Japanese motorcycles hate

[Ulvetanna_imp]

They don't, at least not around here. Most of them ride in jeans, black t-shirt, black leather vest, and a star-spangled red-white-and-blue doo-rag on their head. Harley actually makes some really nice riding gear for serious motorcyclists -- this isn't it.

The BMW riders I sometimes ride with are usually decked out in BMW gear -- Savannah jacket with coordinated Savannah pants, BMW boots, BMW gloves. It's a bit obnoxious. And then they ride down the street on their R1200GS's, clearwater lights ablaze, standing on the pegs as they go. Posers.

lol I just took my F800GS out for a nice ride, I was dressed in old Vanson leathers that would be perfect for the CB1100. I do have a set of early BMW riding gear, zip-together 3/4 length jacket with a gazillion pockets and such, had that stuff and the Vansons for 16 years. Not very good armor but great Gore-tex liners. That stuff today is so stupidly overpriced, and uncomfortable. I had an R100GS back around 1990 and I have no idea what gear I wore, just leather. Still do, I don't care for textile gear.

I did stand on the pegs quite a few times but that was to adjust for the hernia scar which is still healing up, 18 days out now. All the purple has gone away. That thing is like riding a bicycle compared to the CB1100 and faster, more power, less weight.

How about some pics? Oh, never mind. Very glad you're doing better and back on the bikes.

How about some pics? Oh, never mind. Very glad you're doing better and back on the bikes. lol! Speaking of ADV, a tent for your motorcycle? Seriously?
[attachment=5623]
Really not bright to sleep right next to your bike in any case; sidestand sinks in, or strong wind comes up, you gonna have a nice 600-lb bike on your head.

[DAC]

I've never had a problem with Harley guys personally. They're generally nice folks and I've had numerous friendly conversations with them.

One time I drove over to a Harley shop when the wife and I were vacationing at one of the lakes in northern Indiana - just for something to do. I pulled up in my Ford and noticed a sign a few spaces over that said, "Harley parking only, all others will be destroyed." I smiled at the lame joke and walked in. The guy behind the counter at the back looked up and just kind of grunted. I walked around looking at the Harley farkles: custom pipes, little bar end fringe thingies (no RLETs though), etc. Guy never came out to talk to me or anything. There was nobody else there. I just shook my head, said, "Have a nice day!" and walked out. About 5 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

[LongRanger_imp]

I'd love to park my Honda there, or my Ducati, or one of my BMW's, and see what they do.

[Cormanus]

The OP described a tedious bigotry that the world would be a great deal better without. Really, usa, I'd be finding a whole lot of more interesting and enlightened people to talk to.

Having said that, there is something to be said for buying locally—American in your case, USA; Australian in mine. And there is something to be said for some form of modest protection. Australia has now closed out pretty much its entire motor vehicle manufacturing industry. Given that the two so-called local cars were owned by GM and Ford, there was nothing startlingly original about them, but they were pretty good.

The problem, it seems to me, is that we've allowed a fixation with free trade and getting consumers the best possible prices to wipe out a significant chunk of manufacturing capacity. The vehicles are no loss; the ability to design and manufacture them is.

The automotive industry is but one example of lost capacity in the Brave New World that is modern Australia. The economy is not the only thing in life that's important.

/endrant

[LongRanger_imp]

Cormanus, all good points. I wonder how one distinguishes the disappearance of the U.K. motorcycle industry in the mid-70's with the disappearance of the Australian auto industry in more contemporary times. In the first case, I reckon the Japanese beat the Brits at their own game. In the second case, was it simply the consequences of free trade economics?

[DAC]

I don't have a lot of answers, but I'd say it has more to do with technology than free trade. Honda does a great and efficient job of making motorcycles and cars. Doesn't matter if they do it in Hamamatsu or Marysville.

