Rode my first Harley today and thought it .....

Rode my VFR the 75 minutes to my normal motorcycle mechanic for a major service before next weeks Alpine ride. This my trusted VFR mechanic who even though private used to own a Gen 5 VFR and trained with Honda Australia to service them when the Gen 5 was first launched.

He is a top guy and remarks every service how much he regreted selling his VFR a few years ago at the same time pointing out any tiny new stone chip and keeps calling my VFR his next one. He has since owned a couple of different bikes like a worked z750 to commute to his workshop on but has mainly concentrated on riding his Enduro bikes until a few months back before insanty struck making him buy a new HD XR1200 at a mates rates price.

As he put my VFR on the hoist he asked me to take his XR1200 to a nearby parts shop to pick up a pre-arranged oil filter. I've never ridden a HD before so was a bit taken aback then thought what the hay. As HDs go had thought the XR1200 with its '70s flat tracker Orange Black good looks, USD forks, sports bike tires and decent brakes a good thing.





The Good bits:

Must say it was easier to ride than I thought, the turning circle made navigating the tight parking lot a breeze, the massive low down torque off idle initially supprising then fun and I thought it sounded cool accelerating especially from standing start .



The other things:

I thought people were joking calling HDs tractors, they're not...didn't take much revs to vibrate itself silly no-where near redline before hurriedly grabbing the next gear up.

While the XR was easy to ride briskly through bends it never felt nice and I mentally kept thinking " this is their sports bike ? "

Being a naked I felt like a windsock, was expected but still not geat for dispatching the distances at the speed I like.

The bar and headstock bolt looked nasty in front of me compared the VFRs fine quality and as for that stupid side stand the engineer ticking tht box should be sacked.


It wasn't a long ride so perhaps I'm not being fair and the negatives turning into endering traits over time but I'm not lying when saying how happy I was to jump on my now even crisper VFR the hour and quarter ride back home again. :biggrin:

 

I've ridden a few Harley's but have never owned one. Yes they are loud and vibrate like crazy but I would never bash someone for owning one. While the VFR is a better choice for me, the bottom line is that I've been riding motorcycles for 20+ years and riding on any two wheel vehicle always brings a smile to my face whether it is a moped, dirt-bike, or a superbike. The last Harley I rented was in Destin, Florida (Heritgage Softail) and I really enjoyed myself. I was too busy enjoying the warm weather and ocean views to worry about how loud and obnoxious the bike was.

Rollin

 

H-D had the perfect Sport Bike line, but they insisted on totally canceling Buell,, I'd call that pretty friggin dumb!

You make the call,http://www.buell.com/en_us/bikes/

 

Thanks for sharing your experience. But nope, never, no way, nada will I want anything to do with an HD

 

I been riding for 25+ years and have pretty much ridden everything under the sun. If the bike is a good functioning example, they are all fun; unless your riding in the rain during rush hour, and even then I prefer it to a cage. Harley had the perfect sport bike and they decided to snuff it out. RIP Buell

 

The closest thing I'd ridden previously was a friends Ducatis SD900 Desmo in '84, it was a few hundred miles of city and high speed back country roads, for a Vtwin it still had good torque but didn't vibrate anywhere near like this XR1200 and the vibration it did have up high was pleasent not harsh, but yes ridden with in its limitations the HD was still fun but not for me.

 

Two types of engines for the HD boys "A" engine which vibrates like hell, and that’s the one in the XR you rode and the "B" engine with counter rotating shaft for less vibs.

 

con grats John, you know your not a truly real biker till you've ridden a Harley.

the first HD i rode was a full dress road king...that scared the crap outa me! it was liike steering a battleship.

 

arent't you glad you have your vfr back?

 

Hey John, why did it take you 10 minutes longer to get home? Stop for a beer? (noises a wife makes)!

 

That particular bike is a 1200 Sportster that has the same engine as the other 1200 Sportsters. The XR tag is just a name. The XR engines are racing engines and for the most part are 750's. There are half a dozen outfits that make cosmetics to make a stock 1200 Sportster look like a flat tracker. Check out the ones that are from Mert Lawill.

Good site for looking up pix and specs on a whole shitload of HD's





Harley Davidson XRTT 750

 

Actually, many Harley's don't vibrate (all of the "B" motors and the V-Rods are smooth). However, all of the Sportsters do (XR is Sportster). Frankly, I have a Harley next to my VFR, and don't have much interest in riding the Harley anymore, but many feel just the opposite. To each their own. I second the comments on the Buell. The decision to kill Buell will ultimately be Harley's undoing.

 

Fixed that.

 

Wow a 5 year old thread dug up