Why I like Motorcycles

And you?

 

I think Jay Leno is about to make a hearty endorsement of a new motorcycle
company. And their Prototype and now in production - Mission RS - a 162 h.p.
120 ft/lbs. torque Electric motorcycle that weighs either 490 lbs.
or 540 lbs { The weight of my CB 1100 } depending on the battery pack.
With a claimed range of 140 miles and performance on par or better than a
Ducati Monster.They are designed,engineered and assemble by hand in the U.S.
However only 40 editions will be produced.
Ya know what that means folks ... Nicholas Cage will get one and George Clooney
next then Brad Pitt.All down the line till not a single average Joe will probably ever get to
sit on one.Those bikes should go through a waiting list.Like Harley did with the V-rod
when it debuted in 2001.It was Harley's answer to the Honda VTX 1800.
I think Wikipedia is way off here.They have the Harley v-rod going into production
in 2001 and the VTX 1800 being Introduced in 2002.Pardon me moi.
I guess I have to go back thru my motorcycle mags.
The VTX managed to come out in mid spring in 2001 as a 2002 model.I think there
was some debate as to whether that broke existing new model protocol.
Harley came out months later,After the VTX 1800 was already on the street kickin'
Harley Butt.If memory serves.
The VTX 1800 came out in spring of 2001 and the V-rod,the Fall or 2001.
I distinctly remember the V-rod was in direct response to Honda's claim of
the world's biggest and most powerful mass production Cruiser.However that could be
debatable.There's still the Honda Valkyrie.

 

Furthermore Wikipedia got the numbers on the Honda VTX 1800 all wrong.
" The VTX puts out 120 ft-lbs torque at only 3500 rpm and 106 bhp @ 5000 rpm. "
Not according to the June 2001 edition of - Motor Cyclist -.
Their tested model had a dyno of 88.9 h.p. at 5250 rpm.
And Torque of 100.3 ft-lb @ 3000 rpm.
Motor Cyclist ends with ... " the VTX tromps every other big-bore cruiser
we've ridden. "
That is why I bought one,as soon as they hit the dealer showroom floor in 2001.
I wanted one as early into 2001 as possible.I think they came out in April
with an expected date of March { which they missed }.

 

Hardly...considering you are the on posting rambling, incoherent babble.

 

Point me to this "incoherent babble".

 

Your last 2 posts, & everything Fool has posted.

 

By definition a motor scooter is a motorcycle which would also include motorized bicycles, mopeds and even mini-bikes in addition to our "traditional" motorcycles today. Remember that the earliest motorcycles were basically motorized bicycles. All that's required is a motor (gas or electric) to propel it and limited to two wheels in-line with each other.

 

Boy are you in for a shock !
Don' t go to Queeennnsslland!

 

OK motorcycle/Motor Scooter folks.Answer this.It's not very complicated.
If I had owned and riden Motorcyles, what would be my motivation to Go
Motor scooter.Because that is how I view Motor Scooters.Why would I
experiment { Comprimise } with something less than a full Motorcycle.
I could be a prick and say it's an insult to being a Motorcyclist.
To be a Motorscootorist. There is a point to be made in the Big City.
A Motor scooter is very adaptable and easy within city limits especially
where the speed is 25 mph - 45 mph.
Then again,I'm not interested in a Moped or glorified Motor Scooter for the
sake of what. East breezie use.I drive an EVO { Mitsubishi } with a 5 speed.
I like shifting.Shifting has certain advantages.I can control my speed far better
and more precise.Meaning that I or Me,becomes the central force in how my
Motorcycle or Car Moves.I like that.In today's American where Big Brother is
desperately trying to limit an individuals control of every aspect of their life,I find
that something as basic and simple as manually shifting should be honored as
the the last bastion of manhood.I don't expect females to be able to either understand
or comply with shifting demands.I also wouldn't anticipate the average dad to be as
proficient in changing diapers or Babysitting as the opposite sex.

