Visited a H-D Dealership

[Rattlehead]

That bike has wicked shaft drive driveline lash.

Harley's belt drives are smooooooth.

Oh good, so they did screw it up.  
Never been a big fan of shaft drives. I loved the feel of the belt on my Buell but I had a REALLY hard time letting myself trust it for trips. It just takes so little to damage, and ultimately snap, a belt.   They sure are smooth at putting down the power though.  

[Kootenanny]

I loved the feel of the belt on my Buell but I had a REALLY hard time letting myself trust it for trips. It just takes so little to damage, and ultimately snap, a belt.   They sure are smooth at putting down the power though.  

I kept the original belt on my 2003 Firebolt for twice the recommended time period, finishing with a 3-week tour down to California last summer.  I figured it'd lasted until then, and still looked good...had a new belt hanging on the wall in the garage, but I was more concerned about problems with the new belt than the original.  Not a hiccup; when I did replace the belt after the trip, I found a single small hole in it--after 6 seasons and 50K km, living on a gravel road...that old belt is now my "emergency replacement" on the garage wall.

I'm sold on belt final drive!  (not so much on chain primary, though...that should be gears...).

[bomber]

My experience with Buell belts was less wonderful than you guy's . . . . I got very tired of hear Samual Jackson's voice in my head, saying, "muthah fugging bigg ass snakes flying through the sky!"

I convered the MaDeuce to chain . . . . .

[Rattlehead]

My experience with Buell belts was less wonderful than you guy's . . . . I got very tired of hear Samual Jackson's voice in my head, saying, "muthah fugging bigg ass snakes flying through the sky!"

I convered the MaDeuce to chain . . . . .

Had I kept my Buell a chain conversion was #1 on my mod list. I like the rugged simplicity of a chain as well as the easy final gearing changes. I don't see chain oiling as the horrible job to be suffered through that some guys do, especially with the simplicity and relatively clean chain wax they have out there.

[Robus]

I'll be adding a Road Glide to the garage in a week or so.  

[ConPilot1]

I'll be adding a Road Glide to the garage in a week or so.  

Well I think you should relinquish the RT to me then, since you'll need room in the garage for that big fat pig of a thing.  

[TwoWhldTerror]

I have and it was the most uncomfortable and retarded feeling SOB I've ever had my ass on in my life.

Pretty much what my friend and his wife said...and she owned one for 1.5 years! She said "if you had let me get the Fat Boy first I would have had another 1.5 years of comfortable, fun riding".  

[Rattlehead]

+1

I had a tricked out 883 that I maintain was one of my more fun and entertaining bikes to date. It was challenging, it would hold a line, I could keep up in the turns, and while it had no discernible top-end rush, I got a few tickets and I tickled triple digits more than once.

Very fun bike.  

I had my 883C tuned to perfection and I ran it up to an indicated 115mph before. She was almost done though. It might have been able to hit 120 on the speedo so maaaaybe 110 actual. Thing is, that bike would seriously get your blood pumping at that speed where my Busa is practically a snooze at 100. That 21" front wheel and the somewhat spongy frame did not inspire confidence over the ton.   It was fun though.

[atadaskew]

The Boz brothers learned their racing chops on Sportsters.

[Royal Tiger]

After what Harley did to PA, no one form this state should back them.  They flat out blackmailed the government into tax breaks and other under the table incentives, or they were going to board up the York plant and move to Kentucky, where that state was waving fist fulls of cash as an incentive.  I hated Rendell, but he knew losing a thousand jobs in already depressed York would not bode well for him, so he buckled.  Yes, I realize ALL big businesses play that game these days, but while we are in a budget shortfall, it's good to know Hardley-Ableson gave their CEO a huge bonus while we look at more tax increases while they pay even less.

[keepergale]

After what Harley did to PA, no one form this state should back them.  They flat out blackmailed the government into tax breaks and other under the table incentives, or they were going to board up the York plant and move to Kentucky, where that state was waving fist fulls of cash as an incentive.  I hated Rendell, but he knew losing a thousand jobs in already depressed York would not bode well for him, so he buckled.  Yes, I realize ALL big businesses play that game these days, but while we are in a budget shortfall, it's good to know Hardley-Ableson gave their CEO a huge bonus while we look at more tax increases while they pay even less.

So are you enjoying the jobs and taxes created by the manufacture of your Ducatis instead?

[Royal Tiger]

So are you enjoying the jobs and taxes created by the manufacture of your Ducatis instead?

My father in law worked there and some of his friends.  He left on his own and everybody loyal to the former plant manager got forced out.  

While no state likes to lose jobs (which is why your representatives spend tons to make sure San Diego's military installations never fall under BRAC) Harley pays even less in taxes now.  

[Royal Tiger]

They're a for-profit, publicly-traded business. Their first and foremost obligation is to maximize the returns to the shareholders.

Oh, I agree, and I said other companies do it, which is still a problem.  When GE paid no taxes on $5B in revenue, and roads, bridges, and vital infrastructures are falling apart, the gravy train needs to end.

[ConPilot1]

After what Harley did to PA, no one form this state should back them.  They flat out blackmailed the government into tax breaks and other under the table incentives, or they were going to board up the York plant and move to Kentucky, where that state was waving fist fulls of cash as an incentive.  I hated Rendell, but he knew losing a thousand jobs in already depressed York would not bode well for him, so he buckled.  Yes, I realize ALL big businesses play that game these days, but while we are in a budget shortfall, it's good to know Hardley-Ableson gave their CEO a huge bonus while we look at more tax increases while they pay even less.

RT is totally right here. They absolutely blackmailed PA with the York factory, yadda yadda and what he said.
+1

One more reason not to patronize the bitches. Seriously.
They threatened to shut it down, people freaked and people were let go, and it was a big clusterfuck and Harley management played their chess game with a big local economy.  Who wins? Who knows. CEO's get the big automatic deposits in their checking accounts I'm sure.

And Rendell was just another corrupted connected prick up here in the great state if PA like all the rest of the politicians. He pounded this state into red ink so bad it's not even funny, and the potholes got deeper and deeper.

[DogBoy]

The Boz brothers learned their racing chops on Sportsters.

Not really. They raced dirt track for years in Northern California; mostly singles on short tracks. The old 883 series paid fairly well and it was easy to find dealers to support a team or rider (HD is still pretty good about this for the XR1200 series) so it attracted a lot of young talent. Ben was racing a privateer RC45 for Zero Gravity while also racing in the 883 series and before ever getting a factory ride in AMA. Yes, they raced Sportsters but it was just a very small part of their racing careers and only after many years of racing other bikes.

[TwoWhldTerror]

They're a for-profit, publicly-traded business. Their first and foremost obligation is to maximize the returns to the shareholders.

Only because that is how the "system" is setup today. Does not mean it should be that way or that we cannot change things.

[Playinthestreet]

Only because that is how the "system" is setup today. Does not mean it should be that way or that we cannot change things.

What's the "system" in Japan??  

[Kootenanny]

This "system" of which you speak...

He's talking about the "system" which puts shareholder profit first and foremost--ahead of product quality, treatment of employees, environmental concerns, everything.

[atadaskew]

Well, wut I got out of this is you know Harley is making a good product if the complaints aimed at them are related to business ethics.

Remember the good ole days of oil leaking, doo rag wearing, breaking down Harley bashing?

[black hills]

He's talking about the "system" which puts shareholder profit first and foremost--ahead of product quality, treatment of employees, environmental concerns, everything.

they pretty much go together as the profits won't continue without the rest