Am I missing something? (heavy cruiser)

[chadio]

As a person who loves pretty much anything on 2 wheels since 1993.....

 

I seem to notice a trend recently.  Friends, co-workers, friends of friends, etc.  all seem to be enamored with the heavy cruisers.  We talk, and they all dream of owning and riding that 800 plus pound bike that is the same size as a Chevy Suburban.  And costs $30k.  None of them mention  'super long road trips' as their riding style.

 

What am I missing?  Honest question...  "Don't knock it 'till you try it"  how about those bikes losing 250 pounds and knock 10 grand off the price first....  For those of you who have done the heavy cruiser thing,  I'm all ears ...

 

fwiw - have owned dirt, street, sport, and trials bikes....  most of them 2 strokes, most of them kick start... have been on one heavy cruiser (friend's Honda VTX1800)

[chadio]

Perusing local craigslist,  spotted this,  kinda makes me think I could be a cruiser guy one day....  maybe not 

[Dougie]

I’d put one in the stable but only along with all the other stuff I’d have. Probably a good ten or twenty bikes. . Still no way any Harley is worth more than £15000. It’s just like Levi’s, snap on and coke. The success is the advertising, not the build quality. I wear Levi’s, and like em. But they’re now made by kids in Bangladesh. Snap on are good tools but no better than any other pro tool. I drink coke too. Looks like I’m a sucker for ads.

but Harley’s only have the “idea” of freedom and “character”. When they go electric, they’ll have $%&^ all. 
I’ll get off my soap box now.

[sunndog]

I don't so much question the people wanting the 800lb bikes it's more the manufacturers making them that needs sorting

 

Years ago I had an xv1100 virago. Great engine in that I loved it, anyway the xv's were replaced by the v-star range .

I'm sure every one was heavier and less powerful than the xv it replaced.

Blame harley. Have you seen the size of a road king headlight? It's cartoon proportions not realistic at all

 

Not just cruisers either adv bikes are working in the toon town scale now too.

 

 

[discoganya]

Over on another forum...

 

Am I missing something with this recent "adventure" riding craze? Why buy a bike that you need a ladder to get on to? And run those thin bicycle tires up front? That narrow seat that hurts in 10 minutes?

 

Then ride into the dirt and eat dust all day? What's the point here, what am I missing? 

 

 

[Toymaster]

Bikes are purpose built tools, gone are the days of manufacuters making just one bike with different stuff bolted on it.   If you are into cruising the roads, wither locally on a sunday or a milemuncher, a cruiser fits the bill.

 

Like everything else, a wide soft seat and weight has its advantages. 

[RoyFrance]

Hello. As an owner of both a T7 and a middle weight cruiser, Indian scout.

 

All I can say is both are brilliant, but at different things, the scout does exactly what it says on the tin, you cruise along, no need to stress, no need to impress just take it easy (with 100bhp) and enjoy the scenery.

 

Love both bikes.

 

 

[I_AM_BEAR]

Ah yes, the freedom to ride (anywhere the government decides to build roads).

[winddown]

"Am I missing something"  You're very tactful.  I'd simply say that cruisers are a pose for most riders, and a way of being on two wheels without any modern thrills for the rest of the riders.   doggy old 1950's tech, I steer well clear of them.   Especially near corners or on straights

Edited October 21, 2023 by winddown

[chadio]

On 9/25/2023 at 8:25 AM, discoganya said:

Over on another forum...

 

Am I missing something with this recent "adventure" riding craze? Why buy a bike that you need a ladder to get on to? And run those thin bicycle tires up front? That narrow seat that hurts in 10 minutes?

 

Then ride into the dirt and eat dust all day? What's the point here, what am I missing? 

 

 

Already know the answers to all of those questions.

