NBD: New bike day!

zepp76

Dominic said:

zepp76 said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Well, I reckon I can safely say that I'll not be looking to buy a new Harley-Davidson this year either. Redefining fugly...
https://www.lind.co.uk/news/new-for-2022-harley-davidson-world-premiere-

They honestly stopped being Harleys a long time ago I think except in name only.

Depends how you define 'Harley ' 
If you think Old Skool , Pan/Shovel head in a hard tail raked or bobbed frame with a 'black as yer hat ' paint job and Shimco tyres parked up outside an MC Clubhouse then Yes. But that was 1976 when cars had 4 gears and only one car in 5000 was automatic.
Personally, having done that and got the chipped teeth and bruised kidneys I look back and think was it actually that great ,No !
I think the culmination was the 1450 twin cam balanced engine of the late 90s - I've still got a '99 Road King bored out to 1550 with Andrews Cams and Mikuni 42 and twin sparked heads and it's a great machine.I've got a true -track on it to stiffen the frame and rides/corners fairly well for what it is.
 If you do get invited to a 1% Clubhouse these days what you will see parked outside in Club colours being minded by a few prospects is £30k worth of Street Glide with a 21" wheel and Gangsta dropped saddlebags,a CVO badge and 2 litres of fuel injected overhot engine running through £2,000 worth of Vance and Hines pipes .
Maybe everybody gets older and wants a bit of comfort or things just move on.
You see more interesting 'built not bought' ,and not all Harley,at a National Chopper Club rally.

I see none of that here.

Dominic

I've seen a lot of it in recent years

zepp76

Strangefan said:

zepp76 said:

Picked the bike up from the shop today and gave it a blast home. Fuck a doodle duck this thing charges like a raging bull! Love it and proper happy but need to find thicker grips, I have gert hands and it feels like I’m holding pencils.

Nice! Nothing beats the first ride, are you considering changing the gearing? 

No, it needs no gearing changes but I have a friend with Spondon performance remap for it when I can get my hands on a power commander 3.

Dominic

rogd said:

Saw a Harley coming through the village today.
His plough fell off.

Yawn

Dominic

rogd said:

Saw a Harley coming through the village today.
His plough fell off.

But,you'd still love one !

rogd

Dominic said:

rogd said:

Saw a Harley coming through the village today.
His plough fell off.

But,you'd still love one !

About 40 years ago I swapped a ride on my Norton Commando with a bloke, for a ride on his full dress Glide, and I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. Very nice to ride but turning it round was like maneuvering a supertanker, and before you ask, I have a Merchant Navy steering ticket!
A great experience but no Dom, I wouldn't love one.

Haych

I'm starting to learn that bikes are a bit like guitars; one is not enough!

While I'm quite happy with my old BMW R1200R a few bikes recently have caught my eye and I have a massive boner for the new Kawasaki Z900RS.  Even if I wanted one I couldn't afford it and you just can't get 'em any way.  The Versys also looks like a very nice bike and would be on my list if I was shopping.

My mate has just bought a newish Triumph Tiger 1200, a lovely machine and more GS than a GS.  My other mate bought a brand new Honda something or other last summer, a very nondescript and pretty boring looking bike, but it has some very cool features (the frunk is very cool) and he paid less than £6k for it brand new!  I think it's the NC750C and he got it for a song as it was end of line and Honda were pushing the X very hard.

Harleys have never interested me at all.  Over weight, over noisy, overpriced and unfortunately over here.