What is it with Harley riders?

[KubotainNH]

I hate the behavior of some sport bike riders and don't get me started on bicycle riders.

The behavior is not limited to sport bike riders except for the wheelies which I don't happen to see often. Peeves me off when any bike drives up a lane or in between cars to get ahead of folks. Oddly those stupid open exhausts now end up aimed at me. When on my bike, I don't trust anyone enough to start going into lanes they may not expect you in.

 

[Bird]

I always just attributed that love of the exhaust noise to immaturity. At least it was for me:laughing: and I still think it is for others, too. I put dual glass pack mufflers on my '56 Mercury when I was 18, and I almost never turned the radio off. But I never wanted any loud exhausts after I was 21. In fact, ideally, whether car or motorcycle, or even a tractor, you'd have to look at a tachometer to see if the engine was running.

 

[PMA]

Had to work myrtle beach rallies for years and have to say the Harley's sounded better than those crotch rockets with that whining sound.

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[Egon]

For those not familiar with Harley Knockoffs here are some of the early Indian knockoffs!

 

[Gunny]

I thought the Indian came before Harley, so wouldn't Harley be the ones making knockoffs?

I'm also pretty sure that Indian also made the first V twin engines.

 

[CobyRupert]

I've found that the safest of the "look at me" approaches (vs. the "listen to me" approach) are the strobing headlights. Much, much, more effective to prevent a cage driver from looking through you and not seeing you before they turn into your path or pull out in front of you.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

I've found that the safest of the "look at me" approaches (vs. the "listen to me" approach) are the strobing headlights. Much, much, more effective to prevent a cage driver from looking through you and not seeing you before they turn into your path or pull out in front of you.

The undulating headlights are definitely a huge 'I'm here' indicator. Also, a blue-dot taillight makes the back of a bike stand out well.

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[adirondackmtnman]

Double post

 

[deepNdirt]

I have no problem noticing motorcycles from half-a-mile away, Here in Ga, almost every LEO agency has several Bikes in their fleet, I see them everywhere, so this raises my awareness to notice most all bikes on the road,
I don't go for the reason loud pipes are for safety to be noticed, It's got to be more of a attitude/image thing,
besides loud pipes doesn't matter to me because I'm half def anyway, this has helped to sharpen my visual awareness,
I use my mirrors every bit as much as looking through the windshield, I see when a cycle is approaching from behind,...

I do fill kinda sorry for some of the Harley riders, Just the other day when it was freezing out, 28*, I was traveling down the road when I looked ahead to see a person on a motorcycle awaiting to pull out from a side road, I know It's a 50/50% chance that person might pull out, Well he did just that, He quickly got up speed to probably 65 mph, racing through the gears, but soon fell back down to around 45 mph,
Of course I knew why the sudden reduction in speed, (he was freezing) .. I told my wife he should have fell in behind us and used my truck to block of some of the wind.....
I feel sorry for the ones who want so badly to own a Harley that he must give up any and all other transportation in order to own one, Now he's having to drive it too and from work, IN THE COLD... I might add...

 

[MossRoad]

What are you talking about, they didn't hear you. I bet it was a big bang when you hit them.

On serious note. The problem with motorcycle is that people have no idea how fast it is going. Unless they deal with motorcycle traffic often they will not have a clue. My brother who lives in Czech Republic told me that after the fall communism lot of people bought fast motorcycles. There was huge spike in the fatalities because of car drivers underestimated the speed of approaching motorcycle and turned into its path.

It was more like SCREEEEEECCCHHHHHH!!!! THUD!!! into the passenger side doors. What I'm sure they did hear was my language. :laughing:

 

[6string]

Anyone remember the 2 stroke bikes of the 60s and 70s? Take the baffles out of the pipes and it sounded like a herd of chainsaws on steroids. :thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

Anyone remember the 2 stroke bikes of the 60s and 70s? Take the baffles out of the pipes and it sounded like a herd of chainsaws on steroids. :thumbsup:

I had a 1967 Yamaha 305 but I never took the baffles out to see what it would sound like. But in the '50s a friend had a Sears Allstate motorcycle (250cc, I think, can't say for sure) and yep I've heard it with the baffles out.

 

[TCowner]

I'm not sure I buy the "loud pipes saves lives" theory. If that were the case, Honda Goldwing riders would have a higher mortality rate over Harley riders. Consequently, the insurance companies would tack on a surcharge if you ride a Goldwing. Additionally, when applying for life insurance, right after they ask you if you smoke or have high blood pressure they would ask if you ride a GoldWing. Think about it, your life insurance application could be rejected if you ride a Goldwing instead of a Harley.

Harley could use information in their advertising. Sounds like a good way to sell motorcycles.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

Harley could use information in their advertising. Sounds like a good way to sell motorcycles.

Not really. Harleys are pretty quiet from the factory, it's the aftermarket that produces the loud stuff.

