Topic: Reign of the V-twins

[Terry in Australia]

Ha ha, the pub survived the fires Brian, that's another good reason for storing Cal's bikes next to it! Cheers, Terry.

[calj737]

Yeah, Bear, don't go starting problems after I've packed the container and arranged for shipping!  I don't need to start second-guessing Terry's motives

[bear]

I'll get back in my box then.

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah, Bear, don't go starting problems after I've packed the container and arranged for shipping!  I don't need to start second-guessing Terry's motives

My only motive is your well being Cal, pay no attention to Brian, he thinks I just want to ride your bikes, the callous bastard!

[calj737]

That insidious though had crossed my mind after he piped in. Thanks for settling that, Terry. By the by, shipper will be picking up Tuesday. They should be to you no later than the second Thursday of next week. 

[Terry in Australia]

Woohoo! I'll set my tent up besides my mailbox in anticipation Cal, the temps here are close to freezing overnight, but I'm prepared to risk an icy death to look after your pride and joy!

[calj737]

Woohoo! I'll set my tent up besides my mailbox in anticipation Cal, the temps here are close to freezing overnight, but I'm prepared to risk an icy death to look after your bevy of bikes pride and joy!

I wouldn't send just one, Terry

[Ravie]

we all like different things, and I'm constantly surprised by the Harley haters out there, most of whom don't know much about them.

It isn't the bike that draws the haters, it's the people on them.  In general I think you're right in that very few people know much about Harley motorcycles, but I think that partly stems from the image that a percentage of the riders project.  An image which repels many people, myself included.  Is it a majority of the riders who adopt the bad-boy image?  Possibly, although the worst offenders are definitely in a minority.  Plenty of people complain about the bikes, but ultimately I think that's just proxy for the riders themselves.  Again - the bad apples spoiling the barrel.

I may be showing my own prejudice, but you won't find do-rags, get back whips, "loud pipes save lives", coal scuttle helmets, etc on Concours or Moto Guzzi riders.  So again, I don't think it's the bike, it's the image - an image which Harley has worked very hard to maintain and encourage.  An image which other manufacturers have tried to embrace for their own line - even Triumph and their Rocket line.

In the very end, Harley certainly isn't unique in creating an image for themselves, but unlike pretty much all the other manufacturers - its the only image they have.  At least Honda can appeal to the sport bike riders, cruisers, baggers, city riders, motorcross riders, etc..

I know this thread has gone on a bit since this post but....  This. I agree with this from my Topeka perspective. I played a biker bar the other day...typical imagery on leather and vests and every bike in the entire lot was a Harley except for a giant three wheeler with a 350 V8 in it. Not one feckin helmet, either.

Sure, there are other riders on the road. Lots of fat old Goldwing riders here, and plenty of young guys trying to be cool on their crotch rockets...

The most annoying by far IMO are the Harley guys. They think they belong to some elite club of bikers that are better than all the rest and that nothing touches a Harley because they're Soooo Cooooool. It's rubbish.

I've just never been a Harley guy. Some cool builds have been done (ahem Roland Sands) and I can appreciate those from an art perspective but...  yeah. Beyond that I don't care. In fact, I really wasn't much of a bike guy at all until Honda CB's came into my life in the form of Cafe bikes.

I'll just take my Honda and my Corvair and go....  lol

[calj737]

I'll just take my Honda and my Corvair and go....  lol

I just hope you wear a helmet while you drive your Corvair, and sport a leather seat on your CB while patting yourself on the back, Tough Guy! 

[Ravie]

teehee. I'll be wearing a helmet when I autocross the Corvair in September at Iowa International Raceway.

[Terry in Australia]

The most annoying by far IMO are the Harley guys. They think they belong to some elite club of bikers that are better than all the rest and that nothing touches a Harley because they're Soooo Cooooool. It's rubbish.

I'll just take my Honda and my Corvair and go....  lol

So is it fair to say that some of the Harley haters out there might be a little miffed because they're not part of this "Exclusive Club"? Cafe Racers and Corvairs eh? What was the title of Raph Nader's book? "Unsafe at any Speed"................

