Harley sales

Sojourner said:
I always like the 'loud pipes save lives!' argument. Apparently all the Honda and BMW riders don't consider safety, because they like quieter bikes....?
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And I like how the AMA bought in to that horse **** to try and encourage Harley riders, and other cruiser riders, to join the AMA. Nothing like selling out in an effort to attract more customers...:rolleyes1:

Sojourner said:
Apparently all the Honda and BMW riders don't consider safety, because they like quieter bikes....?
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Not all....:wink: The loudest exhaust, on a motorcycle anyway, around here belongs to a wannabe with a Honda Fury. I'd guess the exhaust pipes are about 18 inches long with no baffles. I still haven't figured out how his tennis shoes don't melt while he is riding it...:confused:
 
RedLdr1 said:
And I like how the AMA bought in to that horse **** to try and encourage Harley riders, and other cruiser riders, to join the AMA. Nothing like selling out in an effort to attract more customers...:rolleyes1:



Not all....:wink: The loudest exhaust, on a motorcycle anyway, around here belongs to a wannabe with a Honda Fury. I'd guess the exhaust pipes are about 18 inches long with no baffles. I still haven't figured out how his tennis shoes don't melt while he is riding it...:confused:
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Wayne, you had better check your AMA info again. They are definitely against the loud pipes save lives gambit! They are giving grants to local law enforcement agencies to purchase a dB meter to test motorcycles against the SAE standard. They recognize that ill will amongst motorists is created when the loud pipes dave lives boyz ride thru.

Mike
 
One of my neighbors in Fort Morgan was the mayor. He bought a nice purple Fat Boy a few months after I bought my first '99 Concours (the purple "Barney Bike"). I was coming back from a COG National Rally in Klamath Falls in 2001, after a 5-6,000-mile trip and he was in his driveway washing the Fat Boy. I pulled in and told him that if he was going to wash one purple bike, he might as well was two. He looked at all the bugs dead on my bike and politely declined the opportunity.

I asked him how many miles he had on the bike and he turned it on so he could look at the odometer. 2700 total miles!!! In only 13 months!!

Then he explained to me how he and five of his buddies had taken a long trip the weekend before. They had ridden all the way to Laughlin, NV, for the Laughlin River Run. 930 miles one way. They included one guy who had a peanut tank on his Harley who needed gas about every 100 miles. So, naturally, when they stopped, they'd buy a 6-pack of beer. Then they'd drink it and ride another 100 miles, buy another 6-pack. And repeat. 9 six packs to Laughlin; 9 six-packs back to Ft Morgan. Terry said he had really enjoyed riding that long distance. It had taken them 3 days down and 3 days back. He planned on doing some more touring. Then he asked me where I'd been. When I told him I'd met some friends, ridden to Vernal, Duschene, and Delta, UT; Ely, Austin, Falllon, and Reno, NV; Susanville and Lassen NP, CA; Klamath Falls, Eureka, CA; Crater Lake; Lolo Pass, Flathead Lake, Glacier NP, MT; Pendleton and Burns, OR; Winnemucca and back through NV; Moab, UT; Montrose, CO, and home.

He just shook his head and said, "No wonder you've got so many bugs."
 
Phil mentions the booze......I grew up in Wisconsin.......home of Harley, and home to lots of little country corner bars with Blatz or Schlitz or Pabst signs over the simple entry door.

I've never seen a row of Goldwings or R1200GS's lined up in front of a bar.
 
Coyote Chris said:
Good story! My idiot brother blew up a VW Van (with me in it) the same way. Maybe the High school ciriculam should be changed a bit to teach common car sense....
Chris getting to Australia some day
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Come on down Chris. I would love to show you around.
My home is humble but I can find you a bed.

Macka
 
For too many H-D owners, the key is to be seen and also to be heard. That's not my idea of being a "motorcycle rider" but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

And yes, I've been passed by groups of H-Ds in the middle of nowhere and they all had standard mufflers. I've also seen groups of H-Ds pulled over along the road without a rest room, cold water or shade for miles and I can only assume the ride got too painful due to vibration and noise of their own making. :)
 
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I had a friend who bought his brother-in-law's Harley, and took it on a Lake Michigan circle tour. He said that 4 or 5 parts vibrated off of it on that trip, the last one being the clutch pedal, which fell off a few blocks from returning home.

If you see a broken down beside the side of the road, it's usually a Harley or a custom chopper. That said, I will admit that most bikes out there are Harleys, so the odds go up just by popularity.

I rag on Harleys, but if you go up to the Upper Peninsula wilderness of Michigan, the bikes that do those long tours are usually Harleys, with a good smattering of Gold Wings and BMW tourers and adventure bikes. There are many Harleys that only get ridden down to the local bar or ice cream shop, but there are lotsa-mile Harley riders, too.
 
