A Harley Fat Boy for me.

I ride a Harley Road King Standard FLHRC

Wife started riding 2yrs ago - rides a Yamaha Sivarado 1100cc

We love multi-day touring

my father says that he wants a Yamaha, but he's always bad mouthing Harleys(so are his friends), why such the bad rep?

Because at one time many years ago, Harley Davidson was owned by AMF, and the quality of the motorcycles was poor. I'm sure that is what he remembers.

Not true today however, so your dad needs to rethink. But, Yamaha's are nice bikes. If that's his choice, it's a good one.

Just sold the Harley, and bought a BMW K 1200 GT.

Edit:

BMW K1200GT - webBikeWorld

Hi bikers i am also a biker and also the owner of Indian 2 wheeler bikers community / club : xKmph.com

I would love to have a Harley, but they cost as much as my grandfather paid for his house

So, I ride a Yamaha V-Star instead. But now days, it's pretty much just a toy. Arthritis in my ankles makes any long rides or very much city riding a chore.

But, it's lots of fun to take up through the national park, or just around the county to unwind and get some "air time".

I've ridden Harley Davidson motorcycles for years, but after spending last weekend on the BMW, I wonder why I didn't take the plunge years ago. There's a lot of cool options to a Harley, unless you can't get past the macho image thing.

I ran into a guy at a gas station last Sunday, who was riding a new Triumph. Sweet looking bike.

And of course, the "air time" is what it's all about.

I am looking for a cheap used motorcycle. I plan to look at a 2004 Suzuki SV650 today. Anyone ridden/owned one of these? Any other input?

I had to refresh my memory on it, this is what I read:

The Suzuki SV650 & SV650S v-twin sports motorcycle

Sounds like a nice bike. My suggestion would be, if you can, to take it to a bike shop or dealer and have them give it a quick once over. Won't take more than 10 minutes, and it may cost you $10 or so, or maybe even free.

Unless you know for sure, the bike could have been abused. It's a bike riders would refer to as a "mini" crotch rocket.

Please get yourself a helmet, and a pair of light driving gloves, and wear boots with long pants. I just had another friend killed on his Harley two weeks ago, when some soccer mom on a cell phone pulled out in front of him in her mini-van. He turned his bike on it's side to avoid the collision, but slid head first into the curb, killing him instantly.

Good luck, and be careful. As we say, always ride to live another day...

Man, I'm sorry, I read right past your post. Just saw it today. Nice website, I just bookmarked it, and will look at it in detail when I have a chance.

Did I read correctly that you own an Indian? What model?

Welcome to the forums.

Thanks for the info. Not sure now if I am getting a bike now though. I have known a few people who have passed away recently, one who was very close to me. None were related to bikes but I have known people in the past who were seriously injured and killed on street bikes. I think that I am going to give it some time before making a purchase.

Honda Goldwing for me ... not that I have anything against Harley, admire them actually. Bought my first .. an '85 with low miles and subsequently did a 25,000 mile venturous road trip around the US, spending six months to do it. Wow, what a trip! And all in total comfort ...

Saddlebags loaded, tent and pack in the passenger's seat and just a hand full of cash ... and enjoyed every minute of the ride up the east coast to New England, across on Route 2 to Washington state, down the west coast to San Diego before returning for a couple of months in Oregon around the Grant's Pass area.

And I'll do it someday ... on another, newer Goldwing ...

I hope you do. That sounds like a great ride. I have a friend, that rides a Harley soft tail day-to-day, but also owns a Gold Wing for long rides. Nice bikes.

He and his wife are both college professors, so their summers are pretty free. They've been coast to coast several times.

There is no doubt that riding can be dangerous. There are inherent risks in anything we do. The best report on motorcycle accidents is the Hurt report which stated something like 86% of motorcycle fatalities/accidents happen to riders who were never formally trained or learned from family/friends. In a nutshell it points out that preparation and training are key. Before you get on a bike, take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation basic rider course. It really helps to get you off on the right foot. Always dress for the crash, not the ride. Full face helmets, leather gloves, jackets with armor in the right places and armored riding pants or pants that will not wear through (heavy denim as a MINIMUM). You would be surprised how many people ride with no helmets, tank tops, shorts and flip-flops. Also, continual practice is important. Skills that are honed are reliable in an emergency.

I have a Ninja 650r that I got this year. It is similar to the Suzuki SV-650. Good usable power but not too overwhelming. Both bikes can do just about anything.

Life doesn't come with any guarantee...I had several friends die a 6 years ago by just going to work one September day. Enjoy what time you have to the fullest. You never know how much you have left.

^,

Sound advice. Welcome to the forums.

My wife and I have four motorcycles, two solo, and two I have fitted sidecars to.
BMW K75S with a Squire sidecar. The sidecar was purchased cheap in a near scrap condition which I rebuilt.
We use this for long distance rallies and going to Europe.
Honda CX500 Custom with Velorex sidecar. An ideal tool for the cart tracks that are laughingly call roads in the area.
A Yamaha Radian 600, which is my solo, (a suprisingly quick bike to 60mph.
My wife's solo is a Honda Nighthawk, the 654cc DOHC model.
(We are both insured to ride a friends Harley Davidson 1200 Sportster but we are always reluctant to do so because it is such a heap of unreliable falling to bits scrap.
I would not ride it 20 miles for a bet.)

Never had any urge to own one. Too dangerous. No matter how much the rider knows what they are doing, there isn't enough between you and the old lady should have been off the road 10 years ago.

Organ donors is what we call them. Crazy what people do just to look cool. I used to own a bike, 650 Maxim. What a piece of junk but I had a howl on it. Loved to go anywhere and everywhere I could. On a trip of about 100 kms I'd use more oil than gas!!!! But it was a great 1st bike to have 'cause it didn't matter if I laid it down (which I did more than once). Love to get another but my hubbie doesn't like them much and I'm getting a little old to go gallivanting around the countryside.

ps. If anybody has never ridden, the first time you go on the highway is the best. Open it up to a slightly higher than comfortable speed (NOT 100 mph!) and let the feeling of flight sink in. You only get that feeling once in your lifetime. Awesome! That alone makes me miss it even more.

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