You all got the shaft

[Krieg]

Yet another example of why a lot of Harley riders are considdered Poser As*holes.

 

[03busaman]

THIS IS A JOKE RIGHT?

 

[PaceMaster]

The person who started this Topic---Is probably amazed at all yer responses...
and getting a kick out of it. I have never owned a H.D. But did get to ride a
brand new FXR ..out on the open road , top gear @ 55, rolled on to full gas..to about 95...hehehehe..it was sweet..torque is fun. I have never had a confrontation with any HD rider..and alot of them do wave when i am on my Busa..but not to much when there is an HD event close by. So in closing.......
HD TC88 engines had some early teething problems..camshaft needle bearings.
My Busa starter failed, subframes snapped off on some..I still after 2 plus years
on the Busa..13k ....it just plain "ROCKS" my WORLD !!!!! Ps i have three very good friends in Sweden...MOM DAD and SON all have HD's..never broken down..
so there..MuHaHA..we love two wheels----and please stop ragging on each other.
Ride and have fun and be safe. PaceM.

 

[jfksmith]

The greatest thing about having a love/passion for cycling is the realization that we are all different and so are our Bikes and riding styles. For the life of me , I still wonder why there has to be such a debate on why we choose the busa, and not the other style bike. Seems to me that there are alot of things much more important to waste our time debating. Find one of them and waste your time arguing any one of those. I like my Busa Cuz its fast,well built,attractive, and its what I wanted. Not that I have to explain it to anyone but myself. Harleys have their place somehwere in between yuppie alligator shirts and yanni. The busa is IT... My father loved harleys before they became a lifestyle so I have alot of respect for the bike, I have just lost respect for people who love harleys cuz their friends tell them to love them.. Be a freakin individual and ride what you want, cuz you want to, not so you can get thru your midlife crisis .Drive Safe,have fun and be yourself... Im outta here.

 

[moondog]

Man, I was going to buy a Hardley until the local dealer informed me that I would need to wear the recomended "hardley" embossed leather thong....damn if that thing didn't chap my ass. So much fo looking good, I think I'll go fast instead....

 

[MET]

Man....sounds like these suzukis have their fair share of problems.......you all should have bought a Harley....I haven't had any problems with mine.

I can not ever remember having any problems with my boyhood Tri-cycle either. Guess it ust depends on how you ride.

 

[MET]

The greatest thing about having a love/passion for cycling is the realization that we are all different and so are our Bikes and riding styles. For the life of me , I still wonder why there has to be such a debate on why we choose the busa, and not the other style bike.  Seems to me that there are alot of things much more important to waste our time debating. Find one of them and waste your time arguing any one of those. I like my Busa Cuz its fast,well built,attractive, and its what I wanted. Not that I have to explain it to anyone but myself. Harleys have their place somehwere in between yuppie alligator shirts and yanni. The busa is IT... My father loved harleys before  they became a lifestyle so I have alot of respect for the bike, I have just lost respect for people who love harleys cuz their friends tell them to love them.. Be a freakin individual and ride what you want, cuz you want to, not so you can get thru your midlife crisis .Drive Safe,have fun and be yourself... Im outta here.

Yep,

I grew up on harleys and had choppers long before they had cult status. First bike I rode at 12 years old was a harley. Hell I even grew up in Milwaukee , the home of Harleys. Guess that is why I rde a Busa. I do have one of my sons that ride a Harley and a Ninja.

 

[jfksmith]

I have come to the conclusion that the reason most harley riders dont give the ole salute to us busa and sport bike riders is just simple.. if they let go of their bikes with one hand, it makes it that more easy for the damn thing to shake apart on them.. And they would look just plain stupid if they had a busa rider helpin them duct tape the thing together again so they would be able to make the long journey home again... I think most harley riders are patting themselves on their backs when they make it to the corner store and back home without shaking off half their exhaust to worry about waving to one of us... keep it fun

 

[thesnake]

I've ridden the vrod-- I wonder what it's purpose is if u got a busa? It aint close in terms of comfortable, speed, agility, and grace compared to a busa. I suspect it's only purpose is to get a wave from the HD herd.

I wave to all, 99% of HD riders don't wave. I've learned to wave by passing them a V-- if I don't get a wave or nod back i retract my forefiner and leave them with the bird.

 

[thesnake]

BTW, I like some harley models (fxdx), but dislike the dealers and 1/2 of the wannabe biker herd that buys them.