 

There are remedial reading courses for non-native English speakers in most cities. From what I've heard not very expensive for those unemployed.

I'd suggest you enrol.

 

I've ridden motorcycles all my adult life. I've only been riding a scooter (more of a step-thru really) the last six or so years. 125cc four stroke with about six or eight HP. Very very convenient in the city, I can park it on the footpath without the traffic police hassling me and very cheap to run.

Motor scooter for day to day city transport, 'real' motorcycle for leisure riding.

 

You should seriously consider a used motorcycle as opposed to a scooter.

I picked up one of these for $1,500. It's an 03' Kawasaki Vulcan, with a 500cc engine. It had 20k on it... I've added another 3k without any trouble, other than having to buy a new battery.



It gets 50mpg, does 0-60 in about 6 seconds, top speed of about 115. It's perfect for riding around the city, and just big enough for a few hours of highway travel.

Seriously, check out craigslist, local papers and such. You'll probably be surprised by what you can find, and if you find a deal like I did, you'll be exceedingly glad that you didn't go with a smaller two wheeler. You can get WAY more bike out of a cheap used motorcycle than you could from a new scooter.

 

Have any of you guys had a small windshield like this one, or have an opinion about them?

 

The general rule for how high a motorcycle windshield should be, is it should be no higher than the tip of your nose when you're sitting upright on the seat. You should see the road clearly with no obstructions, not through a windshield. The example you provided seems to meet that general rule.

 

Windshields are like Tattoo's.It depends on the person.My Rune had as an option
a windshield.But it wasn't a windshield,but a windscreen.They came in I believe
3 colors like the bike.The cost per windscreen was $ 999. No way.Even though it
was a nice looking and easy to remove unit.
My Old Valkyrie Tourer model had a windshield as big as a barn.It was so big that it
kept the rain from hitting when going speed.But it really mussed my hair all ta hell.
I don't wear a helmut.I bought a Honda custom windshield for my VTX 1800 and it
was very similar to the Valkyrie Tourer unit.Big as a barn.It was like $ 500.
But it was lexan and pretty scratch-resistant.And nicely chromed where it connects.
I remember thinking,why did Honda charge SO much.The average for a quality
windshield was around $ 300.And the Honda unit was not quick remove.
Looking thru my collection of motorcycle mags got me thinking.The cost of Windshields
is actually lower today than 10 years ago.
I see a lot of windshields in the $ 150 - 250 range.I also kinda got gipped when I spent
over $ 500 for my aftermarket pipes for my VTX 1800.I got the HardChrome
Sideburners.Which was a 4" turnout exhaust, 2 into 1.They looked awesome.
I dialed them in with a techlusion unit { a little different than a power commander }
and I could get it to sound really low and thump thump thump at idle.
And when I goosed the throttle,they roared.But aftermarket pipes have a tendency
to adversely effect the proper air/fuel ratio and actually cause a powerband loss.
I put on aftermarket 6 into 6 Cobra pipes on my Valkyrie Tourer and it screwed
up my powerband.I never should have done it.I remember that at the time,
there was a few sites that gave test sounds of aftermarket pipes like the cobra
for the Valkyrie.They sounded too good to resist.

 

So you think a shield similar to this would offer decent protection on the highway? That's my main concern. The only time I use my shield is when I head out of town, the rest of the time it's in the shed. It's the wrong fit anyways. As you mention, you should look above the shield not through it, but I can't do that with this one... no matter how I adjust it. To make matters worse, it's scuffed all to hell, which creates nightmarish conditions at night when headlights hit it. It blocks the crap out of some wind though!

 

Blocking the wind from just your chest will greatly help with any wind fatigue. If this windshield you're considering fitting to your motorcycle can accomplish this, I'd say it's a good idea. Any type of windshield that blocks the buffeting effects of the wind at sustained speeds of 60 mph +, is better than no windshield. Fairings, that include a windshield are ideal, at least for those who do a lot of touring. Assuming you just kick it around town for joy rides and occasionally commute, a smaller windshield will be sufficient. You mention it's scuffed and presents visual acuity issues, particularly at night. This concerns me. You have to ask yourself, what is your personal safety worth? There are products on the market, that are designed to clean plastic which might clear up scuffs and scratches, at least partially eliminating the halo effect caused by oncoming headlights and/or street lights.

