INTRODUCE yourself here 8)

[CentralOzzy]

Hi & WELCOME to the -= Harley Owners Discussion Corner =-

Please introduce yourself here & tell us a little bit about yourself & the Harley's you have owned, have or want to buy in the future.

THANKS!

centralozzy

[Gummiente]

So, Oz, what's YOUR story?

Anyway, I've been riding for 24 years now on a few different brands, including Harley. There's a bit of a bio on my homepage if you want to find out more. My first HD was a leftover new '86 Sportster 1100 that I bought new in '87. Had to trade my beloved '71 BSA A65T to swing the deal, but that Sporty was worth it. Rode that bike for 7 years and 120,000km with only a few problems, even had a Velorex sidecar hooked up to it for a couple years. My dream bike was the FLHS but back then the prices kept going up every year and I never could afford one.

After years of enduring Sportster put-downs by other Harley riders and being disappointed at Harley's new strategy of going after the yuppie dollar, I began looking for other bikes when it came time to trade in the Sporty. I ended up going to Triumph (after a failed attempt at negotiating a deal on a then new '95 BMW R100) and left the Harley family for 8 years before returning with the purchase of a new '04 FLHT back in Dec '03. By now the FLHS had been replaced with the Road King and I almost went for one of those, but the FLHT was priced a full $1k below and came with a fairing. I had that big FL for two years and 56,000km before trading in on a new '06 FXDI Super Glide. LOVE the 6-speed and fuel injection on this baby!

I don't think I'll leave the Harley family again, as there really isn't anything else out there in a cruiser that turns my crank. I've learned to avoid the yuppie poseurs now and have matured enough to realise that it's MY bike and I don't have to explain my reasoning to anyone why I chose Harley. I do, however, let the occasional troll get the better of me here on TMW and will attempt to enlighten them on their misconceptions, but it's always an uphill battle. That's why I'm happy the TMW team decided to give us our own forum.

[CentralOzzy]

So, Oz, what's YOUR story?

I have been riding M/C's since the age of 7.
I have owned many sorts of bikes over the years, but these days mainly Harley's. My latest acquisition is an 06 Street-Rod which I love.


I have been operating a Motorcycle Adventure company now for 14 years.

www.centraloz.com specializes in showing off the central Australian outback whilst riding H-D's.

[Locopez]

Okay....well let me start...by saying thanks for the invite!

Well....lets start this way. I was introduced to MC at a young age. At first I really did not like them at all. In the last 10 years I starting thinking about getting my liscense...maybe even buying a Harley. But life being what it was....trying to buy a house. Then came kids...etc....it did not come together until Oct 2001.

My neighbor across the street bought a used 95 1200 XLH. He rode it all of 5 miles in six months. I told him about a basket case I saw in the paper I was thinking about looking at. He said...you should buy mine. I had no money @ that time. He said hell you can make payments to me...what ever you want a month...with no interest as long as I get paid!

So I rode that Sportster for 5500 miles...for about 8 months. Then I bought a brand new 02 DYNA SuperGlide...rode it for about 9 months another 5500 or so miles! At that time...my wife...started riding with me a little...and like it enough. She said that we needed a bigger bike. So on 12/29/02 I picked up a new 03 FLHT. I guess I left out that I sold the Sportster and the DYNA...as I moved up. So here I am 3 1/2 years later...46600 miles and 25 states and counting.

The FLHT...is like a couch on wheels! I love it....

Also owned a 2000 Buell Cyclone...for about six months...3300 or so....bought it on a whim...really didn't like it much...except for going in a straight line....damm that thing was a torque monster.

[CentralOzzy]

Ahhhh....A new member....sweet! Perhaps this Forum will Fly after all??

WELCOME to the HODC Forum Locopez!
You sure like moving around & trying out different models. Excellent!

You are lucky your wife likes riding & is supportive on buying new bikes....

It's sounds ironic that you only liked your Buell on straight lines!!!!
I had the opportunity to have a Ulysses for a week or so & just loved it on straights & high speed sweepers! I'd love to own a Lightning Long some day.

[Nalian]

Well I am a newbie. My father has ridden motorcycles since before I was a thought in his head, and at one point he was in school to be a motorcycle mechanic, although the school ended up having to shut down before he could finish.

So as I was growing up my experience was a bit as a pillion, but as I got older it was mostly as a person admiring them but being told by my mom that she hated them. All the typical sorts of things you expect out of moms who hate riding. I knew I wanted to ride but I didn't want to ride enough at that point to cause conflict.

A few months ago I had probably what some would probably call a quarter-life crisis where I decided that everything I've been putting off I need to start doing. So in March I gave myself the goal of riding by the end of summer - managed to get that going by June. So I've been riding a little over a month now.

