01-15-2018, 10:09 PM
(01-15-2018, 07:41 PM)cookiemech_imp Wrote:(01-15-2018, 01:13 PM)F800GT_imp Wrote: I like some Harley bikes too but the culture of pseudo-bada** and the whole thing about "image" kinda put me off from considering one.
I felt that way from 1979 (when I started riding) until 2007, when I bought a new Road King because it was so darn gorgeous. Turns out that I (1) love the comfort and feeling of those bikes, and (2) found that there are actually quite a few intelligent guys who ride them, and ride them well! In fact, the fellow who used to own the BMW motorcycle dealership in the area (and one of two people I know that I would trust to work on my own motorcycles, if, God forbid, I was unable) rides a Road King as his main bike now.
Harleys aren't for everyone, but it would be a shame to dismiss one you liked just because of the stereotype of the folks who ride them. They are expensive to buy, but easy and cheap to maintain (assuming you do your own work).
I felt that way from 1979 (when I started riding) until 2007, when I bought a new Road King because it was so darn gorgeous. Turns out that I (1) love the comfort and feeling of those bikes, and (2) found that there are actually quite a few intelligent guys who ride them, and ride them well! In fact, the fellow who used to own the BMW motorcycle dealership in the area (and one of two people I know that I would trust to work on my own motorcycles, if, God forbid, I was unable) rides a Road King as his main bike now.
Harleys aren't for everyone, but it would be a shame to dismiss one you liked just because of the stereotype of the folks who ride them. They are expensive to buy, but easy and cheap to maintain (assuming you do your own work).
Your story is very similar to mine. After years of bashing them I bought a new 6-speed Road King in 2006 fir the same reason, it was just gorgeous (red over grey). It was comfortable once I put on a Mustang seat. I owned it for three years with never a problem. Only sold it because from a handling perspective it wasn't quite up to our West Virginia rides. Traded it on a new 2010 VFR1200 but that is another story.