motorcycling....how many AT'ers?

[DVad3r]

Honestly, the VRod isn't any faster than the Monster 1100 (which is slower than the S4R) and it wouldn't hold a candle to either Ducati on a twisty canyon road or race track so if canyon carving isn't your thing I guess it just comes down to looks...which is subjective.

The V-Rod is quick in a straight line, more than enough speed for what you need. It doesn't compare in the twisties though, but then again, it wasn't meant to, the bike is in a category of its own.

It can be a:

Cruiser
Drag bike
Sport touring bike, etc

 

[JulesMaximus]

lol? Did you even read what I said? Also, you must be some kind of moron by making a statement like that. You are comparing apples to oranges. Are you saying Honda cruisers are better than the Harley cruisers? Did you ever notice how much cheap plastic shit they have on them?

Since when does a bike need lots of heavy chrome bits to make it great? All chromed metal does is add weight.

I have a friend who owns a Honda VTX1800 and he loves that bike. And he has owned Harleys before too.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

lol? Did you even read what I said? Also, you must be some kind of moron by making a statement like that. You are comparing apples to oranges. Are you saying Honda cruisers are better than the Harley cruisers? Did you ever notice how much cheap plastic shit they have on them?

I'd take a Honda anything over a Harley. I guarantee you a Honda cruiser ridden same conditions, same mileage, etc as a Harley cruiser would outlast the Harley and see the shop much less. Harley's are overpriced and low quality bikes. All you get is a name and you pay a hefty premium for that name too. We made shifter, sprockets, brake pedals, air filter covers for Harley's at a place I use to work at. There was never a person from Harley to ever visit the plant to do some Q.C. Other companies that we worked for would send in guys to look the place over. Not once did we see Harley.

Honda has a reputation for quality bikes that are bulletproof. Harley has a reputation for overpriced bikes that need constant maintenance and repairs. Not only that have fun getting any parts or work done on a Harley. They charge out the ass. I know because I use to have one.

 

[Fenixgoon]

I'd take a Honda anything over a Harley. I guarantee you a Honda cruiser ridden same conditions, same mileage, etc as a Harley cruiser would outlast the Harley and see the shop much less. Harley's are overpriced and low quality bikes. All you get is a name and you pay a hefty premium for that name too. We made shifter, sprockets, brake pedals, air filter covers for Harley's at a place I use to work at. There was never a person from Harley to ever visit the plant to do some Q.C. Other companies that we worked for would send in guys to look the place over. Not once did we see Harley.

Honda has a reputation for quality bikes that are bulletproof. Harley has a reputation for overpriced bikes that need constant maintenance and repairs. Not only that have fun getting any parts or work done on a Harley. They charge out the ass. I know because I use to have one.

i'm pretty sure you could replace "honda" with "japanese" and it would still hold true. japanese and american cars are basically on par now, but they sure know how to make bikes (and i just never liked harleys except the vrod/nightrod)

:hugs his FZ6R:

 

[Greenman]

I'd take a Honda anything over a Harley. I guarantee you a Honda cruiser ridden same conditions, same mileage, etc as a Harley cruiser would outlast the Harley and see the shop much less. Harley's are overpriced and low quality bikes. All you get is a name and you pay a hefty premium for that name too. We made shifter, sprockets, brake pedals, air filter covers for Harley's at a place I use to work at. There was never a person from Harley to ever visit the plant to do some Q.C. Other companies that we worked for would send in guys to look the place over. Not once did we see Harley.

Honda has a reputation for quality bikes that are bulletproof. Harley has a reputation for overpriced bikes that need constant maintenance and repairs. Not only that have fun getting any parts or work done on a Harley. They charge out the ass. I know because I use to have one.

Do you happen to have any facts to back up all that fud?

 

[Greenman]

Honestly, the VRod isn't any faster than the Monster 1100 (which is slower than the S4R) and it wouldn't hold a candle to either Ducati on a twisty canyon road or race track so if canyon carving isn't your thing I guess it just comes down to looks...which is subjective.

You're right on the mark Jules.
I couldn't care less about speed or cornering. The only reason to have a fast street bike is so you can tell your friends how fast it is.
I got a V-Rod because I love the looks. That it's reasonably quick is a bonus, but I didn't even ask how fast it was before I baught it. I never go near the limits of the bike because I'm not a very good rider, and more importantly, there are tens of thousands of people on the road that are far worse drivers than I am.
When I went bike shopping, I could have purchased any production bike I wanted, I only found one that really rang my bell, so that's the one I got. Nothing matters beyond that.
The crap that oilfieldtrash spouts about Harleys being unreliable and poorly built is simply that, crap. It's just sound effects from another squid.

