Them's some big bars

[Ender EnZed]

Theres a small fender (not on it in that picture).

Rear of the seat has a curve to it, with leather lacing around the edging.

Old photo, taken with an old phone.

No idea what it'll ride like, but it wasn't built to "perform". Only to "go".

Have you ridden bikes with ape hangers? What're they like compared to the same thing with lower bars?

[Macontour]

I rode a "chopperised" Harley years ago. Thought the engine was pretty good but hated everything else. Squeeze the front brake hard and all that happened was all the length in the extended forks was taken up and the front end dipped. There was better retardation from changing down a gear.

It was not a nice ride at all.

[hellokitty]

I've never ridden one. The weight puts me off. Just like fat chicks.

You must be a skinny little guy? You know, a lot of chicks like their men a bit chunkier, but may overlook the skinny part if you have personality

Maybe you should. You may like them both.

For a bloke that has only just graduated to a 600 and is scared to carry a pillion.....you have a pretty strong opinion about a type of bike you have no experience riding

I love my Harley! I love the weight of it too. My Sportster handles really well, I can throw it around corners and have a blast on it. If I want to ride a scary fast bike I will ride Mr Hellokitty's TL1000R - but the height puts me off....

edit - Oh yeah - that face plant comment sounds horrific, is that what happens with ape hangers? My neighbour has ape hangers, he also has tassles so what does that tell ya?

[The Lone Rider]

Have you ridden bikes with ape hangers? What're they like compared to the same thing with lower bars?

Depends on the length of them and how you set them up. I've over 6 feet tall so I can get away with bars that look tall but aren't for me.

They definitely lower performance and are more tiring to use. Also badly made apes hurt the wrists over time.

[5150]

That's alright, they adjust the brakes so that's never a problem

Harleys come with brakes?

[Oakie]

You know, a lot of chicks like their men a bit chunkier, but may overlook the skinny part if you have personality

Waaahhh!! I hate it when my skinny part gets overlooked.

[haydes55]

Waaahhh!! I hate it when my skinny part gets overlooked.

Just whip out the fat part then

[tigertim20]

I've never ridden one. The weight puts me off. Just like fat chicks.

whoah whoah whoah whoah, you're missing out buddy, the fat chicks are sooo grateful for the attention that... well, just try it, youll thank me later!

Most Harleys are cruisers - they're designed for a certain style of riding. Generally they do it exceptionally well.

Much like your sports bike - if you gave it to the off-roaders to take over a mountain range they'll soon tell you how crap it is.

Einstein once said:
"Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, it will spend its entire life believing that is is an idiot"

Oddly enough I was having a discussion about the amount (or lack) of control you would have with Ape Hangers. Cornering aside, if you have to do an emergency stop, your arms wouldn't be able to take any of your body weight. In fact your hands would have to hold about 4G's of it through the entire process. I see a faceplant into the side ofhwatever you hit coming up.

youre are applying a sports/sporttourer understanding of riding position.
sportsbike, feet down and back, body forward, hold weight with thighs on tank, and brace with shoulders and hands on bars in emergency stop.
Harley - arms up high, but you have forward controls, thus legs out front with which to carry the majority of your weight when braking in an emergency

Harleys come with brakes?

no, but they usually break after every ride anyway . . .

[pritch]

They definitely lower performance and are more tiring to use.

I rode a cruiser once. Very tiring at anything over 100kph; less if there's a head wind.
Of course, that may actually be an advantage, depending how you look at it.

To tour one you'd need a big screen.

Thanks but no thanks.