Sportster vs M50

[peasea]

Still waiting for proof of Harleys being more reliable, as Tommy has pointed out.

Where's your facts?

'Facts' is plural, so it should read "where ARE your facts?" Dumb-arse.

Anyway. Fact 1: My last Harley gave me tens of thousands of k's of trouble-free riding. It never stopped on the side of the road.

Fact 2: My current Harley has given me the same.

There's a start.

[The Lone Rider]

Fact 1: Have seen a number of Harleys on the side of the road, trying to be fixed. Over the last 3 years.

Fact 2: Have ridden with a number of people who own Harleys. They have also had a number of repairs in the last 3 years.

That's another start.

[Big Dave]

I don't think AMPS is reliable fact.
.

I do - I can put a name on it if you like. Louie baby.

I added a bit more to the post too. Sounded sterner than I meant it first up.

[The Lone Rider]

I do - I can put a name on it if you like. Louie baby.

I added a bit more to the post too. Sounded sterner than I meant it first up.

You don't think fact is also a guy asking me why all his friends spend time fixing their bikes?

There's more to it than just a bunch of people online saying to get this or that. Any number of people can give whatever reason they want, and obviously anyone can disregard "fact" as poppycock.

Oh and I agree with the comment about mods. Have read it in your own articles, as well as Heavy Duty and Live To Ride, many a comment about upping the cubes and lowering reliability, for example.

[Big Dave]

Fact 1: Have seen a number of Harleys on the side of the road, trying to be fixed. Over the last 3 years.

So have I - but no more than other brands, proportional to how many more Harleys there are than on the road to other brands.

I've had new Japanese and Euro bikes die while road testing them. Only Harley that stopped was one I errrr...crashed.

[The Lone Rider]

So have I - but no more than other brands, proportional to how many more Harleys there are than on the road to other brands.

I've had new Japanese and Euro bikes die while road testing them. Only Harley that stopped was one I errrr...crashed.

Well I'm happy to agree to disagree, as my experiences have been complete opposite. This includes time spent in the USA, and a close friend of mine who is a certified Harley Mech right out from Harley, now working in a shop in Phoenix, who I frequently hear stories about things breaking down.

I will say, he has the same bloody harley he had some 20 years ago. Still running - but did take a lot to keep it running.

He however loves his Victory and I haven't heard a thing bad about it.

[onearmedbandit]

'Facts' is plural, so it should read "whare ARE your facts?" Dumb-arse.

Are you sure about that lol?

[onearmedbandit]

'Facts' is plural, so it should read "whare ARE your facts?" Dumb-arse.

Are you sure about that lol?

[Big Dave]

Heavy Duty

When we travel to the releases I get billeted with Brum occasionally. Top man. I listen and learn. He and Boris together are a crack up.

[The Lone Rider]

When we travel to the releases I get billeted with Brum occasionally. Top man. I listen and learn. He and Boris together are a crack up.

Doc was recently in CHCH... but no word yet on when the Harley Owners Group NZ Nationals are going to be featured.

[Big Dave]

my experiences have been complete opposite

It's all we can report. Tell it as we seen it.

My Buell is in its fifth year and has been quite satisfactory. It's limped home once - but the only time it failed to return to base was with a busted belt.
Other things were fixed on recall before they busted.

[peasea]

Fact 1: Have seen a number of Harleys on the side of the road, trying to be fixed. Over the last 3 years.

Fact 2: Have ridden with a number of people who own Harleys. They have also had a number of repairs in the last 3 years.

That's another start.

I don't recall the last time I saw (or heard about) a Harley on the side of the road with anything worse than an empty gas tank or a loose connection somewhere. Perhaps the people you know with Harleys are either not that savvy with them or are getting ripped off by their local shops, ie; repairs being carried out that aren't really required. For example; my missus took her previous (utterly reliable) Sportster to a supposedly reputable shop in Auckland (that BD sings the praises of) for a WOF. They passed the bike but told her that the rear pads should be replaced. She declined their kind offer to have it done while the bike was in there and we took the rear caliper off for a nosey. The pads were in excellent shape and did not need replacing. Tossers. So; how much of the repair history of your friend's bikes is fact and how much is b/s?

[The Lone Rider]

I don't recall the last time I saw (or heard about) a Harley on the side of the road with anything worse than an empty gas tank or a loose connection somewhere. Perhaps the people you know with Harleys are either not that savvy with them or are getting ripped off by their local shops, ie; repairs being carried out that aren't really required. For example; my missus took her previous (utterly reliable) Sportster to a supposedly reputable shop in Auckland (that BD sings the praises of) for a WOF. They passed the bike but told her that the rear pads should be replaced. She declined their kind offer to have it done while the bike was in there and we took the rear caliper off for a nosey. The pads were in excellent shape and did not need replacing. Tossers. So; how much of the repair history of your friend's bikes is fact and how much is b/s?

You are forgetting there is a HUGE amount of people not engine savy, electrical or anything at all. One of my closest mates and a club member, despite pulling the same Km's a year I'm doing and the number of times I've shown him how to do basic things like adjust a rear wheel, he just doesn't get it. That's just people who don't have it in them... there's a lot of people who simply don't have the knowledge. I for one wouldn't work on any of my engines without someone who knows more than me around. But I'll happily cut up fenders and re-mount things, change the wiring to suit my needs.

Who knows people's bike histories. The tattooists friends are people I haven't met many times (or all of them) and the guys I've ridden with.. well you'd have to ask them what keeps breaking. I don't think people I've ridden with for years could remember all or any of the problems I've had with my own bike (which they would blame on me rather than the bike anyway)

Edit:

You will find similar posts and opinions in this thread about Hyosungs:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1129699278

I for one think they are decent enough bikes, having experienced the 650 cruiser they make. A lot of people refer to them as Korean crap (as though they are lower on the scale compared to Japanese)

[peasea]

You are forgetting there is a HUGE amount of people not engine savy, electrical or anything at all.

Uh huh......

Late 70's.........side of road....broken bike........one biker asks "How much oil is in it?" Other biker asks "Where does that go?"

While in some circumstances a little knowledge can be dangerous, at other times it can be useful.

[The Lone Rider]

Uh huh......

Late 70's.........side of road....broken bike........one biker asks "How much oil is in it?" Other biker asks "Where does that go?"

While in some circumstances a little knowledge can be dangerous, at other times it can be useful.

I can't account for others ability to fix bikes. If I could I'd do all my own engine work. Likewise I wish The Dave could do most of his own basic maintence.

Look at how many people take cars and bikes in for an oil change!