[Chip Beazley]

I am 60 and have been riding 46 years. I have owned a bunch of bikes in my lifetime...Cushman, BSA, Triumph, Honda, BMW, Zundapp, Puch, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Gilera, Pirelli, Matchless and Norton. Currently I have a Suzuki C-90 dresser and a Harley 100th Anniversary XL 883 Custom.

Graduated from high school in 1963 and started college at Huntingdon in Montgomery. Went for 3 years and joined the military in 1966 (USAF) I finally finished my degree at Auburn in 1982 taking one course here and one course there between deployments, training and married life.

I currently work as a software functional analyst where I am a contractor for the Air Force. Prior to this I was a Air Technician in the Alabama Air Guard (39 years in the Guard and 31 years Civil Service - you have to be in the Guard to have the Civil Service job). Retired from both the Guard and Civil Service after returning from the current Iraqi wargames in 2003. Between 1990 and 2003 I deployed almost yearly to that section of the world. Started out in Southeast Asia and ended it in Southwest Asia.

I have been married to my wife Chris 25 years as of May this year. She is a wonderful person and my best friend. We have a beautiful daughter who is now 20. We are trying to get her through college, but that is another story. I will say that my wonderful long suffering wife has stood by me through motorcycles, flying, scuba diving, archery and target shooting. Hope she lets me hang around for another 25 years.

My first experiences with motorcycles started when I was 5. My dad was a pilot in the Air Force and we were stationed at Wheelis Airbase in Tripoli, Lybia in 1950. My dad had bought a Vespa scooter that we rode on, but he recovered 3 Afrikakorps BMWs with side cars from WWII and managed to make a good one that we rode all over the place and had plenty of parts to keep it running. That was one neat bike and I would really love to have it today. Ural makes a close copy and maybe I will acquire one in the future.

Well that is my life in the nutshell...Ride on!

[Gummiente]

Ural makes a close copy and maybe I will acquire one in the future.

Anything you need to know about them, just ask me. My '05 Ural Tourist now has over 16,000km on it and is hands-down the best $10k I've ever spent.

[Chip Beazley]

Thanks Gummi. I have read about your adventures on your web page. BTW...Anyone who hasn't gone there should visit...you're in for a treat.

When I get one, I'd like it in the Russian Army green with the star and the jerrycan mounted to the sidecar. I think that version is pretty sharp.

[MajorGator]

Hi. I am a retired soldier, am 50 years and a fresh newcomer to the wonderful world of Harley-Davidson. I just bought a 2007 FXDB Street Bob after not riding for 25 years.

I finished the MSF course prior to purchasing the bike, and I must say I learned a lot from it. Things that I had to learn from trial and error in my reckless squid youth was explained, making U-turns far easier to perform. I recommend it to everyone.

In my reckless squid youth, I started on a 1971 Honda CB450, then quickly moved up to a 1972 Honda CB750K. It seems incredible to believe those bikes are now considered slow. If those (and the Kawasaki 900 Z1) are considered slow, then the fast bikes are far more than I need.

I live in Front Royal, Virginia, at the base of Skyline Drive on the Lower end of the Shenandoah Valley (lower means elevation, not geographic location). I was extremely torn on the selection of bike, yet chose the Street Bob. No regrets, but the Sporty 1200 Roadster was very high on the list. Those twisty country roads and mountain roads beg to be carved, but I decided that I also want to travel long distances while continuing to remain somewhat minimalist.

On reflection, my ultimate bike would have been the Dyna T-Sport. It would have been perfect for my needs, but alas, they no longer make them.

I have not yet joined a H.O.G. chapter and wonder if I really want to. I don't really fit the profile, and someone may accuse me of being a RUBber dilletante or something.

Why a Harley? Not sure why, but I know why not. I am not:

* Hung up on the outlaw image. Clean cut, no tats or piercings, a great believer in protective apparel. In his autobiography, Sonny Barger said if it wasn't for the image, he'd ride a Honda cruiser.

* Hung up on American made. I haven't owned an American cage in twenty years. Nothing personal, but Detroit's product sucks.

* Hung up on cruisers. I will probably buy a crotch rocket to use for twisty riding.

* Hung up on being unique like everyone else. I guess that explains the appeal for the Street Bob.

I think it boils down to a few things. For me, the Harley is:

* Aesthetically pleasing. The lines are cleaner than any other (saver perhaps Victory). It looks like a bike SHOULD look!

* The sound. While I have no need to shatter windows, there is something about that rumble...

* Quality. It doesn't feel like a plastic toy. It is rock solid.

* Dealer network. Everywhere you go, there are HD dealerships. Most of the folks are friendly.

* Age demographic. Metric bikes are usually havens for youngsters. Nothing wrong with that, but I feel comfortable with folks more my age. The HD dealerships understand that much more than the others (excepting BMW and perhaps Triumph).

But it is wonderful that there is a forum for HD owners. I look forward to participating when I return from Atlantic City next week.

Cheers!