When you want reliable transportation leave the Harley at the house

[flatwins]

FWIW guys, BMW has had police bikes in the US for quite some time. I've seen some K75-based police motors but they really became popular in the mid 90s with the R1100RTP. Great machines with killer electrical systems to run all the police gadgetry. They often become available thru trade-ins with the big dealers. Most have around 60k on 'em at trade-in time.

Flatwins = flat twins: horizontally opposed beautiful engines. Long time Beemer junkie.

 

[dennishoddy]

I always wanted to own a Harley spare parts shop.
No overhead. Just go out on the highway and find the spare parts that vibrated off of those dinosaurs.

Don't know about the newest ones, but my 76 Gold Wing would hit 130+ mph, and do it quickly. Pure bike, no bags, nothing.

The difference in the flat twin of the gold wing, and the bmw, was the gold wing has a 25 lb counterweight that runs in the opposite direction of the engine to overcome the engine torque that makes the bmw squirrley on hard aceleration.
Maybe thats been changed on the new models.
It used to be wierd watching them from the rear when they were getting it on hard. Frame torquing and all.

 

[twotonevert]

Yea the busa's were too fast for them. I think all of them got wrecked. A lot of the motocops I talk to miss the old Kawasaki bikes.

They are not all wrecked.

Sent from my DROIDX using Forum Runner

 

[LightningCrash]

I'm sure all the American workers at the Harley plants in THE U.S. appreciate our tax dollars going to this. I don't begrudge someone owning one, I do have an issue with tax dollars going to Germany, Austria, China, & Taiwan for this. I'm surprised our POTUS isn't in a Lexus limo by now. Sorry, when there are options, this makes me sick.

By the way, I have owned my Heritage for 4 years with not a single issue. Unlike the old days, when was the last time you saw one broke down on the side of the road?

Go ahead, flame on!

interesting engraving work here:

 

[flatwins]

I always wanted to own a Harley spare parts shop.
No overhead. Just go out on the highway and find the spare parts that vibrated off of those dinosaurs.

Don't know about the newest ones, but my 76 Gold Wing would hit 130+ mph, and do it quickly. Pure bike, no bags, nothing.

The difference in the flat twin of the gold wing, and the bmw, was the gold wing has a 25 lb counterweight that runs in the opposite direction of the engine to overcome the engine torque that makes the bmw squirrley on hard aceleration.
Maybe thats been changed on the new models.
It used to be wierd watching them from the rear when they were getting it on hard. Frame torquing and all.

True that! The engine does pitch the bike to the side, even with a slight increase of RPM at a stop light. I've sat on top of those motors for so many years, I'm lost without that familiar tilt.

Here's how to combat the frame torque problem on the 70s Airheads.

 

[littlefoot]

I have logged over 41,000 miles since new in 2008, regular maintenance only, no troubles so far. I doubt that a Hogley odometer will even register that many before it quits working.

 

[NikatKimber]

Harley Owners Need Dependable Alternatives

 

[JesseR]

Listening to you all bash Harley is like the progressive left justifying gay marriage.

The Harley "B" motor doesn't vibrate. Since the Evo motor oil leaks are a thing of the past and you will find many Harley's with 60k + on the speedo...

Funny how many import cruiser owners try to get the Harley sound and experienced with fairings and bags. If I was going to Alaska for some on/off road I'd pick a BMW. If I was riding in the desert I'd pick a gold wing but otherwise I'll keep my Harley.

I once rode a r1000 but it scared the crap out of me.

 

[Seadog]

Listening to you all bash Harley is like the progressive left justifying gay marriage.

The Harley "B" motor doesn't vibrate. Since the Evo motor oil leaks are a thing of the past and you will find many Harley's with 60k + on the speedo...

Funny how many import cruiser owners try to get the Harley sound and experienced with fairings and bags. If I was going to Alaska for some on/off road I'd pick a BMW. If I was riding in the desert I'd pick a gold wing but otherwise I'll keep my Harley.

I once rode a r1000 but it scared the crap out of me.

Word man.

Ive owned metric when I was younger and couldnt afford a harley. And what you discribed sounds alot like what Ive seen and am guilty of having done. . People trying to make thier metrics look more harley ish. Hech they are even designed that way nowa days. My first bike was a honda 400 that I chopped n bobbed. Ugly little **** but didnt look stock. And for a 15 year old kid going 16 it worked. But that was a looooong time ago. 20 years of riding have passed. Current harley is a Fatboy with a screaming eagle in it. Im not looking to win any races but she gets me where I want to go and has pep.

People like different things and price plays a deciding factor to others. For me, Harleys are beautiful machines. Ive lusted them since I was knee high watching my Grandfather and pops ride. Gramps was an Indian. The classic lines of modern machines that mirror the old is just what I like. For me its a harley. Guess Im lucky cause I havent had one leave me on the side of the road and Im not a weekend rider. Seems to me that people that bash harleys dont have much experiance with em

 

[littlefoot]

Let's see BMW R1200 GSA: Fuel Range 350+ miles - Cruising speed 80-85 MPH all day - 105 hp - enough ground clearance to take corners at above average speed - off road capbility - you can talk to a passenger in a normal tone of voice - no need to blip the throttle several times on start up or at stop lights - no need to wash bike - no chrome to polish. I really don't see a choice.