Harley D's...

[Bassman]

Ok folks, a serious question.....
Why is it that probably 90% of new custom bikes, seem to be Harleys?
If its the engine layout, then why not use, Viragos, Shadows etc?
Is it qudos? The pack mentality, or is it something that I have missed entirely...
And yes I do have a Harley, albeit a very old one..
Answers on a postcard please to the usual address.... :confused:

[Bosun]

and there was i thinking with the current intruders, wildies etc in recent mags there was a bit of a turn away
i think the main reaso being a certain film many moons ago, and twins ( parallell or v) just look right in a custom

but then so do cbz.s and cement mixer engines... have a theory and debunk in one go..

[Rabid]

I think a lot of it is the kudos the people who are buying new bikes are these born again bikers and money to them is no object thats why 90% of new bikes custom style are HD. Im not jealous at all.



No really im not. (bastards)

[XJphil]

I think its because Harleys tend to keep thier value, no matter what you do to them (well not in my mate deanos case as he has completely wreaked his xfr custom) so when they decide to build a new bike, the harley custom is sold at a very little loss, and funds the new project easily
and i also find most long time bikers change to harleys and find they ain`t that good after all lol, then change back again

[krammer]

nothing against harley's but like the man said they seem to be bought now by people who have paid off their mortgages etc. fair play to em but i think the whole kudos thing has kinda worn thin now. years ago a harley was a pretty rare sight and would get some respect but now when you look at some of the riders with their neatly pressed jeans and immaculate jackets you know the bikes are just toys only to be bought out when the sun is shining. however, there is still a hardcore of harley riders and total respect goes out to them.

[Simon B]

Ive gotta admit that a lot of the people that buy HD's these days believe that it will make them something that they are not ie a biker. It never ceases to amaze me when I go to my local HD dealer the people that get out of their big cars in nice cordroys, jumper, sensible shoes etc then get on an over priced bike strike up a deal go and buy all the latest factory authorised lid, leathers, gloves glasses etc.
Now dont get me wrong Harley have done a great marketing job and if it wasnt for all the excess money peep's around then there wouldnt be so many dealers and parts would be even more expensive.
I love me Harley, its easy to work on parts are reasonably priced ( compared to jap & Italian) ok it aint the quickest thing on the planet but if I wanted that Id by a CBGSXR1 Ninja or whatever they're called. And yep they do hold their money well, its taken me over 20 years to get one and Im not gonna change now. As for all the people that constantly slag of Harleys, get a life a bikes a bike at the end of the day and two wheels is better than four.

[Jonnyfp]

I think they're overpriced and under engineered.....but I rode one and really liked how relaxed the whole experience was.
Maybe when i'm older i'll get me one. still a twat tho so til then i'll keep the trump. :)

[Santa]

Something that really struck me at the NEC show this year was that if you are into cruisers every single bike manufacturer out there (with the very noteable exception of Triumph) only produce bikes that look like Harleys. The VTX's, Intruders, Star series, VN's all just look like HD's. Is there no imagination out there anymore? If all you can get is impersonating Harley's then you might as well buy the real thing!

[Rabid]

The reason that they all look like HDs is because there is only so much you can do with a V twin in cruiser mode im not slagging HDs of i would have one tomorrow but for 2 things the cost i can get twice as much jap for the same money and the attitude of some (not all) HD riders.

[ForestFred]

I want that Sportster featured in the latest iss of that 'other' uk custom mag you know that cafe racer. Mmmmm drool slobber. (an I'm always takin the piss outtta Harleys :D )

[defarter]

The reason that they all look like HDs is because there is only so much you can do with a V twin in cruiser mode im not slagging HDs of i would have one tomorrow but for 2 things the cost i can get twice as much jap for the same money and the attitude of some (not all) HD riders.

I agree with you on the cost of Harleys but you don't lose much money on them when it comes to selling them, but the jap bikes do tend to nose dive quite steep so i guess it's swings and round abouts.
As for the attitude of some peeps who ride Harleys it sucks, if there head were to go much futher up there ar*e they'd have no need for a helmet :D ;)

[Freak]

Maybe it's because you can just bolt on the custom parts to yer HD whereas they need to be made for other makes. There is a VAST amount of aftermarket parts for HD's from which a very individual looking bike can be built without ever going near a lathe, angle grinder, welder etc.

