1st time on a HD

[fretbender]

Last weekend I went for a ride with one of my friends who rented a Street Glide. When I first saw him roll up my first impression was, "Wow, that thing is UGLY." The whole bat-wing fairing is not appealing in my eye, and it was painted in a matte red finish. . .looked like a bad rattle can job without the clear coat. Anyhow, we got on the road and I was watching him go through the twisties ahead of me. I was surprised at how well the HD seemed to be performing. Decent lean angles with good stability, good acceleration out of the corners, and he had the benefit of rocking out to the classic rock radio station throughout the ride.

We traded bikes for about 40 miles and then I was very surprised. I was ready to experience a slow, heavy machine with no inclination to turn, but I found quite the opposite. While it's no rocket ship, the 96 cubic inch motor pulls pretty good everywhere from 2k to redline (6k with a soft rev limiter). The brakes work well, shifting is smooth and the suspension felt good. There was lots of shaking going on at idle, which almost entirely goes away when you rev up the motor to any riding speed.

On the down side, the buffeting from that chopped windshield was terrible, and the contour of the seat was too narrow for my butt (I must be bigger than I think I am). The middle of my back was getting bothered by the posture, but all of those things I'm thinking aren't too terribly hard to change.

The basic package, I think, is well sorted out and makes for a good machine. I'm thinking it could be good to add a HD to the stable.

 

[canyonman]

They have come a long way, the engineering is finally catching up with the hype. My 01 softail has the 88in motor while its no FJR it is a very stable predictable platform that has never let me down. It does what its designed to do very well just not much more.

 

[Wandering geezer]

Last weekend I went for a ride with one of my friends who rented a Street Glide. When I first saw him roll up my first impression was, "Wow, that thing is UGLY." The whole bat-wing fairing is not appealing in my eye, and it was painted in a matte red finish. . .looked like a bad rattle can job without the clear coat. Anyhow, we got on the road and I was watching him go through the twisties ahead of me. I was surprised at how well the HD seemed to be performing. Decent lean angles with good stability, good acceleration out of the corners, and he had the benefit of rocking out to the classic rock radio station throughout the ride.
We traded bikes for about 40 miles and then I was very surprised. I was ready to experience a slow, heavy machine with no inclination to turn, but I found quite the opposite. While it's no rocket ship, the 96 cubic inch motor pulls pretty good everywhere from 2k to redline (6k with a soft rev limiter). The brakes work well, shifting is smooth and the suspension felt good. There was lots of shaking going on at idle, which almost entirely goes away when you rev up the motor to any riding speed.

On the down side, the buffeting from that chopped windshield was terrible, and the contour of the seat was too narrow for my butt (I must be bigger than I think I am). The middle of my back was getting bothered by the posture, but all of those things I'm thinking aren't too terribly hard to change.

The basic package, I think, is well sorted out and makes for a good machine. I'm thinking it could be good to add a HD to the stable.

 

[Wandering geezer]

I have an 03 Electra-Glide Classic with 41000 miles on it and find it to be a very good machine. Sure it's not a canyon carver but does take corners very well for 700+LB bike. I have enjoyed many miles of curves on it. You just have to know its limitations. It's also nice to have the tunes available when things get boring on the superslab.

 

[08FJR4ME]

The basic package, I think, is well sorted out and makes for a good machine. I'm thinking it could be good to add a HD to the stable.

Don't forget to add the image, Hardly jacket, Tshirt, Sneaks,Cutoffs, AND OH YEH! Make sure your nose is pointed upwards and don't ever wave to any non american made MC's.

Did i miss anything????? :glare:

 

[El Toro]

Somebody's gotta love 'em. If you really enjoyed the H-D, you might want to try the Victory Vision. Most of the magazine reviews have indicated that in head to head comparison, the Victory has more torque, better top end, better handling, and greater comfort.

Of course if you want an H-D, there's nothing else like 'em. Most of us are thankful for that mind you.

The other useful tip is that you might try to buy one from someone who's bought a new one and now is trying to figure out how to ride it. I've known guys who bought one as their first bike, and ended up dropping it on the way home. I've seen guys in MSF classes who couldn't handle the Honda Rebel who were nervous about going to pick up their $22K H-D at the dealership. I've seen guys buy them and then put 200 miles on them in the first year or so. There are some real nice ones out there with low low low miles.

Anyone who's not trying to push a bike to its limits should find the H-D an acceptable choice. Don't push it. You'll find the limits all too quickly.

 

[canyonman]

The basic package, I think, is well sorted out and makes for a good machine. I'm thinking it could be good to add a HD to the stable.

Don't forget to add the image, Hardly jacket, Tshirt, Sneaks,Cutoffs, AND OH YEH! Make sure your nose is pointed upwards and don't ever wave to any non american made MC's.

Did i miss anything????? :glare:

I ride mine in a full stich with a full face helmet. I don't get many waves from the self proclaimed bad *** HD guys around here (the real posers).

I do however wave at everyone what ever their ridin. it's funny watching the guys on the sport bikes react, it catches them off guard everytime.

 

[Jetmaker737]

Anyone who's not trying to push a bike to its limits should find the H-D an acceptable choice. Don't push it. You'll find the limits all too quickly.

Exactly. And if you're not pushing your FJR very hard you might find the HD performance acceptable.

 

[El Toro]

I ride mine in a full stich with a full face helmet. I don't get many waves from the self proclaimed bad *** HD guys around here (the real posers). I do however wave at everyone what ever their ridin. it's funny watching the guys on the sport bikes react, it catches them off guard everytime.

In this neck of the woods most folks wave to just about everything, including lawn mowers. We live on a very popular motorcycling road, in a valley just before it makes a 600 foot twisty elevation change. When I'm out on the Toro (lawn mower), there are some nights I just about sprain my arm with all the waving.

In any event, talking about posers, my wife and I were heading toward town this morning in the car, and we were following a guy on a chopped H-D with chrome everything, extended forks, an American flag streaming on a pole mounted at the rear, and he had the ritual ceremonial robe, i.e., sleeveless leather vest for full protection, skid lid with a unicorn horn on it (maybe it was rhino horn, I dunno), and the sound effects kit... you know, "loud (owners ,valves, pipes) save lives". There was something that caught his eye by the side of the road, and all of a sudden he made a u-turn and went back to look at it. (Well, it wasn't that much all of a sudden, cuz you can't do a u-turn on one a them things suddently). Whatever it was, he didn't stop for it. Instead he did another u-turn and caught up with us (we were doing 55). He stuck to our bumper like hummingbird poo on the porch and I started to worry about him. Double yellow line and he was hankerin' to pass. Finally got to a two lane section, and off he went. Sigh...

I was at a restaurant the other day for lunch, and just for convenience, I was eating at the bar ($0.25 wings and dollar drafts from 2 pm to 8 pm, and the wings are excellent and the drafts are varied), and guy noticed my helmet and vanson jacket. I was subjected to a 30 minute diatribe on the wonders of H-D racing prowess... you know... how all the important records are held by H-D, how H-D have really modernized their motors, how H-D defines our American heritage and we should all respect that.... He did come out to see what I was riding. He told me he could see my point, and that it looked like something "right outta the Jetsons."

It'll be a while before I sit on a bar stool next to a vacant bar stool again.

 

[canyonman]

I ride mine in a full stich with a full face helmet. I don't get many waves from the self proclaimed bad *** HD guys around here (the real posers). I do however wave at everyone what ever their ridin. it's funny watching the guys on the sport bikes react, it catches them off guard everytime.

In this neck of the woods most folks wave to just about everything, including lawn mowers. We live on a very popular motorcycling road, in a valley just before it makes a 600 foot twisty elevation change. When I'm out on the Toro (lawn mower), there are some nights I just about sprain my arm with all the waving.

