... and take an apprenticeship with a japanese bike manufacturer.

- My '86 Suzuki GSXR1100 started at the first try after staying 6 month in the open during winter.

- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks!

I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....

You know ... the only thing Harley Davidson is very professional .... to get your money out of your pocket for 2nd class bikes and parts and clothes!!!!

:censor :censor :censor :censor :shhhh ;)

Well if you like the Jap bikes so much then why are you on this forum and why do you own a Sporty. Apparently something gave you the urge to buy a Harley. Everyone knows that Harleys take lots of TLC and lots of work to keep running expecially the old ironheads but thats the price you pay for haveing an original American bike kinda like people that own Dodges, Chevys, and Fords. They all take more work then Jap cars and other foreign cars. But anyways all I can say is if you don't like all the work needed then you shouldn't own a HD because its a fact you will have to put extra money into it.

just posted my reply in general forums

Oh wow, look kids, it's ANOTHER post from MissyD bitching about her Sporty....


Hey, sell the damn thing already so we don't have to read this crap over and over.

You know what, ive never seen a 1905 jap bike, or car for that matter. Oh thats right, they cant figure anything out for themselves, they have to learn it all from us.

I've owned 2 Sportsters. Neither marked it's territory. Neither failed me in any way. Neither requires any more of me than to check the oil occasionally and fill the tank with gas. I don't however treat them like crap or leave them in the weather for months. I'd expect them to get even with me if I did.:laugh

Missy you really need to get rid of your cursed HD. You don't like it and it doesn't like you. If all you want to do is keep the Harley and bitch about how rotten it is you need mental help and the boot outta here.

Oh wow, look kids, it's ANOTHER post from MissyD bitching about her Sporty....


Hey, sell the damn thing already so we don't have to read this crap over and over.
LMFAO :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

It's nice to see that, despite all that's going on in the world today, some things never change! The sun rises, the grass grows, and Missy complains about the Sportster that she, for some reason, still has...even though she hates it...but won't get rid of it...:confused:. You'd really think that by now I'd have stopped trying to understand this place and just go with the insanity! :lmaorof (I always wanted a reason to use this smiley.)

C'mon, SG, you're a moderator, you can just ban her if ya want! I'm sure it's against the rules, but I'm sure Bert'd let you slide this once. :D

And Missy, why the heck did you leave your bikes so long without riding them?? After six months, I'd be going loco (moreso than normal)!

LMFAO :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

C'mon, SG, you're a moderator, you can just ban her if ya want! I'm sure it's against the rules, but I'm sure Bert'd let you slide this once. :D

(moreso than normal)!

Oh Cas, such a naughty boy!

Don't tempt me like that....:p

C'mon, you know you want to... the dark side is beckoning (not the BT world, the James Earl Jones/"Luke I am your father" one). Come to the Dark Side...we have cookies!:banadevi


Since I've been declared naughty, do I get spanked now? :D :spank

her ego says HD. she wants to be a biker and a jap bike will not do.
i am not and do not pretend to be a biker, man my sporty has 50 years of history every time i fire it up. i bought a 05 honda 750 spirit . it was a very good machine but it had no soel at all. japan has the mechanics down pat . i will give them that . but it has no soel in my mind. my sporty demands a lot from me just like my wife. both are worth the effort.

WTF????

My bike started right up after winter...and actually longer than that cause I wasn't able to ride for about 3 months before that...so guess what, I beat your POS '86 suzuki

You can't be serious?
Your complaint is that you expect your sportster to perform
like a gixxer? On the no start thing, I don't know whats
wrong with your sporty but mine can sit with the battery in
it and start up no problem after sleeping through an entire
New England winter.
I like my sporty just the way it is and don't want HD to take
lessons from japanese bike mfgs. Honestly, as the others
have said, why don't you just sell the sportster because it's
obviously not the bike for you.

Not to defend the original poster (she should sell her bike or stop bitching about it), but the truth is the average buyer Harley is now chasing—in order to keep increasing sales and growing market share—probably doesn't own a wrench, much less know how to use one. They just want to ride the bikes. We can call them RUBs or posers, but it's their money Harley wants, and must have.

To illustrate, I once asked the president of Moss Motors (they import parts for old European sports cars) why Fiat, Alfa, MG and all the other European companies failed in America. His response was that Europeans generally like to tinker with their cars and so European cars are designed with that in mind. Americans on the other hand, in general, only want to look under the hood once a year to make sure the motor is still there.

That's probably why the Camry is the best selling car in America.

Americans on the other hand, in general, only want to look under the hood once a year to make sure the motor is still there.

That's probably why the Camry is the best selling car in America.


thats why a jap bike would suit some people better.

... and take an apprenticeship with a japanese bike manufacturer.

- My '86 Suzuki GSXR1100 started at the first try after staying 6 month in the open during winter.

- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks!

I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....

You know ... the only thing Harley Davidson is very professional .... to get your money out of your pocket for 2nd class bikes and parts and clothes!!!!

:censor :censor :censor :censor :shhhh ;)


Still tryring to compare an apple to an orange , I thought by now
you would have figured out that they are not the same and there not meant
to be the same . So go crawl back in your hole and shut the :censor up

I agree with Midnitewolf, but especially the last four words. What a BEEZY

probably on a suzuki site bashing sportsters and thier rude ownwers:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

I wouldn't bee too hard on missy, she owns a Sportster and therefore has the right to comment on it, good or bad. Does, however, seem like I would get rid of anything I owned that I was that unhappy with. I'm kinda fond of the quirkiness [is that a word] of my Gal thou. Really never given me a lot of reason to complain. She's just her own gal with her own personality. Not like just one more pea out of the can. I like that myself.

You left your bike OUTSIDE for a month and a half and you expect it to start right up? maybe if you treated it a little better it'd treat you a little better, you should try... maybe... hmm i dont know... RIDING THE DAMN THING EVERY NOW AND THEN!!! but as others have stated, you like to be able to say "yea ive got a harley" and pretend to be some badass biker, well heres an idea GET LOST! is your bike even broken in yet, or is it simply a lawn ornament? go bitch somewhere else... i dont want to hear it.

Any one who leaves ANY bike out in the winter does not deserve to have it start on the first try.Must be lucky with the Jap bike ,Or it thought she was going to trade it in or sell it to an owner who would appreciate a bike no matter what brand.And the sporty was just paying you back for leaving it out for six weeks.Stop yer bitchin.

I wouldn't bee too hard on missy, she owns a Sportster and therefore has the right to comment on it, good or bad.

this is an open forum and she is welcome to express her opinion and im gonna give mine

Why even have it if you just leave it outside to rust, pull it in the house, buy it a shed, do something. My best suggestion to you is SELL THE !!!!!ING THING! IT DESERVES BETTER THAN YOU!:mad: :mad: :mad: :headbang :headbang :headbang :dammit :dammit :dammit :wtf :wtf :wtf :eek :eek :eek :devileek :devileek :devileek :cloudmad :cloudmad :cloudmad :madhead :madhead :madhead

this is an open forum and she is welcome to express her opinion and im gonna give mine

TIME FOR US ALL TO GIVE OUR F:censor CKING OPINIONS TO MISSYD!

Did anyone notice she hasnt come back and responded? Seems kind of odd not to want to come back and defend a position?!

... and take an apprenticeship with a japanese bike manufacturer.
- My '86 Suzuki GSXR1100 started at the first try after staying 6 month in the open during winter.
- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks!
I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....

And your expectations, even if they are pie in the sky and unreasonable Missy.

Did you put gasoline stabilizer in either bike? Does the crotch rocket have a security system that drains the battery when sitting a long time, or does it lack that feature - making it easier to start and steal? Any motor vehicle starts better with fresh gas and a fully charged battery. If the Sporty sat that long you should have fully charged the battery, fully choked it, hit the accelerator pump 2 or 3 times, and let her rip. I bet it would have started right up. Trying for 5 minutes with a flat batt is a bad decision.

Maybe you had obligations or bad weather that kept you from riding, but you need to treat your bikes better for them to perform well. You bought almost the cheapest Harley made. You didn't buy a Ducati or a BMW or another Jap Bike - Period. They don't compare well.

Who knows why you still have a Sportster Missy? If you hate it so much maybe you need to get your butt reacquainted with the seat to see why you bought it to begin with? Now go ride something for crying out loud! :tour

Missy,

If HD needs to go to Japan to take an apprenticeship with a bike manufacturer, can you explain to me why the Japanese have been through all their engine configurations, i.e. 3cyl, 4cyl inline, 2cyl side by side etc. etc. and they all have eventually copied the venerable US designed V-Twin designed by Harley some 75 years ago for pretty much all of their road bikes?

