To Harley or not to Harley?

[Johnj]

What photo sight should I use to upload photos to?

Photobucket is good. it allows you to have different gallerys so you can organize your photos.

[Gummiente]

Mike, what I don't understand is why the fasination with Urals.

If I had to explain, you wouldn't understand...

[koji52]

I would say one thing else. Don't listen to other people that "know" what you should have. Harley's are special but the Sportsters aren't "real" Harleys and the Big Twins are bulky and take forethought so you don't get caught in a place they aren't comfortable in. I get away with riding a Sportster because I'm a gurl and it doesn't take much to learn the specialness of a Harley Big Twin.

That statement is a joke. If you weren't joking, then you're a joke.

I would be careful who you call a joke! You obviously aren't in my shoes and haven't had my experiences. That is what a forum is all about. Peaple talking about their experiences and opinions. There is very little "hard" truth because motorcycles are about freedom, not cold logic. The Japanese have learned about that finally and are building things like the Honda Fury.

You obviously know little about peer pressure and the power of people's opinions. Just how many people buy motorcycles with at least some thought given to other people's acceptance of their purchase. It works both ways towards Harleys. My partner owns a Porsche but it isn't a 911 it's a Cayman so the snobs of Porschedom sneer at her car a bit. It isn't a real Porsche. Even though in her hands, her Cayman out drives the much more expensive 911.

There are people that are envious of bikers that own Harleys and trash them when ever possible. There are those who think anything other than a Big Twin isn't a real motorcyle. There are BMW snobs and there are Ducati snobs too. All of this is @$&# because motorcycles are about freedom. And this isn't a joke.

First of all, everyone knows about peer pressure. We deal with it every day. Everyone deals with it differently. Personally, I couldn't care less what people think of me and my bike. It's not going to stop me from my purchase decisions or continuing to ride. However, I'll speak my mind and point out any ridiculous statements as I hear them.

Second, I think I may have misinterpreted your post based on your final paragraph there. It seemed to me like you were a "If it doesn't have a 96 inch motor on it, it aint a Harley" type rider. "Sportsters are for wussies." The type of rider who wears a skull cap and no protective gear, rides a massive BT and acts like a bada$$, yet can't come to a stop without putting both feet down when slowing below 20mph. Those riders are a joke. If you are not that, I take back my insult towards you and sincerely apologize.

However, if you do fall under the above category of rider, you're still a joke in my eyes.

[Ryethil]

I'm just back from a call where the accident victim was nothing more than a teenager/young adult who was riding thru a parking lot and dropped his bike, on himself. The big muscular firemen who are usually the first responders in our system couldn't move the bike until we got there. There reasons for it that I don't need to go through. Anyway, the kid was bruised and slightly cooked because of the heat of the engine. He thought he was dying and we basically kissed his bobo's and let him go home. Kind of sad and the the ER doctor and staff though it was hilarious. But I got a chance to pontificate about wearing safety gear. He wasn't even wearing a helmet. Oh he'll be a good boy for a while then he'll slip back.

Sorry, but I just had to tell someone that people can be soo stupid when it comes to motorcycles.

Mike, what I don't understand is why the fasination with Urals.

That is what I was trying to point out in the Honda post. Everyone is different and different types of bike move different souls.

Whether intentional or unintentional, your extreme bias against Honda is prevalent in your post. That's fine. That is your opinion. However to state that one cannot bond with any brand other than the ones you stated is just plain wrong.

Okay, I've learned my lesson and I'm being a good gurl.

I don't have a unfair bias towards any motorcycle or marque. I don't have any ill feelings for Honda. I'm probably one of Honda's best salesmen. Actually, I'm a good salesman for most Japanese brands as well as others.

I think that many first time riders don't want or need a bike that requires them to aquaint themselves with any eccentricities that the bike requires them to learn. Honda and others provide very good reliable platforms that inspire confidence. I also don't think that a cruiser is necessarily the best bike for someone to learn their first leasons on. On the other side, I don't think sportbikes are good to learn on either.

It's kind of silly because my friends read the posts and laughed at the whole thing. I don't have any grudges towards anything or anyone unless you're a club member (the bad kind). I've had a spot of trouble with hard core bikers and the only thing I can say is that I'm still nobody's B*tch.

I digress.

As for Hondas and such, yes, I'm a pretty hard core Harley fan. However, two things must be said. First of all, I don't want everybody to ride a Harley because they would have to water down the HD experience. It's not that other motorcyclists aren't good enough to ride a Harley. It's that Harley is an experience as much as transportation. Most people that I know don't want eccentricities, they want practicality. All good with me. I'm glad that there are very good bikes that will give them what ever they want to get out of their motorcycling experience. All this and a platform that gives them reliability and quality of ride that turns their crank. All good so far?

