Mortor Cycles?

[mikethevigoman]

OK... my 2 satang's worth...

I've been riding all kinds of motorcycles for over 40 years... in 3 continents and 5 countries.

(... and have lived to tell about it)

I owned about 5 different BMW's over the last 15 years... and always swore that if I could "afford" a second bike it would be a Harley.

But I could afford only ONE...

And if YOU want ONE good bike - GO BEEMER

Yes, you're right if what you want is performance and handling. If you want to enjoy an experience, a lifestyle, a superior way of life...well, then Harley's the only choice.

Performace and handling ? which harley would that be then, and compared to what ?

[keemapoot]

OK... my 2 satang's worth...

I've been riding all kinds of motorcycles for over 40 years... in 3 continents and 5 countries.

(... and have lived to tell about it)

I owned about 5 different BMW's over the last 15 years... and always swore that if I could "afford" a second bike it would be a Harley.

But I could afford only ONE...

And if YOU want ONE good bike - GO BEEMER

Yes, you're right if what you want is performance and handling. If you want to enjoy an experience, a lifestyle, a superior way of life...well, then Harley's the only choice.

Performace and handling ? which harley would that be then, and compared to what ?

I was saying there is no performance and handling with Harleys. BMW is a nice machine. Harley is about lifestyle, and usually for rich guys who can afford to only ride it on the weekend, or hard cores. I have owned 3 Harleys, one Triumph, one BSA, and a few Jap dirt bikes.

[mikethevigoman]

OK... my 2 satang's worth...

I've been riding all kinds of motorcycles for over 40 years... in 3 continents and 5 countries.

(... and have lived to tell about it)

I owned about 5 different BMW's over the last 15 years... and always swore that if I could "afford" a second bike it would be a Harley.

But I could afford only ONE...

And if YOU want ONE good bike - GO BEEMER

Yes, you're right if what you want is performance and handling. If you want to enjoy an experience, a lifestyle, a superior way of life...well, then Harley's the only choice.

Performace and handling ? which harley would that be then, and compared to what ?

I was saying there is no performance and handling with Harleys. BMW is a nice machine. Harley is about lifestyle, and usually for rich guys who can afford to only ride it on the weekend, or hard cores. I have owned 3 Harleys, one Triumph, one BSA, and a few Jap dirt bikes.

Ive never owned a harley as ive always been a loon and they dont suit my riding style, im only having a bit of fun knocking them really as all bikers are ok, but i do find its an image machine and i cant think of one thing it does well,.but to each their own,.now that bmw have made a serious contender for the dakar rally im a fan !

[SnakeBite]

I think it's all just a troll thread for two reasons, one to get at the Harley guys and two, no one could be that stupid to think you could compare the bikes in any way, shape or form. I'm hoping it's number one as I wouldn't want to know that anyone walking the planet would be that stupid.

[PeaceBlondie]

Before my internet connections got worthless two nights ago, I was going to agree in part with Thanh's opening post. However, Harleys built after 1981 have been much more reliable than the ones built previously, but nothing matches Japanese reliability. BMW is another brand that's more about image and price than performance.

As soon as my partner traded his Yamaha Spark 135 for a Honda Phantom 200, he couldn't park lots of places in Chiang Mai. Heck, they won't let me park my CBR150 at the place across from Kad Suan Kaew because it's too big! And, what about theft? At least in the States, Harleys were the choice of thieves.

But like Thanh, I buy a bike to actually use it 7 days per week, all year, as my only vehicle. Now that I have a used pickup, I only use it if it's going to rain. Harleys are not practical, which is why they're popular in America.

My favorite Harley Sportster rider/owner showed up at my house with his girlfriend Buffy; they both wore preppy Polo shirts and looked like airheads.

[jackcorbett]

I think it's all just a troll thread for two reasons, one to get at the Harley guys and two, no one could be that stupid to think you could compare the bikes in any way, shape or form. I'm hoping it's number one as I wouldn't want to know that anyone walking the planet would be that stupid.

I don't find this to be a troll thread. At first glance, one might think it is. One might even think the woman asking the question to be stupid or naive. We all know for instance that the Harleys typically have two cylinders whereas the Phantom has just one. Most of us know the Phantom has 200 cc's, whereas Harleys start at around 900 for the smallest Sportsters. We all know Harleys will do over 100 miles an hour and the Phantom won't go nearly this fast. And we all know that Harleys cost big bucks whereas Phantoms go for a pittance by comparison.

Check out this woman's exact wording here? "Is there a BIG difference between the Harley and Phantom other than the "mystique" and status of driving a Harley? Is the Harley worth it??"