I guess that kind of sums it up in a nutshell. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Their engineers after 50 years of experimetation have recognized the superiority of HD's design for its intended use but you in your vast experience and mechanical expertise have yet to get it. Keep trying it'll come to you someday.

Can't believe someone let bikes sit with gas in the tanks for that period of time and doesn't know what kind of starting problems that can cause when the gas varnishes up. Bet you run a higher octane gas in the Gixer huh! It would appear from the circumstances you describe in your post that you are not the sharpest tool in the shed!

Did anyone notice she hasnt come back and responded? Seems kind of odd not to want to come back and defend a position?!


Some of you newer guys may not be aware of MissyD's SOP.

Until this BS posted today, her last post was November of 2005. She drops in from time to time to bitch about her crappy Sportster and what a piece of s%#t HD's are in general.

Did anyone notice she hasnt come back and responded? Seems kind of odd not to want to come back and defend a position?!

She is into the "chew and screw" method of posting.
Have a peek at her posting history to see what I mean.

She's been bitching about her Sportster for well
over a year now so I can't for the life of me see why
she still has the bike.

edit: lol. SG beat me to it, but now you all get the big picture.

From her posts in the past I thought she wrenched her own bikes?So she should Know better than to leave her scoots out in the weather.Maybe she's just trying to see what reaction she would get,and she sure got it.

She is into the "chew and screw" method of posting.
Have a peek at her posting history to see what I mean.

She's been bitching about her Sportster for well
over a year now so I can't for the life of me see why
she still has the bike.

edit: lol. SG beat me to it, but now you all get the big picture.


You're just catty :smoke

She probably has not come back because she is busy on some military forum bitching about how Russian tank designers need to go to Japan to learn how to build a better tank, because it keeps getting its ass kicked by a American made Abrams in her "war games"!!!:banana :roflblack

I have a headache now... but I love my scoot... :)

You came out of hibernation for this? :laugh :frownthre

You came out of hibernation for this? :laugh :frownthre
he broke a japanese spark plug and wanted to send it back to japan with whoever is going:roflblack

poor sporty...

I'd refuse to start to even if I was kept in a nice heated garage, would you want that crawlin up on ya

I've been waiting to use this:

http://www.chrishajer.com/bike/XLF/troll-big.png

Too bad you can't stick it up next to her post.

I'm too new 'round here to know Missy's MO, but I knew it was a troll the minute I saw her message.

--Chris

I don't get it, are all the Swiss like this?
I know she was at one time a HOG member, so that maybe why she has hung onto this bike, you have to be a registered owner of a Harley to be in the club.

Missy, darling, perhaps it time to get a professional opinion and help.





































Yes, a good tech can nail down that there start'n problem, so you can sell your Sporty and buy yourself a Dyna.

That will fix your problems..........well at least one of your problems......

Ok, it would more fix Our problem here.

i can see into her bikes future... no NOOO its horrible its hoorible http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/rust_.jpg
:gun :gun :gun :gun :gun :gun :gun :gun :gun :gun :gun :gun

I guess she got it for the vibration. Maybe you need some more whine to go with your swiss cheese. Quit your bitchin and learn how to tune your own bike.

... and take an apprenticeship with a japanese bike manufacturer.

- My '86 Suzuki GSXR1100 started at the first try after staying 6 month in the open during winter.

- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks!

I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....

You know ... the only thing Harley Davidson is very professional .... to get your money out of your pocket for 2nd class bikes and parts and clothes!!!!

:censor :censor :censor :censor :shhhh ;)





No one is forcing you to own a Harley If you like Jap bikes ride Jap bikes..WTF you've got a lot of nerve coming to a HARLEY DAVIDSON site and saying Harleys suck in so many words. Ride what you want and shut the !!!!!! up.

She has a lot of posts, over 1300. They seemed to stop last year, I know I have not seen her around in quite awhile. I dont ever recall her bitchin about her Sporty before, in fact, I recall her posting about putting on shocks that made the bike handle so good on those mountain roads.

But don't forget guys, a woman has the right to change her mind. And they almost always do! :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack


( this was in no way a slap at the women of XL Forum who choose not to bitch about their Sportsters) :D

...

- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks.

I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....


:frownthre Some people and some bikes aren't ment to be together. It sounds like you have that combo. If I had that many issues with a bike it would be sent down the road no ands, ifs, or, and buts. Maybe a Jap bike is you kind of bike and the harley thing just doesn't work for you. Do what ever makes you happy. That is my .02 cents.

You came out of hibernation for this? :laugh :frownthre

She had to come and stir the pot a little. We can't ban her, she was one of the original xlf members. Bitch and moan is what she does best, kinda like me:doh . Except I know better than to go into the lions den and bash a sporty, that's just suicide. :smoke

Yeah, it is a bit surprising that MissyD would do this since she knows the responses she will get.

I believe MissyD main gripe is the cost of maintaining a Harley in Switzerland. Switzerland is a very expensive country to live in and HD parts are hard to come by at a good price. Japanese parts are always less expensive there.

Ban her? I dunno, seems we need a punching bag around here so lets see how it goes.

Missy, you came to XLF because you got banned from the German language Sportster forum at sportyriders.org a few years back because of bad mouthing Sportsters.

I agree with everyone else here...if you do not like the bike I am sure that you can find someone who would take it off your hands and would enjoy it.

Here are a few other forums that I can recommend to you that you might enjoy:

http://210067.homepagemodules.de/ - Das Forum der Suzuki GSX-R Fans - Kurvengeier Online

http://gixxer.com/ - Gixxer.com

Thanks Missyd...you woke everyone up today...keep the bitching up...:roflblack :roflblack :eek:

She had to come and stir the pot a little. We can't ban her, she was one of the original xlf members. Bitch and moan is what she does best, kinda like me:doh . Except I know better than to go into the lions den and bash a sporty, that's just suicide. :smoke

you always keep me on my toes Klown, I thought for sure you would come to her defense, just to get a rise out of people!:p

Wait a minute! she was banned from another site for bad mouthing Sportsters? So she really doesn't like them, or she really likes to stir $h!* up.
She didn't just bad mouth Sportys either. At least one positive thing though, thru her neglect, Harley Davidson will reap some profit.
Don't hate a book because you can't read Missy!:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

Ban her? I dunno, seems we need a punching bag around here so lets see how it goes.
I agree - it's fun to watch. Banning seem a little excessive. You don't need to read her posts if you don't want to.

--Chris

Seems to me we should look forward to her posts. This has been a fun thread. Certainly beats a dull morning.:p

My gosh .... so many replies in just 24h!!!!!!!!!!! Must be a record for my postings ....

I just forgot that all of you Sportster owners are Harley Davidson worshippers!!!

Yes I got kicked out of a german forum some years ago ... I think because I wrote the truth and what I felt about my Sporty.

Yes I was member of HOG for 2 years.

Yes I bought my Sporty because the salespeople told me about how nice and confortable it is to ride a HD ..... B.S.!!!

Well I came home angry yesterday I saw this 'write a posting to HD' thing ... so I thought why not?

I own my Sporty since 2002 ... I ride my sporty from time to time becaus the sound has some therapeutic effect after the stress at work.

Ok here are some answers ....
- Do not judge me by this posting at some of the members here do not know me at all.
- Sporty and GSXR run on the same fuel ... leadfree 95octane!
- No the GSXR does not have any electronic gadgets that could drain the battery...
- My Sporty is well used and abused ... like I never clean her ... just some chain lube, tire and oil check .... runs very well since 2 years (thats the time she did not visit my local stealer).
- The carb is always full of fuel as the fuel tap is always on (same on GSXR).
- I do not have the possibility of renting a garage
- Just for newbies here:
XL1200C year2000
Wideglide conversion
Sportster Sport fork (1" shorter)
2 disc break
18" laced wheel
110 front tire
Oehlins rear shocks
17" rear wheel
150 tire
Dynajet Kit
SE aircleaner

Ok folks???
My Sporty runs well .... it just don't want to start if I did not start it for more than 2...3 months.

BTW ... I forgot to mention that I can use the 5th gear from 50...250 km/h ... no need to change gears all the time like on the Sporty.

I wont sell it as I spend so much $$$$ to upgrade the sh....ty parts for good ones.

Oh ... I forgot ... the salesguy at my stealer told me that a Harley will keep its value!!!!!! Thats just not true .....

BTW ... a friend at work who rides HDs since a long time (His Dyna is the 8th HD) feels the same as I do!!!! ;)

Aaaah .... I am no big fan of Jap bikes ... just a fan of my GSXR.