[Bassman]

I would tend to agree with Freak, in that there are just so many parts available for Harleys now that you can make your bike different to anyone else's. At the end of the day, some people would rather have a bike that is even a bit different to everyone else's, even if they do initially have to pay a lot more for it...They get it back when they sell it anyway... That and the whole escapism thing that the Harley ads have been telling peeps for years, and very successfully as well..People want to get away from stressful lives and if they can "live to ride" at weekends, then good luck to em I say...
How many Japanese bikes do you see, selling at 5 years old, for nearly new cost?
Me? I got my 45 because it is different... and that is important to me I suppose...Mind I like me 81 GPZ1100 chop as well, so what do I know!! :rolleyes:

[BlackPig]

As for all the people that constantly slag of Harleys, get a life a bikes a bike at the end of the day and two wheels is better than four.

We know this ,try telling it to your average "hd" owning wanker !!!

Before you start,come and see what it's like on the other side of the channel.
Every twat an' 'is dog 'ave got one,and insist on slagging off anyone who don't have a "real bike" !!!

I don't say I'll never own one,I've had one already(less said the better !!),but I know that in a few years time the second-hand market will be saturated.At that point and only then,will they become an interesting option,and hence just another motorcycle.

I have many friends who ride harleys,and have done since the 70's/80's,these people,in the majority,don't run "jap's" down,unlike the "fashion victims" who now make up the majority of hd riders,wankers !!!!!

[Doro]

whenever I see a bike which I love the look of it is always old

as in classic

mainly

kawasaki
norton
triumph
indian
bsa

whenever I see a bike which I hate the look of it is always a 'mega' cruiser

like

goldwing
BMW


I think a chop by virtue of it's triangular shape, long forks, low seat, small wasp tank, needs a V engine to complete the lines

HDs have so many different models, I like the sportster look but not the fatboy look

me? I like anything that has clean classic lines and something that bit different to make it stand out

but I have to admit when faced with a bike build I would either restore a bike to it's original look or add alsorts of non standard parts to improve it and make it look completely different

spose I don't really take any notice of what sorta engine it has

unless it's a diesel or wankel or summat, cos that is different

[thor66]

jasus, ive ridden bikes for 20 yrs from enduro through mega sports bikes and now a hd. ive always worn either black leathers or combats and always acknowledged other riders, even learners, as they are our possible future, and now i ride a hd in my same combat jacket and jeans im a w*nker.
sssssssssssshhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeesssssssshhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:cool:

[Jonnyfp]

I'm a w@nker and so's my wife. :D

[Gypsy]

im also with freak on this... dont matter what mag/ catalogue etc you look thro... loads and loads of bolt ons for the HD, you can get a total different bike from the amount of bits on sale

us we have trouble getting the bloody basic parts for our kwack :D

[BlackPig]

jasus, ive ridden bikes for 20 yrs from enduro through mega sports bikes and now a hd. ive always worn either black leathers or combats and always acknowledged other riders, even learners, as they are our possible future, and now i ride a hd in my same combat jacket and jeans im a w*nker.
sssssssssssshhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeesssssssshhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Why??? :confused:

Do you sneer at,or ignore completely,those who ride "lesser" machines ???

Are you French ???

Re-read what I said earlier,if the answer is still the same then maybe.......


.............If the cap fits................... :D :D :rolleyes:

[Mrs Reject]

I'd love a nice cruiser come chop whether it be an HD or a shadow or whatever cos my own custom bike is so feckin' uncomfortable. At the mo (well not sitting here in front of the computer but on the bike :) ) my pegs are so high my knees are round my ears, I keep sliding down the seat onto the tank and the seats so thin and hard that after 200 miles I need a new bum!!!
I'll have a comfy cruiser any day and i don't care if 10 million other people also have one!!! So there :p

[defarter]

I'll have a comfy cruiser any day and i don't care if 10 million other people also have one!!! So there


.................. :D :D :D

You'll get one sooner or later ;)

[dodgyphil]

having met defarter I can guarantee having a hardly rideable doesn't increase your tea making skills (probably something to do with the polishing arm not being able to lift the pot very high!!)