Do notice how she intentionally capitalized "Big" . Now notice how she put quotes around "mystique" so as to call attention to two concepts "Big" and "Mystique". She is (if she is in fact a she) is very clever. Troll thread? I'm not sure what a troll is other than some sort of stunted creature that was chasing Peer Gynt in Grieg's Peer Gynt classical music composition. I do think the original poster is trying to encourage some very sincere debate here over the pros and cons of having a Harley, particularly having a Harley here in Thailand.

I personally think Harleys are cool. So long as the owner has the opportunity to really ride his Harley and let the machine strut its stuff. Myself, I've only driven an older model Sportster. So I can only extrapolate from this experience, listening to the engines of Harleys, and riding other types of bikes what it must be like riding the things. First...there is the sound. The sound is one of great power. Second is the displacement. I am sure that when you fire it up you have the feeling of having great power between your legs. The kind of nearly aphrodisiac proportions. The Road King model is 96 cubic inches or around 1449 cc's. It weighs in at 777 pounds fully gased. It costs at least $18,000. The Softail Deluxe at just under $18,000, has the same engine, which again is around 1449 cc's. Hey, my first Mazda Miata sportscar had just 1600 cc's, but once I put the supercharger on, did 139 miles an hour.

This Softail Delux according to MCN Motorcyle News is good for only 110 miles an hour which his about the same speed my old BMW 650 would do while weighing it at 408 pounds empty. Although my old R-65 only produced 50 horsepower some of the latest and fastest 650's produce over 100 horsepower. these large displacement Harleys only produce around 65 horsepower.

For around $14,000 one can buy instead of one of these large Harleys the BMW 1200 S which has 167 horsepower, nearly three times what the large Harleys produce. And they weigh 200 pounds less. However, the Harleys produce 89 foot pounds of torque at 3300 rpms whereas the BMW has to get to 8250 rpms to reach 96 foot pounds. And that is one of the biggest reasons for the Harley's enduring mystique---the illusion of power that can be tapped by its driver at any time. When it comes to real power, the BMW does from zero to sixty in 2.8 seconds and can top out at 160 miles an hour, fifty miles an hour faster than most large Harleys. And when it comes to handling it's no contest. The German bike's in an entirely different league, and I haven't even mentioned various models of Japanese bikes.

So getting back to the Phantom, if one can say a Phantom is good for say 75 miles an hour versus a Harley's 110 miles an hour the BMW goes 50 miles an hour faster than the big Harleys whereas the big Harleys only go 35 miles an hour faster than the Phantom. For that matter the smaller Sportster models only go 105 miles an hour (again accorind to the same source I quoted earlier) while displacing just 883 cc's. So they are just 30 miles an hour faster than the Phantom. Yet, like the Harleys the Phantom's engines are tuned to produce a big sound (comparatively that is). My 185 Honda XL dirt bike at just 15 cc's less sounded pretty tinny by contrast. At night parked along the curb the Phantom looks nearly as large and imposing as the big Harleys, especially if you deck on out with extra luggage and other options. Driving around Pattaya it seems toruey and powerful enough. But it's a wanna bee, right? Okay....it's a wanna bee Harley but it succeeds pretty well in my opinion. That is unless you factor in what you already know...the Harley has two cylinders. It displaces over 1400 cc's. It costs what many cars cost and so on.

Well, not taking anything away from those who like Harleys (if it makes you feel good buy it), the Harley isn't the geniune article either other than it's a genuine Harley. But the Harley only conjures up the image of real performance. Because if I want to put something in my parking lot that is the geniuine article I'm going to put a BMW 1200 S down there because it really is truly about performance, and if one expounds upon History and tradition and all of that, I'll just say this. The Folker D-VII World War One fighter plane was one of the best fighter planes of that conflict with its standard 160 horsepower engine. However, upgraded models had the 185 horsepower BMW engines which gave this plane even more performance and this goes back to 1917.

[misterme]

What's the difference between a Harley and a vacuum cleaner?...

The position of the Dirt Bag!

LMAO

it's too bad the Thais can't understand the joke

[mattias33]

A few years ago bought my b/f a Honda Phantom (which he loves) for about 86,000 B.

Am thinking of upgrading him to a Harley Davidson model FLHTC Electra Glide classic (as a birthday present) cost about 627,000 B according to Harley dealership in Bangkok.

Is there a BIG difference between the Harley and Phantom other than the "mystique" and status of driving a Harley? Is the Harley worth it??

I know nothing about motor cycles other than I'm afraid of driving or even riding on them.

Anyone knowledgeable & experienced with Harleys out there that would like to comment about this upgrade??

Why did i not find you before your boyfriend??

