About thirty years ago our world was a lot different than it is now.

Someone I had never even met loaned a friend and myself a 350cc Yamaha street bike and the first Harley I ever rode--a Sportster! We swapped back and forth between the bikes over a two-day Death Valley adventure with our sleeping bags, from Venice Beach, California. Now this might sound like an awful lot of fun, and it was! Mostly.

This particular Sportster was the model which came only with an electric start, as most do (reliably) today; it did not have a kick-starter, which was unfortunate because the electric-start failed nearly every time! We pushed (w/ the Yamaha) that Sportster almost every single time we had to start, and we made many, many stops; nevertheless, each of us was always anxious for his own turn to ride it. Trading back and forth between the Sportster and Yamaha was a delicious way to appreciate the special presence and handling of the bigger bike. The Yamaha was smooth, quiet and refined--and actually 100% reliable, even when used as a push-vehicle repeatedly. But the Sportster was something exciting between your legs! We loved it!!!

It was this wonderful experience which led me to buy my first Harley ten years later.

lo-rider
'09 FXDC/I Super Glide Custom

 

Cool story!

And a good description of the comparison between a Harley and the average import motorcycle.

I've ridden and owned many Honda and other Japanese motorcycles, none of which came very close to the 'soulful' experience of a Harley.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not knocking the other bikes. Alot of other brands have a lot going for them in many ways.

This is really purely a compliment to the unique character and experience inherent to a Harley. There's just nothing like it. Other bikes seem pedestrian by comparison.

 

Its an experience just like everything else. All bikes are cool for different reasons.

 

I agree 100%. I have a few Norton 850 Commandos and a 750 BMW and before I owned my first Harley, you couldn't give me one. After I bought my first Sportster and rode it around, you couldn't get me off it and don't even ask if you can buy it because it is NOT for sale! This is the very reason for the saying: If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand!

 

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The thing I like most about my Sportster is the similarity with the 74' Norton 850 Commando I had many years ago. Much more reliable however......

 

Ten years! Wow!

 

I've had many bikes in my 57 years of riding, mostly new and paid cash. Yet after years of not owning a Harley because of the AMF ownership I was interested. So in 2010 I asked the man in charge of the company if the 1200C Sportster was reliable. He said, the Sportster is bullet proof you can take it anywhere. So I did! In 4 years I traveled 45,000 miles through and on everything. No breakdowns! Then like a fool I traded it in on a road bike 😂😤

 

I've had many bikes in my 57 years of riding, mostly new and paid cash. Yet after years of not owning a Harley because of the AMF ownership I was interested. So in 2010 I asked the man in charge of the company if the 1200C Sportster was reliable. He said, the Sportster is bullet proof you can take it anywhere. So I did! In 4 years I traveled 45,000 miles through and on everything. No breakdowns! Then like a fool I traded it in on a road bike 🙁

 

Way to Keep the MoCo solvent... I have Never had a Problem with AMF...and thank them at every opportunity that I Have a Choice, not to buy Metric!!!!
In Fact very few [most vocal ones] had problems, and Good Dealerships kept problems to a minimum!!! Poor Dealerships???? Weeded Out!