 

[JulesMaximus]

You're right on the mark Jules.
I couldn't care less about speed or cornering. The only reason to have a fast street bike is so you can tell your friends how fast it is.
I got a V-Rod because I love the looks. That it's reasonably quick is a bonus, but I didn't even ask how fast it was before I baught it. I never go near the limits of the bike because I'm not a very good rider, and more importantly, there are tens of thousands of people on the road that are far worse drivers than I am.
When I went bike shopping, I could have purchased any production bike I wanted, I only found one that really rang my bell, so that's the one I got. Nothing matters beyond that.
The crap that oilfieldtrash spouts about Harleys being unreliable and poorly built is simply that, crap. It's just sound effects from another squid.
Much like you, I ride for fun, not to impress my friends.

I can respect that. I ride for fun too and I don't need a liter bike to have a crap load of fun.

 

[Greenman]

I can respect that. I ride for fun too and I don't need a liter bike to have a crap load of fun.

Somehow I'm going to have to get to your end of the state so we can swap. I think we're both going to be surprised.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Since when does a bike need lots of heavy chrome bits to make it great? All chromed metal does is add weight.

Chromed plastic peels. The Hondas I've seen have visible tank seams and sloppy (though admittedly perfectly solid) welding on the frames. And yes, this includes the Honda bikes I've owned. Paint quality (especially on their plastic pieces) is also not up to Harley's standards.

None of this is to say that Hondas are bad; they are durable and reliable and the parts on their cruisers, while often less "polished" than those on newer Harleys, are perfectly acceptable. Pretty much every review of a Honda cruiser lists "chintzy details" as one of the bike's downsides though.

Honda and other manufacturers aren't using plastic on cruisers to save weight, they're doing it to save money.

Again, none of this is to say that Hondas are unreliable or somehow less than durable. Hondas are fantastic bikes and they most definitely pay attention in places where such attention is mechanically-necessary. However, that does not excuse the obvious cost-cutting in the trim and detail work on their cruisers.

As far as reliability of contemporary designs goes, I'd put a modern Harley up against anything the Japanese have to offer. Pretty much anything from Harley since the introduction of the Evolution engine has been rock solid.

ZV

 

[JulesMaximus]

Chromed plastic peels. The Hondas I've seen have visible tank seams and sloppy (though admittedly perfectly solid) welding on the frames. And yes, this includes the Honda bikes I've owned. Paint quality (especially on their plastic pieces) is also not up to Harley's standards.

None of this is to say that Hondas are bad; they are durable and reliable and the parts on their cruisers, while often less "polished" than those on newer Harleys, are perfectly acceptable. Pretty much every review of a Honda cruiser lists "chintzy details" as one of the bike's downsides though.

Honda and other manufacturers aren't using plastic on cruisers to save weight, they're doing it to save money.

Again, none of this is to say that Hondas are unreliable or somehow less than durable. Hondas are fantastic bikes and they most definitely pay attention in places where such attention is mechanically-necessary. However, that does not excuse the obvious cost-cutting in the trim and detail work on their cruisers.

As far as reliability of contemporary designs goes, I'd put a modern Harley up against anything the Japanese have to offer. Pretty much anything from Harley since the introduction of the Evolution engine has been rock solid.

ZV

I don't know, I owned a Honda that was almost 30 years old when I bought it and the chromed plastic looked in decent condition. There was plenty of chromed metal on that bike as well that cleaned up nicely with some polish...and this bike originally came from the midwest.

Kind of sucks when you drop a Harley and you have to replace a bunch of chrome metal parts...I bet that adds up quick. Not like Honda motorcycle parts are much cheaper though.

BTW-My friend's VTX1800 looks very very nice IMO. I've looked it over a number of times and haven't noticed any issues with fit and finish or paint quality.

 

[Greenman]

It can get expensive if you have a lot of custom parts, but that's the case with most bikes.

One thing that most people here don't seem to know is that the V-Rod is as much Porsche as it is Harley. The Revolution engine was developed at the Porsche engine works in Germany. Most of the internals are made in Germany and assembled in the US. (Made in America, right).
The Discovery channel did a documentary about the V-Rod a few years back, it's pretty interesting, check it out if you ever get the chance.

 

[JulesMaximus]

It can get expensive if you have a lot of custom parts, but that's the case with most bikes.

One thing that most people here don't seem to know is that the V-Rod is as much Porsche as it is Harley. The Revolution engine was developed at the Porsche engine works in Germany. Most of the internals are made in Germany and assembled in the US. (Made in America, right).
The Discovery channel did a documentary about the V-Rod a few years back, it's pretty interesting, check it out if you ever get the chance.

Because Porsche parts aren't expensive?

 

[jlee]

I don't know, I owned a Honda that was almost 30 years old when I bought it and the chromed plastic looked in decent condition. There was plenty of chromed metal on that bike as well that cleaned up nicely with some polish...and this bike originally came from the midwest.

Kind of sucks when you drop a Harley and you have to replace a bunch of chrome metal parts...I bet that adds up quick. Not like Honda motorcycle parts are much cheaper though.

