My Dinner with Pirates

[Dustin]

Motorbikes are so much more than performance and what's on a piece of paper. I think the Sportster 883 is a cool bike. Sure, it's slow and a Ninja 300 outperforms it--which is hilarious--but it's a cool bike.



I like that it looks cool without being obnoxious or ghastly. I'd have one, minus the loud pipes. Owners report good mileage, more than 50 MPG. I have talked to a few locals who rode sportbikes for most of their lives and bought Sportys; they didn't have anything negative to say about the handling once you upgraded the shocks like any bike.

I get a laugh from some of the Harley bashing here but some of you guys are almost as bad as those guys who bash you.

 

[Hellgate]

Don't tell anyone Dustin, but I kinda like a plain Sportster.:shame:

Now IF I was to own said Sportster, it would not be stock. It would be the now discontinued XR1200, with the Vance and Hines race kit.

 

[Dustin]

That's the spirit!

 

[Brock Kickass]

As a rule, I TRY to be the bigger person and not bash others. For the most part, I give props to anyone who just wants to get out and ride even if they are some misguided soul who doesn't ride an FZ1, but the ones who cause me to break policy and make fun sometimes are the ones who care way more about looking like they ride than they care about actually riding.
And for the record, I think the dude I saw a while ago on a ZX14 wearing designer jeans and a muscle shirt wobbling through the nightclub district in Toronto at 7mph looked just as silly as the pirates I see with all of their pirate costumes and 1200lb. bikes. That, and I just think Harley's are turds. There are way better cruisers out there that cost less and work better but don't have the same image.
Sportsters are neat, but really mediocre at best. The most remarkable thing about a Sportster is that, despite being a Harley, it is actually a credible motorcycle.

 

[Hellgate]

Actually back in the mid-'80's I read an article in Motorcyclist about recreating the old XLCR. I SOOOO wanted to build one.

But HDs still suck.

View attachment 12416

 

[Dustin]

I did a Harley demo day in the spring and rode a whole bunch of their line. I really wasn't impressed with the performance aspect, the forward-mounted foot controls and I especially hated the vibration. Even the biggest, loudest motors were so slow and shook me senseless. What for? Ridiculous

I did see some positives in the line. The fit & finish is very nice, the controls and gauges & electronic things are nice and they are dead easy to ride, especially at low speed. I think the owners are worse than the bikes & it leaves a sour taste in our collective mouths.

 

[BDazzler]

Motorbikes are so much more than performance and what's on a piece of paper. I think the Sportster 883 is a cool bike. Sure, it's slow and a Ninja 300 outperforms it--which is hilarious--but it's a cool bike.



I like that it looks cool without being obnoxious or ghastly. I'd have one, minus the loud pipes. Owners report good mileage, more than 50 MPG. I have talked to a few locals who rode sportbikes for most of their lives and bought Sportys; they didn't have anything negative to say about the handling once you upgraded the shocks like any bike.

I get a laugh from some of the Harley bashing here but some of you guys are almost as bad as those guys who bash you.

I'll agree the Sportsters and VRods are the closest things to a motorcycle HD makes. I'm bashing a little, because it's in fun, but I'm also REALLY trying to figure out WHY people like these things. I honestly don't get it. I know there's the crowd who do it just for image and the old timers that do it just for the nostalgia, but why pay 2x's the money for half the bike? I'm not trying to boil down every bike to just numbers. Every type of bike has it's purpose (even cruisers, I guess), but as you say, the vibration, loud noise, weight, poor performance, premium price, etc all add up to a big :wtf: for me.

And before I get bashed, I'll ride with any 2 wheeler that isn't a big tool, HD or otherwise.

 

[spn4125]

I'll agree the Sportsters and VRods are the closest things to a motorcycle HD makes. I'm bashing a little, because it's in fun, but I'm also REALLY trying to figure out WHY people like these things. I honestly don't get it. I know there's the crowd who do it just for image and the old timers that do it just for the nostalgia, but why pay 2x's the money for half the bike? I'm not trying to boil down every bike to just numbers. Every type of bike has it's purpose (even cruisers, I guess), but as you say, the vibration, loud noise, weight, poor performance, premium price, etc all add up to a big :wtf: for me.

Exactly correct, every bike has its intended use, Harleys are built for cruising and sport bikes are built for speed and handling. My father has ridden motorcycles (especially Harley) for 45 years and currently owns 3 Harleys. He respects the FZ1 but it is not for him. I do enjoy taking the Harleys out for a spin from time to time just for a change and there are things I like and a lot of things I don't, but I will not bash the bike. I will bash the prices and morons who ride their bikes 100 miles a season and wear nothing but Harley brand cloths :wtf:.