BMW and Hardleys

[Nadgett]

Originally Posted by waveydavey

it takes a real man to ride these untamed beasts. Not for girly men.

HD make little ones for girly girls, though.

[woodnbow]

Originally Posted by pmelby

True, after the K1200R I tried a MTS1100S then a year later, bought my current exercise in blandness:



You feel my pain.

cheers,
melby

Beautiful bike, I'll bet it handles the curve very well. I can only imagine riding that thing down main street Lake Wobegone... what must the neighbors think?

[scootrboi]

Originally Posted by royal

Well, as the former owner of an LT and an RT, and current owner of an Electra Glide, I can say that my Harley has put the fun back in motorcycling for me.

Not that I didn't like my LT and especially my RT, but neither one made me smile like my Harley. I know they aren't for everyone, but for me right now, I'm on the bike that makes me smile. Will I always ride Harley ? Maybe....but, maybe not.

I could see myself back on a BMW someday. But, right now, I'm quite content with what I have.

There is no accounting for it.

[rudolf35]

Just to stirr up this thread, let me throw in the riders age factor. Having been on two wheels for 50 years, ridden just about every major brand, I find myself drawn to BMW and H-D.

The airhead I own is my time machine. Back to the days of simpler bikes; less performance but a ton of smiles per miles. The two H-D's I own are my daily riders and touring bikes. Each mark has never given me issues and each has a charm/flaw of it's own. Personally I think that each mark gives what seasoned ( OK, old ) riders look for. Dependability, reasonable performance and each mark can be easily setup for the individual's needs.

I personally think, that once a rider gets over the "having to be fastes and biggest" reliable and comfortable gives way to all other considerations.

[pmelby]

Originally Posted by woodnbow

Beautiful bike, I'll bet it handles the curve very well. I can only imagine riding that thing down main street Lake Wobegone... what must the neighbors think?

Thanks.

The bike does stand out a bit as the majority of bikes here are cruiser & H-D touring types. I tell the Harley boys at work that the Duc is a v-twin, but doesn't need to be rubber mounted, etc. About all I get are blank looks, motorcycling to them means H-D, or cruiser type bikes. I don't understand the mentality, but I guess that I am just as closed minded but in the opposite sense in that I cannot understand the appeal of the feet forward, low slung, cruiser design.

I got the chance to put a couple thousand miles on it last fall with a trip out to the Black Hills and a two day run over the passes of the Big Horns, great fun. Am currently working up a plan for a trip to the west coast in the spring.

cheers, melby

[waveydavey]

Originally Posted by pmelby

Thanks.

The bike does stand out a bit as the majority of bikes here are cruiser & H-D touring types. I tell the Harley boys at work that the Duc is a v-twin, but doesn't need to be rubber mounted, etc. About all I get are blank looks, motorcycling to them means H-D, or cruiser type bikes. I don't understand the mentality, but I guess that I am just as closed minded but in the opposite sense in that I cannot understand the appeal of the feet forward, low slung, cruiser design.

I got the chance to put a couple thousand miles on it last fall with a trip out to the Black Hills and a two day run over the passes of the Big Horns, great fun. Am currently working up a plan for a trip to the west coast in the spring.

cheers, melby

says the ducati fan in the BMW/Hardly thread....

[ka5ysy]

Originally Posted by rudolf35

I personally think, that once a rider gets over the "having to be fastest and biggest" reliable and comfortable gives way to all other considerations.

I agree, however, I do like the fact that my RT is pretty quick and big to go with the "comfort" part . Especially the cruise and heated seats and grips. And the adjustable windscreen. And satellite radio. All while chasing crotch rockets with the cases onboard. Life is great !!

[steveWFL]

5 pages of Hardly-Ableson debate? Must be too cold to ride in some places, boredom is h*ll

[Clint Taurus]

Harley this, BMW that. my dick is bigger than yours, I can piss farther than you, my dad can whip your dad.
How many times does this horse have to be beaten into glue?
I had BMW's then HD's, both are good depending what your use is I.E. right tool for the job.
speaking of tools...you tools can resume the discussion now!