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello again

One more thing i have to say about Harleys. They are a total dream for people that LOVE to customize their ride........ i know no other make for which so many different customizations are available. It is possible to build an entire Harley without using a single part made by Harley-Davidson.... and i've seen such, they just look great. But then again, this comes to "show bike" - as those beautiful long forks and fat rear tyres make the bike even less driveable.

I will attach a picture of mine RXZ, just today i (finally!) got the exhaust that i was looking for since very long time - and no, it's just an original Yamaha one, but from the RXZ model older than mine - in my opinion it looks better, and sure SOUNDS better. This RXZ looks nowhere near original, a few Kawasaki parts make sure of that, and a few other bolt-on parts too - it looks like some bastard between race bike, chopper and cruiser. But i drive this machine some 60 kilometers daily, about half of that thru dense traffic jams in Bangkok, the other half on relatively free roads where i can "let the pig fly". This bike is a purely practical bike - a transport method, no more. Hence those "bull bars" - they are primarily for attaching a splash guard (little bit like a scooter and not visible on this picture) to protect my legs from rain. Hence the chrome round light, courtesy of a Kawasaki Victor - with one of those HID-like bulbs in it i have a decent light on the road in front of me. Hence the box on the back (with the modified holder to stabilize it) - that's where the rain clothes go (and the small sopping). And the cute small indicators are also more a necessity - makes negotiating traffic jams so much easier, same goes for the small mirrors. The aluminium rims are there because the original steel ones were rusted thru and aluminium doesn't rust.

Plus i, too, love to fiddle with the bike and do modifications

Best regards.....

Thanh

[xbusman]

My family owns the second largest Honda dealership in the world and the largest Yamaha dealership in the world. I import Jap bikes but mostly Harley for sale in Thailand and China. All of them are great bikes, do different things for different people. Having been riding and selling motorcycles for 40 years, I can tell you the new ones are light years ahead of what they were just ten years ago, all models and all brands.

Having said all that, I drive a Honda Phantom and love it. In fact, I like it better than the hundreds of motorcycles I have owned and driven for the past forty years. (except my first love, the 1942 German Army Zundapp and my just plain favorite 1973 Trident). Both those bikes were junk in motion, would kill to have either back.

But I drive a Honda Phantom every day.

1. I live in Bangkok, it gets in and out of where I need to go.

2. Its light, stops on a dime, saved my life more than once. In Thailand it helps to be able to stop quickly and nothing over 400 lbs stops quickly ever.

3. I can get parts anywhere I want, cheaply, quickly and with no hassles. Dont forget, I import motorcycles and make parts, what does that tell you about how I feel when a bike sits for months waiting for something stupid. Dont think Powerstation carries anything either, everything is ordered and takes weeks, costs a fortune, and when did you last order anything in Thailand and get it right on the first try? The only thing worse than a bike that wont start is a garage queen waiting for parts.

4. The Phantom is reasonably comfortable, moves along at adequate speeds, and seldom if ever breaks down.

5. I dont worry about it getting stolen. When I am wandering around with a million baht Harley, I worry about it constantly. Losing one would leave a big hole in my financial plan. If the Honda disappears, 80K and I have a new one, it bugs me but I dont have to obsess about it.

A Harley is like an elite card, if you can smoke the money for a toy, its as good as any other toy, better in some ways depending on what you use it for. Even I can get lucky in Pattaya with a Harley and a 1000 baht. I would be very careful upgrading someone close to me from a Phantom to a Harley. Add 100 hp and 600 lbs you just might kill the one you love. These roads are deadly enough for pedestrians on the sidewalk, be careful what you wish for.

If your friend is happy on the Phantom, my advice is dont fix it.

[cm-happy]

This is the OP.

Thanks for the replies all. Did not realize how divisive people can get when talking about JUST motorcycles. But thats the same way when folks discuss their favorite Marks of automobiles.

Anyway, took a respondents advice and visited Richco in CM today with the b/f for a trial sizing.

The classic cruiser was much too big for him. Seat was too tall and could not balance bike well

(feet did not touch ground) when stationary and seated. And seating was uncomfortable for him siting on the Harley classic cruiser reaching for handle bars. Same was true for the BMW about the seat height.

We did see a Harley softail model (forgot the model number) in the showroom that seemed perfect for him.

Started it up, and WOW! was it noisy, but this was indoors in the showroom. Expect will also be loud outdoors so I will hear him when he comes home.

Of course, the b/f's tongue was hanging out and drooling at the prospect of his riding a Harley (His dream).

Just to clear matters up I'm a HE not a She & will not ride in ANYTHING unless it has at least 2 doors & air bags, except my beloved antique Buick collection in the States ranging from 1904 to 1958.

