Reduced Inhibition = Harley Trip

[screwtop]

A few too many :drink at poker last week got me into commitment with my HD buddies to actually take a trip on my softail. I have been told in no uncertain terms that the GS stays home :deal They know the GS is a babe magnet, and are obviously jealous.

We're going to the hills of "By-God" West Virginia. My softail runs great, but has no wind protection, a skinny front tire, and breaks that you have to apply a county ahead of the one you intend to stop in. Somebody shoot me.

-At least my final drive won't fail.

[Mongo]

:buds
Good luck with that. No windshield will beat you up.:doh

[criminaldesign]

Nothing wrong with a Harley.

[rinty]

Being bikeless now, I just completed a 1500 km trip on a rented new Low Rider, and this is a very, very, good bike.

But it did have a windshield.:)

Rinty

[AKBeemer]

You could try to put a couple of Harley badges on you GS and see if you slip one by on your buddies. Encourage them to drink heavily the night before the ride... after all that's the kind of behavior that got you into this situation.

[Newstar]

At least you'll be travelling slow enough to gawk at some great scenery!

That's been our experience riding with our HD friends. :stick

[GSTom]

Don't worry. They'll be stopping every hour or so for a smoke and a stretch. Shouldn't be too taxing. :p (former Harley guy)

[Mongo]

You could try to put a couple of Harley badges on you GS and see if you slip one by on your buddies. Encourage them to drink heavily the night before the ride... after all that's the kind of behavior that got you into this situation.

You know I was wondering if I put a couple of magnetic BMW roundels on my tank if anyone would notice in TN next summer. :D

Nah it wouldn't matter. Some would think I was on an R1200C and shun me anyways :p

[screwtop]

At least you'll be travelling slow enough to gawk at some great scenery!

That's been our experience riding with our HD friends. :stick

Actually, we'll clip right along (75 or so). I gotta admit however, any faster that 80and things can get a bit squirrely.

[alien_hitchhiker]

Don't worry, it'll look like rain and they'll bail on you. Then you can suit up and take the GS for a nice ride.

Why ride a mule when you own a thoroughbred?

[RJM2096]

I have got a HD Dyna Wide Glide and my longest trip was a 4 hour ride. The only thing I really do not like is the engine vibration. At higher speeds it seems more like a hum, but it is annoying. Maybe the 6 speed trans is better. Floor boards also help. My wife would never travel on the back for more than 2 hours. None the less, I love it and would like to go on a trip sometime just to see what it is like.

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/RJM2096/HDWG.jpg

[Mongo]

Sure is pretty :usa

[soffiler]

A few too many :drink at poker last week got me into commitment with my HD buddies to actually take a trip on my softail. I have been told in no uncertain terms that the GS stays home :deal They know the GS is a babe magnet, and are obviously jealous.

We're going to the hills of "By-God" West Virginia. My softail runs great, but has no wind protection, a skinny front tire, and breaks that you have to apply a county ahead of the one you intend to stop in. Somebody shoot me.

-At least my final drive won't fail.

And there's the #1 reason why I would not ride with this particular group, if it were me in your shoes. Who are they to say what YOU will ride?

[Newstar]

I have got a HD Dyna Wide Glide and my longest trip was a 4 hour ride. The only thing I really do not like is the engine vibration.


I sit at traffic lights looking at HD's next to me. Vibration isn't even the appropriate word. Some of them look like they are shaking and quaking so badly that it absolutely has take super human strength to ride for any length of time. I don't get it! I have several HD friends so I'm not totally biased but I cannot see how that makes for an enjoyable ride.

[bob204bc]

I sit at traffic lights looking at HD's next to me. Vibration isn't even the appropriate word. Some of them look like they are shaking and quaking so badly that it absolutely has take super human strength to ride for any length of time. I don't get it! I have several HD friends so I'm not totally biased but I cannot see how that makes for an enjoyable ride.

Umm .... They've been doing that since about 1983 when the first rubber mounted engines were introduced. It only shakes like that at idle. The touring bikes are quite smooth at speed.

The balanced engines, such as on a softtail, buzz a little bit at highway speed but they don't shake at idle.

[rocketman]

You know I was wondering if I put a couple of magnetic BMW roundels on my tank if anyone would notice in TN next summer. :D

Nah it wouldn't matter. Some would think I was on an R1200C and shun me anyways :p


I wouldn't advise that as the magnets would probably cause a sting of EWS failures as you rode by, think of the consternation of those poor souls when thier bikes would no longer start! (although the airhead types might get a real kick out of it and buy you a round or two at the beer tent. Ha Ha!)

Might even trip a few alarms as well,

(say that sounds like fun, maybe afterwards we could sneek around and flip on all the seat and handle bars heater switches to "High") :laugh


RM

[AnnapolisAirhead]

I sit at traffic lights looking at HD's next to me. Vibration isn't even the appropriate word. Some of them look like they are shaking and quaking so badly that it absolutely has take super human strength to ride for any length of time. I don't get it! I have several HD friends so I'm not totally biased but I cannot see how that makes for an enjoyable ride.

That could also just be the shakes from detoxing. heh?

If nothing else, you'll get to see plenty of HD dealers. That seems to me where most of the HD riders I know go. In groups. Never alone. Never more than 2 hours, lest the arm bones get relocated to the hip bones...or their buckets fall off the heads. Ok, ok...I do dig a well tricked Road Kind Classic.:D

[rinty]

I think the smoothness aspect of the new Harleys, is subjective, just as it is for BMW riders, relative to boxers.

I found the new Dyna that I rented to be very, very, smooth, and I spent three days in the saddle with very little fatigue.

Rinty

[Mongo]

I sit at traffic lights looking at HD's next to me. Vibration isn't even the appropriate word. Some of them look like they are shaking and quaking so badly that it absolutely has take super human strength to ride for any length of time. I don't get it! I have several HD friends so I'm not totally biased but I cannot see how that makes for an enjoyable ride.

Depends on the motor, Some have counterbalanced and rigid mounted engines and some are not counter balanced and rubber mounted. My Roadking (FLH family) is not counter balanced and rubber mounted with rubber isolated footboards. It shakes pretty good at idle but at speed I find it nice and smooth. The feel is a bit different than Gail's beemers that I ride often. The frequency of the vibration is different. No worse and no better in a long day. IMO for long rides in the saddle I would rate K75C first, Roadking second (with customized riding position) and 1st gen K1200GT a distant third.

[BMWBagby]

Although I generally use mine as my "commuter" it's not too bad on "longer" trips. Getting off of it after 200 miles is a nice break, but that's actually a nice break on all of the bikes!! Like the others, you just fill up the tank and get back on!!!

[rinty]

Beautiful shot.

Rinty

[screwtop]

Well, I'll be off this Thursday. 233 miles for the first leg, and then down to New River Gorge via Spruce Knob, WV the second day to see some sites and watch the wackos bunjee jump.

I got prepared for the trip w/ a new Kurykan roll bag that mounts on the bars and some other ATGATT goodies. I outfitted the bike and did a test run yesterday to see how I would handle this new breed of "touring". Let's just say that ear plugs will be indispensable..........

[aaaaaa]

Nothing wrong with a Harley.

Think so? Ask me about my '08 Road King.
robert

[ridewv]

Well, I'll be off this Thursday. 233 miles for the first leg, and then down to New River Gorge via Spruce Knob, WV the second day to see some sites and watch the wackos bunjee jump.

I got prepared for the trip w/ a new Kurykan roll bag that mounts on the bars and some other ATGATT goodies. I outfitted the bike and did a test run yesterday to see how I would handle this new breed of "touring". Let's just say that ear plugs will be indispensable..........


We'll need to see some pictures when you get back. I'd say the Harley will do just fine. I took my Dyna Glide Sport to Colorado and back a few years ago. Rode Rt 50 from WV all the way. Ended up being 5,000 miles in ten days. With the saddle bags and rear rack, I had enough room for everything including camping gear. I didn't pack the Kermit chair though.
The bike ran perfectly, well maybe down a little on power over 8,000'. No oil usage and the belt never needed attention. I did go to a dealer for a new front tire where I got the special, "bend over price". But it did include a wash, which it was needing. :D

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c249/FXDXI/Colorado%202006/ColoradoAugust2006078.jpg

[screwtop]

Well, I made it home. Sorry, no photographic documentation but suffice it to say this was an interesting adventure. The Deuce ran well, as the tour went through Morgantown, WV, Wheeling WV, then to Canton, OH for a stop at the pro football Hall of Fame. We hit Pittsburg Friday Night and headed home on Saturday. For the most part, we were able to dodge the torrential downpours, making the trip up as we went along, but we did get some rain on the way home through PA. Rain ain't much fun with no windshield. I got home with a sore backside and a very dirty harley, but otherwise no worse for wear.

[kpinvt]

Although I generally use mine as my "commuter" it's not too bad on "longer" trips. Getting off of it after 200 miles is a nice break, but that's actually a nice break on all of the bikes!! Like the others, you just fill up the tank and get back on!!!

Great picture. Where is it?

[bunkyone]

I don't think wind blast will be a problem, afterall. it's spend most of it's time in a trailer like most of the other Harley's !! Honestly, go,enjoy the ride, relax. It will be a great trip!! Just don't let them talk you into a fringe vest or studded dew rag!! Via con Dios, Dutch

[the_home]

I recognize the location of BMWBagby's shot as Balanced Rock in the Garden of the Gods just west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have family that lives about two miles from the park - spend time there every visit!