Twin_Cam wrote:Adrian_Thompson wrote: Thank god, a Harley that's not trying to make everyone in a 10 block radius deaf.Yea, this is the best kind of Harley. One that's completely undriveable.
And now that all the parts are rust-fused together you don't have to worry about the trim falling off! 
If you haven't driven a harley you just don't understand. People love to hate them, I think the high pitched whine out of a rice rocket is much more annoying than the thunder out of an american made v twin.
benzbaronDaryn wrote: I think the high pitched whine out of a rice rocket is much more annoying than the thunder out of an american made v twin.
I so strongly disagree with this. The HD V-twin is the world's worst sounding engine EVAR!
benzbaronDaryn wrote: If you haven't driven a harley you just don't understand. People love to hate them, I think the high pitched whine out of a rice rocket is much more annoying than the thunder out of an american made v twin.
As one who makes parts for HDs...
AMEN!!
93EXCivic wrote: I so strongly disagree with this. The HD V-twin is the world's worst sounding engine EVAR!
I so strongly disagree with this.
benzbaronDaryn wrote: If you haven't driven a harley you just don't understand. People love to hate them, I think the high pitched whine out of a rice rocket is much more annoying than the thunder out of an american made v twin.
WHAT? Couldn't hear you.
benzbaronDaryn wrote: If you haven't driven a harley you just don't understand.
I've ridden a few. I still don't understand.
Not a criticism of Harley enthusiasts, people are different.
Jeeezzz! A company goes out of its way to do a great thing, and all you folks bitch about it.
So if Ducati did the same thing, would you bitch about their unreliability? If Honda replaced an old CB 750 would you complain about how "soul less" they are? If Kawasaki did it, would you say their green is ugly and hurts your eyes?
Kudos to Harley! I think it is pretty cool they are rebuilding this guy's bike, regardless if it is a publicity stunt or not.
I live in Daytona Beach where twice a year we get saturated with Harley riders. Yes, many are obnoxious and run straight pipes. (to compensate for their lack of piping I'd assume) The overwhelming majority though are decent folks (mostly middle-age) who ride around and have a good time.
Harley riders also donate more to charity and worthy causes than any other group I know of......automotive, motorcycle, or otherwise. Assuming they are all douchebags, or that their machines are junk is just ignorant.
and I like nearly ALL sounds that come from an internal combustion engine. (except the new Prius.....what the hell did they put under the hood, a dustbuster?)
I love the idea of a high torque engine for cruising around
I dislike the idea of designing an engine "goofy" on purpose just so it will sound "cool"
I really hate anyone who drives around in any vehicle without an exhaust and somehow gets offended when you insinuate they are a huge a-hole for doing that.
But what are you going to do? That's just what fags do (Southpark reference btw)....
HUURUmmmmbababababa, HUUURUMMbababababab.
Yea guys, I know it's not actually ALL Harleys that have no freaking mufflers on them, but when they drive past my house at full throttle at 5:45 in the AM, it's hard to make the distinction.
It's funny, no other company has made the news because they're going to restore a tsunami victim's lost personal belongings, yet, people feel the need to E36 M3 on Harley-Davidson. 
Twin_Cam wrote: Yea guys, I know it's not actually ALL Harleys that have no freaking mufflers on them, but when they drive past my house at full throttle at 5:45 in the AM, it's hard to make the distinction.
And all the crotch rockets in SE Wisconsin run fuzzcan mufflers and whiz past my house at all hours at eleventeen million RPM.
Seriously, at least three per day fly past my house. And by fly, I mean they are shifting into third gear just about in front of my house. I'm a block and a half from a stoplight. What's the typical speed on a sportbike at the 2-3 shift? Those berkeleyers are hauling serious ass when they go by.
Don't get me wrong I think it is cool that Harley is doing this and I have nothing against the people that ride them and I can't speak to the quality or anything cause I have never dealt with them. But the sound of a Harley is like finger nails on a chalkboard to me. I literally tighten up everytime I hear one go by.
But this is still a good looking bike.
Now if only it sounded like a Moto Guzzi instead.
RealMiniDriver wrote: It's funny, no other company has made the news because they're going to restore a tsunami victim's lost personal belongings, yet, people feel the need to E36 M3 on Harley-Davidson.Twin_Cam wrote: Yea guys, I know it's not actually ALL Harleys that have no freaking mufflers on them, but when they drive past my house at full throttle at 5:45 in the AM, it's hard to make the distinction.And all the crotch rockets in SE Wisconsin run fuzzcan mufflers and whiz past my house at all hours at eleventeen million RPM. Seriously, at least three per day fly past my house. And by fly, I mean they are shifting into third gear just about in front of my house. I'm a block and a half from a stoplight. What's the typical speed on a sportbike at the 2-3 shift? Those berkeleyers are hauling serious ass when they go by.