BTW-My friend's VTX1800 looks very very nice IMO. I've looked it over a number of times and haven't noticed any issues with fit and finish or paint quality.

Drop an SV naked with frame sliders and you don't have to replace shit

Well, except maybe a brake pedal.

 

[soccerballtux]

i'm pretty sure you could replace "honda" with "japanese" and it would still hold true. japanese and american cars are basically on par now, but they sure know how to make bikes (and i just never liked harleys except the vrod/nightrod)

:hugs his FZ6R:

haha on par now. And GM didn't go bankrupt. Nor is the sky blue.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Drop an SV naked with frame sliders and you don't have to replace shit

Well, except maybe a brake pedal.

Motosliders FTW!!!

BTW-How's that helmet? I was thinking about it and I remember swapping out the cheek pads because the right one was digging into my cheek. Might want to replace those.

 

[Greenman]

haha on par now. And GM didn't go bankrupt. Nor is the sky blue.

I'm going to guess you don't read much.

 

[Greenman]

Because Porsche parts aren't expensive?

I did wander just a bit off track there.

 

[jlee]

Motosliders FTW!!!

BTW-How's that helmet? I was thinking about it and I remember swapping out the cheek pads because the right one was digging into my cheek. Might want to replace those.

Love it so far..haven't had a chance to go for a long ride yet, though. I need a rear tire & an inspection...gearing up to move in 3 weeks and finding the last bits and pieces to get my MR2 done (found Sparco Torino 2's for $450/pair in NJ...ahhgh)..

New tire, new cheek pads and a clear shield and I'll be in business. My front brake lever doesn't activate my brake light anymore, though...so I need to fix that as well.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I don't know, I owned a Honda that was almost 30 years old when I bought it and the chromed plastic looked in decent condition. There was plenty of chromed metal on that bike as well that cleaned up nicely with some polish...and this bike originally came from the midwest.

My CB450SC is as old as I am and yes, it does still look pretty good, though there are small areas of chrome peeling from the plastic parts. The most frustrating thing though is that the side panels covering the battery are friction-fit on plastic posts and a couple of the posts have cracked over the years (stupid previous owners). Still, it does clean up nicely.

I'll readily admit that the preference for the higher level of "polish" is akin to the "dash stroking" that some people do with cars, but I'll always like the Harley's all metal rear fender better than the obviously plastic piece on my old CB450.

Kind of sucks when you drop a Harley and you have to replace a bunch of chrome metal parts...I bet that adds up quick. Not like Honda motorcycle parts are much cheaper though.

Eh, on the Sporty there's not much to break. At most maybe dent the tank, scuff up a handgrip, and dent a rear turn signal.

BTW-My friend's VTX1800 looks very very nice IMO. I've looked it over a number of times and haven't noticed any issues with fit and finish or paint quality.

Never said they didn't look nice, only that the plastichrome parts are very commonly listed as minor demerits in reviews.

Straight from a review:

IN BRIEF
High Points: Unique motor, huge power, attractive styling, comfortable ergos.
Low Points: Harsh suspension, chintzy details, shaft jacking.
First Changes: Aftermarket shocks, chrome for plastic, tach.

ZV

 

[JC]

Getting back on topic......

'85 Honda CB700SC (Nighthawk S), red/black. Has the stock black 4-into-2 exhaust on it now.

 

[WackyDan]

My Can Am Spyder on my 2500 mile South East US run a couple months ago. Getting ready for a 3500-4500 mile trip in a couple weeks.

Anyone has questions... PM me.

http://www.snailbarf.com/spyder/setrip/setrip4.jpg

 

[Zargon]

Do you happen to have any facts to back up all that fud?

you really think a hardley is MORE reliable than a metric cruiser?

harley used to put harley decal embossed cardboard in shipping crates under teh bike, to catch the oil it dropped, new from the factory

no other bike manufacturer would think an oil leak on a new bike was OK

they are doing MUCH better now, but the EVO engine which did alot for their reliability wasnt designed in house so they don't get alot of credit for it.

they still way overcharge and are behind the tech curve big time.

 

[consolibyte]

... and then buy a used gixxer 600.

Triumph Daytona 675 checking in.

Why oh why would you want a GSX600? There are so many better bikes out there...

 

[JulesMaximus]

My Can Am Spyder on my 2500 mile South East US run a couple months ago. Getting ready for a 3500-4500 mile trip in a couple weeks.

Anyone has questions... PM me.

http://www.snailbarf.com/spyder/setrip/setrip4.jpg

Does that really qualify as a motorcycle? I don't think it does, at least not in California. You do not need a M1 endorsement to operate one.

 

[jlarsson]

Does that really qualify as a motorcycle? I don't think it does, at least not in California. You do not need a M1 endorsement to operate one.

From what I understand, you actually do need a motorcycle endorsement to operate one in most states. Its not required in California and Delaware however (iirc).