[krammer]

well, all i can say is that all the bits i've stuck onto the vtx 1800 are all 'off the peg' v+h zorst, sissy bar, highway hawk mirrors, chrome radiator cover, carrier,head light billet and these have come to give the bike a look i want. it's superbly ridable, got tremendous grunt and is used in all weathers. i admire and respect the people with the skills to build up a custom bike from scratch but i have neither the talent,time or willpower to have a go myself.

[Bassman]

my knees are round my ears

Blimey, there's lots of wimmin that wouldnt complain at that Mrs R...coff..coff :eek:

[Bassman]

We know this ,try telling it to your average "hd" owning wanker !!!

Before you start,come and see what it's like on the other side of the channel.
Every twat an' 'is dog 'ave got one,and insist on slagging off anyone who don't have a "real bike" !!!

I don't say I'll never own one,I've had one already(less said the better !!),but I know that in a few years time the second-hand market will be saturated.At that point and only then,will they become an interesting option,and hence just another motorcycle.

I have many friends who ride harleys,and have done since the 70's/80's,these people,in the majority,don't run "jap's" down,unlike the "fashion victims" who now make up the majority of hd riders,wankers !!!!!


Listen M8, don't beat about the fecking bush,, come right out wiv it, and say what you mean ok!! :D

[BlackPig]

Listen M8, don't beat about the fecking bush,, come right out wiv it, and say what you mean ok!! :D


Oh,sorry didn't I make meself clear enough ? :rolleyes:

[Shudy]

If you've ever had forward controls around a four pot engine you'll know why most people go for a slimmer engine.


Shudy
Just another HD riding Wanker.



















(Don't tell em about the Kawasaki, or the Yamaha, or the BSA, they'll spoil their stereotypical views)

[BlackPig]

.......and just to top the lot off,they obviously can't read or have a sense of humour !!!!! :D :rolleyes:

[Rabid1]

This is an article I have taken from the American Iron magazine, which could well answer a few questions as well as bring up one or two more. It is written by a lady called Stephanie Feld.

