Driving on two wheels at terminal velocity - the [Motorcycle-Thread]

[Dark Flare]

Imo, get a five year old used V-Star with almost no miles for like $6k first.

You will likely damage your first bike within 6 months.

Or if you're me it's your third bike you have to watch out for.

But yes buy used for real.

Should've kept you first one till the fourth one then, so you would've dropped your first bike instead of your third.

Pardon

[Cool09]

Imo, get a five year old used V-Star with almost no miles for like $6k first.

You will likely damage your first bike within 6 months.

Buy your first bike used. You will feel really silly scratching up a $20k bike if you drop it.

Apparently the riskiest years for riders are the first and third year. Maybe that explains what DF did...

[metacannibal]

Problem with most Harleys are the drivers, not the bike itself. (or rather the prejudices they face)

Yeah that will be the funniest part about it... When I brought my fullface to a dealer everyone was like :WTF:... Also I don't plan to be the same HD driver everyone is and wear the typical HD clothing.

Thanks

The Question to ask yourself would be: Genuinely honestly, why an HD, especially since you literally do not know anything about motorcycles?

There could be some theories on why:
Q) you genuinely believe they are decent or even quality motorcycles, after all they are expensive. A) they are not, they are horrible outdated technology and sometimes horribly unsafe outright, always alot less safe than literally any other motorcycle. So apart from nonexistinent "quality" of a motorcycle, neither do they have a product quality. Its outdated technology requiring more maintenance and being less reliable than proper motorcycles
Q) you genuinely believe that they are tailored to long distance motorcycling and hence excel there. A) see previous point, they are very very bad motorcycles in any "driving category", either short range commute or long distance travel, they are literally horrible at everything. Except being parked in front of cafes where people consider chrome a quality. Thats literally the only thing they can do. For the money you intend to spend, you can get a K1600GT. Thats literally the best long range motorcycle ever. If you want a long distance motorcycle, get a sports touring bike. Or a BMW1200GS type of bike.

There are literally no objective reasons to purchase a) any harley davidson motorcycle and b) a new harley davidson motorcycle.

There are literally three types of motorcycle riders a) people who ride harleys b1) people who intentionally do not ride a harley and shrug at "that odd bunch" and b2) people who intentionally do not ride a harley and proactively consider harley riders faggots. I believe its that black and white, when you get into motorcycles they appear on the "spectrum" for everyone, and you either gravitate to it or not. So if you go down that route, it will not be uncommon to have people consider you a harley faggot, except other harley drivers, because there is literally no reason to get a harley except "middle aged crises receding hairline belley tshirt yadda yadda".

[Cool09]

Hah. There's nothing wrong with riding a Harley (or any cruiser for that matter).

I do see a problem dropping $20k on a first bike. But if you have the cash, go for it.

[metacannibal]

Hah. There's nothing wrong with riding a Harley (or any cruiser for that matter).

I do see a problem dropping $20k on a first bike. But if you have the cash, go for it.

There is nothing wrong in buying whatever anyone pleases. But someone who is new to motorcycles should be made aware that they are literally junk.

[SteeleResolve]

There's also the option of buying other brand (japanese) cruisers. Kawasaki vulcan etc. Much cheaper and safer

[Cool09]

Hah. There's nothing wrong with riding a Harley (or any cruiser for that matter).

I do see a problem dropping $20k on a first bike. But if you have the cash, go for it.

There is nothing wrong in buying whatever anyone pleases. But someone who is new to motorcycles should be made aware that they are literally junk.

Heh true. I had a friend who thought Harley's were fast because they have big engines. I cringed.

[Dark Flare]

Imo, get a five year old used V-Star with almost no miles for like $6k first.

You will likely damage your first bike within 6 months.

Buy your first bike used. You will feel really silly scratching up a $20k bike if you drop it.

Apparently the riskiest years for riders are the first and third year. Maybe that explains what DF did...

Second year. #StatisticalAnomaly

[Cortess]

So to conclude: Noone wants to tell you to not buy it, but everyone says they wouldn't do it.

[SteeleResolve]

I say don't buy it. But mostly because it's too expensive.

[Steckersaurus]

The thing to remember if you're getting a Harley is that you're spending a lot just for that brand name. They've made some improvements lately, but if there's anything about the bike that you like besides the label, you can find it elsewhere and for less money.

They do this because there are so many people who will pay extra just to have that name attached. If you're one of them, that's fine.

If you aren't, I'd highly recommend looking around at your other options. $20k could by you three or four high-quality used bikes. Shit, it could by you 2-3 brand new ones, too.