BTW somebody mentioned Russian tank engineers going to Japan ....
nothing wrong with Russian tank. Not nicely made but these tanks are running like hell even if they are made in 1943! I did some rides with a T-34 and a T-55!!!!! :shhhh

So know the bitchin' can go on forever!!!

I JUST LOVE TO WRITE SOME DIFFERENT POSTINGS!!!!!!! ;)

...is solely responsible for the entire Japanese motorcycle industry.

Care to guess which one?

That's right Harley-Davidson started the factories after WWII as part of the Marshall Plan.

That possible ... but why HD do not have the same quality/price/HP level as other manufacturer? Seems HD is stuck in the 50/60ties ... ;) ;) ;) :D

Do you know that there are more Harley Davidsons regstered in Japan than there are Suzuki Hyabusas?

That possible ... but why HD do not have the same quality/price/HP level as other manufacturer? Seems HD is stuck in the 50/60ties ... ;) ;) ;) :D

Just because you have trouble with your HD doesn't mean everyone does. As I stated earlier in this mine have given me no trouble at all. Harley's are not JUST motorcycles to most American owners anyway. They are rolling works of art. We buy them to enjoy and appreciate them. They are not JUST a machine. As far as being stuck in the 50/60s, yes they are retro looking as well as modern. That is another thing Americans enjoy having available, new retro looking vehicles as evidenced by offerings by GM, Ford, and Chrysler. The new Mustang is styled after the 60s version and selling very well. Not everyone will like it ... or a Harley.

Face it, you bought the wrong bike. That is NOT Harley Davidsons fault.

Well, I like apples.

Well, I like apples.

C M DUKS ?
M R NO DUKS !
O S A R !
C M WINGS ?
L I B, M R DUKS !

:smoke

We can't ban her, she was one of the original xlf members. :smoke
what? you mean cause i was here from the start i can't get banned? i never knew this, party, party, party :banana :banana :banana

y'all are in real trouble now :smoke

just kidding, i know better than to do stupid s:censor t like that. just curios though, has anyone ever actually seen her sporty?

Harley's are not JUST motorcycles to most American owners anyway. They are rolling works of art .... We buy them to enjoy and appreciate them. They are not JUST a machine.

I know that for you US citizens a HD is not just a bike .... :roflblack
Rolling works of art????????????????? ... its just some machined steel on 2 wheels .... just like other bikes .... oh :censor ... other bikes use leightweight aluminium .... ;)
They are not just a machine? I thought only Beemers could make coffee as well ... :roflblack

...new retro looking vehicles as evidenced by offerings by GM, Ford, and Chrysler...

Still polluting the atmosphere like hell ....

You're right... the new Mustang is not as nice as the orignal ones.

I did dreamt all my live of a Harley ... but the dream turned into a nightmare!

Over and out! ;)

I did dreamt all my live of a Harley ... but the dream turned into a nightmare!

I'm with everybody that doesn't understand why you don't just end the nightmare. Sell the bike and let someone who will really enjoy it own it. I am sure you will be more happy with the money you get from it, and above all happy to have the nightmare gone. That is what I would do.

As for it being a work of art; I think it is. Harley's look better than anything japan can produce. That is only my opinion though. Japanese bikes look very crowded but Harley's have very clean looks. I also prefer the metal on Harley's. I did a lot of research before I bought this bike and the sportster is the bike that I wanted. It had exactly what I liked and the numbers were on its side.

I know that for you US citizens a HD is not just a bike .... :roflblack
Rolling works of art????????????????? ... its just some machined steel on 2 wheels .... just like other bikes .... oh :censor ... other bikes use leightweight aluminium .... ;)
They are not just a machine? I thought only Beemers could make coffee as well ... :roflblack

...new retro looking vehicles as evidenced by offerings by GM, Ford, and Chrysler...

Still polluting the atmosphere like hell ....

You're right... the new Mustang is not as nice as the orignal ones.

I did dreamt all my live of a Harley ... but the dream turned into a nightmare!

Over and out! ;)

Missy, IT'S your own fault. IT'S YOUR own fault. IT'S YOUR OWN fault. One more time in case you missed it Missy, IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT.

You don't understand, appreciate, or like the bike.You don't understand, appreciate or like Americans either.
You bought a bike you were destined to hate. You should have known better. YOU BLEW IT. Quit blaming everything and everyone else.

Nothing about Switzerland attracts me, not even the cheese:p , but I won't bash it. You need to GET A LIFE, SELL THE HARLEY and buy a nice Swiss motorcycle.:roflblack

Well, it can't be said that she didn't mod the hell out of her Sporty looking for that elusive perfect combination. That she never found it only speaks to the fact that, while you can do a lot to a Sporty, it will never be able to meet the expectations of everyone. Now she's upside down with the bike and will never get near the money out of it that she has in it. So, she's pissed. Understandable. That shouldn't offend anyone here.

You really need to put the "Shi&%y" parts as you say back on, sell your far superior parts on ebay and sell the Sporty to someone who knows how to appreciate a bike that can be made to your own liking. The fact that you can not grasp that a machine can and is a piece of art says it all. You really need to stay on the Jap bandwagon and enjoy your bike that looks exactly like every other one on the road. It really sounds like at this point you saw what a bees nest you rattled and are now just tring to throw flames on the fire. Very productive. I'm sure you find many more of your type on the gixxer site, so please go there now and don't come back! Maybe Bert should reconsider banning you from here! I think it would be justified as other flamers get banned for less.

Well, it can't be said that she didn't mod the hell out of her Sporty looking for that elusive perfect combination. That she never found it only speaks to the fact that, while you can do a lot to a Sporty, it will never be able to meet the expectations of everyone. Now she's upside down with the bike and will never get near the money out of it that she has in it. So, she's pissed. Understandable. That shouldn't offend anyone here.

My point is MISSY needs to take the blame for making a very stupid purchase here. She didn't understand WHAT she was buying. That's why she modded the hell out of it and will never be happy with it. That's not the bike's fault. Oh, and one more thing...
:us:

Missy,

Sounds like you want the shall we say for lack of a better term, the mystique, and coolness factor of owning a Harley, especially sets you apart in Europe doesn't it, but don't like the price you pay for that. Owning a Harley and putting up with all their design faults, quirkiness, and individual character is what endears them to us. I used to have a 69' XLCH Sportster with magneto ignition and kick start only, and talk about starting problems!!! Sometimes it would take me 15-20 minutes to get it started when it was hot and it was hell on my knee to boot but I loved that bike and all of its quirks. Ever notice at a bike rally that the HD riders will talk about their bikes and the changes they've made,the problems they've had etc with great enthusiasm. Kind of like your kids, while growing up, they cost you money, make you mad, don't listen etc. but most of the time you don't tell your friends how rotten they are cause you still love them.

I guess that's the difference between bikers and riders, bikers love their bikes regardless of all the issues and what they don't like they change. Riders just aren't as committed to their bikes and don't consider them part of the family.

Oh and I for one like your posts as they bring out the passion and pride most of the people on the forum feel for their bikes. As for you being misled by the salesman that sold you the bike the old Latin phrase " caveat emptor" comes to mind. Translated it means roughly " let the buyer beware".

So, she's pissed. Understandable. That shouldn't offend anyone here.

Hey John, I think what riled most of us here was her badmouthing our favorite model of Harley Davidson and HD's in general. Not the fact that she is unhappy.

These kind of posts from this user are a recurring event on this forum. About every 6 months or so, that is.

but why HD do not have the same quality/price/HP level as other manufacturer?

Because you are comparing cruisers/standards to sport bikes. Do the same comparison, but use only a Japanese bike company now.

We will choose yamaha for this one. A 2006 YZF600R has an MSRP of $7,099. It has low price and high horsepower and in your eyes "quality." Now look at a V Star 1100 Silverado. That has an MSRP of $9,799. That is a few thousand more than the sport bike and it has low horsepower and high price. The comparison holds true even when only using Japanese companies. In your eyes that must mean that all Japanese cruisers are overpriced and they don't do anything well accept selling you cloths and a second class bike for more. There, I just proved it.

The sportster does not lack in numbers to any japanese cruiser/standard. It has an MSRP comparable to other bikes. It has a 1/4 mile time better than most cruisers in the range even with biggers engines. It has some of the lowest maintenace costs out of all the bikes. On top of that it has much better build quality with real chrome instead of chromed plastic and better paint and using steel. AND while using all those high quality components instead of cheap plastic/aluminum it still manages to weigh less than most of the Japanese competition.

I'm sorry missyd, but either you just love to bash sportsters or you bought the wrong bike. Not only did you buy the wrong bike, but you bought the wrong type of bike because according to your logic all cruisers are second class and overpriced. The only thing that will make you happy is a sport bike.

