If there is one thing I know its fucking Harleys. I have an associate’s of applied science degree in HD service & technology. When it comes down to my true passion for motorcycles, old school HD bobbers will always be number one.

I gots educated here

* Last updated by: nasty on 10/15/2013 @ 7:05 PM *

My friend's Wide Glide is in my garage awaiting a new front tire for our weekend ride to Arkansas. Got the new rear on the other night. 40,000 miles on the clock and no leaks or issues other than routine maintenance.

Danno... your wife has a Wide Glide? Not too heavy?

I discovered the "Thrill" you can get from a Harley!
It's when you get back on your 14 and go for a ride. YES!! Sometimes with the Harley I feel like I should hop off and push. NOT with my Ninja

The Harley is easier to ride when you're drunk... no Bull

Tell me about it...until ya lowside into a mountainside...then try to lift er back up....LOL!!!That was the night I filled her with diesel....imagine that...she still ran thoughLOL!!!Hated that bike after that.Got rid of it promptly and bought a new zzr1200....now THAT was a sweet bike;)

I just can't bring myself to pay all that money for really bad tech.

I'd ride a vintage one though.

Ya know what... the're all vintage! I grew up in the '50s and that's the way things were made then. All steel and not a bit of modern (if you want to call plastic, modern.) materials. As it grows on me, and it's coming hard, I like the nostalgia aspect. I liked it when things were made that way. I could get a "vintage" Norton Commando for $19000 and it would be just like this... some of the parts were made more recently than others! I never had a Harley. Had a couple Nortons and a borrowed Triumph. Didn't have a Yamaha till 3rd year college at U of Hawaii.
The Harley is almost worth the same price as if you sold it by the ton. It's bigger and clunkier than the Nortons but it's made about the same way. In the old days we always worked on our bikes. I might enjoy ... no I don't want to fix em any more... just want to ride them!

The 14 has spoiled me!! Never have to fix anything. I guess that's why I put on upgrades... so I'll have something to work on. It's amazing that I'm still riding pretty aggressively but I haven't yet laid the 14 down. That must be because they detuned it to make it more user friendly No... wait... I fixed that. Maybe I have slowed down a tad!

In the old days I used to but on my most comfortable boots when I went fro a ride. They were for the walk home.

* Last updated by: Sharkey on 10/22/2013 @ 5:25 PM *

It is a hell of a thing. You would not normally think that extreme performance would go hand in hand with rock solid reliability and zero fuss. Oil level, a clean chain and tires once in a while. That's all she needs for the most part, and she'll go as far and as fast as you want. She always has more to give.

Back on topic, I could probably get my wife interested in a Victory instead, since they are made in Iowa and she's from there and is always Iowa this and Iowa that.

This is a pretty brutal comparison between Harley and Victory engineering, biased as it is.

* Last updated by: tooncinator on 10/23/2013 @ 12:07 PM *

Well Sharkey...I'm glad ya got yer Harley...they do have a certain pride about em.I had a couple.My first was a 2000 Heritage classic.Really loved that bike...for the time.Can't even compare the Ninja with a Harley...two totally different animals.Sa'll good.Tried to 'get back into' the Harley 'feel' after I had my first one stolen.Nah...never was the same.That first Harley...yeah....unique experience for sure.Bought an Ultra Classic...1995 model.Just wasn't the same....sold it and got a ZZR1200...that started things new for me.Harley's are cool though....you should feel good about her.Great bikes IMO.I'm totally spoiled with the Ninjas.Just feels right for me...everyone thinks I have a Harley...nope...they're pretty surprised when I tell em what I've got.You ride safe now with yer big Bird....watch the corners...;)She aint no Ninja...but fun as heck anyway.

