Motorcycle Rant

[ray1970]

F**k it. I'll "contribute" to this thread.

First, except for mopeds, I feel each and every type of bike is cool in its own way and they all have their place. As far as who rides what type of bike, it really depends on what the rider is wanting to get out of their riding experience. Like firearms, everyone has their own taste and preference, their likes and dislikes. Not one bike out there is perfect for everyone. Just like not one firearm is perfect for everyone, no matter what you Glock fan-boys think :-)


Here's why I don't ride certain types.

Sport bikes- a bad lower back, bad wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles really takes the fun out of it for me. Combine that with a spouse who likes to ride hundreds of miles every time the bikes come out and they just aren't much fun.

Dual sports- growing up on dirt bikes, I kind of like them. They do make sense here in Colorado where you can really explore unpaved areas. Unfortunately, The same issues I mentioned above about the sport bikes pretty much takes a lot of the fun out of the dual sports as well.

Metric cruisers- no thanks. Had a few. Are they reliable? Yep. Look good? Mostly. Hold their value? Nope. Solid, quality construction? Not really. Lots of plastic and stuff that snaps together. These things are marketed for people who really want a Harley but can't afford one. When they get one they are usually disappointed because it isn't a Harley.

Touring type bikes- I'll use the BMW, Honda Goldwing, Kawasaki Concourse type bikes for my references here. Creature comforts out the wazoo and plenty of bells and whistles. Comfy for all day even if you're old and crippled like me. Personally, I just don't care for the looks of most of them and some of them can be rather expensive. Also, resale value usually isn't very good.

Now, since I do happen to ride a Harley, if anyone wants to know why then read on.

I pretty much ride a Harley for the same reason some people drive old muscle cars. Is an old Chevelle faster than everything built today? No. Handle better? No. Have more bells and whistles or creature comforts? No. Is there just something to love about the simplicity of it? The classic looks? The lopey idle and the throaty exhaust note? You betcha.

I didn't buy my Road King to be one of the cool kids, or to pretend I'm some sort bad ass biker gang member or something. I bought it because I liked the look of it, it fits my slow, laid back riding style, it's comfortable enough that I can ride it all day even with my physical ailments, it's simple and requires little maintenance, and (bonus) if I had to sell it I could get a large portion of my money back out of it.

[kidicarus13]

These things are marketed for people who really want a Harley but can't afford one. When they get one they are usually disappointed because it isn't a Harley.

And that marketing tactic is what keeps HD in business although reality is you're getting half the bike for double the $. But to each his own.

[ColoWyo]

And that marketing tactic is what keeps HD in business although reality is you're getting half the bike for double the $. But to each his own.

Awesome. Well said. The fact it's true makes it even more awesome.

[Bunny]

^ couldn't agree more

[BushMasterBoy]

Its a ranch bike! I herd critters on it. More likely to get stuck in the mud, than damage crashing. I'm running a 19" front wheel(not the standard 21") with a wide tire for the soft soil.

But in retrospect, bars might stop me from catching a cholla in the crotch. Chasing a horse on a motorcycle...wtf was I thinking?

[GilpinGuy]

yah the jap bike riders are better because they dont have things with harley logos... Whatever

here is what the jap riders wear... like any of them are sponsored by anyone, but they wear their little outfit to pretend. trying to become hood ornamennts.

I certainly wasn't saying one is "better" than another. In fact I wrote "to each his own". This picture reminds me of the bicycle guys with the spandex and the logos. Like they're all sponsored too. Whatever makes you feel good I suppose. I can laugh though.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

In fact I wrote "to each his own". This picture reminds me of the bicycle guys with the spandex and the logos.

I was just thinking as I read this thread how funny it is that you guys give me crap as a roadie.