Harley Forum?

Bob_In_MN · Jul 24, 2003

Mark,

I've only used a paslode so I can't compare, but I liked the tool a lot. I've just started a thread in the projects section called Barn Restoration. None of the pics shows it, but where the roof curls out from the barn, it is supported by 40 (20 each side) 2X4's cut at some wierd angle. Looks like the originals were cut by hand. Once I cut the boards and strung a line, the paslode sure made quick work of attaching the boards. Anyway--I barrowed the paslode from my neighbor who builds houses for a living and that's what he uses.

Regarding noise of bikes--There's too many other things out there that could be lumped into this discussion as it basically comes down to personal preference so I will bow out of this conversation.

Hey Jerry (original poster)--looks like you got a partial Harley forum right here--probably not the type of info you were looking for though.

Have fun and be safe with whatever you buy. I've owned a lot of Hondas/Yamahas--they are great bikes and a lot easier on the pocket book. I've just started shopping bikes again and I am looking at Harleys. Just so you know, there are some (Harley) dealers out there selling for MSRP so take your time--just like with a tractor.

Good Luck

Bob

Mrwurm · Jul 24, 2003

Wow, I just wanted to know if anyone new of a "HarleyByNet" web site. I guess, deep down, I knew this would happen /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif . But, it's fun to watch /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

knucklehead · Jul 24, 2003

Bird - JR - Bob: Thanks for the advice. I posted under Rural Living and under Tools on CBN and Paslode is suggested - I guess I'd better get up to speed on them. Sorry to jack this thread; I was sorta goofing around to cool things off.

What I wanna know is why Harley and Honda don't offer a three point hitch and ag tires! Unresponsive manufacturers really bum me out!

5030 · Jul 24, 2003

What's really annoying is someone chomping on a stogie with sunglasses on!!!

At least the stogie keeps the bugs outa your teeth, somewhat.

Gary_in_Indiana · Jul 25, 2003

"This noise thing is irratating, I agree, my little bike just goes -- purr--purr and if I get a pipe on it it will go gently vrrroom--vrrroom but not BLAT-BLA, BLA-BLAT-BLAT like miniture atomic explosions, what is that all about anyway. Quiet is a good thing." 

One thing I can tell you is that all of that noise is sure not necessary. The 1800cc six cylinder Goldwings (bigger power plants, to be sure) are really quiet... especially for the size of them. I've honestly never understood the ego need to make all that noise.

RobertN · Jul 25, 2003

I'll bite...

Most motors run better with low back pressure; that's why people have put headers and more open mufflers on all kinds of vehicles for years.

Most single or two cylinder motors do not have the same exhaust gas impulses that 4 + 6 cylinder engines do. You wind up with louder exhaust if you try to open them up at all. That's partly why a 100+hp cafe bike can be relatively quiet.

I ran a Thunder Header for a while. Took it off when a girl the age of my son(7 at the time) had to cover her ears when I fired it up. It ran GREAT, but with the more open exhaust, it tended to have the most benefit at high rpm, with some loss of power at low rpm.

I know folks who run stock pipes. Our CubScout "Cubmaster" has a '93 FXRS with over 140,000 miles on it. It is bone stock, and he likes it that way. Mines a little opened up, but by no means "open".

I will note that Harley's are simpler engines that are easier to work on and with. So, a lot of folks like pumping them up a bit.

Interestingly, a few years back a magazine did some HP tests, and found that, unles highly modified and big cubic inches, the best exhaust was stock headers with a hi-flow muffle on the end.

I have noted many of the Harly knock-off's running louder pipes these days.

The two that bother me though, are these bass boomers so common now, and Honda Civics and Toyota's with big high-flow load exhaust. They loose low rpm power too ;-)

fivestring · Jul 25, 2003

"One thing I can tell you is that all of that noise is sure not necessary."
AMEN.
"I've honestly never understood the ego need to make all that noise."
AMEN.
"The 1800cc six cylinder Goldwings (bigger power plants, to be sure) are really quiet... "
Different breed of rider; more mature.

