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Blockhead.

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I always liked Harleys . I used to ride with some Harley people in the 1975, for a few years. Trouble was, they would always break down... usually in the beginning of a long-planned day's ride. Put a damper on all the outings. (No follow-up trailers to take it back home.)
Their deep rumbles are alluring when running right.
I remember when the Evo's came out. I was a chrome plater at the time, and we sure got a LOT of valve cover sets to plate. They came out really nice also.
If I could find a good one, and could afford it, I'd like to have one... maybe a trike? Guess a vw engine would be better tho.
Maybe I could trade a race-track bike for a nice 3-wheeler...
 
nejeff said:
There is a consensus around motorcycling that when your done with the Jap bikes you graduate up to a Harley. That's why they are on the top of the list you are seeing. At a family/friends party I attended about a year ago there were several Harley riders. An older lady asked if I ride and I said yes, I have several bikes. She asked what they were and I told her what I had. She asked why have 3 bikes when I could sell those and buy a Harley. I said no thanks, I'm not interested in a Harley and she had the most perplexed look on her face and it was totally sincere. She just could not understand why I would not graduate up to a Harley Davidson.

There is a top or pinnacle to everything and in motorcycling the vast majority of riders and even people who have nothing to do with motorcycling believe Harley Davidson is the peak. I have a friend who has never owned a bike and just turned 54. He took the safety class about a year ago and many of us have told him to just pick up a bike and start riding before he forgets what he learned but he refuses. Says he will ONLY own a Harley Davidson. This from a guy who have never ridden before. Totally ridiculous in my view but people aspire to it I guess

EDIT:

To answer the question of why no old Harleys ...they all ended up in the scrap yard. There was a time when they had little value and got sold for scrap. The survivors now are worth a mint in literally any condition. Hard to start a budget build when just a rolling frame can cost you a $1000 to $1500
Click to expand...

Good answer!
 
Here ya go!

My Ride List...

"2013 HonKawSuzYam, 1979 flx, 1973 Dumboy wtf, etc"

All good now?

With regards to the Harley's it seems as if "...Perception shapes Reality..."

An American Motorcycle company in continuous production for over 100 years has an appeal for some folks, and not all Harley's were full size paint shakers.

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/buell/buell-blast-13968.html

Sales are contingent upon the demographic segment that a company engages. As such, the "Live to Ride, Ride to Live" moniker may have outlived the age group that it originally alluded to. That was the ideal behind the Buell Blast, to get younger riders in the fold.

Harley Davidson had a in house racing department in 1914, and was winning races in the 1920's with continuous speeds of over 100mph. So there is a performance history there.

Magazines then started with racing reviews and 1/4-miles stats in their reviews, but I can remember a hot new motorcycle from Honda in 1965 that opened the eyes of young kids all over the USA, they called it Honda's 1st Sport Bike...the SuperHawk, I know this because I rode one in 1968.

Honda Motorcycle Company was started in the late 1940's.

So, to answer your question, the demographic segment of sportbike riders that grew up on 80's sportbikes had little to choose from with the Harley Davidsons of that era. Some Harley riders are just as guilty of brand denigration as other fools who pour out vitriolic comments in which whose nature, it seems; is to write or speak in a manner that is intended to be somewhat biting or caustic in nature.

Or, to put it into another's words...

"...can't we all just get along...?"
 
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My last two bikes being a Z1 and a GS1100e, I doubt I could ever be satisfied if my only bike put out about 40 HP.

That being said, I have always desired a Harley. From my younger days, when they were the biggest and baddest (and fastest), to the present, Harleys have a presence that many bikes lack. And that's not not even mentioning their sound.

When you see a Harley idling, the front wheel shakes and the whole thing visually vibrates - it's a very visceral experience.

I've never ridden one, but it's on my bucket list.
 
In the same way that a lot of original CB750's and Z1 Kawas ended up being shipped back to Japan, there is a growing market in Japan for custom older HD's.

I'd suspect that's where a lot of them are now.

Here's an example:

http://www.hidemo.net/eng/

nogami02.jpg
 
I have a 78 Shovel, it's a stripped frame and crates of parts though.

I've never owned it as a whole running bike so I don't have it listed in my sig, plus I'm already at my 10 line limit.

I'm a 78 American Canadian Redneck so I kinda have a thing for 78 models of cool stuff.
 
I'm on my 2nd Harley, and I've been around them for a while. I think the reason you don't see too many folks with vintage Japanese bikes and Harleys is because they're just so different, they tend to appeal to different crowds. And, vintage Harleys that are actually in good shape fetch a pretty penny. A lot of guys that ride vintage Japanese stuff do so because they're more affordable, and when it comes time to get a Harley they finance it because that's more attainable than spending $12-20k on a 30 year old bike. Most lenders won't go for that, but just about anyone will give you a loan for a brand new Harley.

My Japanese bikes (GS550 cafe/bobber thing & XS650 short chop) are an entirely different experience than the Harleys. I've actually been spending the last few weekends getting my GS back together because I miss riding it. Last time I rode my XS650 chopper with Harley guys, I embarrassed the hell out of them as soon as we got into the hills. My '79 XS650 with straight pipes + pods and many hours of carb tuning was the first one up the mountain by a long shot, and I was riding with 2 883 Sportsters, a 1200 Sportster, and a Dyna Street Bob that had a 1600cc.
 
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