What's next? Harley riding regalia?

[aka_jack]

Also i think you will have more chance of getting your money back on a harley than any other bike, they seem to hold there price more than any bike i know!!

[Padkapow Guy]

Also i think you will have more chance of getting your money back on a harley than any other bike, they seem to hold there price more than any bike i know!!

Maybe in Thailand , but not in the states. It use to be that way but since they flooded the market a few years ago people are losing there arse trying to sell them. I have a buddy who has a ultra glide classic. he paid $21900.00 U.S. He added around $7000.00 of extras to it over a couple of years. He has been trying to sell it for 2 years and the best offer he has so far is $14900.00. All the used bike magazines are fill with more Harleys for sale than any other bikes. To many yuppies bought the Harleys to be cool and when the fad wore off the are selling them. Markets flooded.

I love the looks and sounds of the Harleys, but when I can buy 3 Kawaski Vulcan classics for the price of 1 Harley. To me it a no brainer. But that being said if the day ever comes when money does not mean as much I would love to by a FATBOY.

PKG

[bernie66]

600,000 baht? what year 1980? Harleys are ridiculously priced in thailand. As is any motor vehicle. I have been trying to figure out how to get one in bkk but im not going to pay $40,000 for an $18,000 bike. Anybody bought a bike through the US military sales program and had it sent to Thailand? Can anybody guess at what im going to pay in tarrifs if i do? i can get an 08' softail for 18 grand but getting it into Thailand is going to be a different story.

[cm-happy]

600,000 baht? what year 1980? Harleys are ridiculously priced in thailand. As is any motor vehicle. I have been trying to figure out how to get one in bkk but im not going to pay $40,000 for an $18,000 bike. Anybody bought a bike through the US military sales program and had it sent to Thailand? Can anybody guess at what im going to pay in tarrifs if i do? i can get an 08' softail for 18 grand but getting it into Thailand is going to be a different story.

you're absolutely correct. I mis stated the 600K price. I based this upon the MSRP & the dollar/baht exchange rate. Did not take into account customs duties VAT etc.

Had considered buying one in the States during a recent visit, the prices seemed to be reasonable.

However, upon investigating the import duties and regs via the Thais customs web site discovered that the duties are 80% of (MSRP + cost of shipping to Thailand) + some incidentals effectevely doubling or tripling the price + a lot of paper work & documentation(UGH) so total cost for the model would be approximately 1.5 - 1.8 million baht. The Harley softail motorcycle I referenced in my earlier post is used with 10 K kilometers on the odometer in pristene condition (2002 I think) & 800K baht. A bargain it seemed to me.

[xbusman]

You can get new or almost new ones on the ground for 800,000 baht. New Sportsters are 500,000 baht for the 1200, less for the 883. Registration runs about another 100,000. Used registered softails can be imported for 600,000 baht in pristine condition.

Just keep looking and negotiate hard.

[mikethevigoman]

Hello again

One more thing i have to say about Harleys. They are a total dream for people that LOVE to customize their ride........ i know no other make for which so many different customizations are available. It is possible to build an entire Harley without using a single part made by Harley-Davidson.... and i've seen such, they just look great. But then again, this comes to "show bike" - as those beautiful long forks and fat rear tyres make the bike even less driveable.

I will attach a picture of mine RXZ, just today i (finally!) got the exhaust that i was looking for since very long time - and no, it's just an original Yamaha one, but from the RXZ model older than mine - in my opinion it looks better, and sure SOUNDS better. This RXZ looks nowhere near original, a few Kawasaki parts make sure of that, and a few other bolt-on parts too - it looks like some bastard between race bike, chopper and cruiser. But i drive this machine some 60 kilometers daily, about half of that thru dense traffic jams in Bangkok, the other half on relatively free roads where i can "let the pig fly". This bike is a purely practical bike - a transport method, no more. Hence those "bull bars" - they are primarily for attaching a splash guard (little bit like a scooter and not visible on this picture) to protect my legs from rain. Hence the chrome round light, courtesy of a Kawasaki Victor - with one of those HID-like bulbs in it i have a decent light on the road in front of me. Hence the box on the back (with the modified holder to stabilize it) - that's where the rain clothes go (and the small sopping). And the cute small indicators are also more a necessity - makes negotiating traffic jams so much easier, same goes for the small mirrors. The aluminium rims are there because the original steel ones were rusted thru and aluminium doesn't rust.

Plus i, too, love to fiddle with the bike and do modifications

Best regards.....

Thanh

This one pulled up alongside me yesterday,not a harley though, had no oil leaking out of the headlight !

