How Many Braaps Does It Take?

[Ari Rankum]

So, yesterday, I walked out to the bike and there was a Harley warming up with the rider standing next to it, adjusting assless chaps, do-rag, and matte finish whitewater helmet. Pedestrians were coming, and I knew what that meant. I started my bike and it was inaudible next to the stumbling two-lung from the motor company. Sure enough, with the audience, I mean pedestrians, approaching, it was time to make sure the Harley didn't stall out. So my fellow rider threw a leg over his hog and gave it a series of Braaaps. Luckily, the third one was a charm, saving the stall, or at least he stopped doing that.

Then he propped the bike up off its stand. Something happened, but I didn't have the mechanical ear to hear it, because the rider had to issue 5 more braaaps to correct it. I was getting concerned. He hadn't rolled even one radian, and he had already issued more than 10 corrective inputs to the throttle. When he let the clutch out and started to make progress out of the paddock, I decided to start the count over, with the interest of determining how many braaaps it would take to make it out of the parking lot. I stopped counting at 10.

Then I began to wonder how many braaaaps I would need between getting on the bike and clearing the parking lot. I was careful to count each time I needed to rev the engine with the clutch pulled in. I was surprised at how many it took. Man I hope that guy made it home on his Harley. Something was clearly wrong with it. My count was zero.

 

[twowheelnut]

Hilarious, Ari! I wonder about that myself all the time. The answer is simple: LDS. Even when I had my Harley, I sat there at idle, never once feeling the need to braap the throttle.

Stand in line, ladies. I'll get to you all in due time.

:grin:

 

[Toecutter]

Stand in line, ladies. I'll get to you all in due time.

Yeah, you'll have to give him special consideration. It takes a bit longer to get there when you're hauling heavy equipment, especially on a slower bike.
I had an occasion yesterday to sit next to one of the Motor Company's creations at a stoplight. The guy's skin was even shaking. I think it was because he just let it idle the whole time. The braaping must keep the vibes down and the bolts from loosening.

 

[dcarver]

I'm not a brapper with my 1991 FLHTCU HD. However, when cold, being carbureted and all, the bike tends to cough out unless I choke it, which causes it to run way rich, or unless I gently goose the throttle to keep the old gurl running.

If I run the idle screw up to where it idles nicely when cold, then the idle is too high when warm. So, when cold, I braap kinda sorta. But they are little braps. Not even worth two 'aa's in the braaaaap. . After the first 3 minutes, all is good for the rest of the day.. No braaaps or even braps.. and I can hear my stereo with my HD mufflers.. Guess I'm not a true Harley dude.. I can live with that..

But now that I know the FJR crowd really hates braaping, I might just braap away every time I see one on the road! :yahoo:

 

[Ari Rankum]

But now that I know the FJR crowd really hates braaping, I might just braap away every time I see one on the road! :yahoo:

LOL. Fair enough. I get a chuckle, regardless of the intent, when hearing a braaaap. I guarantee I'd laugh harder if I knew yours was the intended message. I really would.

I have a bunch of friends who know my "buttons". They are deft at pressing them, and really help me to laugh. My lab is full of some truly gifted button pressers and they ensure that my days include many tears of laughter. It's hard to put a dollar value on that. Props on your response. You'd fit in. Well done.

 

[SMC]

So, yesterday, I walked out to the bike and there was a Harley warming up with the rider standing next to it, adjusting assless chaps, do-rag, and matte finish whitewater helmet. Pedestrians were coming, and I knew what that meant. I started my bike and it was inaudible next to the stumbling two-lung from the motor company. Sure enough, with the audience, I mean pedestrians, approaching, it was time to make sure the Harley didn't stall out. So my fellow rider threw a leg over his hog and gave it a series of Braaaps. Luckily, the third one was a charm, saving the stall, or at least he stopped doing that.
Then he propped the bike up off its stand. Something happened, but I didn't have the mechanical ear to hear it, because the rider had to issue 5 more braaaps to correct it. I was getting concerned. He hadn't rolled even one radian, and he had already issued more than 10 corrective inputs to the throttle. When he let the clutch out and started to make progress out of the paddock, I decided to start the count over, with the interest of determining how many braaaps it would take to make it out of the parking lot. I stopped counting at 10.

Then I began to wonder how many braaaaps I would need between getting on the bike and clearing the parking lot. I was careful to count each time I needed to rev the engine with the clutch pulled in. I was surprised at how many it took. Man I hope that guy made it home on his Harley. Something was clearly wrong with it. My count was zero.

:lol: Funny you should mention that, I do seem to notice a higher incidence of HD operators doing the braaaps, then next higher group seems to be the young crotch rocket types and last place seems to go to the touring/sport touring types. Any thoughts?

 

[Toecutter]

:lol: Funny you should mention that, I do seem to notice a higher incidence of HD operators doing the braaaps, then next higher group seems to be the young crotch rocket types and last place seems to go to the touring/sport touring types. Any thoughts?

See TWN's post above.

 

[Rogue]

The answer is simple: LDS.

I thought it was S.P.S.*.

*Small Penis Syndrome

 

[FlyingLow]

Braaap-intolerant people should avoid the Black Hills Motor Classic and the River Run like cancer and the plague. You'll be on the deck, in convulsions, in seconds. :lol: .

 

[odot]

You never noticed? We braap because we want to make sure the motor is still running. We're deaf. Braap=motor running. Especially when hot chicks are walking by.