.

 

I would think it's time to get a new windshield for the motorcycle that fits it since the old one wasn't right (too high) and is apparently scratched to the point that its pretty much worthless now.

 

Why is it a compromise? I owned a Harley and a couple of motor scooters when living in Florida. The motor scooters were excellent for just putting around locally to maybe make the short run down to the beach while the Harley was great for longer rides. No compromise at all as each had it's own purpose. Sort of like having a commuter car and a luxury car at the same time (which I also have).

 

For those that missed the announcement...

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/11/0...et-500-and-street-750-revealed-at-eicma-2013/

All new water-cooled overhead cam V-Twin with 4-valves per cylinder 500cc and 750cc (the same except for bore) engines that are lighter and less expensive than the Sportster. Sounds like a winner to me because one of the biggest problem for Harley has been that they didn't offer smaller cc motorcycles after shutting down the Buell motorcycle division.

 

I just learned of this last Saturday when a biker buddy { owns 2 Harley's }
couldn't stop talking about this new water-cooled 750 Harley.
I was kinda shocked.Because normally the mere thought of a water-cooled
engine for Harley types was a complete turn off.How ironic that my Harley buddy
who would never dream of a metric now is really turned on by the thought
of a smaller,water-cooled Harley.When I just got thru purchasing an air cooled
model.The CB 1100 is old fashioned air-cooled.A modern version of the
Honda 750 Supersport.Whihc my Harley buddy seemed really interested in.
I was explaining to him the reason behind the Harley move.That Harley cruisers
are now priced out of the range of the average new entry-level buyer.
That in this down economy it is prudent for Harley to offer a bike about
half of the cost of the average cruiser.
Because Harley finally met up with demand for their models about 5-6 years ago.
I think Honda is reconsidering the move behind offering the CB 1100.
I think sales for this new retro model are not nearly what was expected.Which is
good in a way.I don't wanna see throngs of my model out on the street.
I like the feeling of exclusivity.Having the only model around for miles.

 

Let us not forget that these are also dual overhead cam engines that are water-cooled.

But Harley introduced overhead cam water cooled engines in 2001 with the V-Rod with the "Revolution" engine. The V-Rod was designed as the "crotch rocket" Harley to fill a niche identified when AMF (that was also behind the Evolution engine) owned Harley-Davidson. I'm not that sure how well the V-Rod has sold because typically those that want a crotch rocket will pick the metrics as a V-twin design isn't the best for performance. The unequal firing inherent in the V-twin design causes vibrations that "waste" energy when compare to in-line or opposed designs.

I don't believe that Harley owners objected to the Revolution engine but they typically aren't crotch rocket riders.

Many of us Harley owners have long lamented the lack of a smaller displacement Harley for years as an introduction motorcycle and the new 750cc and the smaller displacement 500cc Street Harleys are going to be welcome by the Harley community. Putting your son, daughter or even wife on one of these smaller Harley's is preferable to even the 883cc Sportster. They're also great for a new rider that wants to start out on a Harley.

One thing that people also need to remember is that these are not "small" motorcycles even though they're smaller than the Sportster. I think back historically and remember when Honda introduced the 750cc four and it was considered to be a large motorcycle at the time. Anything over about 500cc's was basically considered to be "large" back then. Today a 500cc or 750cc motorcycle is probably considered to be a medium size motorcycle because of the ever larger displacement engines being introduced but a 500cc motorcycle, even today, is a very road worthy highway motorcycle not lacking for power.

Harley simply needed smaller motorcycles and while it did own Buell (which it recently closed down obviously knowing these were in work) a Buell wasn't a "Harley" even though they were based upon the 750cc Harley racing engine.

