Rode a Friend's Harley sportster 1200 today. 2016 model.

He actually doesn't have his moto license yet, so I was taking it someplace for him.

I also recently test rode the iron 883 and street glide.
The 1200 is much lighter and more maneuverable than the street glide.

I think Harley has made a lot of progress recently. The suspension and fueling on this 1200 were pretty good.
Shifting still feels like driving a tractor.

I have to say, Harley knows how to paint a motorcycle. The paint is gorgeous.

They also just introduced a new bike, the Street Rod, no relation to the prior bike by that name.

The new street rod is a hot rod version of the fairly boring street 750. The street rod is a good looking bike, actually very similar to the nc700, though marketed to a totally different audience. (The market for the street rod is obviously young urban hipsters.)

All these HDs make me appreciate the build quality and smoothness of the Honda.

Rode it some more today.
Very comfortable, plenty of power.
Vibes in hands and feet at several ranges.
Nice low center of gravity.
Self canceling turn signals, belt drive.
It could use a sixth gear.
Even the stock pipes sound good.

I am making a video, but I need to edit out his family.

I always get a good chuckle out of riding a Harley. Then I just want to get off the darn thing.

As they say, to each their own.

Being a motorcyclist since 1968, off-road then on-road, I've come to believe that Harley riders are a completely different animal. They all seem to eschew modern technology unless it comes from Milwaukee and to them, saying "I own a Harley" is the most important part of ownership, not the riding. Most of us attend motorcycle shows to see what new offerings are on the market - regardless of brand - but my guess is that the H-D faithful head straight for the Harley display.

I owned a Harley sportster once for about a week. That was the max amount of time that my wife allowed the sportster to remain in the family, once she road it!

Loud with a lot of bling, just like their owners.

Just like anything, there are some Harley owners I would call real motorcyclists.
But a majority of them are "weekend warriors" meaning they drive their chrome holding device to the local bar and talk about the new paint job they are going to get someday.
In my 30 years of riding I have seen a lot of under skilled people on Harleys and even more drink and drive.

You have to wonder about a motorcycle company that makes 69%+ of it's revenue off of it's clothing line.

Someday when I have time I'll post the story of how I got sued by Harley after Willie G saw our clothing line when I owned Rider-4-Life.
They don't play.

I'd love to have a Harley/cruiser, but I think if/when I do get a cruiser, I'll go with the Indian Cheiftan Darkhorse... that's a sick *** machine there. Like lots of Harley's and the metric cruisers too.

But I'm the kind of person that likes everything. I like adv bikes, dirt bikes, crotch rockets, cruisers... would like to have one of each (and plan on it). Like all different types of food, all kinds of guns, all kinds of guitars... and all different types of women.

Variety = Fun.

I don't get it either but ride what you like and like what you ride. Some folks look at me dressed up like a deranged Power Ranger and don't get me either.

Harley-Davidson?

I've heard of them, Wisconsin right? They make okay motorcycles, for a clothing company.

In HD culture, the 883 and Street models are considered 'women's' bikes, being the cheapest, lowest seat height and lowest in the power range. (With all due respect to women riders.)
No one would really care though, but when you buy HD you're joining a club where image matters more than riding skill or technology, whether you want to or not.

Last year, before I got my NC, I went to test ride a Street 750 and the sales guys were so arrogant that I just walked out. Wrote a letter to their corporate HQ and have never looked back.

Tavern owners all over America like Harleys a lot better than they like any other motorcycle.

OneGun said:

I'd love to have a Harley/cruiser, but I think if/when I do get a cruiser, I'll go with the Indian Cheiftan Darkhorse... that's a sick *** machine there.

Click to expand...

Indian Roadmaster Classic if I had the dough for a cruiser I'd almost never ride.

Like a lot of folks here, I imagine, about 97% of my MSF BRC were heading off to buy Harley's. I got head shakes talking about the BMW F800GT and the NC700. Mentioning automatic transmission even made the instructors shake their heads.


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"Harley and the Davidson's" is a mini series on Amazon network streaming video.
I'm not a fan of the motorcycle, but the series was so well done...
worth watching.

[...I have seen a lot of under skilled people on Harleys and even more drink and drive...]

I would venture a guess that when you see motorcycles parked outside a bar, they are usually Harleys. During the summer when I'm riding, I'll pass a bar at a rural corner and they'll be several H-Ds parked outside...and 4-5 hours later as I'm retracing my steps home, I see the same bikes still parked there!

OneGun said:

I'd love to have a Harley/cruiser, but I think if/when I do get a cruiser, I'll go with the Indian Cheiftan Darkhorse... that's a sick *** machine there. Like lots of Harley's and the metric cruisers too.

But I'm the kind of person that likes everything. I like adv bikes, dirt bikes, crotch rockets, cruisers... would like to have one of each (and plan on it). Like all different types of food, all kinds of guns, all kinds of guitars... and all different types of women.

Variety = Fun.

Click to expand...

Funny coming from a guy who's avatar is OneGun lol. But I do agree variety is great in most everything

For the weight and cost, I would buy a Versys 1000, which I think is a really nice sort of semi tourer. One more step up and something like the FJR would be my next choice.

If Honda would make a highway package for the Africa Twin I think that would be awesome.
Maybe cruise control, more wind protection, like that.

Don't worry, I am not going to buy a Harley. I look for positives in anything.

rippin209 said:

Funny coming from a guy who's avatar is OneGun lol. But I do agree variety is great in most everything

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Lol, my user name is misleading... I don't have just one.

A buddy who rides an FJR tells this story.
He was on his annual spring ride where he wonders about appalachia. He was in Kentucky and saw a bar and grill with a few Harleys parked out front and decided to stop for a burger. The pirates talked with him telling him how every year they ride a hundred miles to this joint for a beer and burger. The leader said of that feat, "When we ride, we ride!"

As they were leaving, the pirates noted his Louisiana plates and asked..."you came all the way from Louisiana!"

The answer..."When I ride, I ride".

Hank said:

For the weight and cost, I would buy a Versys 1000, which I think is a really nice sort of semi tourer. One more step up and something like the FJR would be my next choice.

If Honda would make a highway package for the Africa Twin I think that would be awesome.
Maybe cruise control, more wind protection, like that.

Don't worry, I am not going to buy a Harley. I look for positives in anything.

Click to expand...

VFR1200X? 2016 VFR1200X Overview - Honda Powersports

drdubb said:

A buddy who rides an FJR tells this story.
He was on his annual spring ride where he wonders about appalachia. He was in Kentucky and saw a bar and grill with a few Harleys parked out front and decided to stop for a burger. The pirates talked with him telling him how every year they ride a hundred miles to this joint for a beer and burger. The leader said of that feat, "When we ride, we ride!"

As they were leaving, the pirates noted his Louisiana plates and asked..."you came all the way from Louisiana!"

The answer..."When I ride, I ride".

Click to expand...

Yes! A similar story: Some Harley rider asked my friend on his FJR1300 if he really rode that thing. He said you ain't ridden unless you've been to Moonshine Store (a 2.5 hour ride, one way). We answered that yes, we've ridden to Moonshine Store. In fact, we stopped there (in Illinois) on our way to Georgia!