Missy,

Sounds like you want the shall we say for lack of a better term, the mystique, and coolness factor of owning a Harley, especially sets you apart in Europe doesn't it, but don't like the price you pay for that. Owning a Harley and putting up with all their design faults, quirkiness, and individual character is what endears them to us. I used to have a 69' XLCH Sportster with magneto ignition and kick start only, and talk about starting problems!!! Sometimes it would take me 15-20 minutes to get it started when it was hot and it was hell on my knee to boot but I loved that bike and all of its quirks. Ever notice at a bike rally that the HD riders will talk about their bikes and the changes they've made,the problems they've had etc with great enthusiasm. Kind of like your kids, while growing up, they cost you money, make you mad, don't listen etc. but most of the time you don't tell your friends how rotten they are cause you still love them.

I guess that's the difference between bikers and riders, bikers love their bikes regardless of all the issues and what they don't like they change. Riders just aren't as committed to their bikes and don't consider them part of the family.

Oh and I for one like your posts as they bring out the passion and pride most of the people on the forum feel for their bikes. As for you being misled by the salesman that sold you the bike the old Latin phrase " caveat emptor" comes to mind. Translated it means roughly " let the buyer beware". Couldn't have said it better my self. I know you think you are out a bunch of money Missy and you probbley are but if you hate it so much and its a nigtmare to you I say sell it and enjoy what money you do make off of it before you pore any more money and are even mader. If you love your Jap bike then put the money you make off of your Sporty and drop into it or buy yourself a newer one. Harleys do keep a good book value kinda like a Corvette. Mine is a 86 and they are still selling average $5000-6000 and I've seen them sell for way more. I only paid $2950 for mine and have put about $2000 getting it done the way I want it and customizing it to me and probbley triple that I plan on putting into it in the long run. Its all about what makes a person happy. Some people Harleys make them happy others not and if you are liveing in a country where Harleys are hard and expensive to buy parts for then its probbley not the best bike to have if you don't want to or can't afford to.

This thead should die!

I'll just laugh her off as misinformed and unreasonable. It sounds like she bought it without riding it.

Who really cares what she says? Ban her? No way!

I'm thinking if thats her in the football uniform she played about five too many games without a helmet.

I have a swiss watch that keeps time like a Jap watch. It costs a hell of a lot more. It needs constant servicing for a bunch of money. I still love my swiss watch and I wear it daily. I suppose that swiss watches are crap and hence the makers of those swiss watches are crap. Lost 90% of the watch market because of their arogance.. I love my Breitling for its imperfections.

You bitch because that is what you do. You might want to stop playing football because the shots to your head are starting to cause some signs of retardation. Your list of mods mean nothing to someone that does not like them. Take your loss, sell the bike and go 50 to 250 toill you finally figure out why you bought the bike in the first place. You can't just join the club if you buy the bike. Your ffffffed up attitude will never fix your bike problems. Sell your bike and do yourself a favor. No amount of loss is worth the misery you and we are experiencing with you latest post is worth any amount of money.

Still picks up way more chicks on the Sporty. THAT'S why she still has it! Everyone knows chicks dig sporty's.

Still picks up way more chicks on the Sporty. THAT'S why she still has it! Everyone knows chicks dig sporty's.


:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack
Not that there is anything wrong with that.:D

I've been waiting to use this:

http://www.chrishajer.com/bike/XLF/troll-big.png

Too bad you can't stick it up next to her post.

I'm too new 'round here to know Missy's MO, but I knew it was a troll the minute I saw her message.

--Chris
Ok well my job here is to be as diplomatic and neutral as possible, so here goes....

She's not your regular garden variety troll but its obvious she started this thread to stir the pot.

She's been a "member" here longer than I can remember.
I joined in april 2004 when the XL Forum was in its infancy back on the old website and she was here then.

In general I've seen a mostly negative attitude from her towards HD's since.

Although believe it or not she has contributed some positive things....I just can't find any examples at the moment :rolleyes:

This thread has been very entertaining for the most part and has shown a lot of XL Forum members her true colours.

Lets keep things civil though. We don't need to stoop to her level.

Thankyou :)

Hi MissyD.

Ok, I will be nice because I do want you to please read this.
I just don't understand this whole post from you, you had to know what the response would be like.

Ok, your having "Issues" with your bike, I get that, take it to a Mechanic, bitching will not get your bike fixed.:tour

You don't like Harley, so sell it and get a bike you will like, Life is far too short to keep anything that makes you so miserable.(Wife's, Husband's and Kid's are excluded from this statement):shhhh :roflblack

Now, with that said, I think I have summed up the feelings of the vast majority here, so please, if you want to stay, And i hope you do, lay off the Bitching, If I wanted to hear Bitching, i would call my mother in law.:eek: :roflblack

Now, Speaking only for myself here, I come onto this form to get away from the stress on my days, to talk about things I like and enjoy, not to deal with your bitching about your neglected bike and how it won't start.
So you can't rent a Garage, I find this very hard to believe.
My house does not have a Garage, so i have a shed that i store and work on my bike it. It is 10X12 feet, 120 square feel, ans it cost me 2400 to have built by Tuffshed(It has a 4 foot by 8 foot roll up door, a side door and two windows).
I am sure that someone in Switzerland runs a similar company that can build you one too.

My point is, you have the right to complain, we have given you suggestion on how to overcome your issues. But if you are not willing to take any steps to fix the problems, then stop bothering us with them.

I own my Sporty since 2002 ... I ride my sporty from time to time becaus the sound has some therapeutic effect after the stress at work.


Sell the sporty and use the money to see a shrink :sofa :headb.
That or maybe he can adjust your meds.

:luvsport

By the way, my bike starts right up.

Everytime.

These kind of posts from this user are a recurring event on this forum. About every 6 months or so, that is.

So why don't we change her name to "nightgirl" since the two of them seem to do the same thing on here. Well he did until he got the boot, although he did do more bitchin and bashing the missyD has done (I think). more people probably know who I'm talking about than they do Missy D.

And I don't get another thing also about her co-worker she says he's on his 8th HD and he feels the same way as she does? WTF. that guy sounds like even more of an idiot.

:wtf somebody please go and rescue that poor mistreated Sporty......it's painfully obvious, after all this time that it is in the wrong hands.....and come on people, 8 pages of sh!t behind that dribble.....just go rescue the f**king bike , already:headbang

Im confused...

Just like we came up with a nickname for Rubs, there should be a nickname for people like this, I've known a few.

They insist on owning a harley, and even though they hate the bike, they spend mucho dinero to customize it. But they constantly complain about how mechanically inferior the harley is. The big question everybody here is asking, is "Why do you own it then? Why don't you just cut your losses, sell it, and get that blankety blank motorcycle you are comparing it to?"

My theory is because they all know the harley has soul, character, desirability. You heard her, it's not artwork, it's rolling nuts and bolts. That says it right there, get a japanese machine. It will work the way you expect it to. You really want "just a machine".

But, BUT you also realize that alot of people do recognize soul, character, and individuality a Harley brings to the table, and these people desperately want to escape the nerdy image everyone has of them, so they think they can BUY "coolness". These same people would buy a Hummer only to complain about the lousy ride and terrible gas mileage and compare it to a Toyota mini-van for reliability and overall utility. Some have the stones to admit it. They will openly admit they spent alot of money just to look cool. Others, like MissyD won't admit it, But why oh why would she even buy a Harley in the first place? Her comparisons are common knowlege in the motorcycle world. I do not have to own a Gixxer to know it's reputation. and her friend who agrees with her and hates Harleys, but yet is on his 8th one? How desperate to be "Cool" is that guy? Must be both ugly and a nerd.

So, somebody more clever than me needs to come up with a good acronym nickname, like "Dorks Trying To Buy Coolness" hmmm DTTBC is no good.

C'mon, you wordsmiths, help me out here.:banana

This section is called "Dear Harley-Davidson Inc. "!:shhhh
So I wrote what I felt that day. ;)

We here in Switzerland (and most parts of Europe) are used to free speech. So if you do not like my opinion .... don't read it and ... :shhhh :shhhh :shhhh

On the other hand, you may not be brave enough to tell about the truth about HD. :D :D :D

All the hype/soul thing about HD is just good PR work from the company to get your hard earned $$$$ for inferior quality parts out of your pockets... :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

Yes I did play a lot of football but never had a concussion. So my brain works perfectly! ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/missyd/miisyd_05_rearleft.jpg

Over and out!!!