On an interesting side note I'm winding down my career in aerospace engineering and was looking for something I could do more on a part time basis. In looking at this I'd contacted my local Harley dealer (about four miles from home) and I'm in discussions with the sales manager to become a Harley sales associate. This news broke during those discussions and it was like fate saying "This is the right time" because I anticipate these will sell like hot cakes. I believe there is a huge demand in the market these were designed to fill. One thing that enticed me into considering a "retirement career" with Harley is that a person doesn't "sell" a Harley but instead "enables" the person that already wants to buy a Harley to purchase the motorcycle. I wouldn't be a "good salesman" but I can be an "excellent enabler" if you know what I mean.

It should be interesting if it works out and I promise to never look down my nose at any other motorcycles or owners because, as I've expressed here, that is a BS attitude that I disagree with personally. I've ridden pretty much everything and any motorcycle is better than no motorcycle.

 

How wrong Again,you are.I specifically remember when the V-rod first came out,
and up until about the mid-2000's .MOST Harley owners were not one bit interested in
the much smaller and water-cooled V-rod.
I asked around every time I visited a Harley dealership,what Bikes certain
buyers were interested in.A far majority of past Harley owners had No interest in the
V-rod.Based on pure Metric prejudice.That a water-cooled engine somehow
doesn't stack up to the much more macho air cooled traditional Harley.
Of course that rationale also applied to Fuel Injection.Older Harley types
wanted nothing to do with fuel injection 10-15 years ago.Which proves how
pig-headed short-sightedness runs amuck with Harley guys.
Harley no longer produces carbureted models.They started phasing carbs out
in 2007-2008.

 

A Harley or an Indian are not just bikes they are PIECES OF ART.

I ride and when I have the time I go to Surgis in South Dakota or Laconia in New Hampshire which is just up the road for me as well so is the ULTIMATE CRAZY HARLEY RENDEZVOUS in Pattersonville upstate New York....and now and then I will go to Bike Week in Daytona Florida.

I have met Bikers from all over the world at such Biker Gatherings and I will RIDE THERE....not have my bike driven up on a trailer and then take a flight like some people do.

Believe me....the United States is VAST and you know you are a true biker when you can ride from Massachusetts all the way to Sturgis in North Dakota.

AboveAlpha

 

There are many people that are simply nostalgic and this applies to many things and not just Harley-Davidson's even when addressing just motorcycles. I know Triumph owners that wouldn't touch a new Triumph insisting that only the late 1960's and 1970's Triumph Bonneville is worth owning (I own a 1976 Bonneville LOL). As a Sportster owner I also deal with the "iron-heads" that wouldn't own a new Sportster but one thing they can't deny and that is that the new Sportsters are superior from an engineering standpoint. They really do know that the fuel injection and electronic ignition system is superior to the old Sportsters but they just like the nostalgia of the old iron head motors because mechanically they're simpler.

I was also around when the V-rod was introduced and I never met a Harley rider that condemned the engineering of the motor. They weren't into the "crotch rockets" of the time but instead were either into cruisers or stripped down bobbers and choppers. The entire Harley culture had evolved around these motorcycles and those interested in the V-Rods were not the existing Harley riders. It was the new market of people that were interested in both owning a "crotch-rocket" and being a Harley owner that were interested in the V-Rods.

By analogy (good or bad) would be if we looked at Jack Daniels "sour mash" whiskey that has a dedicated following. Jack Daniels could decide to produce a high quality bourbon to attract a new customer base. The traditional Jack Daniels drinkers will have opinions on the new bourbon but most won't switch to it because they like their sour mash whiskey. Many would try it and acknowledge that it's very good but they still wouldn't switch and would cite the flavor of the sour mash as being better based upon their tastes. Hell, I like the old 90 proof Jack Daniels even though Jack Daniels says there's no difference in flavor with today's 80 proof. I don't say the 80 proof is bad but I like the 90 proof much better and purchase the special editions of Jack Daniels at four times the price because I prefer it personally.