Edited October 28, 2007 by mikethevigoman

[mikethevigoman]

My family owns the second largest Honda dealership in the world and the largest Yamaha dealership in the world. I import Jap bikes but mostly Harley for sale in Thailand and China. All of them are great bikes, do different things for different people. Having been riding and selling motorcycles for 40 years, I can tell you the new ones are light years ahead of what they were just ten years ago, all models and all brands.

Having said all that, I drive a Honda Phantom and love it. In fact, I like it better than the hundreds of motorcycles I have owned and driven for the past forty years. (except my first love, the 1942 German Army Zundapp and my just plain favorite 1973 Trident). Both those bikes were junk in motion, would kill to have either back.

But I drive a Honda Phantom every day.

1. I live in Bangkok, it gets in and out of where I need to go.

2. Its light, stops on a dime, saved my life more than once. In Thailand it helps to be able to stop quickly and nothing over 400 lbs stops quickly ever.

3. I can get parts anywhere I want, cheaply, quickly and with no hassles. Dont forget, I import motorcycles and make parts, what does that tell you about how I feel when a bike sits for months waiting for something stupid. Dont think Powerstation carries anything either, everything is ordered and takes weeks, costs a fortune, and when did you last order anything in Thailand and get it right on the first try? The only thing worse than a bike that wont start is a garage queen waiting for parts.

4. The Phantom is reasonably comfortable, moves along at adequate speeds, and seldom if ever breaks down.

5. I dont worry about it getting stolen. When I am wandering around with a million baht Harley, I worry about it constantly. Losing one would leave a big hole in my financial plan. If the Honda disappears, 80K and I have a new one, it bugs me but I dont have to obsess about it.

A Harley is like an elite card, if you can smoke the money for a toy, its as good as any other toy, better in some ways depending on what you use it for. Even I can get lucky in Pattaya with a Harley and a 1000 baht. I would be very careful upgrading someone close to me from a Phantom to a Harley. Add 100 hp and 600 lbs you just might kill the one you love. These roads are deadly enough for pedestrians on the sidewalk, be careful what you wish for.

If your friend is happy on the Phantom, my advice is dont fix it.

The phantom 2 stroke was faster than most harleys too ! can i ask where the biggest yamaha dealer in the world is ? i knew the biggest dodge dealer in calif ,he was 400lbs !

[mikethevigoman]

This is the OP.

Thanks for the replies all. Did not realize how divisive people can get when talking about JUST motorcycles. But thats the same way when folks discuss their favorite Marks of automobiles.

Anyway, took a respondents advice and visited Richco in CM today with the b/f for a trial sizing.

The classic cruiser was much too big for him. Seat was too tall and could not balance bike well

(feet did not touch ground) when stationary and seated. And seating was uncomfortable for him siting on the Harley classic cruiser reaching for handle bars. Same was true for the BMW about the seat height.

We did see a Harley softail model (forgot the model number) in the showroom that seemed perfect for him.

Started it up, and WOW! was it noisy, but this was indoors in the showroom. Expect will also be loud outdoors so I will hear him when he comes home.

Of course, the b/f's tongue was hanging out and drooling at the prospect of his riding a Harley (His dream).

Just to clear matters up I'm a HE not a She & will not ride in ANYTHING unless it has at least 2 doors & air bags, except my beloved antique Buick collection in the States ranging from 1904 to 1958.

What's next? Harley riding regalia?

"im a he, not a she " .,.that will shut (most ) of you lot up asking "can i be your boyfriend "! . You sound like a man with taste, those buicks are beautiful im sure a friend of mine in victoria canada had a wooden wheeled one, i cant remember the year, the engine was silent ,.beautiful Edited October 28, 2007 by mikethevigoman

[mikethevigoman]

Also i think you will have more chance of getting your money back on a harley than any other bike, they seem to hold there price more than any bike i know!!

Maybe in Thailand , but not in the states. It use to be that way but since they flooded the market a few years ago people are losing there arse trying to sell them. I have a buddy who has a ultra glide classic. he paid $21900.00 U.S. He added around $7000.00 of extras to it over a couple of years. He has been trying to sell it for 2 years and the best offer he has so far is $14900.00. All the used bike magazines are fill with more Harleys for sale than any other bikes. To many yuppies bought the Harleys to be cool and when the fad wore off the are selling them. Markets flooded.

I love the looks and sounds of the Harleys, but when I can buy 3 Kawaski Vulcan classics for the price of 1 Harley. To me it a no brainer. But that being said if the day ever comes when money does not mean as much I would love to by a FATBOY.