In any event, talking about posers, my wife and I were heading toward town this morning in the car, and we were following a guy on a chopped H-D with chrome everything, extended forks, an American flag streaming on a pole mounted at the rear, and he had the ritual ceremonial robe, i.e., sleeveless leather vest for full protection, skid lid with a unicorn horn on it (maybe it was rhino horn, I dunno), and the sound effects kit... you know, "loud (owners ,valves, pipes) save lives". There was something that caught his eye by the side of the road, and all of a sudden he made a u-turn and went back to look at it. (Well, it wasn't that much all of a sudden, cuz you can't do a u-turn on one a them things suddently). Whatever it was, he didn't stop for it. Instead he did another u-turn and caught up with us (we were doing 55). He stuck to our bumper like hummingbird poo on the porch and I started to worry about him. Double yellow line and he was hankerin' to pass. Finally got to a two lane section, and off he went. Sigh...

I was at a restaurant the other day for lunch, and just for convenience, I was eating at the bar ($0.25 wings and dollar drafts from 2 pm to 8 pm, and the wings are excellent and the drafts are varied), and guy noticed my helmet and vanson jacket. I was subjected to a 30 minute diatribe on the wonders of H-D racing prowess... you know... how all the important records are held by H-D, how H-D have really modernized their motors, how H-D defines our American heritage and we should all respect that.... He did come out to see what I was riding. He told me he could see my point, and that it looked like something "right outta the Jetsons."

It'll be a while before I sit on a bar stool next to a vacant bar stool again.

I have noticed that if I go down state or into AR everybody waves at everybody. I like that.

The general non-riding public doesn't differentiate one kind of bike or rider from another. were all bikers in their eyes.

Like an older lady at work said to me when I met her and somebody mentioned that I ride "Oh....your one of (those) people" she had and still has no Idea what kind of bike I ride nor does she care.

A cage will kill you just as dead no matter what scoot you were on when they didn't see you, so its us against them and there is safety in numbers so to speak

I just like bikes all bikes and I try not to judge based on ride cause I hate when somebody does that to me.

 

[Knifemaker]

I don't have anything against HD's. One of my best freinds has a HD. (of course I don't want one moving in next door or marrying my daughter..)

Seriously, as much as we bash the Harley here, they are not really bad motorcycles nowadays. Most of the issues some here might have are more stemmed from the fact that buying a HD is more like joining a cult than simply purchacing a motorcycle.

Many do buy the bike and do not buy into the cult. But some do , and some get a bit fanatical about it.

But everyone wants to belong ...to something. The Church of Harley is doing well and you have to give them some respect for their marketing prowess.

The bikes themselves have gotten much better , and the cult like following has done nothing to hurt intrest in them even from those already swayed by some other cult. (Like the Ducati People)

The one thing that keeps me away from buying one is the BMW like cost of ownership. I'm sure if I was , for lack of a better word, rich...I'd likely have a HD in the garage. Probley a Sportster or a slimmed down Dynaglide. I would not own HD t shirts or coffee mugs....And oddly, I kind doubt I would have a BMW .......... so what is that saying?

KM

 

[rushes]

It's not the bike that I have a problem with, it's the riders.

PERFECT example happened yesterday..

There was an event called Bikes, Blues, and Barbecue this weekend just about 30 mins. north of me.

I was headed to the house yesterday evening going past a truck stop on the highway nearby. As I rolled up close to the truck stop entrance, a guy on a HD pulls out into the road and holds his hand up to stop traffic. Then about a dozen other HD guys pull out like they're something special...

Have ANY FJR riders EVER done that???

I've never ridden a HD, but would like to. But even if I loved it, I'd have to stop and think about if I wanted to be associated with that type of people...

I'm jus sayin....

 

[canyonman]

. As I rolled up close to the truck stop entrance, a guy on a HD pulls out into the road and holds his hand up to stop traffic. Then about a dozen other HD guys pull out like they're something special.......

It's that stupid **** that makes us all look like idiots to others. Although keeping that many bikes of any type together in traffic can be a ***** but that doesn't give you a free pass to takeover the roads.