[eigenvector]

I think his other book was 'Unelectable at any age'   But now we're getting into politics - naughty, no cookie for me!

[Terry in Australia]

No mate, don't mention politics, guns, or God here, unless you wanna face the wrath of Bob Wessner, ha ha! (sorry Bob, I'll be good)

I actually like the old Corvairs, but I can understand what Ralph was on about, they weren't the best car to roll off the production line, here's a clip from Top Gear USA's "Most Dangerous Cars" episode, which highlights some real handling issues...........

[72 yellow]

A high school friend had a 1960 Corvair 4 door.  We used to take it out in the fields while hunting.  Had no problems with it.  Didn't drive like a idiot with it either.

[eigenvector]

No mate, don't mention politics, guns, or God here, unless you wanna face the wrath of Bob Wessner, ha ha! (sorry Bob, I'll be good)

I actually like the old Corvairs, but I can understand what Ralph was on about, they weren't the best car to roll off the production line, here's a clip from Top Gear USA's "Most Dangerous Cars" episode, which highlights some real handling issues...........

If I were to rate a 'most dangerous car' it would be something from the early 60's.  My buddy has an old 60's Chrysler 300 (I believe) in his garage and that beast weighs in at wayyy too much and has 4 drum brakes to boot.

[bear]

we all like different things, and I'm constantly surprised by the Harley haters out there, most of whom don't know much about them.
[/quote

The most annoying by far IMO are the Harley guys. They think they belong to some elite club of bikers that are better than all the rest and that nothing touches a Harley because they're Soooo Cooooool. It's rubbish.

Well I went out in 1994 and bought a shiny new Road King and I can't say I felt any "Cooooooler", but who knows maybe I was and I just didn't notice.

The primary motivation for the purchase was the lovely Evelyn my wife.
We where in the market for a big comply tourer and Ev liked Harleys.
The salesman told us that you could fit a slab of beer and a bag of ice in each pannier so that clinched the deal for me.

We clocked up 175000 trouble free kilometers on the old girl and it's been sitting in the shed with a tarp over it since 2010.

Cheers,
Brian

[Terry in Australia]

we all like different things, and I'm constantly surprised by the Harley haters out there, most of whom don't know much about them.
[/quote

The most annoying by far IMO are the Harley guys. They think they belong to some elite club of bikers that are better than all the rest and that nothing touches a Harley because they're Soooo Cooooool. It's rubbish.

Well I went out in 1994 and bought a shiny new Road King and I can't say I felt any "Cooooooler", but who knows maybe I was and I just didn't notice.

The primary motivation for the purchase was the lovely Evelyn my wife.
We where in the market for a big comply tourer and Ev liked Harleys.
The salesman told us that you could fit a slab of beer and a bag of ice in each pannier so that clinched the deal for me.

We clocked up 175000 trouble free kilometers on the old girl and it's been sitting in the shed with a tarp over it since 2010.

Cheers,
Brian

That's a great story Brian, and quite the opposite than what I usually hear about them, from folks who like to find fault with them. I think you should sell me that old Road King mate, you know I'll look after it, I've just gotta be able to tell my wife that it belongs to you and I'm just doing some work on it for you, it worked well with the XR500R that I bought from Ken, so I'll milk it until she gets wise to me, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

[bear]

Sorry Tez.
I have plans for the old girl.
I picked up a Dusting Sidecar some time back.
The plane is to bolt it up to the Roadking, steal the electronic shifter off the race bike.
Then see if I can talk the powers to be into giving me my license back.

Cheers,
Brian

[Retro Rocket]

Sorry Tez.
I have plans for the old girl.
I picked up a Dusting Sidecar some time back.
The plane is to bolt it up to the Roadking, steal the electronic shifter off the race bike.
Then see if I can talk the powers to be into giving me my license back.

Cheers,
Brian

That sounds like a great plan Brian...   Good luck big fella...

[Terry in Australia]

Sorry Tez.
I have plans for the old girl.
I picked up a Dusting Sidecar some time back.
The plane is to bolt it up to the Roadking, steal the electronic shifter off the race bike.
Then see if I can talk the powers to be into giving me my license back.

