[Duane in Bakersfield]

As I was following a Toyota 4Runner :shock: sporting all kinds of Harley decals, Harley licence plate frame, and a trailer hitch, it dawned on me the major difference between Harley owners and Goldwing owners. With Harley owners, the trailer hitch is on their imported 4 wheelers so they can go get their American bike to bring it home, with the Goldwingers, the hitch is on the bike. You think? (Just a joke, guys)

 

[loren]

NOT REALLY A JOKE, where i live, the middle of milwaukee iron country. there are plenty of stranded harleys along the roads waiting for a truck.

loren

 

[Stormbringer]

This line of thought brought me the closest to a fight I've been. I was riding a SilverWing GL500i at the time and pulled into a bar on a cold night to warm up and have a beer. A not-quite-so-typical chap in leather came up to me and started the conversation with, "So, you're riding rice, eh?"

"It's a Honda."

"How many miles you have on it?"

"68,000 some... You ride a Harley, eh?"

"I only ride American. I can't stand that Jap @*@&#"

"So, how many miles do you have on your pickup?"

It was at this point that one of his friends pulled on his shoulder and kept him from getting a little too heated around the collar. I finished my beer and left before he changed his mind.

I've since tried to avoid conversations like that one.

 

[Gary & Mikey]

I believe I once heard a question posed as to what does a hound dog and a Harley have in common?
You can see them both going down the road in the back of a pick up truck.
In all fairness I'm sure there are several Harleys out there that the owner has put on a bunch of miles with minimum repairs, but we just don't hear much about it.

 

[Paul H]

A couple of my riding budies have Gnarley's. They are the first ones to admitt they have to get off and stretch there legs every 100-150 miles. I give them crap about their gnarleys and they throw it right back at me about my road sofa. It's all in good fun!

I should also tell ya that they want me in front cuz I'm the only one with a cruise control :lol:

Paul H.

 

[OrangeWingRider]

WHORES

I'll never forget my frist trip to Sturgis, a few years back. I was riding my wing at the time and the closer I got to Stugis the more bikes I saw on trailers. Being a simple minded country boy I asked a fellow one day at lunch why all the bikes were on trailers and he said son, them are just WHORES. Then he laughed and said that stands for We Haul Our Rides Everywhere. I still get a chuckle out of that evertime I see a bike being hauled somewhere...

 

[areg]

Interesting topic. I didn't think there was a difference, in fact I am sure they are one and the same.

 

[Jim King]

As I was following a Toyota 4Runner :shock: sporting all kinds of Harley decals, Harley licence plate frame, and a trailer hitch, it dawned on me the major difference between Harley owners and Goldwing owners. With Harley owners, the trailer hitch is on their imported 4 wheelers so they can go get their American bike to bring it home, with the Goldwingers, the hitch is on the bike. You think? (Just a joke, guys)

Being quick, as I am , I recognized this as a Troll right away, :lol: . When I rode my Hawg from Houston to your beautiful state last Spring on my 6K trip, I just didn't happen to see what you're seeing. In fact, ... no... I'll drop that thought.

But - my observation is that Harleys and GL1800s are like comparing a '55 Chevy convertible to a new S2000. I wouldn't hesitate to tear into my Harley to tinker with this or that. On the other hand, my GL1800 would have to absolutely be broke, and I couldn't afford to HAVE it fixed. And I'd have big second thoughts before I'd tear a head off of my GL1800 just to try a different thickness head gasket. Looking at the Tech Board here, I think most people are of like thinking. Why is that?

My earlier mention on the board asking about trying different cams, etc. was like spouting some foul language. As a new GL1800 owner, I have to ask - are we afraid to play with our toys? Or are we limited to experimenting with a different LEDs, or to putting on a diffent foot-peg. Has the Warranty Gods whipped us into submission. For me, riding my bike is just half the fun - I simply can't leave it alone. Not smart, I know - but that's just me. (I'll qualify that statement too, but telling you that I've monitored the GL1800 boards for 3 years before acutally buying one, so I know it's true.)