 

[pegdragger]

You should see the looks I get when I ride Rose's FJR with the Harley Jacket and Gloves!!! HAHA! I never dreamed I would get to put 2300 miles on it. I figured I would ride it for the break in and then she would practice riding and get out there on her own. Well, she took a little longer than I thought getting comfy, and I wasn't about to turn it down, so I rode the hell out of it.

I am happy to say that she has now taken it on two rides totalling about 200 miles. She is doing well on the road, but the low speed stuff is hard for her. It still is a little tricky for me. The herky jerky low speeds and the top heavy part are my only real complaints. And her at 120 lbs makes me very nervous when that things gets leaning in parking lots. I am very proud of her though. She did very well taking the course and now riding it. I just wish we had more season for her to get used to it before putting it away for a few months.

Oh yeah, and I wave at everyone. Whether I am on my Harley (in full face, gloves boots and armored jacket) or on her FJR (same gear). After all, we are all out there for the same reason.

 

[El Toro]

I was headed to the house yesterday evening going past a truck stop on the highway nearby. As I rolled up close to the truck stop entrance, a guy on a HD pulls out into the road and holds his hand up to stop traffic. Then about a dozen other HD guys pull out like they're something special...

I think its the "Ride Captain" concept. They get off into this formation stuff, and they want to pack up and keep everyone together. Sort of like a Funeral.

I hear they have jobs for the Ride Captain, like pointing out interesting things along the way, and holding everyone back on speed. I hear its a rotating job that moves among the group from ride to ride.

I dunno....

The dumbest advice I ever gave a newbie was when I was one too. I assured him that that H-D Aermacchi Sprint 250 was a whole lot more bike than the CB77 305 Superhawk. Heck, that was over 40 years ago - He bought the Sprint. It spent most of its time "down." He still won't talk to me. :black eye:

 

[meosborn]

I think its the "Ride Captain" concept. They get off into this formation stuff, and they want to pack up and keep everyone together. Sort of like a Funeral.

They don't much like it when you go through the multiple stages it takes to pass these processions either. There have been a couple of times that I just figured I would either get gas earlier than I really needed or caught an early lunch just to let the parade get far enough down the road that I don't have to deal with them.

 

[fretbender]

Anyone who's not trying to push a bike to its limits should find the H-D an acceptable choice. Don't push it. You'll find the limits all too quickly.

Exactly. And if you're not pushing your FJR very hard you might find the HD performance acceptable.

I don't buy that line of reasoning at all for the following reasoning. Every vehicle I ride/drive I do so differently because it's different vehicle. I really didn't feel the urge to push the envelope on the HD, because it makes the ride so much different. . .for me at least. When I'm a sportbike, or even the FJR, leaned over the tank and revving through the gears, I have a hard time NOT going fast. On a cruiser, even my brother's VTX1800 or my other brothers M109, I don't feel the same urge. Not to say I don't enjoy cornering on a cruiser, but the temptation to hit the corners at warp speeds just isn't the same for every vehicle.

And if you think I just loaf around on my FJR all the time. . .Bike Video

 

[ShawnKing]

Have ANY FJR riders EVER done that???

Yup - it's a very common thing to do in order to keep large groups of riders together.

 

[Spook]

It's not the bike that I have a problem with, it's the riders. PERFECT example happened yesterday..

There was an event called Bikes, Blues, and Barbecue this weekend just about 30 mins. north of me.

I was headed to the house yesterday evening going past a truck stop on the highway nearby. As I rolled up close to the truck stop entrance, a guy on a HD pulls out into the road and holds his hand up to stop traffic. Then about a dozen other HD guys pull out like they're something special...

Have ANY FJR riders EVER done that???

I've never ridden a HD, but would like to. But even if I loved it, I'd have to stop and think about if I wanted to be associated with that type of people...

I'm jus sayin....

If you ride in a group of more than about 6 bikes it is the norm and yes I do ride a FJR. If you do not do this you are spread out all over and people get in trouble trying to catch up with the rest. Quit being such a prude. I can bet you that there are a lot of things you do while riding that piss off others. If not just being on a bike and there are people who can not stand bike riders. LIVE AND LET LIVE.