PKG

You are absolutly correct, i liken harley to mercedes, when they started to want to fill all markets and made all sorts of models overproducing the value and credibility went downhill fast, you ask the old die hard harley lot and they wouldnt have a recent model preffering older more classic models,.in the uk you lose 50 per cent of new cost on a 3 year old harley like any other bike,. gone are the days of buying a future classic in my opinion,. Edited October 28, 2007 by mikethevigoman

[mikethevigoman]

This is the OP.

Thanks for the replies all. Did not realize how divisive people can get when talking about JUST motorcycles. But thats the same way when folks discuss their favorite Marks of automobiles.

Anyway, took a respondents advice and visited Richco in CM today with the b/f for a trial sizing.

The classic cruiser was much too big for him. Seat was too tall and could not balance bike well

(feet did not touch ground) when stationary and seated. And seating was uncomfortable for him siting on the Harley classic cruiser reaching for handle bars. Same was true for the BMW about the seat height.

We did see a Harley softail model (forgot the model number) in the showroom that seemed perfect for him.

Started it up, and WOW! was it noisy, but this was indoors in the showroom. Expect will also be loud outdoors so I will hear him when he comes home.

Of course, the b/f's tongue was hanging out and drooling at the prospect of his riding a Harley (His dream).

Just to clear matters up I'm a HE not a She & will not ride in ANYTHING unless it has at least 2 doors & air bags, except my beloved antique Buick collection in the States ranging from 1904 to 1958.

What's next? Harley riding regalia?

Its funny isnt it ,all the differing opinions, but you know what, nearly all bikers will stop to help another biker that is broken down irrespective of brand,. even if that harley badass is wearing his " id rather push my harley than ride a rice burner " t shirt lol Edited October 28, 2007 by mikethevigoman

[mikethevigoman]

A few years ago bought my b/f a Honda Phantom (which he loves) for about 86,000 B.

Am thinking of upgrading him to a Harley Davidson model FLHTC Electra Glide classic (as a birthday present) cost about 627,000 B according to Harley dealership in Bangkok.

Is there a BIG difference between the Harley and Phantom other than the "mystique" and status of driving a Harley? Is the Harley worth it??

I know nothing about motor cycles other than I'm afraid of driving or even riding on them.

Anyone knowledgeable & experienced with Harleys out there that would like to comment about this upgrade??

Why did i not find you before your boyfriend??

its 2 boys Edited October 28, 2007 by mikethevigoman

[mikethevigoman]

A few years ago bought my b/f a Honda Phantom (which he loves) for about 86,000 B.

Am thinking of upgrading him to a Harley Davidson model FLHTC Electra Glide classic (as a birthday present) cost about 627,000 B according to Harley dealership in Bangkok.

Is there a BIG difference between the Harley and Phantom other than the "mystique" and status of driving a Harley? Is the Harley worth it??

I know nothing about motor cycles other than I'm afraid of driving or even riding on them.

Anyone knowledgeable & experienced with Harleys out there that would like to comment about this upgrade??

Can i offer a serous alternative, find a new or nearly new 400 honda steed or similar, very low centre of gravity and totaly reliable, .you can always de badge it if you dont want anyone knowing what it is !

[mikethevigoman]

A few years ago bought my b/f a Honda Phantom (which he loves) for about 86,000 B.

Am thinking of upgrading him to a Harley Davidson model FLHTC Electra Glide classic (as a birthday present) cost about 627,000 B according to Harley dealership in Bangkok.

Is there a BIG difference between the Harley and Phantom other than the "mystique" and status of driving a Harley? Is the Harley worth it??

I know nothing about motor cycles other than I'm afraid of driving or even riding on them.

Anyone knowledgeable & experienced with Harleys out there that would like to comment about this upgrade??

All this talk of motorcycles,. seeing as you are a very kind gentleman here is a toy for you !

[cm-happy]

A few years ago bought my b/f a Honda Phantom (which he loves) for about 86,000 B.

Am thinking of upgrading him to a Harley Davidson model FLHTC Electra Glide classic (as a birthday present) cost about 627,000 B according to Harley dealership in Bangkok.

Is there a BIG difference between the Harley and Phantom other than the "mystique" and status of driving a Harley? Is the Harley worth it??

I know nothing about motor cycles other than I'm afraid of driving or even riding on them.

Anyone knowledgeable & experienced with Harleys out there that would like to comment about this upgrade??

All this talk of motorcycles,. seeing as you are a very kind gentleman here is a toy for you !

Thanks for sharing. The Buick is beautiful, but then I'm slightly biased. Looks like either a 1924 or 1925 model 24 sport touring. thanks again for the pic. Did some quick research on the car. 7,224 were manufactured,finished in cobalt blue with black fender (So car is correct), cost $1,565 new and weighs 3,645 pounds. sorry if I bore you, but cannot help myself when it comes to Buicks.

