

pete

 

[TresCrows]

Went on the Cassidy ride again yesterday, a long tradition in this area. It was good weather again so there was a big turn out of bikes and the town was full up. This is not an organized ride. People just jump on their bikes and head to Cassidy (that spelling is incorrect but I am not a Kanswanian). Anyways, I am the only sportbike, a whole plethora of Honda Shadows and a lone Harley in my work group. Everyone of those guys has installed loud pipes. I hate riding with them. We pull into town after about 60 miles of listening to blat-ba ba bvlat buh buh from the assortment and try to get my ears to work again. I was the only one with a helmet, gloves, boots, jacket (mesh armoured jacket--very cool). I have begun to notice that the long standing flip flops and tank top crowd that used to ride sportbikes must all be dead or in wheelchairs cuz most of the sportbike riders were actually wearing PROTECTIVE gear. This is a trend I have noticed over the last year.
I have begun telling people with bandannas on their heads that they are stupid and their loud bikes are equally stupid. I am sick of it. There is no need or justification for all that noise. Oh, there were some quiet Harleys there and some very quiet sportbikes etc. so it can be done. My little bike is virtually silent in comparison. I don't want to hear about horsepower gains. If a person needs horsepower a Harely is not what they should have bought anyway since my little Zook will lay waste to the entire Harley lineup without ever breaking a sweat.
Also, if the cruiser riding position is so great, why did the guys I ride with have to keep stopping to rest their rearends? Well, of this group (work comrades) I have more years of riding experience than all of them combined, actually that is a fact. They ask me why I wear a helmet and about my jacket how expensive it is (130ish dollars). My only response is that, unlike you squid, I have been down on the asphalt--more than once---and I know the results. I will take helmet hair anyday over a highway lobotomy /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. If you ride bikes you will eventually go down--I like to be prepared for the inevitable and spending 600 dollars on loud pipes instead of proper protective riding gear is absolutely stupid /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif.
I get more high fives, thumbs up, positive comments and questions on my little Zook than any other bike I have ever owned. Everyone waves for the most part. The Harley crowd seems the most reluctant but almost every group we passed waved, Harley or not. I am considring getting a Sporster 1200 someday so I can ride around and pretend to be "Then Came Bronson". It will have a quiet exhaust if I have to fabricate it myself. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif J
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[Timex]

Hi, pbenven. Something about beemers, tractors, and maintenance that all seems to come together. Not sure how, but it is a good zone for me. Self reliance with regard to farming and equipment carries with it a certain confidence (often cloaked by desperation) that cannot be overlooked. My 1982 BMW requires constant vigilance since my life depends on proper operation, just as all of us need tractors and equipment that works when we need it.

Whatever we choose - tractors, attachments, motorcycles, (spouses) - we are the responsible caretakers. If our budget allows for it, we can transfer that responsibility to someone else (except for spouses), but when I am mowing at midnight to avoid the summer heat, who do I call?

I might choose a Honda rather than a Harley. Reliability over form.

 

[looch]

Speaking of responsible caretakers, here's a link to my site with some pics of a vintage ralley that was held last weekend.

 

[Timex]

pbenven - nice pics. Which one is yours? Mine's too covered with bugs to photograph - I keep waiting for rain to take a ride to wash it off. Timex

 

[looch]

I'm kicking myself for not inquiring further about that little Ducati. No photos of mine from that show. I have a '99 F650ST.

 

[Wingnut]

heh heh heh
OK ... now tell us how you really feel!

I'm with you .... loud pipes serve only to attract attention, usually the wrong kind .... and the bareheaded look may be "free" but utterly stupid. With all the crap flying around out there, it's just WAY too easy to get hit. It just has to be the attiitude thing, because most of the "free" folks seem to wear fancy hair coverings .... which do nothing except "look cool" to each other. And I wince everytime I see folks - especially the squids but even the tourers, wearing cutoffs/shorts, tank tops/t-shirts and sneakers/sandals. Man ... I've been hit by bees, grasshoppers and the like at 80mph and it hurts thru the jeans and even the riding jacket or even the leathers!
Of course, I am in favor of letting people ride lid-less as long as they sign a waiver that they, personally, will pay all medical expenses should they manage to become injured .... and their usual response is that they're insured ... like that makes a difference. Wonder if they have any idea where insurance payouts come from? Here in Michigan, I'm now paying an extra $105 per vehicle per year to protect the poor insurance companies from catastophic medical claims ... just because we have a deluded government that believes in such socialist methods. (Latest statictics show that about 25% of Detroit motorists are insured).
Oh well, we all know that loud pipes save lives, right?

pete

 

[Timex]

Wingnut - Loud pipes. They sound great at the drag strip. With regard to motorcycles, I replaced my stock BMW euro-crap wimps with Italian (EYE-talian) highway blasters. Needed a new 10 amp circuit to run them. You can hear me a mile away.

With regards to helmets and other protection, I have gone down with full body armor - it hurts! Can't imagine leaving most of my flesh on the road because I was looking cool.

Motorcycling is just supposed to be fun. Tractoring is fun with some work if you're not careful. It's the "Good Stuff" we should live for. Timex

 

[Bob_In_MN]

Pete,

Some of my self insured clients (medical insurance) have built into their contract wording that limits payment for motorcycle accidents to $20,000 if you have an accident while not wearing a helmet.

Of course I have others that refuse to add this because they wonder where they stop--such as implementing the same limit for smokers who get cancer......the list goes on and on.

In Minnesota--traditionally a state with a history of leading the way in passing laws to protect people, we do not have a mandatory helmet law. In fact, there is very strong opposition to the law (by several organizations).

Bob