Harley vs Indian. This is going to be fun to watch!

[GS1150Pilot]

How could you have the balls to buy a toy on credit when you have none? I guess that's why they are in the position they are in in the first place. Hmmm...I wonder who gets turned down for credit more often....which brand?

Trevor, careful there. Not everyone is as financially fortunate as you may be-but that does not mean we should judge them in such a way. Motorcycles are not toys to many people.

[Rob S.]

I walked into my brother's H-D dealer and the sales people overheard him telling me to pick out anything I liked.

They were a bit, shall we say, frustrated, when I said I'd consider any bike - as long as it was a Sportster.

[GS1150Pilot]

I saw a copy of a 1961 Cycle World review of the new Sportster. It said, "If you are riding a Sporty, you are either going to a race or on your way back from one."

The '61 Sportster was far and away the world's fastest production motorcycle.

Rob, I'm pretty sure Nortons were faster by then.

[GS1150Pilot]

Yeah I looked it up and was wrong. I found 57 for the Sportster and 58/59 for the Bonnevile.. But it was the British bike sales the Sprotster was trying to chase since HD didn't really have a competitive edge in the smaller entry level bikes back in the day. They were successful I would say! Very intertwined history there.

I know my XR1200 left an unfair taste in my mouth about Sportsters... I need to just ride a good ole 883 to understand it better. Hope our paths cross in June!!!

Best,

I think for many, the lack of outright acceleration and a top speed of about 105 are limiting points in coming to enjoy a basic Sportster. To me, it's like a return to a day in motorcycling that I never got to experience as a young man. In a way, like a time capsule back to the days when my dad rode Triumphs and BSA's.

[trevor]

Trevor, careful there. Not everyone is as financially fortunate as you may be-but that does not mean we should judge them in such a way. Motorcycles are not toys to many people.

I'm not judging...I financed my BMW. As I didn't have $24,000 laying around. But I worked a part time job on top of my full time job to make the payments and to pay the insurance. I knew I could afford it when I walked in the dealership.
If someone wants a bike that bad that doesn't consider them a "toy"...then buy a used one that you can afford.
I have gone without plenty of things in my life...including a vehicle of any kind for 6 years. I have gone through many years of just trying to pay my rent and scraping by...I would never have thought I should go see if I can get credit to buy a motorcycle. Never.

[GS1150Pilot]

Maybe, but I see folks buying newer cars on credit all the time. I drive older cars that are unremarkable so that I can afford to modify my bike and enjoy it as both practical transportation and a means of self-expression.

[trevor]

Maybe, but I see folks buying newer cars on credit all the time. I drive older cars that are unremarkable so that I can afford to modify my bike and enjoy it as both practical transportation and a means of self-expression.

I drive a 1996 GMC pick up with 280,000kms on it. I hate spending money on a 4 wheel vehicle. Yes I have 5 plated and insured bikes in my garage. All paid for. My wife on the other hand has a brand new Honda Civic Turbo Sport Touring Edition...very nice car...that she makes payments on. It's all about choices...I'm about to spend $500 getting one of my helmets custom painted to match my gs750ed...I have never said I'm particularly smart with my money. Lol...but I worked extra shifts at my part time job to pay for it.

[Jedz123]

motorcycles are not toys to many people.

amen to that!

[Spyder]

I drive crappy cars, so I can afford to make my crappy bikes better, lol. Maintenance on an older car is cheaper that a car payment and full coverage insurance. I drive 130 miles round trip every day for work. Putting that many miles on a new car is just silly. My wife bought a new 2016 Chevy Trax LTZ, she drives 140 a day, it now has more miles on it than my 2002 300M. Her car isn't paid off, and it's been nickle and dim'ing us pretty bad for over a year now.
Plus, the new cars and bikes don't really appeal to me.

[earlfor]

The '61 Sportster was far and away the world's fastest production motorcycle.

I beg to differ. I believe that title belongs to the 1961 Triumph T110.

[Rob S.]

I beg to differ. I believe that title belongs to the 1961 Triumph T110.

I'm only paraphrasing the Cycle World, which may have been the very first Cycle World ever.

I know that there were some limited edition, or after market modifications (Dunstal?) that propelled Norton's to the front of the pack.

And I know the layout of the Sportster (shift right, brake left) was to copy the Brits.

When Sportster went to 1000cc in 1972 it could still run with the CB750/4, and it captured my heart.

[trevor]

I always thought Vincent was the fastest production motorcycle from the 50s until the Kawasaki 900 knocked it off?

[earlfor]

When Sportster went to 1000cc in 1972 it could still run with the CB750/4, and it captured my heart.

At that time, I was riding a Kawasaki 500 triple H1. I can say from experience that neither a Honda nor a sportster was the fastest production bike on the road. I never lost a race to either of them. LOL

[Spyder]

I had a '72 Iron Head Sporty. Bored, stretched, and raked. She was a bad bioch, when I could get it to start. Broke my foot in 5 places trying to kick start the nasty B!TCH...

[timebombprod]

havent read any comments on here yet, just thought id put my two cents in. i will say on the mechanical side i dont know much about them i do know that harley was owned by amf for a while and wasnt as reputable during the time and ive heard things such as they shake themselves apart and they leak oil from the factory, i dont know about oil leaks from the factory and i could see a bolt getting loose from its rumble, but also harleys usually are modified alot and when u remove something that hasnt been removed before, it isnt necessarily as "fresh" anymore, and somebody who doesnt know mechanics well could easily cause a problem when modifying or repairing their bike. harleys also hold a huge stereotype. as for indian i believe they are some nice looking machines with some character (harley does too but that indian front mudguard is an icon) and i like that they also have 4 cylinders and were an early company to use that, i dont know much about indian but i dont believe thats a bad thing because most of the things i hear about harley is what i just have said.

harley has some badass sounding engines for sure i could listen to a shovelhead or EVO idle anyday, and they're known for that sound. i think id own a stock harley over a stock indian, but the stereotype you carry from somebody that doesnt know you kinda sucks, oh well, my engine sound better than yours.