Sport bikes are a blast. They're also very easy to get into trouble with! Actually, having come from a Triumph Speed Triple (the original hooligan bike!) to my Night Train, I find on familiar twisty roads, my pace on the Harley is only slightly slower than the S3! When I got my NT, it had pretty big 'chicken strips' on the Avons. After my first ride, those were gone. This bike actually has pretty impressive lean, so I'm going too fast when riding with fast buddies (on sportier bikes). My friend Dan says I'm probably the fastest guy on a Softail around here, but who knows. That's not why I got it- I meant to slow down! Fast riding is fun, but too much damn work for me anymore... I just want to enjoy the ride.

Sorry for rambling... Long day at work!

 

I've had everything from a Ducati 916 to my current FLHT. Loved them all. I seem to go back and forth from sport to touring. If you want to stay in the Harley family, then go with the Buell. Great handling, light weight, and that motor pulls so hard off the corners, you will leave all your 600 repli-racers buddies in the dust. I had the 3rd Buell Cyclone sold in my old home state-the model with the 2x4 seat. It flat ripped the hearts out of my 600-750cc friends. It just didn't have the top end. Frankly, anything over 100 will generally get you a seat in the local lock-up. Currently I have my eye on the Buell Ulysses for an around town, corner carver. But, then again, the newest Duc Monster S4 is looking pretty sweet!

 

wussa chicken strip?

 

Chicken strips are what the sport bikers call the unused portions of a tires tread, usually found to the sides of the tire. Wide strips indicate a bike isn't leaned into corners. The inference is the rider is too 'chicken' to corner at speed. Even with a 21" front, I like to test the limits of my Night Train, so no strips on my tires![sm=gears.gif]

 

Ahh, thanks!

 

Like all two wheeled things. The appeal of what kind of motorcycle depends somewhat on the roads nearby. If I were in an area with bone straight roads, or rode primarily in city or suburban environs, would probably hesitate having a hot sportbike. They do nothing for me unless I'm where I can take advantage of their capabilities. Fortunately, canyon country, twisty roads, and high altitude sweepers are nearby, and there's nothing as fun as a sportbike on these kinds of roads.

 

Those MV Agusta's are some sweet bikes......expensively sweet.

 

MV Agusta! Yum!

 

This is a good explanation. Would clarify what many sportbike riders do not know... tire profile and width, combined with bike geometry can influence chicken strip width. As an example, 190 width rear stock tires on a Ducati Superbike make chicken strips less than 1/2" very challenging. As a Ducati spokesman noted... if you have no chicken strips on your Superbike rear, you've crashed.

 

As I have owned both types of bikes, I can say with confidence that my Ninja was great---for in town and short, short trips. 160 miles and I was done for the weekend. On the Harley---407.2 this weekend and I was still ready to go to the bar. My brothers Ultra would be nicer for the long haul, but I can go a hell of a lot faster on my Harley. Explore all of your options. Good luck.