Motorcycles BS Thread 2.0

I spent almost 16 years working part time for a Harley Davidson dealership. Most customers/owners were decent folks. Most got into Harley and that "lifestyle" because that's what their friends, coworkers, or neighbors were into. Much as they wanted to claim individuality they all copied one another and fitting in was a big deal for them. Very few were actual "riders" who put any real miles on their bikes or went anywhere beside area bike nights or regional bike weeks. Many were absolutely incapable of performing any of their own maintenance. There were some who rode and put some serious miles on their bikes but they were the exception. Most were concerned about their trade in or resale value if they rode too much.

 

Everyone is different,that is what makes life fun.

I had a guy in my class who was pretty new to riding. He was a retired commercial pilot who just wanted to go 200 mph at Bonneville. He came to class riding his Hayabusa that was heavily modified. It was scraped up on both sides from how many times he had dropped it. He barely got it parked without it falling over. He did pretty good in the class and passed then got his M/C license and went on and accomplished his dream. He did 200 mph at Bonneville.

 

A buddy at work is really enjoying his zooker 650cc scooter. Says it has good giddy-up and go, good wind protection and great storage. Insists he is ATGATT too. Nothing wrong with his approach and it's cool that he enjoys two wheels and the open air.

I've got 10s of thousands of miles on two wheels and dropped EVERY bike I've owned. Got a new dirt bike last year and had it up on the hitch rack in the driveway. Someway/somehow I let it fall off and land on it's side, right onto the concrete driveway!

Get me going 100mph and my balance is spectacular. Can't say the same at 0-1 mph!

 

I was never really in the market for a Goldwing, but it's definitely growing on me....

Started off with this little rat bike I picked up last year for $300 bucks



The seller had it sitting in his backyard for a couple of years after it stopped running

Even gave me a brand new hitch carrier to haul it away

After a little rewiring and some rattle can khaki, it turned out to be a neat little ride to scoot around the neighborhood






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrRr-5riIsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIw_cTFLUXU

A few weeks back, I got a trade offer for this sand rail and traded for it straight up....





Two days later, I got another offer to trade for the Goldwing

Old retired pilot had health problems and can no longer ride, but said he could use the buggy to zip around his airport

Went to check it out and it was pristine, but way too much bike for me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v924mNvyWzI

I was afraid to touch it, let alone ride it as I've never been on anything that big before, but he was all in for a trade just by watching the video of the rail and had his neighbor ride it an hour back to my house to deliver it and told me to drop off the buggy whenever

Never had a deal go so smooth lol

The wing takes a lot of getting used to (especially at slow speeds), but I like it

Never been on a bike this smooth or quiet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpZRPDkClJo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKAiob-m0dg

 

to funny

my Adventure riding group was always helpful when I needed it, after they all took photos.

My first ride on my 640 KTM with the monster high seat height, I dropped it parking it when meeting my buddies, that photo went straight to the web forum I ran....



And, I got it stuck and of course photos before helping, again posted on our forum. Loved those nuts.

 

I may have to take you up on that at some point.

I am out doing a Puget Sound loop today. Currently waiting to board the ferry in Port Townsend.

 

Only one bike I have owned I haven’t dropped. The Honda monkey ,,, lol all the others YES!!

 

That is Devil's Tower in North East Wyoming.

 

Sounds good.

 

I was gonna ask if you guys made in alien contact..

 

They are the aliens!! Lol

 

Beautiful, thanks

 

What I learned is there are Harley guys and there are motorcyclist who are Harley guys. One of the guys I used to work with was a motorcyclist who loved Harleys, he liked the history, the tradition and the flash. He had a nice Road Glide, really sharp looking and he always had a HD. But in the years I worked with him, he owned a Vespa, he had an old 6-cylinder Kawasaki Voyager, a Gold Wing 4 cyl, a Hayabusa and 3 or 4 UJM's. He didnt give a shit, if it had 2 wheels, he liked it. One of the other guys was a hard core MoCo guy, if we were sitting around talking bikes and it wasnt about an HD, he would get up and leave the room. He didnt know anything about any other bike, nor did he want to know. When I bought the Wing he told me, in about 6 weeks you will be wishing you had bought a real motorcycle. He truly did not know, I dont think he ever rode the bike more than 50 miles away from home, and then only if there were herd of them.

 

I would warn my Harley motorcycle students in class that once their family and friends found out they ride a Harley all they are ever going to get for birthdays and Christmas would be Harley branded items.

 

May just be my luck, but on all the long middle of nowhere road trips where you pound out tank to tank, I see more Harleys, Goldwings and BMW LT or GS, followed by FJR's and ST's. There are some dedicated Ultra riders out there.

 

Confirmed (happily married Kawi rider).

 

I don't even ride on the street anymore. Not enough excitement for me and then having to pick up kids it's just easier to drive the car to start with.

 

Friend of mine has done the Iron Butt Rally 5 times on a Sportster. Fellow named Chris Hopper bought a brand new Road Glide and set a world record riding over 100k miles in just 100days. The bikes themselves are decently solid it's what the owners do to them that messes it up.

 

For sure. It's really pretty around there, and there were a couple sections of nice curves (45-55 MPH signs) heading to the tower. Designated motorcycle parking is a plus as well.

 

Chuck, I have a question you might know the answer to.. when people are doing insane rides and tours like that, iron butt rally and above say, how the hell do they do maintenance? I mean even an oil change once a week adds up to a lot of time, let alone if something breaks or valve checks/adjustmetns or whatever. That'd be awful to get 80 something days into a 100 day stretch and have a bike shit the bed and need an all day repair and not get done. I know you've let a fellow rider borrow a bike to finish the tour (or maybe you borrowed one? I can't remember.. sorry..).