 

That is why I am asking different questions  

[AZJW]

I don't think you're missing anything  as according to this interview, the cruiser, big bike trend is dying.  IMHO, Harleys new strategy with E bike technology, is too little, too late. If they want to be a trend setted, they should develop a bike that runs on Hydrogen.  Looking at what the GM CEO has said about adopting the hydrogen model, Harley could get in on the ground floor, instead of holding on to a bike model that appealed to a lot of baby boomers, that either already have one or have gotten too old to ride.  They certainly have the branding thing down, now they need to mold that into something innovative. 

 

BTW, I personally will only ride bikes fueled by dead dinosaurs until I can't any longer as without the rumble and exhaust note emanating from the pipe, it's just another scooter.

 

Not sending this thread into political territory,  just stating why many periodicals are and have been writing about Harleys pending demise.

 

 

[Hibobb]

@AZJWRemember the Hindenburg....

 

Teasing aside, I am looking forward to electric bikes when the next generation of batteries are developed.

My first trip to Colorado (back in the 70's) was highlighted with shutting the bike off and coasting down  a mountain pass with just wind noise and chain whine.

If those electric trials bikes were not so crazy expensive, I might have one of them right now!

A decent electric touring bike might be a ways off yet, but who knows... the future is coming quickly, like it or not.

 

Just think.... no more silly discussion on what pipe/muffler setup sounds better (wink).

[sunndog]

1 hour ago, Hibobb said:

@AZJWRemember the Hindenburg....

 

Teasing aside, I am looking forward to electric bikes when the next generation of batteries are developed.

My first trip to Colorado (back in the 70's) was highlighted with shutting the bike off and coasting down  a mountain pass with just wind noise and chain whine.

If those electric trials bikes were not so crazy expensive, I might have one of them right now!

A decent electric touring bike might be a ways off yet, but who knows... the future is coming quickly, like it or not.

 

Just think.... no more silly discussion on what pipe/muffler setup sounds better (wink).

 

All the discussion will be about the best way to baby the battery

[chadio]

AZJW

 

Enjoyed the vid.

 

H/D, in my eyes, dropped the ball when they dropped the Buell.  The Buell Lightning, Blast, Ulysses, Firebolt.  A great way to diversify the brand and dealerships, not to mention attracting a wider audience.  I like the fact that Buells (of that vintage) used h/d motors.  Sold right next to their 'non - diluted' traditional h/d  line for those who like them.  Got an opportunity to ride the original Buell Lightning back in '97 or so, and I loved it.  

[winddown]

Most of what the average person does is based on follow the herd mentality, especially if it's big on TV.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if the production of "Sons of Anarchy" had been under-writ by HOG.

 

Choice in an illusion

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by winddown

[chadio]

47 minutes ago, winddown said:

Most of what the average person does is based on follow the herd mentality, especially if it's big on TV.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if the production of "Sons of Anarchy" had been under-writ by HOG.

 

Choice in an illusion

 

Interesting...  thanks for this winddown... 

[winddown]

On 11/7/2023 at 1:49 AM, sunndog said:

 

All the discussion will be about the best way to baby the battery

 

lol, I came back from the city the other day on my sportbike and was giving it some stick, I'd just watched that Fortnine youtube about "You paid for the whole tachometer so use the whole tachometer."   Anyway I used a lot more gas than usual and was down to 50k range when I got home so I swung into the servo and filled up as I was going out on a ride in the hills soon after.  That's not something you can do on an e-bike.  I seriously doubt they will take off in a big way, too many of us like our day rides and don't want to be limited by fuel/power consumption.

 

 

 

He has a vid on Harley's too, and nails it.  People buy them for :  The Sound, Feel, and Style.  "Bang Bang Pop"  Ok, I get it, but I buy for Performance, Handling, and Reliability.  A completely different set. 

 

 

[sunndog]

It's OK we can be like ewan and Charlie on their wind up harleys with vans full of spare bikes and diesel  generators following us around 

[Dougie]

I’m not worried about fuel running out. I’m putting a log burner in. 

