Gen 3 is like a Harley

When I had my GSXR1000 (‘04 Mat Mladin) I got flipped off several times in one season. It was funny, because each time it was female HD passengers on the back of touring bikes. I was fresh off a deployment, and once I even had my daughter on the back riding with me.

I always wondered if that porky little middle aged bad-ass knew she was flipping off a fresh combat vet and an 11 year old because I was riding my GSXR instead of my Road King (former police bike).

Most HD riders aren’t like that, but there sure seem to be more than enough of them.

 

True story.

 

It's the bros who wear vests to flaunt their tattoos and look grumpy all the time that confuse me.

I had some dual sport kids lose their minds waving at me yesterday. They were having a hoot.

We have "grom gaggles" full of fun seeking riders. Have fun on 2 wheels, stop making it an image thing.

 

@Bill0351 I don't know why those guys are so mad about stuff but I guess I'd be mad too if I spent all that money on a motorcycle that wasn't very good at doing motorcycle things like going fast, accelerating hard, braking hard, and handling well.

 

This makes total sense.

 

I always ride my Harley with a big grin on my face. Just the same way I drive my 2023 TRD Off Road 4x4.

 

My dad raced hare scrambles on a BSA in the Sioux Valley Cycle Club. During my childhood in the 70s and early 80s he always owned Japanese performance bikes.

I was encouraged to get a bike and ride any time I could pay for one myself. At 15, I bought a Honda XL185. I rode that bike so much and so hard, it broke in half after countless trails, hill climbs, and two South Dakota winters to and from work and school. At 17, I got a Kawasaki KZ 750. I’d drag race every and anything. Hyper space was anything above 7k RPM, speed shifting through the gears. Kids like me were rare in Sioux Falls. Plenty wanted bikes, but it was only happening over their parent’s “dead body.”

That was many bikes and over 40 years ago. I’ve never owned a Harley Davidson but always considered myself a motorcyclist. I’m now a life member in the association.

Years back my brother and I used to visit a rally in Ignacio, CO. At the time I had a used Suzuki GSX1100g. Not a great bike, but I got it cheap. We had stopped for gas and a Harley rider at another pump looked at me and said, “get a real bike.” I’ve always wondered why.

 

One of my favorite riding moments was blasting by 4-5 Harleys trying to keep it together on some PNW curvy backroad. I suppose I could have rubbed it in a little less, but I mean, I only had one cylinder, c'mon now...

 

lol.

years ago on the tail of the dragon, i had my most favorite hardly rider. he was clearly new to bikes, travelling 10 under the 30 mph speed limit everywhere. but he was so proud to be riding a harley, he HAD to flash the sign to every single other harley that went the other way, regardless of where he was. middle of a turn at 15mph? absolutely. blind corner he needs to keep to the outside? of course.

at first, it was really irritating to be stuck behind an idiots one-man-parade. but then it became enjoyable to watch him try to ride the bike like balancing plates while blindfolded. every turn looked like he was going to lay it down in different ways. he somehow managed to keep it upright the entire time, despite his best efforts...

harley is a clique-y club. just like golf clubs, or cigar rooms.. generally for people with far too much money and not enough sense.

and that is exactly why i want a honda grom. i don't want a 'real' anything. that's why i've got a tacoma. if i wanted a 'real' truck, i'd get a western star..

 

There are a couple of Harley guys around me that have threshold of pain bikes that apparently only know how to drive them at WOT. I want to throw a pipe wrench at them when I hear them coming. The only thing worse than the exhaust is the stereo blaring the Eagles or what sounds like SoundCloud rappers over the exhaust.

My neighbor also has one. He's super obnoxious and approaches the end of my street one of two ways. Either he drives straight out blowing the stop sign without a signal (after WOT rev matching down to like 10 MPH), or he parks at the street waiting for traffic revving the bike for what feels like 20 minutes. He then turns and immediately goes WOT. I'm actually impressed the frame can handle his density. He's another one that I'd like to chuck at pipe wrench at.

The funny thing is he drives his battered Grand Marquis the same way. No signal, never stops, total chode. There's a part of the parking lot at the local grocery store where you can park along the edge of the road and he literally nosed in with his stupid Grand Marquis so the only way to get out of the spot was to back up and drive around him.

I have zero issue with a louder than stock exhaust, I've had them in multiple cars myself. However, it IS possible to operate vehicles without being at WOT all the time and you can idle without bouncing off limiter. This goes out to you, Mr. Rev the Guts Out of Your Stock Honda to Back Up Guy. Trust me, my friends and I have all owned Hondas, including one with an 8 lb flywheel, Stage 11,000 clutch and no power steering, it's do-able.

/rant, maybe.

 

https://youtu.be/Aa6cfdCK9Ns?si=Z38ftUz8c_ElgDxl

 

Just popping in the thread to say you're wrong. Harleys are horrible motorcycles, a Tacoma is a great truck.

 

I had 16 years working part time n the parts departments of 2 different Harley Davidson dealerships. I could likely write a book.

That being said, the bikes themselves are less the problem than the owners. I have one friend with a 2005 Sportster that has 335k miles on it and has done the Iron Butt Rally 5 times. I know another owner who put 107k miles on a new Road Glide in just 100 days raising money for a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy and setting world record doing it.

 

I never rode a Harley. Sat on a couple at the dealerships. They don't seem to fit. A little smallish. Maybe the closest I have came to riding a Harley was on a Big Dog chopper. Always been Jap or Brit bikes for me. For decades. I am a motorcycle enthusiast too.

Harley Davidson's just don't have that allure to me.

 

Great, now I have to spend the weekend trying to figure out how to remove the rear foot pegs from my tacoma. 'Cuz passengers hamper my bike's performance.

 

Harleys are small, but you fit on a Japanese or British bike???? I'm confused.

 

Ok so I currently own a couple Harleys, a Yamaha, Honda, and a Suzuki. Won't touch a Kawasaki. So you were never a first time rider? Give the guy out there some credit for having fun and riding. So you want a Grom, yea I have owned two of them. So will you be the guy riding the Grom constantly revving the powerful 125 engine all the time trying to wheelie everywhere you go? Harley is no different than any other group of riders, there are good and bad ones.

 

WHAT??? I RIDE A HARLEY SO YOU'LL HAVE TO SPEAK UP OVER THE ROAR OF MY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

 

I know, it sounds strange but the Jap and Brit bikes I've had in the past feel roomier and more comfortable to me. Dual sport and larger cruisers.

Suzuki DL650
Suzuki DR650
Honda VTX1300R
Victory Vision
Triumph Rocket 3
Honda F6B

 

who loves a harley at it's high RPM's? No one but the rider