Hitchcocks Forum

I dropped into a Harley showroom today, just for a look around, and got chatting with the owner.


I accepted that the 883 Sportster looked like a nice, (relatively) compact cruiser, but suggested I couldn't live with the whole 'fringed leather chaps' persona of Harley ownership.  He accepted that was a large part of ownership for some people, but that things are changing.  As an example he pointed to an engine cover engraved 'live to ride' with an eagle design and said that used to be their best seller, whereas now it's the one with the skull.....


Not sure that helped his case!


Any Harley fans out there?

with fuel prices as they are harley ownership is for the well off they need their own petrol station ,my mate has a ss1200 its been stood for a while as it can,t pass a garage unlike his wd/co

Alex do not listen to uninformed opinion and second hand information based upon somebody's friends, mates experience.


My credentials until last year I had a 1993 Electra Glide whic I had from new, and a 1998 Road King which a friend bought new and left to me when he passed away about 10 years ago. Both were in regular use in all weathers.


Fuel consumption was between 45 and 50mpg (thats the full size imperial gallon). That is actually slightly better than my 2010 Triumph Thruxton. You could drastically reduce the mpg by extra heavy use of the right hand but that applies to all bikes.


All I ever bought for both bikes was regular servicing parts, such as oil, plugs, filters brake pads and a couple of rear tyres. I never in all those years and miles had any component failure or breakdowns. I could ride from Leicestershire to hampshire with only one stop for fuel.


Oh yes image. Well that is an individual thing. I ride in traditional leathers, with armour fitted, full face helmet and modern armoured gloves and boots. Definitely no tassels, fake tatoos or bandanas for me. You see I ride motocycles and the name badge is frankly irrelevant.


I only once went on a "ride out" with the Harley Owners Group. They cruised on dual carriageways at 50mph. I rode past them all at about 80. The Road Captain (that's a poncy title for a start) chased me but couldn't keep up. When he arrived at the destination he told me of for riding too fast, telling me that most of the group were accountants, or similar, and didn't expect to go fast. I simply let them set off for home, passed them at about 10 and never went for another ride with them.


If you fancy a Sportster then the 1200 is the better bike, but the big twins really are the ones to have.


IMHO.


Other opinions are available and may be made known on here, but are wrong. LOL. 

Ooooops, that should have said ".....at about 100mph..."


Man fingers and red wine at work.  

Mike I bought my Bullet from a Harley afficianado in Spain... mind you he had Nortons and all sorts back in the day.


Respect to all those who refuse to fit into any comfortable categories... I was even asked if i was a Mod this afternoon!

 Closest I ever got to a Harley was I ordered one in 1968 but with a minimum 6 month wait I couldn't hang out and eventually ended up buying a new Bonnie.

Very interesting, I do like these bikes, especially the 'smaller' Sportster, possibly without the foot forward pegs (like the Iron 883, but I hear what you say about the 1200 engine) but no immediate plans to change.....no money besides anything else!

Hi Alex


Personally, I agree with comments that the Harley might be a good buy if you could stand the "lifestyle" schtick, which I personally can't...I love the engines though.  Narrow angle pushrod V-twins were once described by Bike Magazine as being "honorary members of the Big Single club", and I can see what they meant. Engines are definitely the best part of a Harley, now if H-D were to package the engine up in a decent European cafe racer-type setup, rather than those ridiculous chopper-inspired abominations they favour, I might consider one...


Cheers


TimG

If you ignore the leather chaps on the bank manager image the harley has an appeal to the enfield owner. A simple basic engine, a range of goodies to improve the stock item and a long production run - sounds familiar doesn't it.


Me and the wife are back in the position of being able to tour now the kids are older and if enfield don't release a big twin in the next couple of years I can see a trip to my local harley dealer is a possibility - the 350 bullet hardly being a 2 up mile muncher.

I don't dislike Harleys, but if I could afford a decent one, I would prefer to spend the money on a nicely sorted Norton Commando Interstate.