Originally Posted By: benjy
i love all bikes + have a triumph bonneville + Vic Hammer, both with less aftermarket. i also put a few thousand upgrading poor brakes + suspension in my traded harley, good looking + best sounding bikes. riding the Vic surprised me how lighter it felt than it was, modern engine technology + a single shock handles well. the Hammer's big 250-40-18 rides pretty firm, i upgraded to a Penske shock for a world of difference. i test rode a new super glide, best lookin bigger harley IMO but handling + braking were lacking, one ride on the hammer, it was sold
The Bonneville is a heckuva bike right off the floor. I was looking at the yamaha dealer just after I bought my harley and they had a bike called a raider iirc that really hauled butt.
Originally Posted By: alarmguy
Originally Posted By: hpb
Clevy, it's very refreshing to hear a Harley owner give such an honest assessment of their bike! I applaud you for being so open
Here is my honest assessment of my first Harley, never thought I would own one but I do and am I ever glad. The 2014 Road King is amazing, if your one to admire fit and finish, value and dealer network/support they cant be beat. Acceleration is smooth and flawless, handling crisp, as is the shifting. I came from a Vstar 1300 and it sounds like a bucket of bolts compared to the Harley and it should at the lower cost. Dont get me wrong, I LOVED my Vstar 1300, might own one day someday, would recommend to anyone in that price range or wants a lighter cruiser.
The hardware, everything from the brake lines to the controls on the Harley is first rate beautiful. Its cost more for sure, but again, if you admire these things, much like a car, then its worth the price.
There is a lot of value in the Harley brand, as well as resale. I like the Vics A LOT, I I MAY own one someday if the RK lets me down) there is zero VIC dealer support in my area, I look at the Vics as an inbetween between the metrics and the Harley and again, it should be as the purchase price is lower.
Lets face it, its easy to bash the company that sells more motorcycles in the Unites States of America over 600cc then every single maker of motorcycles COMBINED.
I just wish, on assessments, people would name the Harley model and year they test drove to the Victory Model and year they test drove. Thats the only way to be 100%. apples to apples.
The 1300 is a nice bike. My 1100 was great too. I put 20000 miles on it in one summer. The only thing I didn't like about it was after 60mph or so the bike shook and vibrated like crazy. My Harley glides through the air at 100mph as smoothly as it does at 60mph.
And if I'm being honest here I never thought I'd buy a harley. I didn't like them. The baggers were just too much for me and the sportster wasn't any better than my v-star with a significantly higher price tag.
But a friend had this denim black street Bob for sale. Completely stock with 5000kms on it.I took that bike for a 20 minute ride around the city and I refused to give it back to him.
That 6th gear just made higher speed riding so smooth and clean. Sure it shakes like it's having a seizure at idle but once your moving its just smoothes right out,like your riding on glass.
Then I basically stripped it other than the gas tank and engine/tranny cases and built it the way I liked it.
And parts really weren't expensive. I bought most every thing from various forums saving a ton of cash even with shipping and dud most of the assembly work myself. The head work and machining I farmed out,and tuning but other than that my hands built my bike.
I admire bikes. Ever since I was a kid and my dad had a 69 matchless. Iirc it was a 750. Leaked oil everywhere,sounded like it was going to blow up but it just kept making miles. So for me it's about the bikes,the road and the experience.
There's somethimg mystical about riding a bike across the country. It's therapy for me.
i love all bikes + have a triumph bonneville + Vic Hammer, both with less aftermarket. i also put a few thousand upgrading poor brakes + suspension in my traded harley, good looking + best sounding bikes. riding the Vic surprised me how lighter it felt than it was, modern engine technology + a single shock handles well. the Hammer's big 250-40-18 rides pretty firm, i upgraded to a Penske shock for a world of difference. i test rode a new super glide, best lookin bigger harley IMO but handling + braking were lacking, one ride on the hammer, it was sold
The Bonneville is a heckuva bike right off the floor. I was looking at the yamaha dealer just after I bought my harley and they had a bike called a raider iirc that really hauled butt.
Originally Posted By: alarmguy
Originally Posted By: hpb
Clevy, it's very refreshing to hear a Harley owner give such an honest assessment of their bike! I applaud you for being so open
Here is my honest assessment of my first Harley, never thought I would own one but I do and am I ever glad. The 2014 Road King is amazing, if your one to admire fit and finish, value and dealer network/support they cant be beat. Acceleration is smooth and flawless, handling crisp, as is the shifting. I came from a Vstar 1300 and it sounds like a bucket of bolts compared to the Harley and it should at the lower cost. Dont get me wrong, I LOVED my Vstar 1300, might own one day someday, would recommend to anyone in that price range or wants a lighter cruiser.
The hardware, everything from the brake lines to the controls on the Harley is first rate beautiful. Its cost more for sure, but again, if you admire these things, much like a car, then its worth the price.
There is a lot of value in the Harley brand, as well as resale. I like the Vics A LOT, I I MAY own one someday if the RK lets me down) there is zero VIC dealer support in my area, I look at the Vics as an inbetween between the metrics and the Harley and again, it should be as the purchase price is lower.
Lets face it, its easy to bash the company that sells more motorcycles in the Unites States of America over 600cc then every single maker of motorcycles COMBINED.
I just wish, on assessments, people would name the Harley model and year they test drove to the Victory Model and year they test drove. Thats the only way to be 100%. apples to apples.
The 1300 is a nice bike. My 1100 was great too. I put 20000 miles on it in one summer. The only thing I didn't like about it was after 60mph or so the bike shook and vibrated like crazy. My Harley glides through the air at 100mph as smoothly as it does at 60mph.
And if I'm being honest here I never thought I'd buy a harley. I didn't like them. The baggers were just too much for me and the sportster wasn't any better than my v-star with a significantly higher price tag.
But a friend had this denim black street Bob for sale. Completely stock with 5000kms on it.I took that bike for a 20 minute ride around the city and I refused to give it back to him.
That 6th gear just made higher speed riding so smooth and clean. Sure it shakes like it's having a seizure at idle but once your moving its just smoothes right out,like your riding on glass.
Then I basically stripped it other than the gas tank and engine/tranny cases and built it the way I liked it.
And parts really weren't expensive. I bought most every thing from various forums saving a ton of cash even with shipping and dud most of the assembly work myself. The head work and machining I farmed out,and tuning but other than that my hands built my bike.
I admire bikes. Ever since I was a kid and my dad had a 69 matchless. Iirc it was a 750. Leaked oil everywhere,sounded like it was going to blow up but it just kept making miles. So for me it's about the bikes,the road and the experience.
There's somethimg mystical about riding a bike across the country. It's therapy for me.
