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Former/Current HD Riders

mirror complaints? huh?

no idea what you're talking about with mirror problems with an H-D. My mirrors were great, as i could see most everything behind me (unlike my R100RS, which allowed me to see that i still had elbows attached to my rather prominent shoulders). And, they helped me to maintain my math skills, as no matter how many headlights i saw, i knew i had to be doing some division work; "6 headlights? that's divide by 2 for each side = 3 sets of lights, so divide by vibration times rpm, and that's just one car. I think. maybe."
 
no idea what you're talking about with mirror problems with an H-D. My mirrors were great, as i could see most everything behind me (unlike my R100RS, which allowed me to see that i still had elbows attached to my rather prominent shoulders). And, they helped me to maintain my math skills, as no matter how many headlights i saw, i knew i had to be doing some division work; "6 headlights? that's divide by 2 for each side = 3 sets of lights, so divide by vibration times rpm, and that's just one car. I think. maybe."

Us math challenged people will have difficulty with HD mirrors. That's why I'm a lawyer and ride an RT !!

:laugh:laugh:laugh
 
i had one

P1010005-2.jpg
[/IMG]

major engine enhancements. quick. not for the timid, but easy to ride fast.
i hated the "feet forward."

i pretty much hated the bike. chick magnet. not good for much else.
 
Still have it, still ride it, still love it. Rode it from DC to Maine, and DC to Kentucky last year. Climbed Mt. Washington with it. The bike's never failed to start and never left me stranded. In 7 years it's lost less oil than my R12RT did in 4 months.



nt0817-1-1.jpg
 
and, they vibrate quite a bit. but, as the wimmen might say "not that there's anything wrong with that." :dance

Pick one of the below, there's really no difference in vibration. Both have solid-mounted motors that transmit a tingle through the pegs, bars, and seat. A Boxer BMW is a German Harley for all intents and purposes. A rubber-mounted Harley touring bike shakes like an epileptic at idle but is smooth as glass once underway.


d7d97f03.jpg
 
Pretty simple really, Harley makes good-looking bikes. I love my GS/A, but it's not pretty.

I'll echo this and just add not just "good-looking", but good quality as well. A lot of old school motorcyclists mistakenly think HD's quality is poor. Couldn't be farther from the truth.

I think of my GS as more of an "interesting" looking motorcycle as opposed to good looking. It's a blast to ride though :D
 
I have an R12R, and in terms of pure fun to ride it beats any of the Harleys I've owned hands down. It's also better in cold weather (versus a Harley touring bike). That said, I truly miss my Harley. But I also love the BMW.
 
Mean looker!

That blacked out HD is real sinister looking. You should black out the GSA too, have twins:). I think BMW does the engines in black on some year models. My GSA is the '07 one, white/red. I still cannot afford the HD sitting alongside it. I do have a Airhead ClassicR100/7 and KLR650 sharing space. My HD would be the Ultra BIG boy at 20G$ plus, so I weep:violin. Randy
 
I'm going to throw out a wild card. How about one of the V-Rod models? Specifically how about a Night Rod Special, the VRSCDX, more commonly abbreviated just a "DX". They come with forward controls but there is a mid control kit using the parts for the discontinued D model that puts the foot controls in a position not much different than an old R-100s minus some leg room. It is low enough to be comfortable for riders of short stature. Better yet, find a low mile used Street Rod. They are around, and if you poke around there are still a few left over new '06's and '07's in some dealers waiting for the right customer.
In addition to 3 1/2 Beemers in the garage (the 1/2 is a project K-RT thingamabob being scraped together from used parts of various vintage K bikes) there are a pair of Harley Street Rods. One is bone stock, the other is modded and will be even more modded in the future (Ohlins is prototyping adjustable fork cartridges for it, who could resist?).
V-Rods, especially with mid controls, are fine motorcycles, far better than any of the other HD products. Riding one you will find they have a distinctly German feel to them, which is to be expected as the content of the engine and gearbox is mostly German components from the same supplier base BMW uses (Mahle, Schrick, Getrag, etc.)
For me at least, I cannot ride a Road Glide or other such HD bagger for more than thirty minutes before my back is screaming in pain. The riding position with the low seat and feet up in front of me, arms outstretched, does not work for me. It feels like riding an old 1970's Honda with the seat removed. And lets be honest, they are achingly slow motorcycles. Riding one reminds me of trying to hustle and old VW Combi. There's not much to work with.
But a V-Rod is a fast bike and the Street Rod I can ride all day, and I frequently use it for the trip from California to Utah for World Superbike. I always use it for the run to Laguna Seca, just to mess with sport bike riders on Coast Highway. Oh yeah, it handles really good with lots of cornering clearance and a nice, all of a piece feel. The suspension and brakes are fine out of the box, and certainly better than many stock BMW set ups. The Street Rod's brakes are simply awesome. Steering feel is superior. With a windshield, the Sundowner Seat, magnetic tank bag, rear seat bag from Chase Harper and the accessory soft luggage ("Sport Saddlebags") it travels well.
 
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I'll echo this and just add not just "good-looking", but good quality as well. A lot of old school motorcyclists mistakenly think HD's quality is poor. Couldn't be farther from the truth.

I think of my GS as more of an "interesting" looking motorcycle as opposed to good looking. It's a blast to ride though :D

I still laugh out loud thinking about the old BMW add that showed a GS head on being cornered on the valve cover with the tag line "It looks even uglier when it passes you".

You should have seen the look on the face of one of my V-Rod riding friends when he saw the old R-80GS I just acquired next to the Street Rod in my garage.
 
Ahhh... Enjoyed a VRSCDX, and before that a VRSCA, for many years. And I actually got a kick out of the forward controls ergos. Not to mention the performance.

vrscdxsilverheels.jpg
 
Ahhh... Enjoyed a VRSCDX, and before that a VRSCA, for many years. And I actually got a kick out of the forward controls ergos. Not to mention the performance.

vrscdxsilverheels.jpg

DX's are beautiful looking bikes but having air blow up the legs of my jeans and dragging the heel of my boot on corners was just too weird.

I was thinking of the 2012 DX:

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I like the sportier rear fender of the 2012 model.
 
DX's are beautiful looking bikes but having air blow up the legs of my jeans and dragging the heel of my boot on corners was just too weird.

...

Ahhh, I don't ride with jeans; I'd lift my heels slightly when needing to do so, and when roads really tightened up I was astride a more suitable bike. But on certain roads/rides, the DX was in its element like few bikes could be.
 
Oh.. I know that zone/feeling!

"certain roads/rides... in their element like few bikes could be" ... my Road Glide
in top gear, two lane road at 55 - 65mph; often somewhere I've never been & I'm
enjoying the road/scenery for all its worth.... priceless!!! And same here...no jeans.
01FLTR
04R1150R
 
my single seat springer likes me just fine

would have to say quality, ridability and reliability are the same. i'd take either one anywhere. one's faster, one's cooler and patriotic... about 10k mi. on each

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"certain roads/rides... in their element like few bikes could be" ... my Road Glide
in top gear, two lane road at 55 - 65mph; often somewhere I've never been & I'm
enjoying the road/scenery for all its worth.... priceless!!! And same here...no jeans.

flyhi... Same with the FLHX here.
 
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