Ride-In Show or Ride and Show?
“I used to attend a lot of bike shows at Daytona, Biketoberfest, Sturgis, and some local events. Both my 1957 and 1986 Sportsters were attractive enough- for daily riders- to bring home their fair share of trophies. Occasionally, I was looking for a safe parking space for the day. Ever heard of a bike being stolen from inside a ride in show? Neither have I.
I always enjoyed myself at those bike shows. I’ strip of my windshield and saddlebags, give the bike a quick wipe-down (not so quick on days when I’d slogged through a few hours of rain to get there), then find a place to sit back and watch the crowds. If I was feeling extroverted, I’d stay close to the bike and answer questions. That didn’t usually last long since I usually got tired of dumb questions like “Is that your bike?” no I stole it. Or “Who did the powder coating on your pipes?” nobody, since you cant powder coat exhaust pipes. Or better yet “Is that a Sportster? It doesn’t look like a Sportster!” well, if it doesn’t look like a Sportster, what does it look like? A Honda, perhaps? Despite the silly questions, I met a lot of nice people at those shows, but when I’d had enough of socializing, I’d find a spot farther away and watch the judges for a while.
The show judging fascinated me. Sometimes I’d try and eavesdrop on the judges, just to get a feel for what they were seeing. There was one show where the judges were torn between my Sportster and a red one that was done up like a mini dresser. The red Sportster was really loaded up: bobbed tank, big fenders, fat seat, and chrome upon chrome. About as opposite from my Sportster as you could get, but it had loads of miles on it, so at least he rode the thing. Finally, they decided that my bike was truer to the nature of the Sportster, so I got first place, and the red one got second. Interesting.
And then there were the shows when the judges just didn’t like where I was going with my styling, and I didn’t do so well. No big deal, as I knew I had a great bike and that was all that mattered. Getting thrashed by some trailer queen wasn’t really a defeat because at the end of the day, I’d pack my stuff back onto the bike and ride home. The owner would push his piece of garage jewelry back into its precious trailer and drive home. To me, winning a ride in show with a trailer queen carries about as much honor as shooting fish in a barrel.
Since I sold the Sportsters, I don’t compete in ride-in shows anymore, but I still enjoy being a spectator. One thing i've noticed, though, is that the bikes are getting further away from true ride-in status every year. It’s tough to find a good-looking daily rider in the sea of ridiculous, unreadable choppers and extreme customs. The farthest most things get ridden is around the block to the parked trailer. Don’t use the brakes ….. you’ll scuff the rotors!
One awards ceremony in Daytona a few years ago was like a sick joke. The winner of each class was supposed to start his bike and ride up to the podium for a photo op. Some guy won one of the classes, but his bike wouldn’t start, so it had to be pushed into the winners circle. A few minutes later, the same guy’s wife was announced of the winner of the next class. Her bike ran, but she couldn’t actually ride it. So hubby jumped on her bike and rode it to collect the trophy. Hey, is it just me or is there something seriously wrong here? I think its time for a rebuild of the ride-in show concept along these lines.
Here’s how it would work:
Everybody who wants to compete in the show signs up at the gate. Then the entrants are taken on an escorted 50-mile ride. (And the person who’s entering the bike had better be the same one who’s riding it!) After the ride, any bikes that haven’t broken down are admitted to the show and judged. You could call it a Ride and Show, or even Go and Show. And the people who come to see the show would know that each and every motorcycle they’re looking at could be ridden.
Imagine that, riding a fancy motorcycle! What a great idea! Or maybe not. I’d have to put all the that work into fixing up my Buell so id have something to ride… and show.”

As I stated these are not my thoughts but I can see where this lady is coming from and probably something that could be thought about for some of the shows that we have in this country. What are your thoughts?

[Miss Demeanour]

It's been interesting, this....

Now then. After spending several years thinking 'overrated, over priced, and over here...' I am having to *gulp* possibly consider HD on my 'next bike' shortlist.

I currently have an XJ650 maxim, which as far as I'm concerned, is bloody wonderful. I love it. It's me bike. But it's approaching 25 years old, and eventually it'll be beyond bodging, and a proper 'fix' or a new motor will be beyond what the bike's worth. and to be honest, if I'm going to spend out on a bike I'm going to want something bigger.

However at 5'4, the list of suitable bikes gets smaller as the engine size goes up. I like reaching the floor comfortably with both feet, without feeling like I'm teetering or unbalanced.

So I'm left with the option of a chop, or one of the poncey cruisers. And if you compare price and build quality of poncey cruisers at about 750-850cc the sportster, sadly, doesn't come out too far down the list...

It's nothing to do with buying into an image, just being a shortarse who wants a decent sized motor. However any alternative suggestions would be appreciated.

[defarter]

It's nothing to do with buying into an image, just being a shortarse who wants a decent sized motor. However any alternative suggestions would be appreciated.



Have you thought about trying Toys R UsThey tend to cater for the smaller person :D :D :D


Leaving while breathing :eek:

[defarter]

having met defarter I can guarantee having a hardly rideable doesn't increase your tea making skills (probably something to do with the polishing arm not being able to lift the pot very high!!)



Double BOO-LOCKS :D :D :D ;)

[Miss Demeanour]

Leaving while breathing :eek:

Wise move... :D

[defarter]

Wise move... :D



Could'nt help that one :D

Try before yer buy mate, most Hardly dealers have bikes you can test ride, also there is a replacement coming out after christmas for the Hugger which was aimed at the smaller person, have not seen a pic of the bike yet but a HD dealer was telling my mates wife about it who is also quite small. :) ;)

[Miss Demeanour]

No worries :p

I certainly shall... wouldn't dream of spending that much wedge without giving it a go first... Seen photos of the new 'shorter' sporty, and... I almost *shudder*.. like it... almost...

