Topic: Demo day-test rides

[brooze72]

So my cruiser buddy invited me along to to the local H-D demo day this Saturday & since there's nothin else going on I said sure.  Now I ride mostly vintage, tried out a new 650 Ninja once (didn't stir the pot) & a 10 year old Ducati ST4 last year (that WAS fun) but those are the newest things I've ever ridden.  Don't  have a burning interest in cruisers & know squat about H-D, so my question is, what would you recommend to demo if the opportunity was there?

[Cheffish]

Xr1200 sportster. Ugly but probably fun to ride. V rod if theyll let you. So heavy though! My buddy has one and I could hardly back it out of a parking spot.

[Danno]

sportster is a rattle trap I would demo a fatboy

[pknopp]

 Local Harley dealer had one of these last year. I started to go over and then realized I had nothing with fringe on it so I didn't go.

[hoodellyhoo]

I've been to two at my local dealer. They do it twice a year in the spring and fall. Once they just demo their rental bikes (mostly touring models) but the other time they bring in the truck with all the current models. the ride they take us on is guided and nothing but a simple loop but it lasts about 20min. I rode the XR and it was fun but the steering was...different. I think I just needed to get used to it. The 48 was fun to look at but horrible to ride (just about a hardtail rearend, not ground clearance). I really liked the road king a lot. Sorta went down the road like a nice cadillac without the extra size of the ultra classics. Plus it doesn't have your feet streched way our in front of you (which I hate). Obviously, aside from the XR, none of them are going to be corner carvers, but bikes like that certainly have their place. I find them quite relaxing to ride.

And if you're looking for a reason to go, think of it like I did: You're getting to ride someone else's bikes and burn their gas for free

[brooze72]

Well, you were on the money, hoodellyhoo, a little loop & quick 1 exit blast up the highway.  So my ride update is as follows, tried the 48, like you did, I was not very impressed, lots of vibration, what suspension?  Then got the Blackline & it's a totally different animal, kinda fun, gobs of power but a pretty strange riding position for an SOHC4er.  Also handling is different with that front wheel way out there, slow speed cornering is an adventure!
Anyways, always a good day when you can ride, & a bonus trying out something different.

[kpier883]

Back in 80 something they did one of these demo ride things and I rode an 883 and maybe a 1200 of some sort.  But they turned my brother and I loose with two bikes and no supervision. 

Harley was coming out of the AMF years and really on the ropes.  Reagan put the tariff on imported bikes above 700 cc about that time to give them some help.  Anyway, the bikes weren't very exciting to a 25 year old and I got back on my KZ1000 and rode away happy with what I had while fat guys said things like "whats that sound?  Ohhh   its a    m o t o r c y c l e."

Harley has come a long way since then.  I believe they actually asked the gov't to lift the tariff a year or so earlier than it was originally planned to be lifted.  They had gotten their house in order.  On thing that helped them at the time was that they were selling the sportster 883 for maybe $2500 bucks and would gaurantee you $2500 trade in credit within two or three years if you came back and traded up. 

I have some friends who ride Harleys and occasionally we will swap bikes for a bit.  Otherwise, I'd do a test ride myself if the local dealer had one.

I think the bikes are much better now than in the 80's.  They are reliable but if you have the service work done at the dealership it is costly.  They also get pretty good mpg for their size.  For touring they are a good setup.

To each his own.