 

[Toecutter]

We braap because we want to make sure the motor is still running. We're deaf. Braap=motor running. Especially when hot chicks are walking by.

Okay, who has the link to that commercial he just described?

 

[Fencer]

The answer is simple: LDS.

I thought it was S.P.S.*.

*Small Penis Syndrome

I know I'm gonna catch hell for this, but I've never been one to hold my tongue.

After riding with MotorSwatCop for a while, I noticed that he constantly blipped or brapped the throttle on the FJ at idle points. I even teased him about it a few times reminding him it wasn't a Harley and the bike would idle while we were at the redlight. He said it was habbit after riding the Harley for so long.

MSC, you gonna give the Feej a bad rap. Do we need to for a support group for former HD riders? B.A. (BRAAPERS ANNONYMIOUS)

 

[Last Chance]

The answer is simple: LDS.

I thought it was S.P.S.*.

*Small Penis Syndrome

I know I'm gonna catch hell for this, but I've never been one to hold my tongue.

After riding with MotorSwatCop for a while, I noticed that he constantly blipped or brapped the throttle on the FJ at idle points. I even teased him about it a few times reminding him it wasn't a Harley and the bike would idle while we were at the redlight. He said it was habbit after riding the Harley for so long.

MSC, you gonna give the Feej a bad rap. Do we need to for a support group for former HD riders? B.A. (BRAAPERS ANNONYMIOUS)

Not to be contrarian, but until I installed a PCIII, took the slack out of the throttle cable, and turned up the idle to 1150 rpm I had to blip (With stock mufflers one cannot "braaap" a FJR.) to keep from stalling out at stop signs, etc. :rolleyessmileyanim: :blum:

 

[Fencer]

The answer is simple: LDS.

I thought it was S.P.S.*.

*Small Penis Syndrome

I know I'm gonna catch hell for this, but I've never been one to hold my tongue.

After riding with MotorSwatCop for a while, I noticed that he constantly blipped or brapped the throttle on the FJ at idle points. I even teased him about it a few times reminding him it wasn't a Harley and the bike would idle while we were at the redlight. He said it was habbit after riding the Harley for so long.

MSC, you gonna give the Feej a bad rap. Do we need to for a support group for former HD riders? B.A. (BRAAPERS ANNONYMIOUS)

Not to be contrarian, but until I installed a PCIII, took the slack out of the throttle cable, and turned up the idle to 1150 rpm I had to blip (With stock mufflers one cannot "braaap" a FJR.) to keep from stalling out at stop signs, etc. :rolleyessmileyanim: :blum:

Not to be contrarian, but he had a PCIII installed

 

[James Burleigh]

Do we need to for a support group for former HD riders? B.A. (BRAAPERS ANNONYMIOUS)

I'll join. My Sportster's in the garage. I took it to the hardware store couple days ago because the FJR had its electrical guts hanging out all over my garage. It's a fun bike to ride, and you gotta braap the throttle or else why ride a Harley for Pete's sake?

Later when the FJR was put back together and I went to the same hardware store on it, I'm sitting in the left-turn pocket to go into the strip mall where the hardware store is when I hear a bunch of braaping right behind me. "What the f**k?! Does he want me to hurry up? Is he showing off? Does he want to be friends?" :no:

After pulling into the mall I catch site of the guy who's braaping his way through the mall parking lot. Naturally it's some Harley clone (skull cap, black vest, no windscreen, etc.). "Look at me! Look at me!" :shout:

When I was in high school we read Marshall McLuhan, and came across the idea of a "servo-mechanism"--a person who is defined by (who is a servo-mechanism of) some external object. Harley guys are perfect examples of that. What's the test for whether you're a servo-mechanism?--when separated from the object that defines you, you look absurd. Imagine these guys away from their Harleys. How would they look? Absurd, maybe...? :clown2:

I came home from my aforementioned Harley ride and admonished my wife for wanting me to sell my Sportster, which is a kick in the pants to ride--kinda the motorcycle equivalent of the Golden Age of Flight, when airplanes were made out of paper, wood, and string. She said I could keep it if I wanted. So maybe I won't be a "former" HD rider, but I could use the group talk sessions regarding member size and all 'cause I think it shrunk when I got the FJR: It needs braaping to stand rigid. I mean tall. I mean... Oh, never mind. :blink:

Jb

 

[painman]

Boys, boys, can't we just all get a long?......Don't think I will ever sell the old SoftTail, being first born and all. I got to blap her when I'm out just to keep the oil circulatin...you know, not much pressure to get all that oil way up there on top. Blappin also gets old ladies and little kids and barkin dogs out the way, not to mention all the good looking babes start a quiverin and brappin their eyelashes and such...Brappin also helps keep your head clear along with the pipes ya know...So don't knock it until you've tried it. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrap. PM. <>< :focus:

 

[tripletango]

My Moto Guzzi V11 Cafe Sport needs to be slightly braaped when cold just to clear the M4s! My FJR will throw off the back if you braaaap it in gear!

Just so you know. I live a life filled with bikes I can brap and those that cannot be brapped unless in neutral. So I brap with trepidation and utmost caution.

 

[odot]

I now nominate all brappers to be allowed access to the crash club.

 

[James Burleigh]

Commuting on the Braaper (Harley Sportster), I braaped continually while lane splitting. When I got the FJR and tried to braap to make my presence known..."What the f**k? No braaper on this bike? What's up with that?" :blink:

But I manage....

Jb