Edited October 28, 2007 by cm-happy

[mikethevigoman]

A few years ago bought my b/f a Honda Phantom (which he loves) for about 86,000 B.

Am thinking of upgrading him to a Harley Davidson model FLHTC Electra Glide classic (as a birthday present) cost about 627,000 B according to Harley dealership in Bangkok.

Is there a BIG difference between the Harley and Phantom other than the "mystique" and status of driving a Harley? Is the Harley worth it??

I know nothing about motor cycles other than I'm afraid of driving or even riding on them.

Anyone knowledgeable & experienced with Harleys out there that would like to comment about this upgrade??

All this talk of motorcycles,. seeing as you are a very kind gentleman here is a toy for you !

Thanks for sharing. The Buick is beautiful, but then I'm slightly biased. Looks like either a 1924 or 1925 model 24 sport touring. thanks again for the pic. Did some quick research on the car. 7,224 were manufactured,finished in cobalt blue with black fender (So car is correct), cost $1,565 new and weighs 3,645 pounds. sorry if I bore you, but cannot help myself when it comes to Buicks.

While they are not looking heres another, ill let you add the year etc, Edited October 28, 2007 by mikethevigoman

[cm-happy]

While they are not looking heres another, ill let you add the year etc,

Happy to oblige. The red one is a 1934 series 50. 1,748 built for export only. Style popular in Europe, but not in US because of wire wheels. is similar to 1935 convertible Phaeton which cost $2,145 & weighed 4.661 lbs. I'd rather have a Buick than a Harley LOL

[dave_boo]

My family owns the second largest Honda dealership in the world and the largest Yamaha dealership in the world. I import Jap bikes but mostly Harley for sale in Thailand and China. All of them are great bikes, do different things for different people. Having been riding and selling motorcycles for 40 years, I can tell you the new ones are light years ahead of what they were just ten years ago, all models and all brands.

Having said all that, I drive a Honda Phantom and love it. In fact, I like it better than the hundreds of motorcycles I have owned and driven for the past forty years. (except my first love, the 1942 German Army Zundapp and my just plain favorite 1973 Trident). Both those bikes were junk in motion, would kill to have either back.

But I drive a Honda Phantom every day.

1. I live in Bangkok, it gets in and out of where I need to go.

2. Its light, stops on a dime, saved my life more than once. In Thailand it helps to be able to stop quickly and nothing over 400 lbs stops quickly ever.

3. I can get parts anywhere I want, cheaply, quickly and with no hassles. Dont forget, I import motorcycles and make parts, what does that tell you about how I feel when a bike sits for months waiting for something stupid. Dont think Powerstation carries anything either, everything is ordered and takes weeks, costs a fortune, and when did you last order anything in Thailand and get it right on the first try? The only thing worse than a bike that wont start is a garage queen waiting for parts.

4. The Phantom is reasonably comfortable, moves along at adequate speeds, and seldom if ever breaks down.

5. I dont worry about it getting stolen. When I am wandering around with a million baht Harley, I worry about it constantly. Losing one would leave a big hole in my financial plan. If the Honda disappears, 80K and I have a new one, it bugs me but I dont have to obsess about it.

A Harley is like an elite card, if you can smoke the money for a toy, its as good as any other toy, better in some ways depending on what you use it for. Even I can get lucky in Pattaya with a Harley and a 1000 baht. I would be very careful upgrading someone close to me from a Phantom to a Harley. Add 100 hp and 600 lbs you just might kill the one you love. These roads are deadly enough for pedestrians on the sidewalk, be careful what you wish for.

If your friend is happy on the Phantom, my advice is dont fix it.

The phantom 2 stroke was faster than most harleys too ! can i ask where the biggest yamaha dealer in the world is ? i knew the biggest dodge dealer in calif ,he was 400lbs !

There's enough of this "Oh my RSX or 2 stroke Phantom is faster" than a Harley nonsense going on. If y'all hadn't figured it out by now, they're in seperate leagues. I would love to see the bikes mentioned in this thread be cruising alongside a Harley at 100+ KM/h and not have to drop a gear or two for a passing manuever where the Harley's much superior torque would allow the rider to simply dial on more speed with no other actions required.

**note**

I'm not a Harley fan per se (other than it being a piece of Americana), but the detractors in this thread are including a lot of ignorance along with valid points. I will accept donations to help me import one of the new Buell 1125s models though!

