Any motorcycle enthusiasts here?

Strangely Ducati had a bike a few years ago with the Fastest
0-60 m.p.r. time on record.
Beating out the Kawasaki H2 { Street legal model }
The Kaw ZX-14 I believe is the King of the hill.
However BMW and Harley has bikes that were faster.
Harley had a Monster H.P. Buell.
I still think the Kaw H2 is the fastest.They have a street version and
track version.The Track version are arguably The Loudest exhaust of
any Motorcycle and can shoot flames.We're talkin' easily Over 300 h.p.

 

Suzuki sued Consumer Reports and won. The vehicle wasn’t unsafe, unless you did a 90 degree turn at 60 mph.

 

I would never buy a Harley. Terribly overrated.

 

the ducati is the best bike for the street because of its superior handling.

 

I did, but I didn't pay for a new one, I would never do that, and the best thing about them is they retain resale value. My Harley is old and slow.. and that fits me to a T.

 

I'm a fan of two wheels regardless of brand, but I wouldn't buy a new Harley either. If I were to spend that much on a bike, I would probably look into the Boss Hoss V8's. Don't see many of those around.

 

If I was going to spend a lot of money on a bike (or car) I'd spend it on something that was going to go up in value.
That means vintage models in practise.

 

I love this era of bike, all brands.

 

No it wouldn't because I*'d ride that bike everyday I could. Wow, that's cool.

 

Personally I buy one of these classic Ducati 750 SS models from the 1970's.



They are asking $190,000 for it. If they threw in a 750 S for daily riding I would probably go for this since some of the SS models are incredibly rare and sought after.

 

Not really.That was very true in the 90's before the Reinvention of
Harley and the TC 88 engine plant.However Harley has been on a slow
downward trend the last 7-8 years.For the most basic or reasons.
Those who lusted after a Harley already Mortgaged their homes to
buy one.The new Harley owner market is about on it's last legs.
Now with the Newer Models and Hondas Latest Goldwing version
{ far and away The best Goldwing ever } Harley is on a track to really
take a beating.Given Indian's new release of their Muscle cruiser
the FTR 1200 or Muscle Dirt Tracker Scout.The bikes have already
sold out.Can't even come close to meeting demand.
I was interested in one back in spring but they were already spoken
for with notable waiting lists and questionable deposits.
So I got a Bargain Street Muscle bike or poor man's Ducati Diavel.
The incomparable Yahama XSR 900.
I was willing to drop around $ 22- 23,ooo on a new Diavel but they
weren't being shipped to dealers.I was kind of interested in the Diavel
when I used to check in at the Dealer I bought my M109 Suzuki from.
Diavels ran around $ 18,ooo then.Back in around 2013.
I am still breaking in my 2019 Yahama XSR 900.It is hellashily fast
0-60 like the the Diavel.I am looking forward to spanking the pants off
a 2019 Indian FTR 1200.Because they have a rev limiter or speed limited
to 119 m.p.r. and redline at 8,500 prm.The XSR redlines at 11,500 and
is a high compression engine.Very flat torque curve because it
instantly makes torque at around 4,ooo rpm up to near redline { 11,500 }.

 

I doubt Jay leno would even pay $ 19,ooo for it.
Not that it isn't capable of being worth it but that markets tend to exploit
prices.Get one that is kinda junked and have it restored.

 

Some time in the late 2000's I went to a Boss Hoss dealer
about a 30 minute drive from the Big city and 45 minute form my
lodgings and was disappointed.Actually the dealer was like a small
shop with hardly any dealer sign and was closed.This was on like
a Friday at around noon.I was interested in seeing about maybe
test driving a Boss Hoss.I knew the specs { they offered 2 engines }.
Basically extremely heavy and just 2 speeds.You see them at big motorcycle
rally's like Sturgis and Daytona.They are Loud.And known to smoke the
rear tires.I wonder what the Insurance cost is.
They are not dealer maintainable.Because the dealers are like
here today and gone tomorrow.The bike is a novelty.I've never come
up on one on the street.They are that rare.
Then again I have never come up on a Rune on the street.
And I own The First Rune sold in my state.

 

Now the Gals are into Huyabusas.I saw a group of about 9 chicks
all riding Busas back around 6 years ago.I couldn't believe it.
I met an old Harley broad at a Kawasaki dealer over the early summer.
She was looking to buy a new helmut.We got to talking and she said she
has a Sportster 1200 and was in a serious wreck a couple years ago.
But she recovered and was none the worse for wear.She spoke with a
German accent.That Kawasaki dealer had about 30 used motorcycles
and 2 Harley sportsters.We got to talking about batteries and how
not to get taken.I think she was having a new battery installed on her
Harley sitting outside the dealer.Most Harley chicks suffer Stockholm
Syndrome.Only it's a Harley Syndrome.They are obsessed over
the color of their Harley and it Has to be a softtail and have a low seat
height.The same accessories as their Harley Boyfriend.
Thereby the nature of Harley Syndrome.