Here in the states, the assets of the bankrupt Hostess bakery company were bought and the company restarted under private management. (A lot of Americans were glad to have their Twinkies back!) Only this time, instead of 14 plants and 9,000 workers, they totally revamped the process and have 3 plants and 500 workers. They produce more product and sell it at more locations.

The thing to figure out is how to help low and middle skilled workers deal with the rise of highly efficient capital utilization without getting run over. That's a tough nut to crack and it's very tempting to blame "those guys over there."

/econtalk

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Wondering why a thread with the word "hate" has more views than any other thread in the last 24 hours. Now, about that T120...nice-looking bike, eh? Did you know the Wright Brothers learned engineering in their bicycle shop and built the first wind tunnel? Hey, how about those Cubs? Now I wonder what is going to happen to that guy in "The Gloaming"...lotta new members here lately, eh?

[pdedse]

There are only 2 things, I hate:
1. prejudice,
2. Harley riders.







Disclaimer: This is a joke! If you don't get it, you may be a Harley rider.

Disclaimer 2: This was another joke!

Disclaimer 3: I'm a German and an engineer. People of both groups are not supposed to make good jokes.

Why you hatin' on #1?

[Cormanus]

Cormanus, all good points. I wonder how one distinguishes the disappearance of the U.K. motorcycle industry in the mid-70's with the disappearance of the Australian auto industry in more contemporary times. In the first case, I reckon the Japanese beat the Brits at their own game. In the second case, was it simply the consequences of free trade economics?

Good questions, LongRanger. I suspect economics and product quality played a part in the decline of the British motorcycle industry. Cost would have wiped the Australian automobile manufacturing industry out years ago, were it not for some tariff protection.

So, in both cases, economic factors are probably to the fore.

I don't have a lot of answers, but I'd say it has more to do with technology than free trade. Honda does a great and efficient job of making motorcycles and cars. Doesn't matter if they do it in Hamamatsu or Marysville.

Here in the states, the assets of the bankrupt Hostess bakery company were bought and the company restarted under private management. (A lot of Americans were glad to have their Twinkies back!) Only this time, instead of 14 plants and 9,000 workers, they totally revamped the process and have 3 plants and 500 workers. They produce more product and sell it at more locations.

The thing to figure out is how to help low and middle skilled workers deal with the rise of highly efficient capital utilization without getting run over. That's a tough nut to crack and it's very tempting to blame "those guys over there."

/econtalk

I think you're right, DAC, but I also think public policy makers may also need to ponder national capability. If you end up isolated at the bottom of the world after some lunatic leader somewhere else in the world, over whom you have no control, unleashes a cataclysm, it might be as well to know how to do stuff like make a car or farm the land or any one of the things one may need to be able to do.

As for the low and middle skilled workers, another form of employment is the only answer. No employment equals alienation from the rest of society which leads to discontent and unrest and jealousy and heaven knows what else. As you say, it's a tough nut to crack when every one with capital wants to utilise it more efficiently which almost always means being shot of the wages bill.

Sadly, I have no solutions either.

[usa_imp]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts.

In my reading of recent motorcycle history, and I still know very little. It seems to me that the two-wheel world is a lot more complex than Harley vs Honda, or Ducati vs BMW, or American vs non-American.

I think it's not about "X against Y". As I see it, it's more about "X and Y" that makes the world of motorcycling interesting.

Just to give one example to illustrate what I mean:

Think about names such as Kenny Roberts, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, John Kocinski, Nicky Hayden ...

The history of American motorcycle would be so boring without the above American champions. And guess what, all these champions' weapons were all Japanese made. Thus, this is an example of "American + Japanese" that has produced something much bigger and much more interesting than "American against Japanese". And I am pretty sure that Japanese motorcycle engineers had benefited a great deal of precious feedback from the American champions in order to improve the performance of motorcycles.

So to me, the "American + Japanese" is a win-win model. Naturally, I hope to see initiatives like EBR (Erik Buell Racing) successful. The more competition there is, the better.

From such perspective, I have put a few Japanese bikes on my shopping list.

Cheers!