 

[BA BUSA]

 

[NIDO84]

Might get a harley when I get to old and too fat to enjoy going fast

 

[gsteve]

Ok.... Im sure you guys ave heard this one
What do you call a harley parked beside a Hayabusa???
* poop and abusa*

 

[MET]

This could be taken the wrong way, but the person who made the original post needs to think about what they said.

However, there are a few people who posted after that also need to follow the same advice.

As a Busa' & Harley RK owner, I have had my share of riding experience on all types of bikes. I can say this with firm conviction: real riders are real riders. Comparing a Harley Davidson motorcycle (any and all models) with a Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa (all years) is like comparing apples and oranges. Scratch that; its like comparing apples and pizzas- the only thing they have in common is the fact that they both have two wheels.

Anyone who has ever riden a HD can attest to the following statement; When you ride a HD, you ride history. I have owened four diferent makes of motorcycles over the past 17 years (Honda, Kawaski, HD & Susuki- in order, 1st to last). Only the HD's (I have owned three) put me into a totaly diferent state of mind the first time I rode them. Granted, they are not fast, they do not handle very well and they cost an arm and a leg and a promissary note on a future artifical limb that you may purchase to replace the ones you gave up to buy the motorcycle, but in my opinion, worth every penny. HD's are made for one thing- cruising and looking nice. Don't let anyone tell you they "just got my engine bored out to 103ci and boy will it haul!". The bike weighs 800lbs.!! It takes that type of power just to get that monster up to highway speeds.

On the other hand, the Busa is a sport bike. "Sport" being the operative word. It is for a different type of riding all together. Never before have I owned or even ridden a motorcycle with so much raw power. I have ridden GSXR750's, & 1000's, Ninja's, ect. But When I first rode a friend's 1999 Hayabusa, I was like a kid again. I looked like I slept with a coathanger in my mouth!! I couldn't get the smile off of my face, and quite frankly, I didn't want too. It didn't take long- about three months- till I found one I wanted. It's been over two years and I still smile every time I hit the throttle. It's a great bike.

All that being said, let's turn to the topic on hand- problems with the bikes.

Anyone who has ridden with any regularity can tell you there is no perfect motorcycle maker. If a company ever produced a motorcycle that was guarenteed to never brakedown, people would pay any amount to own one. However, we live in a world where the only guarentee's we get are the one's we have to pay for. Murphy's Law- if something can go wrong, it will. Although there are thousands upon thousands of stories about bike's lasting 30k miles with the owner doing nothing more than "changing the oil, putting tires on it & keeping gas in the tank", there are almost just as many stories about the bike with 50 miles on it that "just quit running". I have been on both ends and no one make is error proof.

New Harley's do not "leak oil like an open wound". Old ones do. New Japanese bikes are not "put together so you can't work on them yourself". Actualy the only reason the old ones were is because of the lack of available parts and knowledgable technicians.

People who ride Harley's are going to disagree with people who ride sport bikes. People who ride sport bikes are going to disagree with people who ride Harley's- although they will have to wait for the HD riders to catch up to them at the next fuel stop!! It's just the way the world works. Is it right? Who can say. I believe anyone who rides is worthy of respect and therefore has mine. I don't care if you ride a 1981 Yamaha... at least you are riding.

I'll get down off my soap box now.

Stay on the road and keep the shiny side up.

True enough TEX...

The person who made the first post was just bored enough to come on by, kick up some Sh!t and move on...

You are absolutely right about the Apples and Pizza's...  Different bikes, different goals.

I do however have what I feel to be a legitimate beeyotch with a lot of the "Credit Card Bikers", or Fashion Bikers out there.  They seem to be the ones with the worst attitudes, it's the weekend warrior Dentists and such that stink up the place.  All attitude, no riding skills, bought a bike cause it's "trendy".  Grr... Pisses me off and I don't own a Harley...

This is really my biggest problem though, I'm just plain pissed off at what Harley is doing with their product line.  Specifically why they do not build a proper sport bike for real bikers.  I mean the Buells are cute but slow and seemingly designed for 5' people with 4' legs, Tall and tiny...  Hmmm...  It's liek Harely isn't even trying anymore, they don't give a crap, they own the domestic bike market but still keep producing the same damn cruisers they allways have.  This has it's place certainly, but how about some good ole' American ingenuity?  How about a performance bike built for folks who know what performance bikes are about.  What I mean is the V-rod is the only real "New" bike outta HD in how many years?  And they outsourced a large portion of the design and all the motor...  Why?  With as much money as they are raking in they cannot come up with something new and exiciting in house?  Then the Buell's... interesting yeah, but why not a proper sport bike powerplant?  Why not some real ergonomics for American sized riders? (Huge Generalization sorry) but you know what I mean,   I just got done ranting somewhere asking... why can't Harley get off their Fat asses and build a Busa beater...  A Modern V-4 1500cc's, proper "Busa Like" ergo's, real fresh design work and innovation, real world leading performance...  Do something worthy of the oldest US Bike Maker, something a lot of us "Sport" guys could wrap our fingers around and have a blast, Put an American sportbike on top....  it would sell like crazy...  I have a couple Harley friends down here that I know, would jump at the opportunity to ride a sportbike, but are so skeered of their Lil Harley Click razzing em', they don't make a move...  Silly but true...