If you read my posts, I always said that I value freedom above all else. Everyone should be able to do what they want and get what they want out of motorcycling. It's not up to me to tell others what they should ride and how they should ride it. Though a crazy who likes to ride naked on Cushman in the noon day sun can ruin my day. For I'll be the one that will get the call to treat his nether regions for sunburn. *sigh*

Going back to Honda, like I said before, I've owned Hondas. If I have a complaint is that they seem to not give the rider any leeway to adjust things on the bike without major rebuilding and they seem to bean count a lot which hurts their bikes. But the main thing that set me off was you telling me that Honda knew more about motorcyclists than anybody else. IMHO, this is rubbish. They may know their faithful but Yamaha, BMW, Ducati and even Vespa know what their core group wants and possibly needs. The British of the late 70's showed what could happen when you think you know everything. Kind of sad about the British.

I actually worked as a Suzuki mechanic. (I'm still certified) I also fixed other brands so I had a good idea of which bikes were what I considered exceptional. I had an old Shovelhead that I rode to work and people really had a hissy because I was a luddite and a barbarian. (Me Jane, You Tarzan) Then I thought that Suzuki was better in most ways then Honda. They seemed a better value and usually gave their riders a lot of adjustments to screw up.

As far as asking Milke about Urals, I wasn't putting down Urals and I think understand why he rides them. Their Russian made I believe and I have a facination with things out of the ordinary. My bad!

Which brings a question that bothers me. You guys talk to each other in way that you think the other person will understand. When I do that I get yelled at. Is it a guy thing or am I missing something. I admit I'm a gurl and I may not understand what is going on here. If that is the case, could someone tell me how to better communicate. I'm actually being serious here. I understand quite a bit about motorcycles and motorcyclists. I just want to be friends.

[Ryethil]

To all the people who steered me towards PhotoBucket...

[Ryethil]

Mike, what I don't understand is why the fasination with Urals.

If I had to explain, you wouldn't understand...

Oh, I think I understand. it's just how did you get a facination for something so "Russian"? I love the concept. Of course I thought the same about Yugos and that died quickly.

[Gummiente]

Oh, I think I understand. it's just how did you get a facination for something so "Russian"? I love the concept. Of course I thought the same about Yugos and that died quickly.

It's in my blood. Literally. The ancestors on my mother's side come from the Georgian region of Russia and were Doukhbors, hence the name "Douk" (short for Doukhbor) on the front fender plate.

But it goes way beyond that and has a lot to do with the "soul" of a machine, as I consider myself to be a Renaissance type of dude. If you have a few hours to kill, the Ural Blog on my webpage, Gummiente's Roadhouse, details all the adventures from Day One of my Ivanic plunge into the wild, wooly underworld of Russkie sidecar bikes.

[Ryethil]

I would say one thing else. Don't listen to other people that "know" what you should have. Harley's are special but the Sportsters aren't "real" Harleys and the Big Twins are bulky and take forethought so you don't get caught in a place they aren't comfortable in. I get away with riding a Sportster because I'm a gurl and it doesn't take much to learn the specialness of a Harley Big Twin.

That statement is a joke. If you weren't joking, then you're a joke.

I would be careful who you call a joke! You obviously aren't in my shoes and haven't had my experiences. That is what a forum is all about. Peaple talking about their experiences and opinions. There is very little "hard" truth because motorcycles are about freedom, not cold logic. The Japanese have learned about that finally and are building things like the Honda Fury.

You obviously know little about peer pressure and the power of people's opinions. Just how many people buy motorcycles with at least some thought given to other people's acceptance of their purchase. It works both ways towards Harleys. My partner owns a Porsche but it isn't a 911 it's a Cayman so the snobs of Porschedom sneer at her car a bit. It isn't a real Porsche. Even though in her hands, her Cayman out drives the much more expensive 911.

There are people that are envious of bikers that own Harleys and trash them when ever possible. There are those who think anything other than a Big Twin isn't a real motorcyle. There are BMW snobs and there are Ducati snobs too. All of this is @$&# because motorcycles are about freedom. And this isn't a joke.

First of all, everyone knows about peer pressure. We deal with it every day. Everyone deals with it differently. Personally, I couldn't care less what people think of me and my bike. It's not going to stop me from my purchase decisions or continuing to ride. However, I'll speak my mind and point out any ridiculous statements as I hear them.

Second, I think I may have misinterpreted your post based on your final paragraph there. It seemed to me like you were a "If it doesn't have a 96 inch motor on it, it aint a Harley" type rider. "Sportsters are for wussies." The type of rider who wears a skull cap and no protective gear, rides a massive BT and acts like a bada$$, yet can't come to a stop without putting both feet down when slowing below 20mph. Those riders are a joke. If you are not that, I take back my insult towards you and sincerely apologize.