5030 · Jul 25, 2003

My personal opinion is:

If all the harley riders who own CUT's should put the stock mufflers back on their scooters and take the mufflers off their CUT's.

If they really want to make noise, an unmuffled non-turbocharged diesel will outproduce any gasoline engine in the noise department, hands down!!!!

The can run their tractors around the OWN PROPERTIES and listen to it themselves and not annoy me or disturb my taranquility. I'm sure their wives or kids or their neighbors would probably b**** though.

DUMBDOG · Jul 25, 2003

I run stock mufflers on both of my Harley Davidson's and my New Holland compact tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

All of my other vehicles have stock mufflers, although the one on 87 Nissan is getting loud and needs replacing, in addition the muffler on the 51 Ford F5 I just purchased is in need of replacement for sure. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

fivestring · Jul 25, 2003

"If they really want to make noise, an unmuffled non-turbocharged diesel will outproduce any gasoline engine in the noise department, hands down!!!!"

Never thought of that, but I guess with about double the compression ratio..... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Now only if NASCAR would use diesels w/o mufflers.... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Naw... then they couldn't hear the 2-way radios!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

5030 · Jul 25, 2003

Just for laughs, unbolt the muffler on your CUT and start it up. At idle it isn't too bad. Throttle it up about half way and you will feel your eardrums quiver!!!

Same thing those D**** Hardleys do!!!

Wingnut · Aug 1, 2003

Different breed of rider; more mature.

oh, sure ... go ahead and insult me by calling me "mature", see if I care!
not only no noise from that marvellous powerplant, but the 5th gear roll-on is incredible. I did an 1100 mile circumnavigation of Lake Michigan last weekend (had a Friday Nite and Saturday meeting near Green Bay WI) ... and did the last half of that ride coming home on Sunday through the U.P. ... during one long run past a line of slow traffic, I looked down and I'd goosed it from 55 mph to 105 mph ... and the throttle still wan't opened all the way ....
Incredibly well balanced too ... I did most of the return trip with one or two fingers on one handlebar or the other ... cruise works VERY well.
Oh ... we're talking Harley's, aren't we .... well, I did wave at an awful lot of them on the trip ... certainly lots out on the road. The group sitting on the side in Chicago trying to cool their bikes down (stop and go traffic for 2-1/2 hours) didn't wave back .... kind of pretended not to see me ... funny, a single H-D rider will almost always wave back, two, rarely, a group - almost never. Regardless, I wave at all bikers.

BTW the GoldWing is quiet enough on the road that I can hear the radio / CD /CB / weather radio / intercom at an incredibly low setting! Or I can just listen to the birds singing. N vibration from the frame mounted 6 cylinder engine either. And it's an American bike ... built and assembled in Ohio. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

pete

Wingnut · Aug 1, 2003

I've yet to see a Goldwing owner who has taken his stock exhaust and installed straight pipes. 

to be fair, there's always discussion on the GL1800 board about "throatier" mufflers ... like the AllyKatz .... and to be even fairer ... these are usually ex-Harley or ex-cruiser guys who've moved to the 1800 but miss the "rumble" then they blip the throttle.

pete

Wingnut · Aug 1, 2003

Jerry, if you REALLY want to see what it's like to be a Harley owner, you need to either go to Sturgis SD for their super-ralley (mostly hogs) ... or else to Cherokee, SC in late April for the Harley rally there. A real eye opener ... although I do wonder about the inclination for most to trailer their bikes there ....
The constant parades up and down main street kind of remind me of cruising' the main drag on Saturday nights in my youth ... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Wingnut · Aug 1, 2003

And in case you are wondering what HONDA stands for, it means Harley Owner Not Developed Adequately. 

ha ha ... good one .... and of course you know that H-D stands for Hardly Driveable?

Ain't the rivalry funny? Different strokes for different folks.

