Firstly I'm a noob to riding.. I have a bike but it doesn't run and hasn't since i bought it. I guess you could call it my first bike but I don't suppose it counts. Yesterday that changed when I found a sportster in the classifieds.
I had never even considered buying a Harley. For one they are WAY outside of my price range. On top of that, they aren't very impressive on paper. They seem to have way more engine than they should for the HP they make. They also look really heavy. Plus I am the Anti-Chrome incarnate. Never the less. The lack of a bike dealership around here coupled with the low number of riders means you take what comes along when looking for a used bike. So having purchased this beast I tried to figure out what endeared people to these so called "inferior" bikes.
I scoured the internet fan sites and parts shops looking for an idea of what "it" was and it was a visit to youtube that put me on the right track.
Search youtube for dirt bikes. You will find a pile of video's of quick and agile bikes that rarely have both wheels on the ground. wild and acrobatic. I get that. hooligans unite.. anywhere they damn well please..
Search again for sport bikes. The videos are all over the map but they focus on going fast.. very fast.. there are lot's of video's of speedometer's and handlebar views of the highway at breakneck (and every other bone) speeds..
Then search for the Harleys.. Most of these video's are of the bike.. idling in the driveway while the rider circles around it with a camera.. maybe taps the throttle a few times. Then they'll usually hop on and make a couple passes by the driveway and then shut it down.
They aren't prized for the same things that other bikes are prizes for.. it's not fast.. its not agile.. In my opinion they aren't even much to look at. But something about them is inately beautiful. They say people either "get it" or they don't with the harley's. I think some people are just not sure what "it" is to look for.
So I went down the street to sit on a friends Harley (my own won't be delivered for a couple days.).. I sat on it and started it up.. I'm still not sure what "It" is.. But I can tell you that "It" can be had in the driveway without ever taking the bike out on the road. It's kinda like your favorite old T-shirt that's full of holes that your wife complains to you about getting rid of. yet you feel compelled to wear it every sunday anyway. It's a certain comfort that has nothing to do with ergonomics. In other words it's all in your head and probably most importantly your ears.
I didn't want a Harley.. I wanted a Honda dirt bike.. This sportster has NONE of the qualities I was looking for in a bike but somehow it picked me.. And I think me and the sporty are gonna do just fine together too..
I had never even considered buying a Harley. For one they are WAY outside of my price range. On top of that, they aren't very impressive on paper. They seem to have way more engine than they should for the HP they make. They also look really heavy. Plus I am the Anti-Chrome incarnate. Never the less. The lack of a bike dealership around here coupled with the low number of riders means you take what comes along when looking for a used bike. So having purchased this beast I tried to figure out what endeared people to these so called "inferior" bikes.
I scoured the internet fan sites and parts shops looking for an idea of what "it" was and it was a visit to youtube that put me on the right track.
Search youtube for dirt bikes. You will find a pile of video's of quick and agile bikes that rarely have both wheels on the ground. wild and acrobatic. I get that. hooligans unite.. anywhere they damn well please..
Search again for sport bikes. The videos are all over the map but they focus on going fast.. very fast.. there are lot's of video's of speedometer's and handlebar views of the highway at breakneck (and every other bone) speeds..
Then search for the Harleys.. Most of these video's are of the bike.. idling in the driveway while the rider circles around it with a camera.. maybe taps the throttle a few times. Then they'll usually hop on and make a couple passes by the driveway and then shut it down.
They aren't prized for the same things that other bikes are prizes for.. it's not fast.. its not agile.. In my opinion they aren't even much to look at. But something about them is inately beautiful. They say people either "get it" or they don't with the harley's. I think some people are just not sure what "it" is to look for.
So I went down the street to sit on a friends Harley (my own won't be delivered for a couple days.).. I sat on it and started it up.. I'm still not sure what "It" is.. But I can tell you that "It" can be had in the driveway without ever taking the bike out on the road. It's kinda like your favorite old T-shirt that's full of holes that your wife complains to you about getting rid of. yet you feel compelled to wear it every sunday anyway. It's a certain comfort that has nothing to do with ergonomics. In other words it's all in your head and probably most importantly your ears.
I didn't want a Harley.. I wanted a Honda dirt bike.. This sportster has NONE of the qualities I was looking for in a bike but somehow it picked me.. And I think me and the sporty are gonna do just fine together too..