However, if you do fall under the above category of rider, you're still a joke in my eyes.

Okay, the best for last...

First of all I'm not a joke even if I was hard core enough to have that kind of attitude. Everyone is free to be what they want as long as they don't screw with other people who don't want to be the target of such attention. I always love middle aged doctors sneering their best attitude when on a weekend run when the rest of the time they're polite and civilized.

As for what you're telling me is that somehow you aren't bothered by what other people are saying and yet you think I should heed your warnings. Ain't going to happen. I'm my own person and you're your own person. What we let affect us is our own choice. No other.

What I was trying to say is that there is a lot of bigotry in the motorcycle world. And it does affect how the world treats us. Isn't it easier on you if everyone says what a great motorcycle you have instead of what a dog you have and how stupid you were to get it. I've taken trash for owning Harleys and from Harley owners who thought that I wasn't a real biker because I owned a Sportster. I've taken trash in TMW forums for being a gurl. That I couldn't know what I was saying. Of course the Quotes that people have used cut out all that I said about freedom and the right of the person to ride what he wanted without being trashed for it. Then they trash me for not understanding and how I hurt "their" feelings. Kind of s*cks. At least for me.

However, I've taken a ration of cr*p all my life for being so many different things that I should of rolled up in a ball and died. Ain't happening.

Where I live the very fact that I ride a motorcycle makes me a target for a lot of abuse that I can't be a real woman. The guys are used to me now but it wasn't always that way. And it still isn't when I run across 1%s. I'm no one's B*tch and that threatens their egos.

All I want to say is that people should have the freedom to ride what they want in anyway they want as long as they don't hurt other people. I still say this even though I pick up the pieces whe they screw up.

As far as motorcycles go, (isn't this what this forum is about?), I don't think that a Harley is a good motorcycle to start out on unless your commited to not only learning how to ride but also deal with the idiosyncrasies of foward mounted controls or raked out front ends that don't allow quick steering. Harleys are just as reliable as any other bike now and better than some. They're quite civilized with 6 spds and slipper clutches. However, if you start out on Sportster, you find out at least for the customs, they're a bit top heavy. If you start out with a Big Twin, you quickly realize unless your the Hulk, you ain't going to be muscling it anywhere. It's like a horse. You hope the horse is well trained and you can guide it where you want it to go for it is so much larger than you are.

My favorite pick is VTX1300. Sporty, no bad faults, water cooled and shaft drive. I know there is a 1800 version of it but I'm not sure it would be as good a choice. However a lot of women and men too tell me what a good bike the Yamaha 950 is. Not only to learn on but to keep as their bike of choice when they got a few miles on their belt. Haven't ridden one yet but the smile factor seems to be very high for the people who own them.

[Bachstrad37]

Alex - with every post I read, I find you stuck in a vicious cycle of having to prove yourself. You don't have to. You're competent and know your way around a bike. I for one appreciate your knowledge and I don't think anyone faults you for lack of it. At least, not here from what I've seen. I do; however, see some flawed perceptions due to peer pressure. Such as, Sportsters not being a "real" Harley. They say the same thing about the V-Rod, which again is BS. It's this type of attitude that turns many off from even stepping into their showroom. You mentioned the freedom and how a Harley mingles your soul - OK, cool. But when I go into a Harley shop and want to buy a Harley helmet (made by AGV btw) and the sales rep asked what bike I have (Kawaski Meanstreak), it blew me away when she responded "Oh, you're working to upgrade". It's statements like this that deconstructs the brand you so much tout. How about my freedom to buy whatever the hell I want?

My point is, there's an abundance of ignorant beliefs out there. It's coming from both sides and it detracts from the experience we ought to have - freedom to enjoy whatever you personally decide on.

I think several of us already hit that point with previous posts. And jaskc, your numerous options is awesome. Isn't it beautiful beautiful thing? It's a nice problem many throughout the world does not have - enjoy your search my friend.

[koji52]

I would say one thing else. Don't listen to other people that "know" what you should have. Harley's are special but the Sportsters aren't "real" Harleys and the Big Twins are bulky and take forethought so you don't get caught in a place they aren't comfortable in. I get away with riding a Sportster because I'm a gurl and it doesn't take much to learn the specialness of a Harley Big Twin.

That statement is a joke. If you weren't joking, then you're a joke.

I would be careful who you call a joke! You obviously aren't in my shoes and haven't had my experiences. That is what a forum is all about. Peaple talking about their experiences and opinions. There is very little "hard" truth because motorcycles are about freedom, not cold logic. The Japanese have learned about that finally and are building things like the Honda Fury.

You obviously know little about peer pressure and the power of people's opinions. Just how many people buy motorcycles with at least some thought given to other people's acceptance of their purchase. It works both ways towards Harleys. My partner owns a Porsche but it isn't a 911 it's a Cayman so the snobs of Porschedom sneer at her car a bit. It isn't a real Porsche. Even though in her hands, her Cayman out drives the much more expensive 911.