I havn't got the money right now anyway, but that doesn't stop one drawing up the mental 'what's next' list...

[saxman]

However any alternative suggestions would be appreciated.
ducati monster. sprintbints 5'4" and absolutely loves hers

[Jonnyfp]

You still got the RS sax?

[Crofty]

Did anyone have the same thoughts as me at the cover bike of this month's issue? "What the fuck? another HD chequebook custom! My beloved 'biker is turning into the other mag. well, I suppose I'll read the article, aren't they single sided wheels? wait, I'm a tosser, this is a proper ingenious custom! A thousand apologies to the owner/builder." I think becuse a lot of us custom folk (I'm not trying to say I'm among the ranks of some of the people here when it comes to bike knowledge) know a fair bit about bikes, we know what options are avaiable to us, and if the bike that most suits our needs turns out to be a HD, fair enough. the problem is a lot of people who are going to buy "a bike" go for a harley because of the badge and the fact that the advertising makes them seem to be more than just another bike. and this minority, although it is growing, tars all the other HD owners (i.e. bikers that own and use a bike, and the bike they've chosen is from the US) with the brush of just trying to "buy in". DON'T JUDGE THE BIKE, YOU CAN'T HAVE A COVERSATION WITH IT! See ahat the guy/girl on the back has to say.

[wegit]

I want to know why nobody features the bikes that WE all build.

Cold garages, limited tools, Blood sweat tears and all that bollocks but some bloody smart bikes come out of those garages !!!

No cheque book required !!

[Freak]

Back in the summer I was at a rally having a bit of a mid saturday afternoon recoup (heavy night fri) I was lying in me tent and me bike was parked not to far away. I could hear three geezers talking about Harleys and making quite possitive comments about me chop, which was nice :cool: . Not unusually they thought me bike was a Harley too (in fact it's an XV Wildstar Motor. Just the motor mind, the rest is mostly one off). They continued the praise for a good couple of minutes until one of them noticed the yamaha badge on the engine casing :eek: . From that moment on it became a pile of ****e and a 'cheap jap copy of a real bike'. :confused:


Like I said, most of it's one off anyway. Would it be any more a "proper bike" if I was running a Harley, Revtech or s&s motor?

Sent me to sleep wiv a smile on me face anyhow. :p
Tossers

[BikerGran]

Not unusually they thought me bike was a Harley too (in fact it's an XV Wildstar Motor. Just the motor mind

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't tell the difference! But a lovely bike's a lovely bike, whatever kind of name it carries!

[Trikerbiker]

Here's one for the vertically challenged £49.99 at Maplins

[Freak]

It's ok..............but it's not a REAL bike



:p :D

[Trikerbiker]

It's ok..............but it's not a REAL bike



:p :D

Hmmp! Just 'cos in doesn't say H.D. on the side doesn't mean it's not a real bike!

[BlackPig]

Back in the summer I was at a rally having a bit of a mid saturday afternoon recoup (heavy night fri) I was lying in me tent and me bike was parked not to far away. I could hear three geezers talking about Harleys and making quite possitive comments about me chop, which was nice . Not unusually they thought me bike was a Harley too (in fact it's an XV Wildstar Motor. Just the motor mind, the rest is mostly one off). They continued the praise for a good couple of minutes until one of them noticed the yamaha badge on the engine casing :eek: . From that moment on it became a pile of ****e and a 'cheap jap copy of a real bike'.


Like I said, most of it's one off anyway. Would it be any more a "proper bike" if I was running a Harley, Revtech or s&s motor?

Sent me to sleep wiv a smile on me face anyhow.
Tossers


Freak,if we ever meet up I'll buy ya a pint ,or three !!
This is what I've been so loosly tryin' to make a point of............


.........but then I think everyone who doesn't ride a real bike understood that !! :rolleyes:

[Freak]

Freak,if we ever meet up I'll buy ya a pint ,or three !!


and my english teacher said my discriptive writing was...was...was...something??!
:D