Total Motorcycle Community Forums

The only reason I can think of to upgrade to a bigger bike is to get a bigger, more comfortable seat.

No one (literally, no one) makes aftermarket seats for mine, and the stock seat is simply not sufficient for a 2+ hour ride.

Everyone blames the US for the bigger gikes, but isn't the largest "production bike" engine in the Triumph? 2.3 Liters of ENGLISH manhood.

Makes you wonder who really has the envy problem...

mydlyfkryzis wrote:Everyone blames the US for the bigger gikes, but isn't the largest "production bike" engine in the Triumph? 2.3 Liters of ENGLISH manhood.

Makes you wonder who really has the envy problem...

You're missing the point. It's the American market that has created the demand for bigger bikes, the manufacturers are simply responding to that demand. Triumph's Rocket III is a latecomer to the game.

If you need to blame a specific brand, then you should attack Kawasaki. They pretty much started the whole "mine is bigger than yours" thing with the introduction of the 1500 Vulcan back in '87.

The way I see it is if you want a large bike, get one. You probably have your own reasons for getting one.

Choices are great to have, we are all different.

The people who choose to ride large bikes are also the people that pay for them. That is their choice.

Gummiente wrote:

mydlyfkryzis wrote:Everyone blames the US for the bigger gikes, but isn't the largest "production bike" engine in the Triumph? 2.3 Liters of ENGLISH manhood.

Makes you wonder who really has the envy problem...

You're missing the point. It's the American market that has created the demand for bigger bikes, the manufacturers are simply responding to that demand. Triumph's Rocket III is a latecomer to the game.

If you need to blame a specific brand, then you should attack Kawasaki. They pretty much started the whole "mine is bigger than yours" thing with the introduction of the 1500 Vulcan back in '87.

I never heard that before, but very interesting, gummi. Kawi does have a reputation for consistently attempting to provide the bigger, but not always better model to the american market. Kawi's ZX14 was designed to surpass the Hayabusa, but sadly enough, I'm not quite sure if the market has accepted that initiative to much extent. And I sure hope it doesn't any time soon, because the suzuki Hayabusa as well as the B-king can smoke Kawi's "O Ring" to high hell.

But let the gas guzzling times roll, regardless!

matthew5656 wrote:I never heard that before, but very interesting, gummi.

I do have my own unique way of looking at things.

In '86, Harley pretty much had the largest mass-produced displacement cruisers at 1340cc, with the exception of the Suzuki 1400 Intruder. Bikes like the 750 Vulcan, 1100 Shadow and 1000 Virago were considered to be in the heavyweight class and cruisers were just beginning to gain in popularity. Then Kawi came out with the 1500 Vulcan and it levelled the playing field. Everyone started bumping up the displacement of their motors after that and the "small pee-pee" contest was born, culminating with the Triumph 2,200cc friggin' monster Rocket III.

If you wanted to get picky, though, you could include the Brazilian made Amazonas (VW Beetle engine) and the Boss Hoss (350cid V-8 Chev), but neither one were produced in significant numbers.

I think the first big jump was when Kawa made the 900 to top honda s750. But I really find it funny about this lil pp thing cause with all the Harley Haters here it must be the Metric folks with the small pee pees cause allthe metric bikes have bigger engines than the Harleys. the newest Harley 96inch is only 1550ccs. But that was brought out for the 800lbs Electraglide and ridein 2up the newer engine was a good emprovement with the 6speed trans for out wests long roads.

some thing else should be considered before just bashin Americans. we have thousands of miles of interstate you dont findt that in Japan or tiwan or England and even in Europe there are a few roads like out interstarts btut not many. So we want heavier bikes to run on roads with 80,000lb trucks at 70mph.
And the little bikes get blown arround all to hell on our roads. I rode a 500 inline 4 Honda a couple thousand miles on our local 2lanes and it would nearly stop when a 18 wheeler can by the other direction. And ridein 2upI you had to rev the crap out of them to keep speed. downsiftn to do any hills at all. I have also rode a 650 bonnie way back when and 2 up it worked it really hard.
yea I got a Harley Ultra and I love it but then I ride 15-25K a year. I have had a wing and they are SUPER if yor doing thousands of miles a month. Month after Month. There are small bikes if ya want to piddle arround the Honda 519 is consideed one of the best standards out there.
But the High gas will bring alot more of the lil motors to the sales floor in the US shoot I am considerin gettin myself another Harley Sportster 883 that 60 mpg looks better every day.