Nah, it's still the same car. Certain incremental improvements have always been part of the aftermarket. Who HASN'T replaced their stock exhaust on their bike, or put better springs/valving in it, or changed out the carb jets (or put in a power commander)? Still the same bike, right?
Me, pretty much.
My apologies in advance if I already posted this anecdote to this thread, but here goes.
Often I hear about how unreliable Harleys are. Well, one of the first things I ask a Harley owner if I'm making small talk is to ask what modifications he or she has made to the bike.
There are exceptions, but the typical response is a list of stuff: new carb, new pistons, new exhaust (or even straight pipes), lowered shocks, etc., etc., etc.
Then sometimes they talk about how the bike doesn't run quite right (or I can see and hear the problems), or it breaks down, etc.
Those who haven't modded their Harleys (or at least not much) seem to do better.
So, the question becomes, is it that Harleys are unreliable, or that the modifications make them unreliable?
My belief: the latter.
