The Motorcycle Thread - anything and everything

[Sheldon Cooper]

OK so I'm a rider... Although I currently don't have a bike, when your wife tells you you should buy a motorbike you tend to pay attention! lol

My first ever bike back when I got my Ls was a Yamaha V-Star XVS1100A Classic. Loved my "Yamaharley"! Great for weekends away, comfy, torquey and after adding some better pipes, sounded pretty good too. It was the cheap alternative to a Harley for a 22 year old.

My next bike was a Suzuki B-King. Wow! Brilliant in practically every way. Semi-upright seating position and super comfy wide seat meant no soreness at all. Hayabusa engine tuned for more torque than the Hayabusa was awesome. It was fast when I wanted it to be and a hell of a lot of fun. Went in with a mate to go test riding with him without any intention of buying. He was buying a bike to go riding with his brother. I ended up on the B-King demo and getting a massive discount and signed on the dotted line that day. Oops! LOL!

I have also ridden a Suzuki GSXR-1100, Yamaha R1 and a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail. The Harley was MANY years ago, even before I had a licence, on a friends bike in a small country town in the middle of nowhere.

I now find myself in a position to get onto something that's more of a premium "bike of my dreams" type bike. I find myself looking at Indians, specifically the Chief Vintage, Springfield and Chieftain Darkhorse, as well as the Harley Davidson Street Glide. Although when I start test ride weekends this weekend, from what I have read (and watched on YouTube) when comparing Indians to Harleys, Harley's become very disappointing. However the one thing you can't get anywhere other than Harley is the sound they make. Indians sound good don't get me wrong, but the sound of a Harley (and I don't mean the obnoxious levels of some) is simply the best.

I even looked at the Moto Guzzi MGX21 as sort of a cross between a bagger and a sports bike, but I can't get myself to like the styling as much as the classics.

Can't wait to get back onto a bike and looking forward to the next few months of tests and decision making.

So who else rides? What do you ride? What to you enjoy most? No like? etc...

Cheers!

(no - I didn't search to see if there was a similar thread already)

 

[gossie]

I like classic bikes as such.
My last bike was a Bultaco Metralla. Sold it a few years ago now and got into PWC.
If I got serious again about bikes it would be Ducati of some sort or other.

 

[Smitty]

... too many bikes to mention

'cept two. The first road bike I had was nicknamed ... the Widowmaker
Such was the 1970 Kawasaki Mach III. 120mph, drum brakes, cross ply tyres on a bicycle frame
yes I fell off lots...well, actually got thrown off !

and the current steed was the world's fastest bike in 2001. Tested to 321kmh here in Oz by AMCN
it ticked repeated 9.9 sec quarters . I give you the Kawasaki ZX12R




... the older I get, the faster I go

 

[mpower]

this explains so much, I would so peg Raj/Sheldon as a pretend Harley rider.

 

[Sheldon Cooper]

ZX12R!!!! Nice one Smitty! VERY nice.

this explains so much, I would so peg Raj/Sheldon as a pretend Harley rider.

Even though your post serves no purpose, I'll respond... Not for long... Just experienced the 2017 Street Glide with the new Milwaukee 107 engine. Wow! SOOOO comfy. I prefer it to the Indian just to sit on. Riding both will also tell me more. But at the moment, I'm leaning Harley.

 

[gopher]

this explains so much, I would so peg Raj/Sheldon as a pretend Harley rider.

I would have picked him as a moped rider

 

[Sheldon Cooper]

I'd get black, but this is the one I played with.

 

[Noeleter]

I would have picked him as a moped rider

The old Nifty Fifty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VS 5.0]

Got your CHiPs stickers Raj ?

 

[Deuce]

I'd get black, but this is the one I played with.

Ignore the negative comments Raj/Sheldon.
I started riding when I was early 20's and purchased my first (and only) Harley at age 24. Best decision ever. It was a 7year old Softail Deuce 1450cc Twin-Cam. I still have that bike and it is now 1550cc, cam, forgies, billet cam plate, I ported the heads & upgraded valves/springs etc. Pipes, compensator ratio change. I race it in the local track series and won the series several times. Current PB 12.26 @ 108mph.

I also have worked for Harley for over 8years, so may be slightly (hugely) Biased towards how awesome they are. (PM me if you have any questions about the bike you are looking at. Who is your local dealer too?)

Before you buy the StreetGlide, take a Road Glide for a test ride (trust me)


Smitty - Nice bikes mate

Also - fastest bike I have ridden: Ducati panigale S,
2nd fastest bike I have ridden: Turbo/Nitrous Harley Sportster48