There are people that are envious of bikers that own Harleys and trash them when ever possible. There are those who think anything other than a Big Twin isn't a real motorcyle. There are BMW snobs and there are Ducati snobs too. All of this is @$&# because motorcycles are about freedom. And this isn't a joke.

First of all, everyone knows about peer pressure. We deal with it every day. Everyone deals with it differently. Personally, I couldn't care less what people think of me and my bike. It's not going to stop me from my purchase decisions or continuing to ride. However, I'll speak my mind and point out any ridiculous statements as I hear them.

Second, I think I may have misinterpreted your post based on your final paragraph there. It seemed to me like you were a "If it doesn't have a 96 inch motor on it, it aint a Harley" type rider. "Sportsters are for wussies." The type of rider who wears a skull cap and no protective gear, rides a massive BT and acts like a bada$$, yet can't come to a stop without putting both feet down when slowing below 20mph. Those riders are a joke. If you are not that, I take back my insult towards you and sincerely apologize.

However, if you do fall under the above category of rider, you're still a joke in my eyes.

Okay, the best for last...

First of all I'm not a joke even if I was hard core enough to have that kind of attitude. Everyone is free to be what they want as long as they don't screw with other people who don't want to be the target of such attention. I always love middle aged doctors sneering their best attitude when on a weekend run when the rest of the time they're polite and civilized.

As for what you're telling me is that somehow you aren't bothered by what other people are saying and yet you think I should heed your warnings. Ain't going to happen. I'm my own person and you're your own person. What we let affect us is our own choice. No other.

What I was trying to say is that there is a lot of bigotry in the motorcycle world. And it does affect how the world treats us. Isn't it easier on you if everyone says what a great motorcycle you have instead of what a dog you have and how stupid you were to get it. I've taken trash for owning Harleys and from Harley owners who thought that I wasn't a real biker because I owned a Sportster. I've taken trash in TMW forums for being a gurl. That I couldn't know what I was saying. Of course the Quotes that people have used cut out all that I said about freedom and the right of the person to ride what he wanted without being trashed for it. Then they trash me for not understanding and how I hurt "their" feelings. Kind of s*cks. At least for me.

However, I've taken a ration of cr*p all my life for being so many different things that I should of rolled up in a ball and died. Ain't happening.

Where I live the very fact that I ride a motorcycle makes me a target for a lot of abuse that I can't be a real woman. The guys are used to me now but it wasn't always that way. And it still isn't when I run across 1%s. I'm no one's B*tch and that threatens their egos.

All I want to say is that people should have the freedom to ride what they want in anyway they want as long as they don't hurt other people. I still say this even though I pick up the pieces whe they screw up.

As far as motorcycles go, (isn't this what this forum is about?), I don't think that a Harley is a good motorcycle to start out on unless your commited to not only learning how to ride but also deal with the idiosyncrasies of foward mounted controls or raked out front ends that don't allow quick steering. Harleys are just as reliable as any other bike now and better than some. They're quite civilized with 6 spds and slipper clutches. However, if you start out on Sportster, you find out at least for the customs, they're a bit top heavy. If you start out with a Big Twin, you quickly realize unless your the Hulk, you ain't going to be muscling it anywhere. It's like a horse. You hope the horse is well trained and you can guide it where you want it to go for it is so much larger than you are.

My favorite pick is VTX1300. Sporty, no bad faults, water cooled and shaft drive. I know there is a 1800 version of it but I'm not sure it would be as good a choice. However a lot of women and men too tell me what a good bike the Yamaha 950 is. Not only to learn on but to keep as their bike of choice when they got a few miles on their belt. Haven't ridden one yet but the smile factor seems to be very high for the people who own them.

I think there may be some miscommunication between us but in the end I understand your point and rescind my "you're a joke" comment, as you don't seem to be one of "those" people.

Nevertheless, I didn't give any warnings other than that I will continue to voice my opinions. I did not tell you not to succumb to peer pressure. I simply said that I couldn't care much less about what most people think about me. Douchebags will act like bigger douchebags when they're on something that creates for them the outlaw or rebel look. That's fine, but it doesn't mean I give an ounce of respect to them nor do I give any credit to their views. All I see is a jerk on a big bike overcompensating for something in their life that's become small, and then judging me by the size of my bike. Anyone like that is a joke in my eyes and regardless of what he/she may have achieved outside of the attempt to create a bada$$ persona, I will give absolutely nothing to them.

Remember, take what I say (and what anyone else may say) with a grain of salt. If I think you're a joke, I can voice that. It's a public forum. It's my own opinion and my own outlook on people. As they say, opinions are like ***holes, everyone's got one.