From: neal@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Neal Howard)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: ok, who's pretending to be STUPID... (was Re: Harley Fashionable == Deaths)
Date: 8 Oct 92 21:10:08 GMT
Organization: CompuTrac Inc., Richardson TX

In article <Stafford-061092142857@stafford.winona.msus.edu> Stafford@Vax2.Winona.MSUS.EDU (John Stafford) writes:
>
>> [...]
>I am not familier with HD's but I can't believe 
>> ]that a 1200+ cc engine on a 600+ pound bike is a good choice for a first
>> ]bike. 
>
>It is counter-intuitive.  I believe the Harley Big Twins (I don't
>know about the Sportsters) are quite easy to ride.  Twice I've

I bought a Sportster 1200 as my first real street bike (the little 100cc &
125cc enduros I rode back in high school don't really count as far as I'm
concerned). This bike is plenty easy to ride. It has more than enough 
acceleration and can take corners fast too. The only real gripe I have about
its handling is the kick stand is too low on the left side and I grind it
on the pavement occasionally. The stock Dunlop tires stick to the road like
hot bubble gum. I've ridden many brands and sizes of bikes including Kawasaki,
Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, from engine sizes starting at 305 (Suzuki)
up to 1340 (Harley), all these mostly were street cruiser styles (only crotch-
rockets I've ever tried are the 500EX and 600F2). My choice to get a Harley
was not to be a fashion statement but to get a good solidly built motorcycle
that is extremely fun to ride, made in USA (yeah even if the forks, tach, 
speedo, self cancelling turn signals are Jap, this purchase still contributed
much more than trivially towards putting food on the dinner table of some
American workers), and will keep its value very well. If I had wanted
a bike just to have ultra performance, I would have gotten a ZX-11 or one
of its rivals. Actually my second choice after a Harley would be one of the
new Honda Shadows. I guess I just really like the classic V-2 engine look and
the street cruiser riding position more than laying over the gas tank (although
there have been a few times I've been guilty of minimizing the ol' wind
resistance on the Sportster ;-) ). BTW, the XLH-1200 is only 470lbs (as shipped
from the factory, replacing the stock very heavy exhaust system with drag pipes
and adding a backrest and luggage rack nets about 460 lbs dry.) so it's very
easy to balance when standing still. It's got 68 hp @6000rpm and 72ft-lbs
torque @4500rpm, figures obtained from official factory manual, and the drag
pipes definitely add top end power since the bike will not pull the front wheel
up with a 1st to 2nd shift at max rpm (rev limited @ ~5800) with stock exhaust
or stock headpipes with H-D performance mufflers but will easily get about 6
inches of air with the open pipes, shifting the same way at the same rpm. All
in all I think it's a very good bike to have as one's first street bike and
long after this "fashionable bike to own" crap blows over, I'm sure I'll still
be getting plenty of comments about it's good looks everywhere I go on it,
riding right alongside with my friends on their Japanese, German, and American
motorcycles.


-- 
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Neal Howard (neal@cmptrc.lonestar.org)        CompuTrac, Inc. (Richardson,TX)
DoD #686   '91 XLH-1200      '70 Kawasaki G4-100cc    '69 Cougar XR7-GT390
	   Ensoniq VFX-SD    Kramer Pacer guitar      '70 429CJ(needs a home)
Disclaimer: The only above mentioned toys I play with on the below mentioned
	    Friday nights are the musical ones 8*}
"how often you get much more drunk than you ought to on a Friday night...
...about once a week" -  Tom Yates
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