BTW ... that myth about the H-D holding it's value forever has been pricked by the needle of reality. As long as there were more buyers than sellers (as with real estate), it was fairly true ... but with every showroom having bikes sitting now ... dealers may not even get full retail, much less a premium any longer.
There are riders and posers .... on every marque ... I still wave at anyone on a bike ... even mopeds and vespas.

ride safe, ride often, and ride like you stole it!

fivestring · Aug 1, 2003

See there, Pete, like I told you, anytime, let's go eat!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I, too, like to hear the radio and other things; not a constant roar that gives me a headache. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Although, when I was younger, cars with cherry bombs were cool. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Wingnut · Aug 1, 2003

It is not that I have a bunch of tatoos and go bar hopping on my motorcycle, a typical stereotype of the Harley rider, 
hey, definitely not to throw water on you, man .... but that's hasn't been the typical stereotype of Harley's riders for a great many years .... that's the "proud" 1%-ers.
The typical stereotype is a doctor or lawyer or dentist ... who can afford the heavy iron and the fancy leathers ... in other words ... a poser.
Obviously, not all riders are posers .... but enough seem to be to make it a stereotype.
This neck of the woods (most of Michigan, in fact) is H-D country as much as WI and MN ... and I know a lot of them. And almost all of them buy into the "image".
I own a GoldWing because what I like to do is ride ... not sit around and let others admire my image.
I check the tire pressure once a week (usually) and change the oil once every 8000 miles (as well as the final drive oil) .... don't bother checking it as there's no oil on the ground or in the tailpipe. I ride, and I ride and I ride ... every chance I get.
I like everybody on bikes ... well almost ... don't really care for 1%-ers ... and I don't discriminate ... but I do get a little annoyed when folks trash other brands to try and make their choice look "better".
Oh, and btw, for some reason here, all the Harley poker run stops are bars (while the GoldWing ones are ice cream parlors) ... curious, eh?

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Wingnut · Aug 1, 2003

actually ... I think that to be fair to Honda and H-D ... you'd need to compare the Harley to the Honda Valkyrie .... the Harley has always been a cruiser style bike, whether it has been tour equipped or not ... and the Goldwing has always been a touring bike ... never a cruiser. The seating position and styling of the Valkyrie is much more like the Harley line .... I'm sure that's on purpose.
And if you check out the Valkyrie websites ... you'll find every bit as much "passion" as Harleys and Goldwings.
Each of us are different (which is why there are all kinds of different tractor models, too) and like different bikes for different reasons. And you can find friends on any marque.
The best advice I can give is to check out the rally's or chapter meetings or club meetings or whatever ... for whatever marque your're interested in ... and see what the average enthusiast is like. Those get-tegether's is where you will find the enthusiasts ... cause the loners will be out riding.
Also ... take any opportunity you can to test ride your short-list of choices ..... don't wait to find out how the bike feels and handles until after you put down the money ....

ride safe, ride often, ride happy!

pete

Bob_In_MN · Aug 1, 2003

Hey Pete,

You sound like my kind of biker--as long as you're riding, that's all that matters.

My last three bikes were a Honda V65 Magna, a V65 Sabre and an 1100 shadow. I sold my Shadow some time ago and I'm looking at Harley's--it's the one brand I have yet to own.

I liked all my Hondas--the two V65's were fast bikes (in their day). The Magna had a removable backrest which was nice for the trips across SD. The Sabre was the least comfortable on long trips, but the best bike of the 3 for snaking through the corners. The Shadow was a great bike. I always said, you sit on most bikes whereas you sit IN a shadow. It's forward controls and low slung seat made for a comfortable ride. I stuffed a sleeping bag against the backrest and could drive all day on that bike. Not nearly as comfortable as your wing, but it was a lot of fun. I'd ride until I needed to sleep. I've slept on rest stop benches, behind a stand of pine trees, on an old abandoned farm, etc. In my mind, there's no better way to see the country than from the seat of a bike--any bike.

Bob

Gary_in_Indiana · Aug 1, 2003

I do wonder about the inclination for most (H-D riders) to trailer their bikes there .... 

No you don't. You know exactly why... And so do I. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I saw the same thing here with the National HOG (Harley Owner's Group) here one summer and the 25th anniversary Wing Ding (Gold Wing Riders) convention here the next. The Harley's arrived on trailers while the Goldwings arrived pulling trailers. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif