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Thread: Best handling Harley-Davidson?

  1. #106
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    21st December 2005 - 23:41
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    ZZR1100s were amazing when they came out, first bike to do 0-100mph in under 5sec. Still a lot of bike today. I'd have one.

    www.PhotoRecall.co.nz

  2. #107
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    10th August 2008 - 18:24
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    My heritage has progressive springs with metzlers 880 marathons handles awesome

  3. #108
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    15th October 2008 - 07:28
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    my fxdf

    handles ok better now with a set of metzlers 880 marathons on

  4. #109
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    2nd February 2008 - 15:59
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    Quote Originally Posted by BIG DOUG View Post
    93 zzr1100 HA HA HA HA LOSER
    Sorry Doug, My apologies.. I forgot, only REAL MEN can ride hardley's........
    If the road to hell is paved with good intentions; and a man is judged by his deeds and his actions, why say it's the thought that counts? -GrayWolf

  5. #110
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    9th May 2008 - 21:23
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrayWolf View Post
    Best handling HD?
    now THERE's an oxymoron
    My thoughts exactly. Right up there with military intelligence....

  6. #111
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    3rd January 2005 - 11:00
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    Quote Originally Posted by caspernz View Post
    My thoughts exactly.

    Well goes to show doesn't it. For the last 5 years or so they have typically handled and stopped on par with similar Japanese or European 'counterparts'. In some cases better.
    But what would I know - I've only ridden them.

  7. #112
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    2nd February 2008 - 15:59
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Dave View Post
    Well goes to show doesn't it. For the last 5 years or so they have typically handled and stopped on par with similar Japanese or European 'counterparts'. In some cases better.
    But what would I know - I've only ridden them.
    There's the point Dave, I've also ridden them from the 1970's onwards.... from the 1000cc iron head sporty through the 80's when the evo motor appeared and into the early 2000's. I had friends with HD's so had ample opportunity to ride them and with them. They until recently as you point out (5yrs) DIDN'T handle, DIDN'T have good brakes and DIDN'T perform... hence why so many have S&S/delkron cases etc performance parts on them.
    My last big cruiser was a VN1500c (4 speed model (BUBF.. butt ugly but fast... for a cruiser). My first venture into V twins was with a Virago 1100 in the mid 80's.. and mate there wasnt a HD that could touch it out of the box even the 1200 & 1100cc sporty Evo... which WAS made! The VN was also quicker than any stock HD I came across at the time... (have to admit the handling sucked though )
    I puchased a Guzzi 1100cc California in 1995,,, out braked, out ran, outhandled any HD of the time for 2/3 of the price... THATS why they have such a poor reputation for handling/performance/reliability.. because you paid a premium price for a bike that most then spent several K's on getting to do what it should from the factory. Before you say it, I KNOW Guzzi do/did not have a high reputation for reliability either!
    IF a HD could give me the reliability and capability of the distances I require in a year? (20k+) Maybe one day I will look at buying one, but they don't.
    I KNOW I can get on my 'jappa' with the oil etc checked and ride it at 100mph all day without any fear of it breaking... YES I have done that, I lived (born) in England and worked 4on 4off shifts rotating day/night.. so group blasts from London to Spain/Italy for a weekend were frequent.
    I may not ride that hard these days.. The bike is capable of that day in day out though.
    I am considering returning to riding a big twin again, I can afford to buy a HD if I want,, (Ive owned from new a BMW, 2x Guzzi's, the XV1100, Kwaka ZL100) .. and no a HD is not on the shopping list this time either, even if they were/are as relaible.. In 3-4 yrs time with 60 -100,000 km's on the clock your s/hand premium value? Will be nada!
    So I am better off buying a low K's jap import or similar (like my current ZZR), and riding it for 3 yrs then getting some return in comparison for the low initial outlay.

    Admission..... I will accept having followed an XR1200 sporty and an MT-01 from Greymouth to C/ch 18months ago.. the XR does go very nicely.
    (But it isnt your standard? 1200 sporty).
    If the road to hell is paved with good intentions; and a man is judged by his deeds and his actions, why say it's the thought that counts? -GrayWolf

  8. #113
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    24th April 2009 - 22:28
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    You are kidding me,my 99 dyna has done 180000kms the only thing that has stopped me was a broken coil wire yeah there pretty unreliable and on my xr1200 I have just clicked over 47000k's and all I do is change the oil and filter and fill with fuel another unreliable hd and for you info the sporty chassis is the same as the xr's and as for when I sell any of my hd's I'm damm sure I won't lose as much money as ANY japanese bike new or used.

  9. #114
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    2nd February 2008 - 15:59
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    Quote Originally Posted by BIG DOUG View Post
    You are kidding me,my 99 dyna has done 180000kms the only thing that has stopped me was a broken coil wire yeah there pretty unreliable and on my xr1200 I have just clicked over 47000k's and all I do is change the oil and filter and fill with fuel another unreliable hd and for you info the sporty chassis is the same as the xr's and as for when I sell any of my hd's I'm damm sure I won't lose as much money as ANY japanese bike new or used.
    Wow and that was all without punctuation!

    Yes I know the XR and sporty share the same frame, but the XR has the extra 'punch' in the motor dept.. and as I said, I was 'impresssed with its performance' both handling and power over the pass.
    Well I would reckon from the state worldwide, and 25% reduction of sales in the USA that the S/hand and retail HD high price bubble is about to be burst, but I could be wrong. Interesting though, that even in the USA, it seems it is middle aged riders not the 'matt black n well 'ard brigade' that are buying the bikes.
    gotta love the 'bad boy' image, eh?

    Sales
    "Harley-Davidson has said it wants international sales to make up 40 percent of its total sales volume by 2014, up from about one-third today. (...) The company said retail sales of its heavyweight motorcycles fell more than 18 percent worldwide in the first quarter, with sales in the U.S. falling by nearly one-fourth. International sales fell 2.8 percent."[12]

    I had heard that some dealers in the UK are now 'containering' HD's to England like Jap imports are done here; as they can pick up S/h HD's so cheaply in the US... Reading into the above statement, HD are hoping the sales overseas will be the saviour, as they obviously feel that the US has reached 'flood' proportions for their product.

    Form 10-Q for HARLEY DAVIDSON INC 6-May-2010 Quarterly Report

    "Worldwide independent dealer retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles decreased 18.2% during the first quarter of 2010 compared to the first quarter of 2009. Retail sales results continue to be impacted on a global basis by difficult economic conditions. Retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles decreased 24.3% in the United States and 2.8% internationally in the quarter."

    the links that info is lifted from

    http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/C...9&history=news

    http://knol.google.com/k/harley-davi...-and-revenues#
    If the road to hell is paved with good intentions; and a man is judged by his deeds and his actions, why say it's the thought that counts? -GrayWolf

  10. #115
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    30th July 2008 - 18:56
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    Well I am another Harley rider with a high milage bike, I have done almost 100,000km from new on my 05 Road King and so far its been 100%.

    I love the funny old thing and the only question for me is, what colour will the new Harley be? Saying that I do like the looks of the Indian Bomber.

    About the thing the jap bike industry could do to get me to buy one of their road bikes is to make it out of asbestos.
    Just another leather clad Tinkerbell.
    The Wanker on the Fucking Harley is going for a ride!

  11. #116
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    9th May 2008 - 21:23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Dave View Post
    Well goes to show doesn't it. For the last 5 years or so they have typically handled and stopped on par with similar Japanese or European 'counterparts'. In some cases better.
    But what would I know - I've only ridden them.
    Fair enough, not knocking the durability or popularity of the HD brand, just when I've gone for a spin on anything from the HD stable in recent times it simply isn't nimble or sporty enough for my liking.
    Perhaps in years to come I can see myself owning something branded HD or its counterparts from Europe or Japan.

  12. #117
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    30th June 2006 - 17:30
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    well im hanging out for the new year so i can shoot over the hill and take a sportster iron for a test ride, rode a yamy xvs recently and it ground the boards real easy, taking a boulavard out in a week or so, hoping for a little more corner clearance in the iron.

    Harley are offering 2yr unlimited km warranties with free pickup anywhere in NZ, with only a handful of stores its a long way to go 24/7 for a breakdown so i guess they are backing the product.

    Of course im coming from sports bikes so you never know, i may not be able to cope with the lack of lean.

  13. #118
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    4th October 2008 - 16:35
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    so you guys saying one of these doesnt qualify as a good handlingharley?

    Click image for larger version. 

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  14. #119
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    29th August 2010 - 09:26
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    In the end, it's irrelevant what anyone else thinks about the handling, reliability etc.. I test rode over 15 non-Harley bikes before I ended up with a Nightster - and the reason for choosing it? I thoroughly loved the ride, from the first test ride to every subsequent ride. Sure the handling does not compare to a Ducati - but it's all about the experience, and it differs from person to person. ...and no-one does customisation like Harley, the changes you can make to your bike are endless. A truly personal experience

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  15. #120
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    26th February 2007 - 23:15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Freespaceage View Post
    no-one does customisation like Harley, the changes you can make to your bike are endless.Click image for larger version. 

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    Well thats just not true. Only 4 of these in this contact sheet have Harley engines. And one other a push rod Vtwin

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    And close ups of some of them plus other bikes -

    Kawasaki
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    Triumph
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    Suzuki
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    Suzuki Again
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    Triumph Again
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    All NZ bikes. Have more, but forum wouldn't let me attach more.
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