Finally, I just get tired of the same old attitude from the "Tough Guy" Harley crowd wanting to talk poop about a bike they will never understand...  It works both ways, the old Harley Standby "If you have to ask you won't understand."
That works both ways...

Personally I try real hard and I grew up learning that bikes are bikes, and the road is the road...  So I give everyone the wave, and I try to be polite out on the road to the cruiser crowd....  Hey I said I try...

But what type of PIZZA??

 

[TexBusa]

While I was in college, my Eco Prof told us a story that any HD rider will deny.  He stated that when HD was close to bankruptcy the CEO sent some of their engineers to Japan.  They struck a deal with one of the bike companies over there [Kawasaki I think] to allow HD engineer to see their manufacturing plant.  Once the HD engineers got back and talked with the CEO, HD realized that were bulding thier bikes 180 degrees from the way they do in Japan.  HD retro-fitted their plant [or built a new one...can't remember] and started to incorporate the design and manufacturing methodologies from Kawi.  I always think of this when I see a HD rider dissing all other types of bikes.....makes me laugh!

 

[ralnsplder]

just out of curiosity, when was the last time you have seen a hardcore harley rider use a computer? let alone go to a sportbike site? I think this guy is a weekend warrior, hell he probably don't even own a bike. If harleys don't break down then why to all harley shops have mechanics and a parts room?

 

[defuzer565]

I can comment on both types of bikes since I have owned or own both. I used to ride a HD, had a Lowrider. It was a very nice bike. Long distance riding kind of sucked since it had no wind protection, but other than that, a nice bike. My wife loved. While riding it, I too noticed that other HD riders thought their s**t didn’t stink because they rode bikes that cost 25-30k. I also noticed people that didn’t even own a HD have stickers all over their vehicles, wore shirts emblazoned with the logo and all sorts of other stuff. Then here comes Jesse James and OCC ala the Discovery Channel. Now it’s cool to be a "bad boy" chopper riding biker. I got so sick of all these people trying to be cool, but were just jackasses. Just because you ride a bike that costs way more than it should does not make you cool. So I sold my bike and anything that had to do with HD. So I went without a bike for about 5 months, and got the itch for another and went back to my roots, a sportbike. Which is what I learned on many years ago. Then I saw the Hayabusa in person and feel in love, and I do love this bike. I didn’t buy it to be cool or impress anyone. I bought it for the technology, reliability, comfort, styling and the a ...speed. I just did a 320 mile trip to Talladega and back on Saturday for the March of Dimes. I was the only one on a Hayabusa and one of a handful of sportbikes in a sea of Harleys. Oh yes, I got looks. But nobody talked smack or at least within earshot. I even rode there with a buddy that rides a 1200 Sportster, poor guy, He kind of feel behind on the way back.
I do still like HD bikes; I just won’t own another until they are not the "in" thing to own.
Just my .04 cents.

 

[DAB]

Thanks for all the Harley jokes guys, there were a couple I hadn't heard before that I'll be adding to my collection...

I came to America from England and I had to put up with this kind of nonsense from British-bike owners who used to call my Japanese bikes "sewing machines" back in the seventies.

I remember how quickly the British bike manufacturers disappeared because they thought they had the edge on bike design, yet almost overnight they were replaced by Japanese bikes because of improved reliability, value for money and the extra features they offered (indicators, an ignition key and an electric starter - who'd have thought!?!....)

It's ironic that Harley Davidson had to go to the Japanese for production know-how, and Germany/Porsche to get the motor design for the V-Rod - so much for American tradition.

Don't get me wrong, if Harley (or any other American motorcycle manufacturer for that matter) made sports cycles of the same quality and price-point of the Japanese, I'd be all over them. I'd like to sponsor the American motorcycle industry, but they just don't make a product I want. I like to lean my bike round corners, not park it outside Starbucks.

So, in the meantime, I'll ride my 'Busa.