[Tenerider]

On 11/6/2023 at 3:21 PM, Hibobb said:

@AZJWRemember the Hindenburg....

 

Teasing aside, I am looking forward to electric bikes when the next generation of batteries are developed.

My first trip to Colorado (back in the 70's) was highlighted with shutting the bike off and coasting down  a mountain pass with just wind noise and chain whine.

If those electric trials bikes were not so crazy expensive, I might have one of them right now!

A decent electric touring bike might be a ways off yet, but who knows... the future is coming quickly, like it or not.

 

Just think.... no more silly discussion on what pipe/muffler setup sounds better (wink).

This is exactly how I feel about it. I love my T7, but I really think my next bike might have a plug. I don't think I'd miss the sound/noise. Especially appealing would be the chance to ride off into the woods in stealth mode...(living in Europe).

But the whole package doesn't work for me yet: ridiculous pricing paired with insufficient range, poor charging times AND unserviceable degrading batteries.

 

[Hibobb]

@Tenerider, it may be decades before we get an electric motorcycle that will match everyone's requirements. I may pick one up in the next few years, just to be different, but will definitely be keeping T7. I am lucky to have room to have more than a few bikes around. I road my brother-in-laws Segway electric bicycle last week. It was great fun. It is a bike, not a motorcycle, but it had offload tires and a bit of suspension. Surprising power! I got tired before the battery did...

[Boondocker]

I asked the same question 10 years ago, so I went to Eagle Rider and rented a HD Electra Glide for 3 days. Rode it 2-up from LV to Zion for a weekend. I wanted to like it. Kept thinking - 9 out of 10 riders on American highways can't be all wrong. Guess I'm 1 out of 10.  All bikes are good and big cruisers are no exception. To be fair, such bikes are quite well suited to rolling along American highways, and that's a big niche. The value of sound, feel, and style must not be underrated. 

 

Never could get used to putting my feet out in front of me on the floorboards. Liked the low-end torque of the motor. Can't think of anything else I liked but gave it a fair go.

 

True story.  Was waiting at a stop light on my Yamaha one day when a guy in a pickup truck with big Harley Davidson decal covering the back window, hollers to me - "You should be riding a Harley!" I hollered back - "You should be riding your Harley!"

[NeilW]

I have had a 925# Yam Venture since 2012 and T7 since 2021. The Venture is for 2 up when the wife wants to go for a ride. It used to be for Sturgis and other multi day rides as well as short 2 ups with the wife. If the wife didn't want to occasionally ride, I would dump the 925# bike in a heart beat

[Tenerider]

5 hours ago, Boondocker said:

Kept thinking - 9 out of 10 riders on American highways can't be all wrong. Guess I'm 1 out of 10.

 

That makes you a genuine 10%er

 

[Ede-DE]

On 11/6/2023 at 6:22 AM, AZJW said:

If they want to be a trend setter, they should develop a bike that runs on Hydrogen.

The most modern german subs run on hydrogen/fuel cell. Mercedes had it's Mercedes GLC F-Cell running successfully on hydro. I've seen it once, registered in Norway where they have a lot of elctric driven cars.

The problem is the egg vs hen problem. No hydro gas stations - no chance to gas up. No hydro vehicles - companys that offer hydro have no customers.

 

Producing vehicles with batteries makes us depending on materials that are rare and when the batteries have to be replaced the vehicles are economical waste because the price replacing the batteries is more than the vehicle's worth. And you can't recycle lithium batteries. It's the identical problem with the oil: When the battery materials are gone the fun is over.

 

Hydrogen is a never ending story. You can burn it in a gas engine and it returns to water. Fill it in a fuel cell you get electric energy and water. So what the heck are the manufacturers waiting for? A friend of mine is experimenting with adding hydro to his diesel an says the power increase is unbelievable. So we could downsize engine displacement and weight so we get much lighter bikes. And still have the roaring sound of burning gas. Storing hydro in a tank is a technically challenge that could be solved.