Recall on one of my cage trips, a group of about 5 “chopper” riders passed me on the Interstate doing 85mph. Next rest stop 30 miles later, there they were taking a break. Some miles later, here they come again, passing everyone in the go fast lane, making copious amounts of noise. Next rest stop, there they were once again. This happened several times. Evidently somewhere south of 50 miles at a time was their limit. I also imagine they had to stop for gas frequently and maybe a beer or two.
But, hey they were cool, no helmets, hair blowing in the wind, dark shades......yep they were cool alright. Uncomfortable as heck, but cool. :cool:
 
mikesim said:
Wayne, you had better check your AMA info again. They are definitely against the loud pipes save lives gambit! They are giving grants to local law enforcement agencies to purchase a dB meter to test motorcycles against the SAE standard. They recognize that ill will amongst motorists is created when the loud pipes dave lives boyz ride thru.
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Mike,

The AMA has traditionally opposed loud pipes going waaaay back to "Muffler Mike". However in the more recent past the AMA has consistently opposed laws regarding loud pipes as discriminatory towards motorcyclists. They also oppose requiring aftermarket exhausts to have a EPA approval for street bikes. Personally I find both these positions hypocritical. The classic example of this is the AMA opposed California's SB435 regulating aftermarket exhausts and requiring an EPA compliance stamp on aftermarket exhausts. That was back in 2010 and the aftermarket industry had to change to comply...or lose a large chunk of its market. Another example is when Denver tried to pass a noise ordinance in 2007. The AMA response (See Here) included this zinger: "To understand the restrictions being imposed on motorcyclists, Moreland asked car drivers to consider the impact if Denver city officials had instead required stock mufflers on cars, making it illegal for Denver drivers to buy replacement exhaust systems from companies like Midas or Meineke." "That would force everyone who drives a Ford to return to the Ford dealer and get the exact replacement muffler every time their exhaust system wore out," he noted. Really??? :rolleyes1: Don't you sell compliant exhaust parts for my Ford at your store?

In my opinion giving out grants for sound meters to a few local jurisdictions is nothing but a kiss and tell photo op while ignoring the real issue. And that real issue is already impacting all of us with closures and other restrictions.

As my signature shows I'm a AMA lifer... The way it has went over the last few years I'd gladly give up my membership if the AMA would return my money...prorated of course.:wink: Since they won't return my money I won't give up my right to tell them they are idiots and do not represent the views of most of their members. Their declining membership numbers also speak volumes...truly a "Rebel Without A Clue" scenario....:(
 
I have respect for a good number of Harley riders...but not all. I also respect some Harleys as excellent machinery...but not all.

Having said that, my favorite Harley joke remains: Did you know that 95% of all the Harleys ever built are still on the road? The other 5% made it home.
 
Sojourner said:
He said that 4 or 5 parts vibrated off of it on that trip, the last one being the clutch pedal
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Kind of reminds me of the NT shifter pivot bolt vibrating out and leaving the shifter hanging that a few here have dealt with. It could happen to you.

Brad
 
RedLdr1 said:
Mike,

As my signature shows I'm a AMA lifer... The way it has went over the last few years I'd gladly give up my membership if the AMA would return my money...prorated of course.:wink: Since they won't return my money I won't give up my right to tell them they are idiots and do not represent the views of most of their members. Their declining membership numbers also speak volumes...truly a "Rebel Without A Clue" scenario....:(
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I let my AMA membership laps this year after having been a member on and off for over 30 years. When its time for renewal I am also going to let my NRA membership laps as well. On the other hand my AARP membership seems to be getting more important every day :)
 
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Sojourner said:
.... He said that 4 or 5 parts vibrated off of it on that trip, the last one being the clutch pedal, which fell off a few blocks from returning home.....
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Can't believe I wrote 'clutch pedal'.....I drive a GTI with a stick, too.....
 
ARKNT said:
Kind of reminds me of the NT shifter pivot bolt vibrating out and leaving the shifter hanging that a few here have dealt with. It could happen to you.

Brad
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The only thing that has ever fallen off my NT was the RH Bar-End, somewhere in South Australia a couple of years ago.
Presumably it was my fault as I had removed/refitted it to install the Heated Grips about 3 years before that.
Perhaps I forgot to put a drop of thread-locker on the screw before tightening it (insufficiently?).
Strangely, I noticed no change to bar vibration or anything else without it or after I installed the new one (correctly!).
I have checked my shifter-bolt a couple of times and it has always been tight.

Macka
 
I was a member of a New England motorcycle Forum, I dropped out due to raw language and being called a Power Ranger for wearing ATGATT. I read many posts of guys looking to borrow stock Harley pipes so their bike could pass inspection. Many also say loud pipes save their lives and make them heard by cagers. I installed an air horn on my NT that works for me! BB
 
If "Loud Pipes Save Lives" then they should have exhaust pipes that face forward since it's a proven fact that most threats to riders by cars/trucks come in the 10-to-2 quadrant straight ahead. The ones who suffer most from the loud noise are cars that are behind them.

Many years ago, Peter Egan wrote a nice piece in Cycle World about loud pipes and I had it as a student handout for MSF classes. One of his points was "If loud pipes make you so much safer, why doesn't the insurance company give you a discount?" :)
 
ARKNT said:
Kind of reminds me of the NT shifter pivot bolt vibrating out and leaving the shifter hanging that a few here have dealt with. It could happen to you.

Brad
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been there, done that. twice. I've become proficient at getting the revs up so I can start from a dead stop in fourth gear. hahahaha
 
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