That doesn't make Harleys and their driver's not annoying. That makes the crotch rocket drivers idiots as well
There's a lot more of them on the road around here than crotch rockets, primarily because we live near York, PA, one of the assembly plants for them. I don't have much respect for anyone with a vehicle that loud. My car has an exhaust system, but it's not deafening. Modern mufflers are good enough that you don't lose any power by installing them, you should not be running a completely wide-open vehicle on the street. And, as a red-blooded meat-eating 'Merican, there's nothing more sacred to me than the right to be left the berkeley alone and to be left alone in peace and quiet. This is in fundamental violation of that, because it is certainly not quiet. THAT'S why they make me so mad.
And any other company's PR machine that is worth their salt would do exactly the same thing, so I'm not E36 M3ting on them because they did something good, I'm E36 M3ting on them because their company is a triumph in marketing and don't actually make a good product.
What happened to my posts? I had one which was largely in support of HD.
RealMiniDriver wrote: What's the typical speed on a sportbike at the 2-3 shift? Those berkeleyers are hauling serious ass when they go by.
At redline? Probably around 100mph. My little 500cc Suzuki was easy to get over 60mph in 2nd gear, without flogging it. I think redline in a CBR600 in 1st gear is around 60mph.
bludroptop wrote:benzbaronDaryn wrote: If you haven't driven a harley you just don't understand.I've ridden a few. I still don't understand. Not a criticism of Harley enthusiasts, people are different.
+1 Plenty of seat time... Still no comprende.
Joe Gearin wrote: Jeeezzz! A company goes out of its way to do a great thing, and all you folks bitch about it. So if Ducati did the same thing, would you bitch about their unreliability? If Honda replaced an old CB 750 would you complain about how "soul less" they are? If Kawasaki did it, would you say their green is ugly and hurts your eyes? Kudos to Harley! I think it is pretty cool they are rebuilding this guy's bike, regardless if it is a publicity stunt or not.
It's a great thing if they're doing it for the right reasons. It's disgusting if they're using his misfortune for their gain.
Which one is it?
Zomby Woof wrote:Joe Gearin wrote: Jeeezzz! A company goes out of its way to do a great thing, and all you folks bitch about it. So if Ducati did the same thing, would you bitch about their unreliability? If Honda replaced an old CB 750 would you complain about how "soul less" they are? If Kawasaki did it, would you say their green is ugly and hurts your eyes? Kudos to Harley! I think it is pretty cool they are rebuilding this guy's bike, regardless if it is a publicity stunt or not.It's a great thing if they're doing it for the right reasons. It's disgusting if they're using his misfortune for their gain. Which one is it?
I dunno.....seems like a win-win to me. The guy gets his bike back (and a link to when things were better) HD gets positive PR for going beyond the call and helping one of their customers out.
I don't have a problem with HD getting positive press for doing something positive. I'm pretty positive of that.
I'll end up with a Harley eventually. To me they feel kind of like the muscle car of the bike world. It will go alongside my BMW sportbike, Triumph Speed Triple, Honda 450, and various 2 stroke dirt bikes. I like variety and am the same way with cars.....right now my baja bug is parked by my 454ss Chevelle and a Porsche 911 is on the other side of it. I consider myself a car and bike guy, not for any particular brand or style of either. If I enjoy it I'll ride/drive it and ignore the stereotypes the shiny happy people, like some of the people in this thread, throw out when they try to generalize you for what you drive/ride. My favorite are the small man junk comments whether I'm in my diesel dually or my 911. A lot of people just need to get over themselves.
dculberson wrote:RealMiniDriver wrote: What's the typical speed on a sportbike at the 2-3 shift? Those berkeleyers are hauling serious ass when they go by.At redline? Probably around 100mph. My little 500cc Suzuki was easy to get over 60mph in 2nd gear, without flogging it. I think redline in a CBR600 in 1st gear is around 60mph.
I think my k1200s was at 130 when I shifted from 3rd to 4th.
Joe Gearin wrote: I don't have a problem with HD getting positive press for doing something positive. I'm pretty positive of that.
Well that's a lot of positives, and there's nothing wrong with that 
Intentionally profiting off the misery or misfortune of others is wrong, no matter how you get there. I guess it's the intent that's important.
Zomby Woof wrote:Joe Gearin wrote: I don't have a problem with HD getting positive press for doing something positive. I'm pretty positive of that.Well that's a lot of positives, and there's nothing wrong with that
bolded by me. i agree with the bolded part.
but harley does not stand to profit from his misery or misfortune. they stand to profit from the alleviation of his misery or misfortune!
Harley Davidson is not berkeleying up his bike for profit. the tsunami berkeleyed up his bike. Harley Davidson is fixing his bike, and like an earlier post said, probably giving him back some connection to the life he had before the tsunami berkeleyed up everything else in his life. I hope they make a E36 M3-ton of money for doing so.
Unless it's construed as " There's a bad situation. We can take advantage of it to make us look good."
I'm usually pretty cynical about PR stunts but I really can't fault HD for this. It seems to me the thinking would have been "hey, we can do this guy a favour and look good ourselves in the process. Everybody wins!"
Thinking that this is some an ethical failure of Harley Davidson is like saying that American Red Cross is using its aid of natural disasters as a way of marketing itself.
The only negative I see is that now every Japanese guy who lost his Harley in the tsunami will want HD to give them a new one.
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