Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

the new sportsters look like they're made of plasticine for a weird kids tv programme

Yes I have!!
Actually the sportster (the older less plastic ones) are quite a good ride- I was shocked how ok it was. It’s fairly similar to my old Hinckley bonnie, good balance, steers ok and svelteish. It’s also quite comfy even at six foot plus and with all the added BMI recently , 260 miles in a day last week was fine.

However with the bigger bikes I’d probably only countenance a road king (basically an unfaired electraglide style) , I can’t be doing with a lot of their stuff and that probably wouldn’t handle as well.

Oooh what did you use, could with that to clear service spanner.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zymbia.carpm_mechanic

Idk what the fuck Google have done to their app store, but I found it beyond painful to find any of the suggested apps.

I haven't paid for it - seems a bit expensive to me. Although I have a specific VAG one with a nice UI so actually a two car subscription would probably be fine.

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Fuck you.

But yeah I saw a side on pic of myself the other day and I really do need to sort it out.

This dude seems to pull it off

I've sort of run the gamut of desperately wanting a café racer a few years ago to where I am now which is desperately wanting a HD...

The idea of a café racer doesn't appeal to me much at all any more although I would quite like a retro styled naked/ muscle bike type of thing... I have been thinking about a Ducati GT1000 (probably perfect other than not terribly available in Ireland) or Kawasaki W800 (which I worry might feel a bit lacklustre)...

On the other hand I suspect my next bike purchase will be an Evo engined HD, probably an earlier carbed one so 1984-1994 and probably an Electra Glide or Dyna...

I'm torn between the aesthetic of Electra Glide with no bags and wide bars, kind of a backdate to earlier Electra Glide style or else something very skinny with ape hangers and a sissy bar...

Electra Glide with no bags

Aren't they quite big? I mean I get it when bagged up, but it seems a bit counterintuitive, sort of like riding a GS without a Polite vest.

I'd still love to mod my triumph to be cafe adjacent. But then I'm not mad on anything too slavishly close to a trend.

I would really like to have a go on a dyna and a Sportser. Maybe when I've got a bit more time I could take one for a test drive.

Never knew these existed
https://www.lind.co.uk/used/harley-davidson/adventure-touring-ra1250s-pan-america-1250-special/110810.htm

like riding a GS without a Polite vest

Would rep

Aren't they quite big?

Whatever way my brain works I see some sort of parallel between this idea and the whole JDM VIP car culture... there's something inherently cool about taking a big, practical luxury barge and then deconstructing the purposeful elements of it...
I'm probably full of shit and wrong though?

I guess it's sort of like a DIY Road King?

I still want an XR1200 with all the Harris race bits. Carbon wheels! This Michael Neeves review sold it to me. In my head it has just the right performance for enjoying British roads. And it's narrow enough for London filtering. They used to be reasonable money https://youtu.be/OjncBPOpROM

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I've ridden Electra Glides on long tours before, few hundred miles on a Fat Boy and a bit on a Sportster. I liked the Fat Boy best.

They are all decent bikes in the right circumstances, over time I've realised that I like light bikes. Also the HD looks don't do it for me at all. I'd be more interested in the Gold Wing bagger version.

Me too.

The belly needs something to rest on...

Harley Davidson are shite! But they do make a natty t shirt....we all know Buell was where it was at.... ;)

Harley were both a fashion accessory for a while and also a hard core 'angels bikes. But the accessories catalogue is amazing.

a hard core 'angels bike

It says a lot that not a lot of 1%ers are even necessarily riding HD anymore!

If you've been to the Bulldog Bash, you'd see them turning up mainly in modern flash cars... Jags and the like. Bike's (HDs) are trailered there by some for show purposes.

Getting on a bit innit!

Are they all on R1250GS now?

Does anyone have a recommendation for sourcing a replacement bike seat cover?

Planning to diy but want something pre-stiched.

Cheers

Yep, with a suitcase either side and less off-roading than a formula one car.

To be fair the electra glide can handle tracks and some rough terrain. If you go to the National Parks in the west of the USA the roads around have these little areas to pull off and park but the road surface just stops and there's often a big lip of tarmac and then some gravel. I was surprised how well they handle.

M&P used to do them

Really annoying, I found a good CRF300 near me... looking at insurance if I put my garage postcode down it's basically uninsurable. If I put my home address in its normal prices.