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[MossRoad]

Anyone remember the 2 stroke bikes of the 60s and 70s? Take the baffles out of the pipes and it sounded like a herd of chainsaws on steroids. :thumbsup:

Why yes I do.... my friend had a Kawasaki 500 two stroke triple and that got me into my Yamaha RD400 two stroke twin. I swapped the stock exhaust for SpecialistII expansion chambers, got larger carbs, swapped out the reed valves with lighter ones from a 250 so they'd open faster, had the pistons machined to open the intake and exhaust ports faster and took two teeth off the front sprocket. Made for an extremely fast little street rocket. Surprised I didn't get killed. Never dumped it. Ran like a pooch under 5000rpm, but as soon as you hit 5 it would snap you back and lift the front tire in the first three gears well up to a bazillion rpms. I had a set of wheelie bars that I could easily swap out for a day at the drag strip. Best I pulled was (as I recall, as I gave up riding it when we had kids in the early 90s), 11.92 at 119mph in the quarter. Not bad for a 25 cubic inch motor! :laughing: I still have it, but I took it apart so I couldn't ride it. It was evil. Anyone remember the movie Christine? Well, that bike is my Christine.

 

[ovrszd]

I still have it, but I took it apart so I couldn't ride it. It was evil. Anyone remember the movie Christine? Well, that bike is my Christine.

I don't care who you are,,,,, that's funny!!!!

My Wife would roll her eyes and say "Typical Male Logic".

 

[MossRoad]

I don't care who you are,,,,, that's funny!!!!

My Wife would roll her eyes and say "Typical Male Logic".

I'll put it back together once my last child is independent and on-track.... she's 16 now, so about 6 more years. Then I'll start drag racing again. Its fun, but I had my responsibilities to attend to and had little to no self control when I rode that thing on the street. I doubt I'll ever ride it on the street again. I would like to get a nice quite, slow, squishy ride road bike and do some trips with my wife when we retire.

 

[Marveltone]

Why yes I do.... my friend had a Kawasaki 500 two stroke triple and that got me into my Yamaha RD400 two stroke twin. I swapped the stock exhaust for SpecialistII expansion chambers, got larger carbs, swapped out the reed valves with lighter ones from a 250 so they'd open faster, had the pistons machined to open the intake and exhaust ports faster and took two teeth off the front sprocket. Made for an extremely fast little street rocket. Surprised I didn't get killed. Never dumped it. Ran like a pooch under 5000rpm, but as soon as you hit 5 it would snap you back and lift the front tire in the first three gears well up to a bazillion rpms. I had a set of wheelie bars that I could easily swap out for a day at the drag strip. Best I pulled was (as I recall, as I gave up riding it when we had kids in the early 90s), 11.92 at 119mph in the quarter. Not bad for a 25 cubic inch motor! :laughing: I still have it, but I took it apart so I couldn't ride it. It was evil. Anyone remember the movie Christine? Well, that bike is my Christine.

My cousin had a Kawi 500 triple two stroke. Scariest thing I ever rode! :shocked: Wheelie magnet.
I like my Honda CB900 Custom. Comfy, plenty of power, handles well enough, and best of all, heavy and grounded!

As for my rather scathing post earlier, I was merely giving my riding impressions based on what I like out of a motorcycle and my personal impressions on the Heritage Softtail... just as my friend requested. My family and friends collectively ride just about every make imaginable. We ride together and give each other a little lighthearted grief around the campfire. In the end, all we care about is that you ride... and have a sense of humor.

I still like mufflers.

Joe

 

[bandaidmd]

After reading through many of the threads referring to the loud pipes as if were a safety feature to save life's, I got to thinking if I have ever heard a Harley with a Horn:laughing: ( No I have'nt ) Perhaps the rev of their engines is their Horn, Rumble Rumble Beep-beep!

I have a air powered horn on my Road King pointed forward in the direction of where the danger is likely to come from.

Anyone that rides in a group learns pretty quick to dislike loud exhausts.

 

[sd455dan]

My cousin had a Kawi 500 triple two stroke. Scariest thing I ever rode! :shocked: Wheelie magnet.
I like my Honda CB900 Custom. Comfy, plenty of power, handles well enough, and best of all, heavy and grounded!

As for my rather scathing post earlier, I was merely giving my riding impressions based on what I like out of a motorcycle and my personal impressions on the Heritage Softtail... just as my friend requested. My family and friends collectively ride just about every make imaginable. We ride together and give each other a little lighthearted grief around the campfire. In the end, all we care about is that you ride... and have a sense of humor.

I still like mufflers.

Joe

I think one of the scariest bikes sold was the Kawasaki Z1R TC - Turbo charged version of the Kz1000 around 130 horsepower when the standard kz1000s were making between 80-90hp. The real kicker was there were No chassis or engine improvements made to the bike, hit about 7000 and then all the boost would kick in. The buyer would have to sign a release voiding the warranty before taking delivery., And the ad stated the bike should only be considered by experienced riders- Had to be quite a ride...