[zataomm]

And to think this thread started 5 pages ago with a drunken incoherent ramble typed in from a phone.

[scootrboi]

At the core of the rant is an interesting thought. What is it that makes a bike right for someone? Rational thought is a process that occurs after a decision is made. Just an attempt to make sense of something that makes a different kind of sense. Perhaps it isn't speed, handling, comfort, ease of maintenance, crisp response or attention getting ability that makes a motorcycle right for someone. I wonder if sound and rhythm, percussion, the right vibration, or just the quality of the machine are as important. I have never owned a BMW, although I have wanted one since I was a teenager. I can tell without riding a HD that the long legged, low slung, slow turning engine would have a strong physical appeal. Some bikes just have it, and when I get to this point I can only refer to Robert Pirsig. Quality. Awesomeness.Different aspects and different riders.

[woodnbow]

Originally Posted by pmelby

Thanks.

The bike does stand out a bit as the majority of bikes here are cruiser & H-D touring types. I tell the Harley boys at work that the Duc is a v-twin, but doesn't need to be rubber mounted, etc. About all I get are blank looks, motorcycling to them means H-D, or cruiser type bikes. I don't understand the mentality, but I guess that I am just as closed minded but in the opposite sense in that I cannot understand the appeal of the feet forward, low slung, cruiser design.

I got the chance to put a couple thousand miles on it last fall with a trip out to the Black Hills and a two day run over the passes of the Big Horns, great fun. Am currently working up a plan for a trip to the west coast in the spring.

cheers, melby

Give me a shout if you come thru Colorado Melby, I'll show you over one or two of our favorite roads...

[woodnbow]

Originally Posted by zataomm

And to think this thread started 5 pages ago with a drunken incoherent ramble typed in from a phone.

Magic words, BMW, Harley Davidson...

[JerryH]

Originally Posted by scootrboi

At the core of the rant is an interesting thought. What is it that makes a bike right for someone? Rational thought is a process that occurs after a decision is made. Just an attempt to make sense of something that makes a different kind of sense. Perhaps it isn't speed, handling, comfort, ease of maintenance, crisp response or attention getting ability that makes a motorcycle right for someone. I wonder if sound and rhythm, percussion, the right vibration, or just the quality of the machine are as important. I have never owned a BMW, although I have wanted one since I was a teenager. I can tell without riding a HD that the long legged, low slung, slow turning engine would have a strong physical appeal. Some bikes just have it, and when I get to this point I can only refer to Robert Pirsig. Quality. Awesomeness.Different aspects and different riders.

To me rational thought has nothing to do with motorcycling. It is a purely emotional thing. And for me it needs to be a very visceral, primitive experience. Smooth and quiet are not what I think motorcycles should be (yes my Goldwing is smooth and quiet, and drop dead boring. But I use it as part of another activity I like. Traveling. An Electra Glide would make travel way more fun, but you cannot get one, especially in really nice condition, for $5500. If I could buy new, I would absolutely take the Harley over the Goldwing. Fortunately I have a couple of other bikes that satisfy what I need and want a motorcycle for. And they are the ones I'm always playing and tinkering with. The GW is just one huge piece of plastic with a really comfortable seat. I do not plan to keep it forever, but it beats traveling in a car.

[MOGWA]

I put a bunch of miles on seven different BMW's. Three of them were R90S's. After taking a year off from riding to let the lower back fusion heal I went looking for a new bike. I wanted simplicity,air cooling,comfort,something not too heavy and just modern enough to be reliable. The 2007 Harley Superglide worked for me. Put on a Mustang seat,a set of detachable bags and a Sportech 14" detachable windscreen and ended up with a versatile street/touring bike. I don't love it the way I did my 76 R90S(best bike ever made IMHO),but I like it a LOT!