I'm hoping that we can get over this obsession of taking shots at other brands, usually Harleys, and get on with some positive conversations about our own ride. There's enough anti-BIKE people out there that would just as soon legislate bikes, Harleys, Hondas, you name it, completely off the road. Actually - they'd like to see them in the scrap yard!

Consequently, I have a hitch on my Hawg but not on my GL1800. That's not permanent I hope, but that's the way it is today. Hopefully my GL1800 will prove out to be a better road bike. My GL1500 was not. I'll find out for myself, and enjoy every minute of the "research".

Thanks for listening.

Jim

ps Consequently, I have a hitch on my Hawg but not on my GL1800. That's not permanent I hope, but that's the way it is today.

 

[Sargeslide]

Well, as a new GW rider, but a long time Rice Burner, I got into a conversation at Borders of all places with a gentleman who, like I was leafing thru the cycle mags. 1st, I love all bikes, all of them, I want them all! But I cannot afford more than one at a time so I buy wise.

I had a sabre, red, loud and fast, looks like a hotrod. And this guys asks what I was riding, I told him, and he looked at me funny. Then he says "I thought a military man would be patriotic and buy american". I was in uniform at the time, I teach AFJROTC, and am retired AF.

So I ask what he rides, and of couse it's a Road King. So, I then ask what does he drive, without missing a beat, he say's "Lexus". I smiled at him and said that a patriotic american like himself, should be driving a ford like myself, I guess I'll pickup his slack. He kinda looked funny again, and smiled. I told him, "It is that you ride, not what you ride, and I would stop to help him as fast as any other biker would, I carry both metric and amreican tools".

He say's, "I guess I'm a dumbass" I laughed till I cried.

I never have a problem with Harley guys, my Bro in law is a devoted harley rider, I just compliment them on the beauty of thier bike. And usually I get a like response. If they have something nasty to say, they can say it to my tail lights, as I blow past them, after all I got the fastest GW, the yellow one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sarge

 

[Blue Max]

This is Fruitless

I ride 'RED' because I love the bikes, fast and reliable. I live in Milwaukee where people love Harley with an irrational passion that most other MC manufactureres only wish they had. The big difference as I see it is, Harley riders are into the the bike and most other riders are into riding the bike. I know these are gross generalities but mostly true. I ride with a HD's and many think they've had a big year at 2 or 3 thousand miles.
For me that's a month. Harley doesn't make bad motorcycles, they just don't make anything I'd want to own. Honda, BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Ducati all do. I wish we could get past this Harley and Honda and Jap crap thing but I have serious doubts that will ever happen. I live it everyday here in Milwaukee.

One quick I aside why I have my doubts. I did own one cruiser. It was a very cool looking black and white Honda Shadow 1100. But it was a cruiser, pretty but no preformance. I stopped for lunch when this old beer keg with legs looking guy with a USMC hat told me that was the nicest Harley he'd ever seen. I thanked him but explained that it was a Honda. He said BS and said he knew a Harley when he saw one. I then showed him the badging on the tank. Well that kind of embarrassed him and he wandered off. When I came out from lunch the Shadow had been thrown on it's side.

Let's all remember the answer to the age old question, "What is the best bike?" the answer of course is "The one you're riding"

 

[Mike L]

I have found that the older type guys are differant then the younger guys.
The older guys driving the full dressers are just out there to ride and enjoy there harley, and hey whatever flips your switch, do it. The younger guys that have the loud pipes and have to crack them when they go by etc get on my nerves a bit. But all in all most of the Harley people I meet are decent folks. My best friend rides a full dresser, we ride all of the time together. But I have to be real careful, when I'm behind him, all I hear is pipes when he gets on it, so then I get on it and before you know it I'm all over his backend. I keep on forgetting he's all noise and no go ! LOL.................but hey we have great times together ! And thats what it's all about.............. :yes2: