Former/Current HD Riders

[cycleman2]

General consensus is, for an hour or two on the weekend, wife and I might enjoy. But it sounds like it would never be the go-to bike in the garage for my 80 mile round trip commute, even solo, right?

My wife and I ride an 08 Heritage Softail on many 400 mile days with no issues. I had purchased the bigger pillon seat for her and then this last winter I put a signature series touring seat on the bike. To make a long story short when I last went looking for a new to me bike we tried out both a Gl1800 ( Goldwing ) and the Heritage Softail. The Softail won out, primarily because my wife found less wind on her and found the bike much more stable in our notorious winds. The Softail was a much more useful all around everyday bike. It's just fun to ride.

The last BMW bike I had ( not counting my 71 airhead project ) was a 2000 R1100R which was fine solo but a bit cramped with 2 up, and greatly affected by the wind in this part of the country. Very good bike in the twisties, but got blown around alot and top heavy when it was loaded up with a tank bag etc.

The Heritage is no BMW, but is a very good touring platform, if you don't mind some wind. Within its lean limits it handles fine in the twisties, but you soon realize that's not what the bike is really designed for. I've found the Heritage a very good all around bike, maintenance is a snap, and in my view keeping the Harley stock is the way to go.

If your wife is height/inseam challenged then she'll enjoy the softail family. Good luck on your search. Take them for a good test drive at a Demo day or borrow a friends.

[Polarbear]

We rode a ton of miles together for 25+ years around the USA. One year he bought a softtail HD and it sure was a cool looker of a bike. I rode it too and my biggest complaint was the mirrors are useless, might as well throw them away. Vibration! My first choice of HD is the BIG tour models they make, but never pulled the trigger as yet. GSA today and KLT before and many others by BMW I'm still on. Love the HD looks however, always have. Could hardly blame anybody for wanting one and their marketing department has all the others wondering where they missed the boat? BMW's, legendary! Well, USA has one too, HD. Randy

[arthurdent]

We rode a ton of miles together for 25+ years around the my biggest complaint was the mirrors are useless, might as well throw them away. Vibration! My first choice of HD is the BIG tour models they make, but never pulled the trigger as yet. Randy

When my airhead RT had a final drive failure followed by alternator crapping out (again) some friends had a "spare" Electraglide Classic that they gave to us. I wasn't prepared for that level of gift, but certainly appreciated the remarkable handling for a 900lb beast and the very comfortable ride.

To quote my wife "riding the airhead was like riding on an anvil perched in a sequoia". We just got back from our first 2+ hr ride on my 04 GS. While not quite an anvil, it certainly isn't a sofa and it is still perched in a sequoia.

And, yes, the mirrors on the HD were useless, even for determining whether the lights on the patrol car were flashing.

[179219]

Mirrors??? "What lies behind you is no longer important"

Maybe its more of The Motor Companys marketing magic!

01Roadglide
04R1150R

[Polarbear]

HOW to afford two Class A bikes at once! I make a pretty good living, but BMW and HD in the same garage is a pinch for me. I sure would not hesitate to have both. I still love my GSA the most, for its adventure touring/offroad capabilities. Randy PS; It could be my eyes vibrating more with age AND those red lights from behind HAVE caught me in recent years. My "silver hair", I think got me off both times,LOL. Really did! Both were "dead guilty" stops too, as a really young guy would have been written, SO get that helmet OFF, show your age. Randy

[bikerfish1100]

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."

[ka5ysy]

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 !!

[15165]

[IMG][/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.

[05Train]

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.

[ka5ysy]

...
i pretty much hated the bike. chick magnet. not good for much else.

OK HD folks: Explain this phenomenon...

[05Train]

OK HD folks: Explain this phenomenon...

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

[bikerfish1100]

Pretty simple really, Harley makes good-looking bikes.

and, they vibrate quite a bit. but, as the wimmen might say "not that there's anything wrong with that."

[ka5ysy]

and, they vibrate quite a bit. but, as the wimmen might say "not that there's anything wrong with that."

Hmmm.... Harleys for gals, BMW/Corbin for the guys: That should make for interesting rallys

[05Train]

and, they vibrate quite a bit. but, as the wimmen might say "not that there's anything wrong with that."

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.

[milo]

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