A Beauty In Phuket

[davethailand]

Depends on many things IMO.

How fast do you want to go?

Do you want to race around looking like a power ranger?

Do you want to cruise around annoying people with that beautiful Harley sound?

Do you want a bike that encourages you to drive like you in the isle of man TT.

etc etc.

[thaibebop]

I never really got the buzz about Harleys either. My friend's just bought an Agusta F4, now thats a real beauty.

That's more like it. Quality!

They are both considerably lighter than standard Harleys and the top one is 108 cubic inch which is about 1900cc and is very very powerful (i've raced against it on a 2004 twin cam).

Being lighter than a standard harley is about the same as being lighter than a standard farm tractor.

Have you ever put them up against a modern sport bike?

Harley are so far behind the times it is not even funny any more. They have released a drag bike, 30K dollars for this thing with Screamin' Eagle parts all over it and the best it can do in stock form is something around 9.5 second for the 1/4 mile. This is a drag bike, utterly useless for road use.

Now, go buy one of the latest Jap sport bikes and you can hit ~9.8 (if you have the skills) for the 1/4 and still ride it home, for something like 1/2 the price.

Nignoy had it right when he said that he doesn't care about acceleration, he is riding a bike that was cutting edge when it was sold, it's a true classic. I ride a '95 Firelade.

Dude, you gotta stop comparing Harley's to sport bikes. They are two different things designed to do different things. Harley's aren't made for racing, they are show and and endurence. Travel for miles on Harley. All the riders I ever knew said that a true rider made his Hog. I watched many of them get the parts bit by bit and construct them and then to the detailing work. They are meant to look good. Like lowriders, these cars are made to take corners at 300mph in 2.3 seconds. They are made to like nice and cruise. You want fast, fine ride a rocket. But don't smash Harleys cause they don't perform like sport bike.

A man told me once "it's not how fast you get there, it's how cool you look getting there."

Dude, good argument Didn't know about the popularity of custom-built bikes.

Personally, I've always preferred 4 wheels to 2, especially when they look as good as this:

Astins are nice, that's for sure.

[thaibebop]

They are both considerably lighter than standard Harleys and the top one is 108 cubic inch which is about 1900cc and is very very powerful (i've raced against it on a 2004 twin cam).

Being lighter than a standard harley is about the same as being lighter than a standard farm tractor.

Have you ever put them up against a modern sport bike?

Harley are so far behind the times it is not even funny any more. They have released a drag bike, 30K dollars for this thing with Screamin' Eagle parts all over it and the best it can do in stock form is something around 9.5 second for the 1/4 mile. This is a drag bike, utterly useless for road use.

Now, go buy one of the latest Jap sport bikes and you can hit ~9.8 (if you have the skills) for the 1/4 and still ride it home, for something like 1/2 the price.

Nignoy had it right when he said that he doesn't care about acceleration, he is riding a bike that was cutting edge when it was sold, it's a true classic. I ride a '95 Firelade.

Dude, you gotta stop comparing Harley's to sport bikes. They are two different things designed to do different things. Harley's aren't made for racing, they are show and and endurence. Travel for miles on Harley. All the riders I ever knew said that a true rider made his Hog. I watched many of them get the parts bit by bit and construct them and then to the detailing work. They are meant to look good. Like lowriders, these cars are made to take corners at 300mph in 2.3 seconds. They are made to like nice and cruise. You want fast, fine ride a rocket. But don't smash Harleys cause they don't perform like sport bike.

A man told me once "it's not how fast you get there, it's how cool you look getting there."

Agreed , The old "Jap bikes are better than Harleys" arguement is getting really boring.

Same as comparing a Lamborgini to a Rolls.

Right two different things with two different purposes.

[thaibebop]

Dude, you gotta stop comparing Harley's to sport bikes. They are two different things designed to do different things. Harley's aren't made for racing, they are show and and endurence.

Endurance? Are you kidding? Harleys are without a doubt the most high maintanence bikes on the planet. The service intervals are pathetically short.

In Yankland the Harley is the most popular bike to make cross country trips. The even have models that have all the cars do. Well, the end point for the hog lovers I know is that you need to make cross country trips and put miles on the bike, otherwise it's a waste. People who live in Cali (anywherre in the US) will ride all the way to Sturgis each year on their prize Hog. I wouldn't want to be the dumba$$ that's trucks in their Hog there.

Travel for miles on Harley. All the riders I ever knew said that a true rider made his Hog. I watched many of them get the parts bit by bit and construct them and then to the detailing work.

Fair comment, but I want a bike that is ready to go "out-of-the-box". If I want a Meccano set I'll buy one! If I spend the money that a Harley costs I expect considerably more performance out of the huge engine than Harley sees fit to provide unless you shell out major bucks on aftermarket bits.

They are meant to look good. Like lowriders, these cars are made to take corners at 300mph in 2.3 seconds. They are made to like nice and cruise. You want fast, fine ride a rocket. But don't smash Harleys cause they don't perform like sport bike.

Why not? If you read Harley brochures they are full of guff about the performance of the bikes. It simply is not true. If Harley want to claim it then I can refute it.

And as to the point about cruising, how many Harley owners here in Phuket do you think have ever covered more than 100km or so on their bikes in a day? For their motorcycling requirements a Honda Wave 125 is more than sufficient (and a helluva lot cheaper)!

A man told me once "it's not how fast you get there, it's how cool you look getting there."

Well that is subjective, but I maintain that lumbering along on something whose design has not changed much in 50 odd years does not look cool. It looks like you are trying to buy in to a mythical "American dream, iron horse-easy rider" machismo which is utterly without logic or justification.

Ah, whatever! It's all just my opinion and I am probably wrong.

I'll back off now and wish all my 2-wheel travelling brethren fair weather and good rides, no matter what your choice of bike may be.