I love pointing out the AMF connection.............Bikes and Bowling Pins

I have to say here...brutal or not...MY 2000 Heritage...brand new....new 88B Twin cam motor(supposed to be the new flagship motor)was begun with serious issues.I ended up stranded 500 miles from home at 3 AM because the Cam bearings failed...in less than 3000 miles.They came and got me...good on them...and replaced free of course.BUT....not only that...they from the factory installed a cylinder gasket(two)that was known to leak(came standard with it).Their 'fix'(which they started adding on in the later models)was a copper gasket(two).So they certainly didn't plan ahead very well for rider satisfaction IMO.Their service was fine..UNTIL the warranty ran out...then it was"we don't know you" .Quite disappointing really.Their techs were not the best either...one guy scratched the rear fender seriously when he removed the seat....should have known better(and denied it of course)(gotta hold that rear securing screw with your hand when you slide that seat backwards off there...he should have know that I would think)...and I took her in to get a rear turn signal 'repaired'...took em three weeks...and they never DID fix the signal right.I just took it and rode off...after a $1000 charge for a harness.I wasn't about to let em have my bike any longer...I fixed the signal myself at home.

When I first picked her up new...I rode home.The oil sensor fitting started seeping.I called em and said she's leaking...at the sensor.They said...well...we need your bike then for two weeks to fix it.I was dumbfounded.I teflon taped the sensor...all of about 10 minutes tops...she never leaked again.That was my experience with Harley...I trust yours will be much better.That was 10 years ago...things change...hopefully for the better for you;)

On my second harley...I was riding home one night...everything started to die.Stuck again on the side of the road.Tried to get er to crank...nothing.Okay...so I call a tow..they come and get me.I get the bike to the shop...they say 'yada yada yada...we can't find what's causing your battery to drain"...okay...While she's there...go ahead and change the pads up front will ya?...I get this call..."your bike's ready'...cool.I get there....and take a look see around the caliper area...WTF?Cracked...the caliper mount bolt fitting is cracked.These are Chrome forks mind you..not some cheap stuff.I ALSO notice...the regulator plug.It aint connected.They never did figure out why she wasn't charging...hell...I found it just with a mild inspection!And they also DENIED they cracked that mount hole point.I looked in my manual...IF you get the two bolts mixed up...they do not fit right and you WILL crack that tab.They wanted something like 2 grand for a new set of Chrome forks...geez...unbelievable.I told em...no way...hell...I removed the bolt and reinstalled correctly...it worked okay...but the crack was naturally still there...kinda shed a poor light on the dealer and such here...oh well...sold that one also....never did take er back over there...but they had GOBS of merchandise....kinda like a big candy store...;)

In all fairness though...I did take my 07 zx14 to have the gasket replaced at one point(the head cover gasket).Normally I would have done this myself(which I did once before)...but I didn't want to mess with it at the time.Hey...I knew the guys at the shop...why not?....a day later...I get the call...'yer bike's ready'....awesome..I'm dyin to go ride.Go pick er up.She isn't rolling right.I'm like...WTF?...I check the chain tension.FUC$...so much for adjustment...I took her right back in and said...Bro...this is WAY too tight...uh oh...yup...he said it probably was.Hmmmm...okay...I'm starting (just barely)to lose a teensy bit of faith here.So he adjusts it...cool...feels right now.I fire her up...fine...head on out.About three miles down the road...I'm kinda glancing at the bodywork and such as I'm cruising along.WTF?Somethin doesn't look right.I pull over.GEEZ..the bodypanels are wrong????????BIG ass gaps where it should be flush.I'm like...DUDE.I get out my tool kit...right there on the side of the road...and spend the next 45 minutes REINSTALLING my plastics.The guy had em very wrong.Still surprised nothing broke.I fixed it...but hey...you know...ya want to trust yer bike's in good hands.I didn't take er back there anymore.Hell...I had to tell the tech which way to turn the impact driver to remove the countershaft nut....plus he let the slave drain free INSIDE the case when he had it off.I go back there to see how things are going...you know...it's taking longer than I think it should(I'm quite patient).I see this serious pool of fluid inside the case there...I say...What's this here?