You most certainly are entitled to your opinion, as the
members here are entitled to theirs, but when
you come on here with the same complaints over and
over it gets a little old mostly because it's apparent
that you are intentionally trying to piss off the people
who actually enjoy their sportsters. You are expecting
your sportster to be like a sportbike and it's just not
made for the same type of riding.
Why keep a bike that you have so many complaints about?
You've been bitching about your sporty and harley davidson
now for well over a year. How would you react toward someone on a sportbike
forum who popped in every once in a while (6 months or so) only to bitch and complain
about a gixxer? See where I'm going with this?

I have none of the problems with my sporty, or with HD that you do.
But I know that if I did, I would move on to a different bike
and be done with it. Simple. The members on this forum love their
sportys, and the ones who decide it's not the bike for them, they sell them and move on.

Since the entire world has been commenting, I figured I'd offer my two-cents worth from the Left Coast....

Here in So-CAL, we mix our riding up all the time with other types and brands of bikes. We're sort of a BIG family of riders just out enjoying the beaches or the mountains, or even occassional trips to the desert. Some seem to have a "better-than-your-bike" attitude but for the most part, they take off and rest of us think about places we want to ride and then have fun.

I started riding over 40 years ago on the smaller metrics, then onto the Brit models (Triumph and BSA). Before I bought the XL Hugger, I seriously looked at the V-Stars and the Boulevard series, but the price was right for the used Harley. There are issues I've had to get used to, like an oil drip once in a while or a overly pricey doo-dad that I wanted to add, but all-in-all, it's a stable platform for riding and the mileage range on a tank of fuel is fine for this part of the country.

In some ways I understand your comments about the H-D quality control, of course the old days were REALLY bad for the company. They come a long way. The metric bikes are nice and improvements are always raising the bar, I mean, just look at the rides you get with the touring class in the Honda and BMW lines. H-D is coming along nicely with the quality for their newest Ultra Classic or Road Glides, if you're into serious touring.

It's often good to bitch or complain about issues, and as you can see, there are plenty of those who will gladly thrust and parry with you all day. But if you're truly not happy with your XL, why not think about moving along to another ride. I loved riding the BSA, but parts were too expensive and the damn thing leaked oil even when it was empty. That's why I moved on.

Again, just my two-cents.... Feel free to stir the kettle from time to time, but remember the bubbles will burn if the fire is too high.

J.W.

All the hype/soul thing about HD is just good PR work from the company to get your hard earned $$$$ for inferior quality parts out of your pockets... :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

You did buy one too. I'm also guessing you also had to pay more than we did in the states.

Yes I did play a lot of football but never had a concussion. So my brain works perfectly! ;)
Many crazy people have no idea they are crazy.

Over and out!!! Does this mean your done and we can expect to not have to read your BS again. God I hope so. :frownthre

Howdy Danielle,

It's been awhile since you visited.

Have you noticed all the cam cover posts in the chopper section, this year it's the rave. I remember seeing your's back in about two years ago when I joined the forum and thought that chick has some balls to do that to her bike.

I think you have some good points about HD taking lessons from the Japs. I imagine that they do some of that. But overall I doubt that they could end up with as versatile of a bike if they changed the dsign every couple years and they used a lot of esoteric parts. The 50 year old technology that we have in our Sportys is simple and that's what a lot of people like about it. It wouldn't be the same taking an angle grinder, cutting torch of welder to an aluminum frame, fiberglass body and parts with a gazillion digits of accuracy in the measurements.

Gazza

Missy... Just wanted to say the bike looks really nice. Did you drill attachment holes for the ammo cases or fit on some kind of bracket? That's a bitchin' idea for carrying small things.

J.W.

Missy you can quit trying so hard to make us like you. We've already voted you Miss Congeniality of 2006. Congratulations and enjoy your reign.

Missy... Just wanted to say the bike looks really nice. Did you drill attachment holes for the ammo cases or fit on some kind of bracket? That's a bitchin' idea for carrying small things.You can find out more about here ammo cases here.
http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=5950

I have a question for all the people bashing Danielle... Take a look at the link above, and then ask yourself "how many of you have created a thread with howto info like that?".

MissyD was a huge info provider at the old forum so unfortunately most of her posts are long lost in a bit rotting database, she has also written some of the PDF howto files that were on the old site for download. Long lost are the threads on chain conversion, chain guard to stop oil splatter, riding through the alps, etc. But a lot of the people I see bitching here have never lifted a finger to provide as much mod info as she has.

Gazza

This section is called "Dear Harley-Davidson Inc. "!:shhhh
So I wrote what I felt that day. ;)

We here in Switzerland (and most parts of Europe) are used to free speech. So if you do not like my opinion .... don't read it and ... :shhhh :shhhh :shhhh

On the other hand, you may not be brave enough to tell about the truth about HD. :D :D :D

All the hype/soul thing about HD is just good PR work from the company to get your hard earned $$$$ for inferior quality parts out of your pockets... :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

Yes I did play a lot of football but never had a concussion. So my brain works perfectly! ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/missyd/miisyd_05_rearleft.jpg

Over and out!!!

I'll tell you about Harleys. I've been riding them since 1981. I've bought 4 new Harleys in that time. A 1981 Superglide, a 1983 FLHT, a 1988 FLHS and a 2004 1200C Sportster.

Back when I owned my Shovelheads, my buddies were all riding Honda 750's. Fast bikes for the time, but when we went on long trips, they suffered. And when they had to change the shims....well, let's just say I laughed at how much maintenance they had to do on their Jap bikes. When I bought my EVO, I laughed even harder as my belt drive did not need much adjustment at all. They had chains.....how very old school.:(

Fast forward to 2006. I still have my 1988 FLHS, and I'm getting close to 160,000 miles on it. My buddies do not have any of their Jap bikes anymore. The longest lasting Honda bit the dust at around 60,000 miles. Engine seized up. Wow....what a great bike! :roflblack One developed constant electrical problems and was sold. The last Honda just began leaking oil everywhere. This started when after we had an extended high speed run of about 100mph for a complete tankfull. What happened is that his heads warped from the heat. I rode my 1981 Shovelhead. Afterwards, my buddy could not beleive the Harley could run so hard for so long. :D

One buddy quit riding, one has a V65 Magna that has not stood the test of time very well. He bought it after he sold his Honda 750. Looks like crap, sounds like crap, rusted out like hell. My best friend got smart early and bought himself a used 1985 FLHT years ago. Guess what? That bike he still owns, and it runs like a top.

Bottomline, jap bikes don't last. They may go fast, but they burn like a match....fast and quickly die. My guess is that your gixxer will be a distant memory in 10yrs or less. But somebody will own your Harley and it will still be running.

MissyD was a huge info provider at the old forum so unfortunately most of her posts are long lost in a bit rotting database, she has also written some of the PDF howto files that were on the old site for download. Long lost are the threads on chain conversion, chain guard to stop oil splatter, riding through the alps, etc. But a lot of the people I see bitching here have never lifted a finger to provide as much mod info as she has.[/B]

Gazza


Sorry Gazza, that aint spit in a bucket to me.

I try to help folks on this board every day if it's within my capability.

Members on this board complain almost daily about the problems they have with their bikes without running them down like the original post.

There is constructive criticism, and there's dramatic s&$t stirring. I know what this smells like to me.

Over and freakin' out.

You can find out more about here ammo cases here.
http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=5950
Gazza

Thanks Gary....

J.W.

Members on this board complain almost daily about the problems they have with their bikes without running them down like the original post.

There is constructive criticism, and there's dramatic s&$t stirring. I know what this smells like to me.

Over and freakin' out.
I guess I don't see how the first post was inappropiate. This is the "Dear HD" forum and that post was written as if she was talking to HD. With the exception of the last sentence, it all seems like constructive criticism to me...
But what do I know :dunno

... and take an apprenticeship with a japanese bike manufacturer.

- My '86 Suzuki GSXR1100 started at the first try after staying 6 month in the open during winter.

- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks!

I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....

You know ... the only thing Harley Davidson is very professional .... to get your money out of your pocket for 2nd class bikes and parts and clothes!!!!

And anybody that's walked through the accesories deptartment of their local HD dealer has to realize that HD is about getting money out of your pocket. I can't imagine that HD brand coffee is any better than Starbucks and at $11 a pound it seems like they're just trying to get money out of our pockets.

Gazza

@JW: I just drilled 2 holes into the ammo can and used the 2 bolt of the fender to hold it. But I suggest to fit some steel plate to the ammo can. If not, the can will get cracks where you drilled the holes. I took off the ammo can yesterday as it started falling off!!! :rolleyes:

There was a tread some time ago about this topic ... I can post some pics if you like (in another section).

@Gary: Thanks a lot!!! :D :D

@FireMedicXL: Forget it. I wrote ofer 1300 posts and most of them where about customizing etc. I even wrote the how to change the handlebar for Bert ....

