I agree. The attraction of a Victory or a Harley (especially a Harley, with the bewildering number of aftermarket accessories available) is that's an opportunity to own the equivalent of a semi-custom street rod, which is something few people can afford...and I do not mean that in a derogatory manner. There are high mileage HD owners, and while there are always plenty of exceptions, the heavy mileage people I know don't seem to spend as much time with modifications....I'd say exhaust and comfort mods are what they invest in. ...a big bagger as a hot performance machine is kind of an oxymoron anyway.

It's all good.

 

I can't argue any part of that. My best pal was a gear-head that built most of his bikes to the extreme (motor wise) and the last few years have turned him into a travel-junkie. All he has now is the standard BB package for torque and I'd bet my left nut that he hasn't gone near his rev limiter with his most recent bike.

I know darn well that a fully built bagger would still be a joy, but with a high priority of travel I'd have to agree that you don't see a multitude that fit that fit both scenarios.

 

My last two baggers have "box stock" as far as ANY performance modifications go. I like them that way!

 

Almost bought a Vegas this summer, but I like to tinker and customize, and there's not too much out there right now for Victorys... and what is out there isn't cheap. I don't have the means to fabricate yet, so I have to rely on aftermarket parts. That being said, a used Harley for the same price did me just right.

 

yup, BmW are reliable, and strong. but what can you do with them customizing wise?

 

Completely different market ....BMW riders tend to be unconcerned about customizing or throwning shiny stuff on the bikes....they're all about covering ground. The get excited about luggage racks, gps's, jackets or full-body suits that contain integral pockets for camelback drinking bladders (so they can minimize the amount of time during stops). I think they'd catheterize themselves to reduce the number of **** stops if it were easy to do.

BMW riders are the long distance pitbulls of the riding world....they're not about sitting at a show-off spot talking about engine mods (that could introduce reliability problems, and their bikes are plenty powerful anyway) or chrome bolt on crap (that would just add weight). They're all about function.

 

Krusty is right. The hard-core BMW riders do whatever they can to their rides to make them go farther, more efficiently.

The BMW world is generally split into two camps (not warring factions, tho)

1. The GS crowd: these guys like the big R1200GS or R1200GS Adventure. If you find 'RUBs' in the BMW world, it would in this class, but a lower proportion than in HarleyWorld. Check out the Touratech and Aerostich catalogs/sites to see what 'farkles' are.

2. The GT crowd (includes the LT, RT, etc.): these are the sport-tourers. Not much into mods or farkles. Just expensive all-weather riding suits and GPS, really. They will spend their money on nicer hotels after riding 800 miles each day

And, yeah, they're both techno-geeks.

(Of course, BMW is working hard to promote their sportbikes, urbans, etc.)

Want to **** off a BMW rider at a roadhouse? Offer to buy him a cup of coffee. He'll be conflicted because he'd want to be polite and talk bikes and swap road stories, but if he did, he'd ruin his hydration plan, miles covered per hour, and 'watering' schedule

 

I wish we hadn't started talking about BMW's because now I want one!

I was once, a long time ago, a long distance bicycle tourer (what was called a 'cyclotourist')....Alaska, Canada, and all over. If there's one group that's similar in psychology to the BMW distance crowd it's probably the cyclotourists. Same concerns, minimalists, and often loners (because it's difficult to find other dingbats that want to subject themselves to the same level of suffering....and when they do, it can literally result in fistfights). All of that **** is still hanging in my garage....can't part with the memories it brings back. At times I still feel guilty about being a motorcycle sissy.

 

Even after all these years I am still amazed listening to motorcyclists bitching about their seats....every motorcycle I've ever ridden is like a frigging easy chair compared to a high quality bicycle saddle (which is hard as hell because you don't want to waste any of your precious energy with a big cushy seat).

 

+1!

I used to be an avid road biker. Not a cyclotourist like you, but road races, centuries, time trials, etc. Yeah, those saddles......

Compared to a Fizik Arione, a stock Harley seat is plush!

I've always loved riding motorcycles, but I had to retire the road bikes after a bad accident left me unable to ride in that posture anymore. I used to ride my 'cross bike everywhere, all seasons. Now I'm no longer the engine. I know what you mean about being a 'motorcycle sissy'. But, I figure you can really only have one or two serious hobbies. So now I just have more time and money to play with my motorcycles