 

I've heard this too, regarding the 883 specifically. It's non-sense, I wish we could narrow down the origin of this view to see if it's mere machismo or marketing ploy.

The 883 is sufficient enough for any type of riding one likes. Doesn't matter if you're riding to work or going on a trip, it's plenty of displacement. Not to mention that aesthetically, there's no huge difference when looking at the 883 and 1200+.

 

The trouble is finding junked ones that are restorable.

 

The second year I had my CB1100 { a 2013 model } I was wearing my usual
backpack and grocery shopping.That is probably The best motorcycle I ever
owned.I have owned around 10 motorcycles.The Bike is truly fast but that model
was specifically Detuned in order to be a Standard.Not a Cruiser or a Sportbike.
It was quiet and The easiest shifting Bike I ever owned.The best Brakes on
a motorcycle I ever owned.There's a reason for that I'll explain in depoth later.
It also started up every time lickety split.Never once even slightly hesitating.
But it was a little too tame.So I traded it in for the 2019 Yahama XSR 900.
On average I keep a bike for 5 years.I keep 2 bikes.The Rune I won't sell or trade.
So this Harley guy { Sporster 883 with super loud exhaust } was at a stop
light behind me blipping the hell out of his throttle.So stinkin' proud of his
Manly LOUD Sportster.I decided to teach him a lesson.
I took off from the stop light and gave him a chance to catch me.Then I gunned
the bike and blew off.Left him as if standing still.I could hear him trying to catch
me to no avail.I slowed down due to having hit about 70 mph in no time and
there was another stop light.The Sportster guy looked depressed.He kinda stopped
blipping his throttle.He stayed behind me and acted like he lost interest in trying
to impress me with his Hog { slang for Harley }.Forgetting that :
You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda

 

Leno is a marvel.I think he wrenches along with his mechanic
genius guys he meets and restore or upgrade bikes OR Cars.
He owns and wrote about the time he took on the street his
Jet engine { Turbine } motorcycle.It had just 2 speeds.So stopping
is critical.Once the jet motorcycle spins up it's tricky to keep it
under speed.
I saw Leno's Garage last week and one of his Prize motorcycles.
I think he declared it was his favorite motorcycle.It wasn't a Henderson but
some old popular motorcycle.Leno said what he liked most about the
bike was the way the engine was mounted on the frame.You could actually see
clear through the bike,from one side to the other.Nothing was obstructing a
clean view of the engine.Unlike today's Bikes which are crammed into the
frame and cluttered with all kinds of stuff making it near impossible to work
on if stranded on the road.He took the bike for a ride { He has helpers filming
all his rides } and it required a lot of effort to operate.You have to advance this
and twist that and push in this to feed oil to the engine.Or make sure that oil
is being feed sufficiently to the engine.But he said that was his favorite bike.
Leno is a true afficianado of Motorcycles and Cars.Definatley not a snob.
That's my gripe about Harley guys.They SO stuck-up over their Hogs.
When in actuality they are an Old Design and not a performance bike.
Handling,Braking,Starting { better than the older ones where you had to twist
the throttle real good twice } and acceleration is just average.
But in their mind it spells Hog Heaven.

 

it is because most people on a honda wear a leather suit

 

While Leno does do some of his own wrench work he has a full time mechanic to keep all of those old vehicles in running condition.

Want a bet that if you owned that same old bike you would be the person all your time trying to get it to run properly.

The handling of bikes was sorted out long before most of the rest of the issues. An old 1950's era Norton Featherbed handles like it is on rails but it leaves a puddle of oil wherever it is parked. The brakes improved dramatically with the advent of disks which were infinitely superior to drums. Even up through the 70's the electrical components were marginal at best. Headlamps were a joke and indicators and brake lights would fall off just from the vibration alone.

It was the 1980's when they started sorting out the electrics and you could ride to work wearing a suit and not look like you had rolled around in an oil puddle. The Japs were responsible for the "civilizing" of bikes and making them "acceptable" in polite company. Yes, there was still a wild element but Sunday riders were now more likely to be Yuppies than bikers.

Do I miss needing to eff around with points, plugs and condensers on at least a weekly basis?

Nope!

As long as it handles and I have confidence that I can push it hard through the corners I am happy.

 

Got one. 2013. Red

 

That was about the only quirk Leno seems to have.He does live to
explain the ins and outs of different engines to the point of maybe an
obsession.He so loves his hobby { engines and cars and motorcycles }
he appears to have forsaken an ability to be Prudent.Which is a Virtue.
The ability to manage one's life.Not many mechanics share the Leno
philosophy of Loving or trying to Love all things engine-related.
So in this endeavor or Hobby ... Jay leno is the patron saint
of Engines and Cars and Motorcycles.
Not Lions and Tigers and Bears ... Oh My !

 

This Harley