@Xena: Dear Xena, I now the Sporty is a chopper and the GSXR is a Superbike. But with our speedlimit I can ride both with the same speed! I live in Switzerland where the roads are winding and narrow and where we can drive over steep mountain passes. Its just too dangerous to have a bike with inferior break and suspension performance.
Yes I did write that posting for HD ... not for you or somebody else! Only for HD! Now just :censor :censor :censor :censor

I do expect from a bike that it has a decent performance! :rolleyes: ;)

I didnt notice this was the Dear HD section...

Let her wine...

I liked her Bags and shit I saw back in the day...she may be trollin a bit, but shes pissed.

HD Pisses me of too. $@#*!$@#*!$@#*!$@#*! HD and the big marketing scheme it rolled in on!

I had shit brakes till I got new better ones.
I have 2 petcock failures.
I had shock that werent fit for a rigid.
My forks are feckin orange and HD wont do shit about it.
Seat was a joke.

I have rust on shit after 6 months!

$@#*!$@#*!$@#*!$@#*! you HD.

Ahhhhhh

I feel better now too.

Adios

The thing is people will buy it, just because it says HD. I can't blame MoCo for marketing products to the people that they know will buy them. That's just business. I'm not going to buy it, but they also aren't marketing to me (although I'm sure they'd like too).

Many people know that really high quality, or really high performance parts aren't made by the MoCo. Same as in cars and trucks. I've always looked at it like the manufacture gets you started, the rest is up to you.

MissyD, have you thought about gettin' a Buell?

It sounds like a perfect match, it's a Harley(Somewhat) and it is a sport superbike.
It maybe more what you really want.

Just a thought..

MissyD, have you thought about gettin' a Buell?

It sounds like a perfect match, it's a Harley(Somewhat) and it is a sport superbike.
It maybe more what you really want.

Just a thought..

noooooo dont encourage her, this forum is for buells too.... get a dyna, yea thats it a dyna, six speed and FI, you can go bother everyone at the v2 forum.

MissyD, have you thought about gettin' a Buell?
It sounds like a perfect match, it's a Harley(Somewhat) and it is a sport superbike. It maybe more what you really want. Just a thought..

Yes! Actually I did look at the Buells in the Store. But since the new and better performing Buells have this ugly frame/look .... its no option for me anymore. I just loved the tube old 'tube' frame ... :rolleyes:

Maybe one day I'll have my sporty customized in a chopper like the one in the picture .... :D :D

http://www.cccp.ch/mediac/400_0/media/DIR_23781/Bild~133.jpg

Yes! Actually I did look at the Buells in the Store. But since the new and better performing Buells have this ugly frame/look .... its no option for me anymore. I just loved the tube old 'tube' frame ... :rolleyes:

Maybe one day I'll have my sporty customized in a chopper like the one in the picture .... :D :D

http://www.cccp.ch/mediac/400_0/media/DIR_23781/Bild~133.jpg


Is that a joke? a chopper would give you 10x as much work as your sporty... jeez.. some people...:frownthre

A chopper would only give you more to complain about, Missy. As much as I want to like you, ... your bike is HOT now, you complain more than my wife and that makes me want to avoid you. When are you going to just give up on the idea of owning a Harley and go join your Gixxer friends and drive 175 mph down the autobahn and leave us antiquarians alone?

We here in Switzerland (and most parts of Europe) are used to free speech. So if you do not like my opinion .... don't read it and ... :shhhh :shhhh :shhhh

On the other hand, you may not be brave enough to tell about the truth about HD. :D :D :D

All the hype/soul thing about HD is just good PR work from the company to get your hard earned $$$$ for inferior quality parts out of your pockets... :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

!!!



Having lived in Europe, I know something of the European mindset. They make motorcycles like Ducati and BMW :) However the the American mindset is somewhat different. Most Americans buy H-D because they are buying three things. They are buying History, they are buying tradition, and they are buying Nostalgia. Are there better bikes for certain riders? Certainly. Harleys are basically updated and refined WWII technology. The engine design is contemporary with old radial aircraft engine technology. Are there better aircraft engines today? Of course. Most fighter pilots today long to fly an F-18 Hornet. But at the same time there are those who live to fly an F4-U Corsair or Gumman Hellcat as well. If you like the technology of modern motorcycles , by all means buy one. If you like the thunder of history and tradition, buy an H-D. BTW, the H-D twins can more than hold their own on the modern race track too. :) That is why Harley's are so popular around the world. They represent American muscle.

Having lived in Europe, I know something of the European mindset. They make motorcycles like Ducati and BMW :) However the the American mindset is somewhat different. Most Americans buy H-D because they are buying three things. They are buying History, they are buying tradition, and they are buying Nostalgia. Are there better bikes for certain riders? Certainly. Harleys are basically updated and refined WWII technology. The engine design is contemporary with old radial aircraft engine technology. Are there better aircraft engines today? Of course. Most fighter pilots today long to fly an F-18 Hornet. But at the same time there are those who live to fly an F4-U Corsair or Gumman Hellcat as well. If you like the technology of modern motorcycles , by all means buy one. If you like the thunder of history and tradition, buy an H-D. BTW, the H-D twins can more than hold their own on the modern race track too. :) That is why Harley's are so popular around the world. They represent American muscle.
Well said!

Couldn't agree more!

missyd, just go away!
:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

I'll go away someday ... like all of us will do!!!! ;)

and her official name shall now be

THE SPOON

in honor of her stirring up the sheet!:frownthre

Don't leave it parked and it will run. I've put 4500 miles on my 2002 xl1200 in the last 6 weeks and all I do is change/check the oil keep it tuned and put gas in it!

Missy has had and I'm sure will have more great ideas,We have all ranted at one time or another.Myself especially when it comes to politics.My feeling is it's over,lets go on.Missy there are alot of REALLY new members now who don't understand where your feelings lie.

$@#*!$@#*!$@#*!$@#*! Hd

:d

My post B_tch_ng (Want to Buy a Vowel) about H-D went all but unnoticed ????? Guess because I was pleading with them to do something Majorly Positive. There is a lot of room for improvement in most Harley Products. I am wondering, at one time I know that the parts that make a Sportster were "MANUFACTURED" in about 50 different countries ( What was the reason I bought a motorcycle Made in the USA??????). Everything I believe, is out sourced somewhere on ELSE the planet. Harleys are however, ASSEMBLED IN THE USA. It goes without saying, Some of the parts on our Harleys are MANUFACTURED by Divisions / Sub Divisions or Suppliers of other Motorcycle makers. So there is a little Snap, Crackle, Pop in every Harley.:roflblack
I have broken from "THE TRADITION" of being one sided on the issues of Harley / Ricer. I have one of each and have settled myself to 2 choices :doh
1. I can Lay Back. Look and Sound Very Cool while remaining Totally Visible to everyone. Including those with Neck Injuries (Halo) and the Extremely Elderly. While doing the Slow Ride, on my Sportster.

2. I can Lean Forward, Carefully, Twist the Throttle. Disappear to Normal Vision while pulling 10 G's and Sound like Mario Andretti at Indy on my V-Max. They really need to come with a Flight Suit Standard Issue.:shhhh

It's a "WIN-WIN" either way. I love Em All. 2 Wheels Forever.....

SGO

I have a little place in my heart for the Vmax. They havent been in production for 20 years for nothin!

If I had some fundage I wouldnt mind a new Yammy R6 or even a lil Blast.

Adios

I don' really know what to say. I have a 05 low my bike sets in my garage not heated for two, three months. Pull choke out pump gas four, five times hit the starter starts right up. I live in Wisconsin and it gets dam cold and damp. We can get 20 below or more for days so I say take your bike to someone that knows what they are doing and you won't have any problems.

Just to put a Grin On Your Face.
1800cc, ????? About 200 BHP.

http://www.next-vmax.com/index2.html

Oops, Did I do That???:doh :frownthre :gun:roflblack YES.
SGO

vid wont load...

... and take an apprenticeship with a japanese bike manufacturer.

- My '86 Suzuki GSXR1100 started at the first try after staying 6 month in the open during winter.

- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks!

I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....

You know ... the only thing Harley Davidson is very professional .... to get your money out of your pocket for 2nd class bikes and parts and clothes!!!!

:censor :censor :censor :censor :shhhh ;)

Well I would have to disagree with you on the chrome quality. Harley chome isn't too bad. Atleast it is put on metal parts instead of a bunch of plastic that tends to break if you bump it wrong when it is cold. I ride in the winter and yes witha carborator if takes a bit longer to start especially if it sets a while. If I'm not mistaken the Suzuki has fuel injection on it as well and it doesn't have a vacum actuated petcock which is now required by the EPA. Fuel can flow without any vacum built up and get to the carburator or fuel injection quicker. Your comparing 2 bikes but they are in fact 2 completely breeds with different advantages and disadvantages. Kind of like comparing a German shepard to a Mastif.