Oh,that's normal...no prob.We'll get er finished for ya real quick here.Shit...even I knew WTF it was....Amazing really.One should not be half drunk when working on a technical machineLOL!!!!

I'm no mechanic...but I decided then that I was gonna do whatever I could myself with my bikes from there on out.I mean...NOBODY takes care of your baby like YOU do...am I right?I haven't done so badly...saved a lot in service procedures that's for sure.She's pretty easy to maintain actually...Least I know my front wheel aint gonna fall off at 160;)+...what a trip...I loves my Ninja!!!

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/23/2013 @ 1:08 PM *

Except for maybe a FWD car transaxle..........I ain't trustin nobody.

Steering damper just installed...took about 30 minutes...very simple(Thank God;) )

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/23/2013 @ 3:02 PM *

I just don't like the attitude that MOST of the harley people have. They think they are special and badass because they spent $25,000 on a bike. IMO they have no power. not for the money you spend on them. my brother has a v-rod and he's not any faster than my yamaha raider. I know that my raider has a bigger engine but the v-rod is suppose to be their "fast" bike. I spent 12 on my raider thats a little faster than his 22,000 bike. I dont think theyre junk but theyre not any better than any other bike. I'd buy a victory any day before I bought a harley. my dad had an ultra classic and hes had to replace the stator twice...just like the video said he would have to.

I raced my piped and no flies 06 against the HD drag bike in 2006..........with the fat tire and wheelie bar....at least what HD called a drag bike.

I let some air outta my rear tire and spanked it 5 times in a row.........aired up and rode home while he was loading the trailer. He was a new racer, but......this thing should be in the 9's......or at least 10's.

Here's the deal... Harley mechanics are like doctors. they don't do business they have a "Practice." So the keep practicing until they get it right, or not.
My local mechanic is like others... $350 to change the oil and sparkplugs.
This is one reason I have always done my own wrenching. They never seem to get it right and I know I can do it if I want. I've read manuals and made a lot of calls while practicing myself LOL Most of the time I can look at something and tell you how it works. It's a Genius thing. I've made mistakes but not as many as other mechanics have. What I love is when they don't fix something, and want you to pay them anyway.

The thought of letting a dealership work on my Kawi gives me shivers.

Wolf, I thought I said I knew you was kidding? THIS IS NOT THE PLACE WHERE MEMBERS PUT MEAN HEARTED POSTS!! That's why I'm back here. And It never crossed my mind that you would be malicious.

Hi Sharkey, by now I am hoping you know my quote was all about agreeing with "if you have em, ride em" and nothing more. just checking in, but we are cool right?
W

All's cool Wolf

Time for me to kick back and decide which bike I'm going to ride tomorrow... Got some new sliders today. Guess I'll mount them and ride the 14!

Man that's a good problem to have, deciding between two bikes!!!

I like all bikes. Period. Bikes have been a big part of my life.
I may not want to own certain bikes and that's typical. To each their own. I ride with the person on the bike because we enjoy each others company. His choice of bike doesn't matter at all.
Hope your shoulder gets better.

* Last updated by: KAK on 10/27/2013 @ 12:22 PM *

Thanks Kak... it's starting to look like another surgery is due. Had it done 11 years ago too.
One of the things I like best is how when I'm riding, nothing hurts. Till you stop
So... logically... don't stop

Wolf... Love the key fob. Hadn't noticed that before.

First big rain/snow storm last night. Supposed to be clear and sunny tomorrow. I love California! Guess I'll use the bike to alleviate pain. That is, a ride to the local watering hole, (That's after logging 50-60 miles) the long way.

You dont stop riding because you get old, you get old because you stop riding!!!

Going 95??? On a BMW Toaster... I dunno... My Beemer RT cruized nicely at 130!

I gotta admit to liking the look of the Harley V Rod. Almost test rode one, too when I was shopping around for a second bike a few months back.

But the big dressers, I never seemed to understand the appeal of that look......but to each his own.