Cheers,
Brian

Sounds like a plan mate, if not a chair, a trike would be good too? But then again, I know how much you like sidecars...........

[Ravie]

No mate, don't mention politics, guns, or God here, unless you wanna face the wrath of Bob Wessner, ha ha! (sorry Bob, I'll be good)

I actually like the old Corvairs, but I can understand what Ralph was on about, they weren't the best car to roll off the production line, here's a clip from Top Gear USA's "Most Dangerous Cars" episode, which highlights some real handling issues...........

I've raced Both early and late model Corvairs several times. They're either doing on purpose or he's a complete idiot. That is literally one of the dumbest videos I have ever seen with a Corvair in it.

[seanbarney41]

No mate, don't mention politics, guns, or God here, unless you wanna face the wrath of Bob Wessner, ha ha! (sorry Bob, I'll be good)

I actually like the old Corvairs, but I can understand what Ralph was on about, they weren't the best car to roll off the production line, here's a clip from Top Gear USA's "Most Dangerous Cars" episode, which highlights some real handling issues...........

I've raced Both early and late model Corvairs several times. They're either doing on purpose or he's a complete idiot. That is literally one of the dumbest videos I have ever seen with a Corvair in it.

+1...Porsche engineers cars to have power on oversteer and create an automotive legend...Chevy trys to do the same and dumb americans that can't drive for #$%* spin out

[Ravie]

Just for fun:  Me in my late model a few years back... 

And one of my dad in his early at the same track.

[Terry in Australia]

No mate, don't mention politics, guns, or God here, unless you wanna face the wrath of Bob Wessner, ha ha! (sorry Bob, I'll be good)

I actually like the old Corvairs, but I can understand what Ralph was on about, they weren't the best car to roll off the production line, here's a clip from Top Gear USA's "Most Dangerous Cars" episode, which highlights some real handling issues...........

I've raced Both early and late model Corvairs several times. They're either doing on purpose or he's a complete idiot. That is literally one of the dumbest videos I have ever seen with a Corvair in it.

+1...Porsche engineers cars to have power on oversteer and create an automotive legend...Chevy trys to do the same and dumb americans that can't drive for #$%* spin out

Ha ha, I've seen everything now, a comparison between a Corvair and a Porsche? Just because the engine's in the same location, it's still a Corvair. A Volkswagen Beetle is about as low tech a rear wheel drive/rear engined car as you can get, but they were never reviled like the Corvair, they actually handled pretty good.   

While 1960's Porsches are worth a fortune and regarded as amongst the best handling cars of their time, Corvairs are still considered the worst car ever to roll off a showroom floor. I know we all tend to look at old cars and bikes with our rose tinted glasses, but Jesus, what a comparison! As I said, I like them, but only for their quirkiness, not their abilities............

[scottly]

No mate, don't mention politics, guns, or God here, unless you wanna face the wrath of Bob Wessner, ha ha! (sorry Bob, I'll be good)

I actually like the old Corvairs, but I can understand what Ralph was on about, they weren't the best car to roll off the production line, here's a clip from Top Gear USA's "Most Dangerous Cars" episode, which highlights some real handling issues...........

I've raced Both early and late model Corvairs several times. They're either doing on purpose or he's a complete idiot. That is literally one of the dumbest videos I have ever seen with a Corvair in it.

He did it on purpose; he locked up the parking brakes to throw it into a slide. When a rear swing-axle car, such as a pre-65 Corvair, pre-68 VW, or early Porsche (I don't know when they abandoned the swing-axle) "weight-jacks" in a turn, the result is a sudden loss of rear wheel traction, and the car "usually" spins out with no smoke or drama, although bugs were more prone to rolling over on their tops than 'Vairs. The later Corvairs had a rear suspension similar to a Corvette, and the limiting factor for hard cornering was the lack of weight on the front wheels, so lots of guys added ballast into the front "trunk". I knew one guy that used a bare small block Chevy for auto-cross.
Terry, I would feel safer in a Corvair than on a Road King:
http://www.kpho.com/clip/6511831/cbs-5-investigates-harley-motorcycles-known-for-death-wobble