... and take an apprenticeship with a japanese bike manufacturer.

- My '86 Suzuki GSXR1100 started at the first try after staying 6 month in the open during winter.

- My '00 XL1200C needs some time 5 - 10 mins till it decides to start. Then only with a lot of TLC with the choke and carb farts! And it stood outside for just 6 weeks!

I wont mention the lousy breaks, suspension, fork, seat, chrom quality, headlight, low HP Performance ..... etc etc ....

You know ... the only thing Harley Davidson is very professional .... to get your money out of your pocket for 2nd class bikes and parts and clothes!!!!

:censor :censor :censor :censor :shhhh ;)

I forgot to mention I have been to Japan and they love Harleys. They just use them for what they are designed for. To cruise and have some fun on the twisties at times. It's a good all around bike to cruise on adn go fast but it will never be a Crotch rocket or a Road couch. It will however give both a run for ther money on most stuff you will face.

I forgot to mention I have been to Japan and they love Harleys. They just use them for what they are designed for. To cruise and have some fun on the twisties at times. It's a good all around bike to cruise on adn go fast but it will never be a Crotch rocket or a Road couch. It will however give both a run for ther money on most stuff you will face.

Plus we get to celebrate the Sportster's 50th Birthday in a couple of months! I'm trying to think of another model that has consistently lasted 50 years and is still going strong...nothing comes to mind...what an achievement! The most versatile bike on the market...tour it, bar hop it, race it, bob it, chop it...it'll do it all! And plenty of aftermarket parts to personalize it til you're broke! It's the ultimate machine in my book...all of us that own/owned one should feel quite honored and fortunate! What a biker icon! I actually enjoy watching my sporty riding buds buzzing all around in front of me, hitting those twisties and opening them up on the straight-a-ways...it's like they're my kids out there having fun! :D And that's exactly what these bikes are for...most of us work our asses off and these bikes are designed to give us pleasure, fun, and in reality are actually mental therapy that you just can't buy anywhere else! Are they the perfect bike? Nope...and the MoCo has never said it is...but check out all the other biker forums out there, and I'll bet you can't find another bike that can instill the kind of passion that a Sportster can...hands down! :clap

Plus we get to celebrate the Sportster's 50th Birthday in a couple of months! I'm trying to think of another model that has consistently lasted 50 years and is still going strong...nothing comes to mind...what an achievement! The most versatile bike on the market...tour it, bar hop it, race it, bob it, chop it...it'll do it all! And plenty of aftermarket parts to personalize it til you're broke! It's the ultimate machine in my book...all of us that own/owned one should feel quite honored and fortunate! What a biker icon! I actually enjoy watching my sporty riding buds buzzing all around in front of me, hitting those twisties and opening them up on the straight-a-ways...it's like they're my kids out there having fun! :D And that's exactly what these bikes are for...most of us work our asses off and these bikes are designed to give us pleasure, fun, and in reality are actually mental therapy that you just can't buy anywhere else! Are they the perfect bike? Nope...and the MoCo has never said it is...but check out all the other biker forums out there, and I'll bet you can't find another bike that can instill the kind of passion that a Sportster can...hands down! :clap
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/gronk62/smileys/iagree.gif

Missy has had and I'm sure will have more great ideas,We have all ranted at one time or another.Myself especially when it comes to politics.My feeling is it's over,lets go on.Missy there are alot of REALLY new members now who don't understand where your feelings lie.

I can only agree with the above! :D :D

Just to reply to some posts you wrote ...
- 1986 1100GSXR has 4 carbs
- HDs are only assembled in the USA ... a lot of parts come from far est suppliers.
- My sporty has a normal off/on/res petcock (it stays in 'on-mode' all the time) same on the GSXR

I think this discussion can go on for a long time if we want .... ;)

At !358 posts missy,you earned your rant time...:smoke

.........................

it dosent matter what missy d wrote
its nice to have her drop in

cheers
crackers

it dosent matter what missy d wrote
its nice to have her drop in
cheers
crackers

Thanks a lot ... I still have some good ideas to customize bikes ... no matter what make they have! ;)

I can only agree with the above! :D :D

Just to reply to some posts you wrote ...
- 1986 1100GSXR has 4 carbs
- HDs are only assembled in the USA ... a lot of parts come from far est suppliers.
- My sporty has a normal off/on/res petcock (it stays in 'on-mode' all the time) same on the GSXR

I think this discussion can go on for a long time if we want .... ;)


HD makes their own engines, frames, tanks, and fenders...You call that
"just assembling"?

Missyd,
First I not going to bust on your opinion its yours, so as far as that goes for you it is right. I am glad you like your GSXR and am sorry that you feel the way you do about your Sporty. Over my near 40 years of riding I have owned darn near every band of motorcyle made in Japan. I've had Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and I have to tell you they were good bikes. I was riding a ricer when my brother-in-laws 72 sporty was bleeding oil all over his garage floor every night and under my honda was as dry as a desert. And I was riding my virago when I bought my sporty and I thought that I would never change brands as I had 3 yamahas to that point. Now that being said I going to tell you why I think you are mistaken in your thought processs. I think that the Japanese need to learn from Harley rather than the other way around, and I think they are starting too. As far as the Japanese are concerned they might as well be making and selling you a toaster they are not concerned if they cancel a line of bikes and do not make parts for it or for that matter work on a bike that is no longer in production. And they change lines of bikes on a whem how ever the wind is blowing at the time. If you think I am wrong try to get parts for an 81- 83 virago and I am not talking about chrome or anything like that as that is nonexistant. I am talking carbs and things of that nature you find your self trolling ebay to keep your bike running. Heaven forbid you want to customize your bike. If you do it is truely old school cause you are making the parts youself. If you have been on this site as long as you have you have to know that there are thousands of early 80s sportys being customized and having all kinds parts being added to them. You have been able to work your sporty into the bike that is, my guess is that you know that it is not possible to change your 86 GSXR more than the available ebay parts. Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki are changing but very slowly I went to each of them before I bought my Harley, when trying to order the bike the way I WANTED I was told no by each one of them and when I went to Harley the only thing that was said was OK. I am the place in my life that I could have bought any motorcyle that they make including the custom bikes. I bought my Sportster because I am getting Long in the tooth and when I was young that is what a Motorcycle looked like and that is what I wanted I refuse to apologize to anybody for my choice. You are right in many ways my old bikes had some better things about them but not as a whole. The availablilty of parts as well as the number of shops to work on these bikes leaves the jap bikes way behind. As well as the fit and finish of the bikes the chrome is heavey not plasitic and the paint deep and flawless. And If you keep the maintance up on the newer Sportys they run real fine. My guess is that you already know this to be true as you have kept your Sporty. Oh and by the way I sold my 82 Virago for $800 when a nice 82 Sporty brings in the area of $5000 how that for resale value.

Missyd,
First I not going to bust on your opinion its yours, so as far as that goes for you it is right. I am glad you like your GSXR and am sorry that you feel the way you do about your Sporty. Over my near 40 years of riding I have owned darn near every band of motorcyle made in Japan. I've had Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and I have to tell you they were good bikes. I was riding a ricer when my brother-in-laws 72 sporty was bleeding oil all over his garage floor every night and under my honda was as dry as a desert. And I was riding my virago when I bought my sporty and I thought that I would never change brands as I had 3 yamahas to that point. Now that being said I going to tell you why I think you are mistaken in your thought processs. I think that the Japanese need to learn from Harley rather than the other way around, and I think they are starting too. As far as the Japanese are concerned they might as well be making and selling you a toaster they are not concerned if they cancel a line of bikes and do not make parts for it or for that matter work on a bike that is no longer in production. And they change lines of bikes on a whem how ever the wind is blowing at the time. If you think I am wrong try to get parts for an 81- 83 virago and I am not talking about chrome or anything like that as that is nonexistant. I am talking carbs and things of that nature you find your self trolling ebay to keep your bike running. Heaven forbid you want to customize your bike. If you do it is truely old school cause you are making the parts youself. If you have been on this site as long as you have you have to know that there are thousands of early 80s sportys being customized and having all kinds parts being added to them. You have been able to work your sporty into the bike that is, my guess is that you know that it is not possible to change your 86 GSXR more than the available ebay parts. Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki are changing but very slowly I went to each of them before I bought my Harley, when trying to order the bike the way I WANTED I was told no by each one of them and when I went to Harley the only thing that was said was OK. I am the place in my life that I could have bought any motorcyle that they make including the custom bikes. I bought my Sportster because I am getting Long in the tooth and when I was young that is what a Motorcycle looked like and that is what I wanted I refuse to apologize to anybody for my choice. You are right in many ways my old bikes had some better things about them but not as a whole. The availablilty of parts as well as the number of shops to work on these bikes leaves the jap bikes way behind. As well as the fit and finish of the bikes the chrome is heavey not plasitic and the paint deep and flawless. And If you keep the maintance up on the newer Sportys they run real fine. My guess is that you already know this to be true as you have kept your Sporty. Oh and by the way I sold my 82 Virago for $800 when a nice 82 Sporty brings in the area of $5000 how that for resale value.
:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap

Well said!!!

well said ocandf.
and if i might be so bold as to add:

i also am getting a bit long in the tooth , and i could have gotten any cycle i wanted. i chose a sporty for the look , the feel, the sound, and it has a soul. my 1979 kz1000 ltd was a fine cycle, i rode it often and it was like being shot out of a gun.

