Harley Riders Sign In With Pic

[pcphorse118]

Me with my Future Father in Law. My bike is the StreetGlide in back,

[MotoADHD]

I'm looking for a thread that covers riders switching to Harleys. I've spent my entire adult life on sport bikes / sport tourers. I always felt Harleys were to big and slow to get out of there own way. Then a couple of weeks ago I rented a 2012, 103 Dyna Fat Bob. I really loved it! I did 262 mile through our local mountains and deserts (including about 5 miles of a dirt road) and it was one of my most memorable rides ever. I know there is no such thing as a perfect bike, each is a compromise. I feel that what you lose in cornering clearance, top end and handling on the HD, you gain in that ultimate road / motor feel. While it was harder to ride in some situations, like passing on mountain roads, I found it a very rewarding ride. I almost bought a 2012 Fat Bob with ABS, but choked at the last minute. Please advise.

Thanks.

[cycleman2]

Originally Posted by MotoADHD

I'm looking for a thread that covers riders switching to Harleys. I've spent my entire adult life on sport bikes / sport tourers. I always felt Harleys were to big and slow to get out of there own way. Then a couple of weeks ago I rented a 2012, 103 Dyna Fat Bob. I really loved it! I did 262 mile through our local mountains and deserts (including about 5 miles of a dirt road) and it was one of my most memorable rides ever. I know there is no such thing as a perfect bike, each is a compromise. I feel that what you lose in cornering clearance, top end and handling on the HD, you gain in that ultimate road / motor feel. While it was harder to ride in some situations, like passing on mountain roads, I found it a very rewarding ride. I almost bought a 2012 Fat Bob with ABS, but choked at the last minute. Please advise.

Thanks.

I bought my first Harley an 08 Heritage Softail Anniv model last year. I started riding about 40 + yrs ago. Have been through Honda's, Yamaha's, Suziki's and the last two bikes I owned was a Goldwing & a BMW. I really liked the BMW for its handling but being the R1100R model the bike was a bit small for 2 up riding longer distances. The bike handled so well, powerful brakes etc, but I found that I would push a bit too hard with it, and sooner or later it was going to bite me. So last year my wife and I went looking for a new bike. We tried out both a Gl1800 and the Softail. To make a long story short my wife liked the ride/visibility of the Softail over the Goldwing. Go figure. I liked the Softail because it handled much better in the high winds that we get in the area that we live and it was fun to ride.

Last year we took a couple of week trips with some 400 mile days etc, twisties, 4 lanes, 2 lanes, mountain passes, gravel roads etc. The Softail is not a sport bike but within its limitations ( lean clearance & and limited brake performance ) it is a fun bike to ride. I took an advanced riding course on the Softail and found with a bit of practise you can get these bikes through a corner faster than you'd think. You do have to plan ahead more with the Harley as the bike doesn't have sport bike handling or brakes.

I've found the Softail to be a very good all around bike. In my view it is very close to the ideal all around bike.
Lots of folks knock the Harley's but the newer models are very good big motorcycles.

[0ldhippie]

Originally Posted by MotoADHD

I'm looking for a thread that covers riders switching to Harleys. I've spent my entire adult life on sport bikes / sport tourers. I always felt Harleys were to big and slow to get out of there own way. Then a couple of weeks ago I rented a 2012, 103 Dyna Fat Bob. I really loved it! I did 262 mile through our local mountains and deserts (including about 5 miles of a dirt road) and it was one of my most memorable rides ever. I know there is no such thing as a perfect bike, each is a compromise. I feel that what you lose in cornering clearance, top end and handling on the HD, you gain in that ultimate road / motor feel. While it was harder to ride in some situations, like passing on mountain roads, I found it a very rewarding ride. I almost bought a 2012 Fat Bob with ABS, but choked at the last minute. Please advise.

Thanks.

There are lots of threads here about switching to a harley, or ya can start a new one. For me, harleys make me more involved and make riding fun because they have a low performance envelope. I can't give up my harley??? The fatbob is the best performing big twin and looks waaayy kool!

[hadye]

why I can't post attachments ?

[luckychucky]

From FatBob at Chads

My bike last summer.

[Photog]

Originally Posted by hadye

why I can't post attachments ?

http://www.advrider.com/forums/annou...php?f=11&a=109

They're been turned off. Hotlinking still works.

[hadye]

So here is my bike

[hadye]

Originally Posted by 0ldhippie

There are lots of threads here about switching to a harley, or ya can start a new one. For me, harleys make me more involved and make riding fun because they have a low performance envelope. I can't give up my harley??? The fatbob is the best performing big twin and looks waaayy kool!

why not fat boy? after the upgrade that was done to most of the engines to 103, I think all of the softails now are worth riding. I didn't have an attraction to Dyna from the beginning, may be because of the narrow front tires ( not the fatbob of course, it is an exception)

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by hadye

why not fat boy? after the upgrade that was done to most of the engines to 103, I think all of the softails now are worth riding. I didn't have an attraction to Dyna from the beginning, may be because of the narrow front tires ( not the fatbob of course, it is an exception)

Because part of performance is the ability to turn. Softails (most not all... older standards and customs are better) do not come with much available lean angle. I was reminded of this just yesterday when I rode a Blackline around the building after gassing it up reached its limit.

Dyna's are lighter, more fun and have more available lean so they can actually be ridden well through turns.

Fat Boy - Right 26.2°- Left 27°
Fat Boy Lo - Right (deg.): 25.6 Left (deg.): 25.2

Fat Bob: - Right 30°- Left 31°

[0ldhippie]

Originally Posted by hadye

why not fat boy? after the upgrade that was done to most of the engines to 103, I think all of the softails now are worth riding. I didn't have an attraction to Dyna from the beginning, may be because of the narrow front tires ( not the fatbob of course, it is an exception)

At least ya didn't put performance and softail in the same sentence.

[Low Down]

[Max Bialystock]

Nice Ride!

[Mike M]

Bought this RoadGlide new in 2002 when I lived in Denver. Added the whole HD accessory catalog including the big bore kit but at altitude, it just didn't have the power to pass that I was used to-------and I couldn't adjust to a more laid-back riding style.

It was the one and only HD I ever owned and I still think it's the most beautiful (looking) machine I ever owned. 10 years later, I'm thinking it might be time to add a Roadking for cruising down here in Florida. I don't know-----Not sure.

[harfooz]

Here's mine. 2009 FLHX in Big Purple Flake and Brilliant Silver. It's really hard to get a picture to show the paint. Sometimes it looks black. Other times it looks like blue flake, and still other times it looks like purple flake.



Changes made since getting are: '11 FLHX seat, '12 Ultra seat, VStream 10.75" shield, fairing wind deflectors. Not crazy about wire spoked (tubed) wheels, but will eventually get some tubeless wheels to replace them.