[mikethevigoman]

My family owns the second largest Honda dealership in the world and the largest Yamaha dealership in the world. I import Jap bikes but mostly Harley for sale in Thailand and China. All of them are great bikes, do different things for different people. Having been riding and selling motorcycles for 40 years, I can tell you the new ones are light years ahead of what they were just ten years ago, all models and all brands.

Having said all that, I drive a Honda Phantom and love it. In fact, I like it better than the hundreds of motorcycles I have owned and driven for the past forty years. (except my first love, the 1942 German Army Zundapp and my just plain favorite 1973 Trident). Both those bikes were junk in motion, would kill to have either back.

But I drive a Honda Phantom every day.

1. I live in Bangkok, it gets in and out of where I need to go.

2. Its light, stops on a dime, saved my life more than once. In Thailand it helps to be able to stop quickly and nothing over 400 lbs stops quickly ever.

3. I can get parts anywhere I want, cheaply, quickly and with no hassles. Dont forget, I import motorcycles and make parts, what does that tell you about how I feel when a bike sits for months waiting for something stupid. Dont think Powerstation carries anything either, everything is ordered and takes weeks, costs a fortune, and when did you last order anything in Thailand and get it right on the first try? The only thing worse than a bike that wont start is a garage queen waiting for parts.

4. The Phantom is reasonably comfortable, moves along at adequate speeds, and seldom if ever breaks down.

5. I dont worry about it getting stolen. When I am wandering around with a million baht Harley, I worry about it constantly. Losing one would leave a big hole in my financial plan. If the Honda disappears, 80K and I have a new one, it bugs me but I dont have to obsess about it.

A Harley is like an elite card, if you can smoke the money for a toy, its as good as any other toy, better in some ways depending on what you use it for. Even I can get lucky in Pattaya with a Harley and a 1000 baht. I would be very careful upgrading someone close to me from a Phantom to a Harley. Add 100 hp and 600 lbs you just might kill the one you love. These roads are deadly enough for pedestrians on the sidewalk, be careful what you wish for.

If your friend is happy on the Phantom, my advice is dont fix it.

The phantom 2 stroke was faster than most harleys too ! can i ask where the biggest yamaha dealer in the world is ? i knew the biggest dodge dealer in calif ,he was 400lbs !

There's enough of this "Oh my RSX or 2 stroke Phantom is faster" than a Harley nonsense going on. If y'all hadn't figured it out by now, they're in seperate leagues. I would love to see the bikes mentioned in this thread be cruising alongside a Harley at 100+ KM/h and not have to drop a gear or two for a passing manuever where the Harley's much superior torque would allow the rider to simply dial on more speed with no other actions required.

**note**

I'm not a Harley fan per se (other than it being a piece of Americana), but the detractors in this thread are including a lot of ignorance along with valid points. I will accept donations to help me import one of the new Buell 1125s models though!

Can we compare them with tractors then ( harley ferguson has a nice ring to it ). come on, im sure you know what we are really on about, 80 cubic inches and 80 mph and all that,. its a 40 year old/designed new bike, if its accepted as that then fine, .if, and i stress if, i had to have one it would be the buell, it does handle ,of sorts, i took one around donnington, wasnt bad but some tw@t on an aprilia 250 lapped me, !

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

Buell puts the Harley engines at least in decent frames. And the "torque" thing i will NEVER deny - of course, excess of a liter displacement (or even 900 cc as in the small Sportster) in only two cylinders - of course you don't need to shift down to get from 90 KM/h to 100 KM/h with one. While i don't need to shift down on mine RXZ either! But.... IF i shift down (and not one but TWO gears at, say, 110 KM/h) i do a "rocket" - there is no Harley that would be able to follow me right then, not even if it happens to have NOS installed.

Of course one should not compare a 135cc japanese two-stroke with a 1.200+cc american four-stroke. Unless, of course, the one doing the comparing is an unbiased person who sees anything with wheels and engine as a means of transport and tries to figure out which is suitable for the given job. Or would you use a 40 ton tractor-trailer truck to deliver a single bottle of Pepsi? Of course it is the superior "cargo hauler".... you see where i am coming from?

And yeah, to that "torque" thing again. Harleys need that much torque just to get themselves moving, at a weight roughly two-three times that of other motorbikes. While this can be a positive thing (crashing one into a smaller car may give you better survival chances than anyone in that car) it certainly has it's downsides too - ever tried to stop such a heavy bike in an emergency?

Best regards.....

Thanh

By the way, i love those Buick's too - but again i wouldn't get one, even if i could afford it, because it would be too impractical to drive. And for me, a wheeled, engined, vehicle MUST drive. My favourite car would be a 1958 Plymouth convertible.... i could imagine pulling that into the parking lot at my office

Edited October 28, 2007 by Thanh-BKK