I have wanted an hd for the last five years and now i have one this cycle exceeds all of my expectations.

and i named her saoirse. that means freedom in gaelic.

No bike has a 'soul'! A bike is just assembled bits and pieces! Its the rider that thinks it has a soul! ;)

No bike has a 'soul'! A bike is just assembled bits and pieces! Its the rider that thinks it has a soul! ;)


RUT ROW! INCOMING!!!!

:sofa

Missy,

Being of the female gender, I guess you do not feel the connection of " Man and his machine". This is what people refer to as the soul of their bike. The general female psyche does not relate in the same way as males do to mechanical devices and engineering. This is most likely why you feel the way you do. Ergo the reason most men give proper names to their mechanical modes of transportation i.e. ships, trains, planes, cars, bikes. Venture to say you have probably never given a name to any of your bikes or cars.

I don't know Aero. There are quite a few women on here that do love their Sportsters. Problems and all.

Bert,

I said the "general" female psyche, I know there exceptions to the rules, just as their are men who do not have the affinity for mechanical things as well. I for one relish those females who can appreciate with affection the beauty of mechanical engineering. I was refering to Missy's comment that a bike is just a pile of assembled peices. We all know that a mechanical device has no soul in the religous sense, but maybe since Missy's in Switzerland she hasn't had much exposure to things we characterize as having soul here in the US, such as music, food, etc. things that we characterize as soul, to reflect a certain feeling which is what people mean when they talk about the soul of their bike. They are referring to that certain feeling of individuality that reflects some of their personna when they ride and feel that rider and machine connection.

well the japs make better bikes dog wont hunt around here. I like a few other people here have rode a wide variety of manufactures bikes and I ride with people who ride different makes of bikes and one thing is for certain they all have there own quirks and they all break sooner or later.
and as for all the pissing and moaning about the cost of h-d parts not one time have I had anybody hold a knife to my throat and force me to buy anything at the dealer , although I may try to use that as an excuse some time when the wife wants to know what I have bought now.
my dad has a vlx 600 and he paid almost 250 for a windshield for it I paid 220 for my h-d quick detach .a sissy bar and luggage rack for the honda will cost you the same as one for a sporty , so do tires exhaust and any other trinket you may add.
and if I wanted to ride a rice burner I would I have no problem with the bikes being made in maryville ohio except they dont perform as well as my sporty , I know I have rode them.

No bike has a 'soul'! A bike is just assembled bits and pieces! Its the rider that thinks it has a soul! ;)

im sorry you feel that way. :doh

but me and Saoirse , we got it going on .

I don't know Aero. There are quite a few women on here that do love their Sportsters. Problems and all.

Yeah well they aren't normal either, and I mean that as a compliment.:)

Danica Patrick is also not a normal woman. She is extraordinary!

My wife actually understands some of the motorcycle/gearhead lingo. I like that.:D
If however I go on too long about bikes she will threaten to start talking about sewing or knitting and that shuts me right up.:wonderlan
I guess I'm too "normal".:(

As for having "soul", Black Sportsters cannot be beat.:banana

SOUL
Plain and simple

Will someone tell me where this " The Japanese build better motorcycles" comes from First of all THERE ARE NO JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE COMPANYS there are Japanese companys that happen to build motorcycles. Yamaha builds outboards, pianos, and oh yea motorcycles. Honda builds lawnmowers, geneators, cars and oh yea motorcycles. Suzuki builds outboards, electronics, cars and oh yea motorcycles. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS A MOTORCYCLE COMPANY! If Harley stopped making Motorcycles They Would Be Out Of Business. If the Japanese companys stopped making motorcycles they would just make toasters, vaccums, and radios. Motocycles are just another product to relieve the consumer from his money to them. Harley is a company thats builds motorcycles and they embrace the motocycle as a life style. Until the Japanese have a company that has its future depend on only building motorcycles they will never get it that it matters if the chrome is real and not plastic, it matters if your bike is able to be repaired after 20 years, it matters if the model bike you are riding is in production for a long time, and it matters that your bike is built last as long as you take care of it. SHOW ME A 1970's JAPANESE BIKE I WILL SHOW YOU RARITY SHOW ME A 1950s HARLEY AND I WILL SHOW YOU A BIKE SHOW. There is more to building a motorcycle than making one that has all the latest gismos and is fast anybody can strap a computer and a rocket to a 10 speed and have up to date electronics and be fast, but it takes Harley to make a qualilty motorcycle that lasts. If the Japanese make better bikes why do they not have a line of motorcycles celebrating 50 year in production? Answer because to them it it not about the bike, IT IS ABOUT REMOVING THE MONEY FROM THE WALLET that is why it makes good sense to clone a Harley and undercut the price with subquality chrome, paint and options. SO ENOUGH FROM YOU WHO SAY THAT THE JAPANESE BUILD BETTER BIKES YOUR IGNORANCE IS SHOWING!

Oh yea Missyd way to debate the points brought up by making fun of cgp's bike having soul!

im sorry you feel that way. :doh
but me and Saoirse , we got it going on .

hehe ... you won't find a bikesoul in heaven .... ;)

But plenty of bikes at the scrap dealer! :roflblack

I just love to write a posting and wait for your reaction!

missyd(THE SPOON) just stop stirrin the shit and get lost...

Missy,

Just out of curiosity how do you know there are no bikesouls in heaven? Have you been there and are reporting back your findings for us?

Plenty of bodies and bones in graveyards etc, and no guarantee that those souls are in heaven either.

Please share your wisdom, insightful one.

Here's my theory on the bike soul issue:

For the number of times we've had our bikes turn over/brake in time/perform other miracles simply by pleading with it, I think it's safe to assume that it does posess a soul of some type. Now, like all other souls, if bike souls don't go to heaven, then logically, they go to hell. If we accept the postulate given by pretty much everyone who doesn't ride, all bikers are going to hell. This means we'd be reunited with our bike in the afterlife. This would be heaven to us, so this obviously cannot happen. Ergo, the bikes would have to go to heaven while we go to hell (there's no way St. Peter'd let the bikers in!). Knowing our bikes are in heaven will make us mildly happy but not enough to give us that "I'm in heaven" feeling, which, although contrary to the rules of hell, also pisses off the devil. Suffering this annoyance is his hell.

And as an added bonus, since heaven's supposed to be all lovey-dovey and peaceful, that means that our bikes, although they won't be ridden again, will sit there unlocked and never suffer so much as a scratch, dent, or stupid kid with ice cream on his hands sitting on it like it was his own private horsey!

Here's my theory on the bike soul issue:

For the number of times we've had our bikes turn over/brake in time/perform other miracles simply by pleading with it, I think it's safe to assume that it does posess a soul of some type. Now, like all other souls, if bike souls don't go to heaven, then logically, they go to hell. If we accept the postulate given by pretty much everyone who doesn't ride, all bikers are going to hell. This means we'd be reunited with our bike in the afterlife. This would be heaven to us, so this obviously cannot happen. Ergo, the bikes would have to go to heaven while we go to hell (there's no way St. Peter'd let the bikers in!). Knowing our bikes are in heaven will make us mildly happy but not enough to give us that "I'm in heaven" feeling, which, although contrary to the rules of hell, also pisses off the devil. Suffering this annoyance is his hell.

And as an added bonus, since heaven's supposed to be all lovey-dovey and peaceful, that means that our bikes, although they won't be ridden again, will sit there unlocked and never suffer so much as a scratch, dent, or stupid kid with ice cream on his hands sitting on it like it was his own private horsey!

Are there any loud pipes up there:shhhh :shhhh :shhhh

Are there any loud pipes up there:shhhh :shhhh :shhhh
Of course there are! You really think anyone in the EPA is going to heaven??

But since nobody up there rides, ya never get to hear them. :(

I feel so comforted now...