Our Harley-Davidson Experience
- Thread starter Sledboy434
- Start date
Been motorcycling for over 30 years, only a handful of those on my current 2004 Sportster. In a nutshell it reawakened the "passion" of riding due to it's seductive and unique design, a receipe for the senses...!
The deal is when you first start riding "young" you naturally take in all the things two wheeled sports involves and due to sensory overload you pick and choose your favorites and tend to overlook the obvious. I did trail riding and the fat tires, lazy horsepower and torque made the totegoat or minibike the bomb.
Later, taking it to the streets, metric cruisers were "natural" and cheap...with their mechanical warts and all. Enter the sportbike and the sheer technical wizardry and performance was like a drug and took the rider to a "different" place nestled in the quiet solitude of a full face helmet. When I got that first ride on that Sporty, it had most of the attributes of a sportbike I loved, but only a 1/2 helmet, gloves and boots, no full on leather regalia...simply turned on the ignition and the booming exhaust note made everyone around duck...could you hear my mind scream..."--ohhh yeahhh!"
The smiles per mile never stop coming...just to don't do it too wide to eliminate "--bugs in your teeth syndrome" hah-hah! :laugh
The deal is when you first start riding "young" you naturally take in all the things two wheeled sports involves and due to sensory overload you pick and choose your favorites and tend to overlook the obvious. I did trail riding and the fat tires, lazy horsepower and torque made the totegoat or minibike the bomb.
Later, taking it to the streets, metric cruisers were "natural" and cheap...with their mechanical warts and all. Enter the sportbike and the sheer technical wizardry and performance was like a drug and took the rider to a "different" place nestled in the quiet solitude of a full face helmet. When I got that first ride on that Sporty, it had most of the attributes of a sportbike I loved, but only a 1/2 helmet, gloves and boots, no full on leather regalia...simply turned on the ignition and the booming exhaust note made everyone around duck...could you hear my mind scream..."--ohhh yeahhh!"
The smiles per mile never stop coming...just to don't do it too wide to eliminate "--bugs in your teeth syndrome" hah-hah! :laugh
SC-roadking
Member
I can honestly say that I have never pulled up to a metric or sport bike at a stop and wished I had their ride, But I do notice them thumbs up nice bike to me all the time. Oh If I could only here them over rumbling of the Rinehart’s true duels thats on the 07 Cobalt Blue RoadKing SE. The Thunder of the 110 with the cams and pipes makes the old body even feel better on the bad days. There is a lot of riding time here in Southern Calf Temecula near San Diego so I know the feeling. Thanks for the great post
I agree with this, but I can sure get grumpy when I can't ride.
As per the other posts: I recently finnished a 2000 mile ride and was asked if I was tired. Nope, rode to work the next 2 days, like I had never been gone at all.
This is a nice thread. Thanks.
Sledboy434
Member
I have considered my motorcycle as Two Wheeled therapy for 32 years now. My wife absolutely believes it. If I've had a nasty couple of days, a couple hours on the bike do my mind wonders. Today we went for about 200 miles just to ride and have breakfast and then stop at Reel Brothers H-D in Mauston, WI. I just love the feeling of owning a Harley-Davidson. As the t-shirt has said for many years, "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand". I never did even though I had been a rider for 31 years. This has been a totally new experience. If anyone is near Central WI along I 90/94, stop in at Reel Brothers in Mauston, WI. Dave and Rod Reel are great guys. They have a very customer friendly atmosphere. Great service, too.
oldhippie
Senior Member
Great post Sledboy. It is a great feeling on a Harley.
Couple of really neat occurances this trip: first when stopped at a light in Lacey, Washington after making wrong turns and getting frustrated as all get out, a young family 2 lanes over at the red light yelling out "hey, really nice bike" and giving the thumbs up. Just made me feel better. 2nd turning a corner onto a main street through Dusty, Washington there was a group of kids standing around in front of a store. When I come around the corner with my Harley just rumbling ever so nicely, they all stopped to turn and look and you could feel their eyes on us as we rode past.
I don't ride to get noticed but the Harley just has that effect on people:newsmile036:.
We've met some of the nicest people on this trip, young, old and everywhere in between. All admiring the ride and asking how our trip is going.
And the dealers, haven't found an unfriendly one yet.
Couple of really neat occurances this trip: first when stopped at a light in Lacey, Washington after making wrong turns and getting frustrated as all get out, a young family 2 lanes over at the red light yelling out "hey, really nice bike" and giving the thumbs up. Just made me feel better. 2nd turning a corner onto a main street through Dusty, Washington there was a group of kids standing around in front of a store. When I come around the corner with my Harley just rumbling ever so nicely, they all stopped to turn and look and you could feel their eyes on us as we rode past.
I don't ride to get noticed but the Harley just has that effect on people:newsmile036:.
We've met some of the nicest people on this trip, young, old and everywhere in between. All admiring the ride and asking how our trip is going.
And the dealers, haven't found an unfriendly one yet.
ChristoHD
Member
Like you Sledboy I too came off of a Yammie Venture (mine was a 1999), 10 years riding that and the last 4 a Stratoliner also as my fun cruiser. Bought my HD last year end of July, sold both Yammies in Feb of this year. The HD is quite the experience! I share in your delight and passion for this wake-up riding call. Enjoy, ride safe, and welcome to the HD fever/sickness/cult. ;-)
Welcome to that wonderful experience! After a while it becomes a life style. We try to plan at least one day each weekend to go for a ride with our friends. Usually about 6-10 bikes. We meet up, ride to a breakfast place, ride all day to parts unknown here in New England, stop once again for dinner, and then head for home in the early evening. It has become an event that I look forward to immensely. May you experience similar joys. I think you will!