Or you could by a bike for $10k, spend $5k on gear that'll let you walk away from most accidents, and still have $5k left over. And that investment in gear can pay for itself the first time you have a bad crash and only end up with a $2k hospital bill instead of $10k.

But really, unless it's the Harley badge you're after, figure out what it is that you like about the bike and then go find it somewhere else, and you can save money and probably get a better machine while you're at it.

[Cool09]

Being in Canada, the hospital bill part isn't applicable. But your point stands. Good gear pays off.

[Cortess]

I'd like to throw in a Victory Gunner ... i only heard of it though and heard it is better than a Harley.

[Paradox]

I would get a harley but never ever as a first bike.

And I would own one in addition to another, actually good, bike

The agricultural, unrefined nature of them should be kept as a novelty and not as your whole experience of biking because that way you can always appreciate what you like about them

(and also learn about why they're actually quite terrible)

[F18]

I would get a Harley because 'merica.

[SycIh]

Thanks for the hints guys. So to answer most of the stuff.

I've already bought most of my gear (and it isn't HD in anyway), only thing I will re-buy is a new helmet when I'll be better knowing. It was pre-requiered for the course.

To be real honnest the reason I was looking for a bike, isn't my first locomation (With winter during 6 months, a car is a must). It's mostly to run highway and have a better time then boring 4 wheeldriving. A few of my friend are riding more adventure/sport bike. I know fully well that if I get on a sports bike, I'll end up being a statistics in a field somewhere. Adventure didn't really appeal to me. The last part are pretty much riding Harley. I've sat on a Honda Fury (which was one I like the look a bunch) and a few Victory, couldn't drive them with the license I have atm . So I was pushed really foward Harley for that reason.

Today I had one of said friend try the 2010 street bob I saw sunday and ended up buying it. I shall pick it up in two weeks . Pretty much your real boring default HD, but I doubt it will loose much value and even if I drop it I won't really care.

PS yeah I'm a sucker for brand and high noise

And to match F18:
'Merica!

[Daco]

So I am considering building a custom cafe racer style bike.

I have always thought about building my own custom bike but in the last couple of weeks I have really been starting to price up exactly how much it would cost as well as what parts I'd be using, which engine and frame I'd want to go with. Have also been drawing up sketches of styles I want and researching riding positions and diameters that make a good bike. I understand that cafe racers aren't designed as comfort they're designed as lightweight, lightly powered, fast and agile machines which will be what I'm designing it for. Being only 1.89m (6 foot 2) tall I'm not the tallest guy out there but tall enough I have troubles with some bikes not fitting me well which is what attracts me to the idea of designing a bike that fits me.

So I'm hoping in the next month I can sort the garage out and start chasing up parts.

Some examples of styles I'm looking at:

  Spoiler:

[metacannibal]

There's also the option of buying other brand (japanese) cruisers. Kawasaki vulcan etc. Much cheaper and safer

And we know that if you are positively insane, big twins are the way to go BLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP

[F18]

So I am considering building a custom cafe racer style bike.

I have always thought about building my own custom bike but in the last couple of weeks I have really been starting to price up exactly how much it would cost as well as what parts I'd be using, which engine and frame I'd want to go with. Have also been drawing up sketches of styles I want and researching riding positions and diameters that make a good bike. I understand that cafe racers aren't designed as comfort they're designed as lightweight, lightly powered, fast and agile machines which will be what I'm designing it for. Being only 1.89m (6 foot 2) tall I'm not the tallest guy out there but tall enough I have troubles with some bikes not fitting me well which is what attracts me to the idea of designing a bike that fits me.

So I'm hoping in the next month I can sort the garage out and start chasing up parts.

Some examples of styles I'm looking at:

  Spoiler:

I quite like the 80's BMW Rxxx based cafe bikes.



If money were no object (or I didn't have other stupid things) 9T highway fighter.



inb4 all the hate.

[Keckers]

So I am considering building a custom cafe racer style bike.

I have always thought about building my own custom bike but in the last couple of weeks I have really been starting to price up exactly how much it would cost as well as what parts I'd be using, which engine and frame I'd want to go with. Have also been drawing up sketches of styles I want and researching riding positions and diameters that make a good bike. I understand that cafe racers aren't designed as comfort they're designed as lightweight, lightly powered, fast and agile machines which will be what I'm designing it for. Being only 1.89m (6 foot 2) tall I'm not the tallest guy out there but tall enough I have troubles with some bikes not fitting me well which is what attracts me to the idea of designing a bike that fits me.

So I'm hoping in the next month I can sort the garage out and start chasing up parts.

Some examples of styles I'm looking at:

  Spoiler:

My best mate is 6'2 and I always have a good chuckle picturing him on his cafe racer. Looks like a kid on a mini moto