Any Japanese bike to Harley converts out there? : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

lsmith · 02-10-2006, 02:29 PM

I know many of you have had japanese cruisers in the past and are now riding Harley Davidson. What is your story about why you changed over? Is the Harley mystique for real? Would you ever go back to a Japanese bike?
What are your thoughts?

JJsFLHX · 02-10-2006, 03:05 PM

I rode the *** bikes before getting my HD. I love my HD and do not plan on getting rid of it but if I did it would be for another HD. I always liked Harleys but I could not afford one so I settled for the others. I should have got the Harley to begin with and I would not have owned all the others I would have stuck with the HD.

MegaGlide · 02-10-2006, 03:09 PM

They'll whack your pee-pee for sayin' "***" around here. You might be safe with that period after it (***.), cause you can claim you were saving pixels by abbreviating, but I dunno...

Stevebert · 02-10-2006, 04:57 PM

I've owned 2 Hondas, a 1978 CB-400 and a 1984 CB-650SC before I bought a 2004 FXDI in 2005. I had wanted a Sportster for quite a while because they just looked like a bike should look IMHO. I remember seeing them as a kid (my folks were in a local bike club). I went to the shop when the Sporties were rubber mounted looking to buy one. But, my wife liked the Super Glide color so I took it for a ride. I purchased it that afternoon. The best thing I can say is this: I put 300 miles on my Nighthawk the previous riding season. After I bought the Superglide, I put 3700 miles on it from the end of June to the end of the season here in Wisconsin. Yes I would buy it again.

driftercat · 02-10-2006, 09:49 PM

Going from a Triumph Thunderbird Sport to a Street Glide. I might miss the handling and acceleration of the Triumph but I sure am going to love the comfort and styling of the Street Glide. I would have considered a Rocket III if they weren't so butt ugly. Truimph has proven their reliability to me with 30,000 and only a light bulb in the tach last summer. At age 52 I am hoping the new Harley will take me to the end of my riding days, a couple of hundred thousand miles or so.

fj1200 · 02-10-2006, 10:09 PM

I started riding on a Yamaha Virago 535 and moved to a Virago 700 after a year. After four years I went to a Seca II, because I wanted something more sporty. The following year (1993) I got my current "little" bike, a Yamaha FJ1200. n 2004, I put about 5000 miles on it, but the sport tourer riding position was definitely getting to me.
Last year I decided to look at cruisers again. The only company that I found that made motorcycles with mid foot controls was Harley. I did not feel comfortable with forward foot controls, especially after a dozen years of rear set foot controls. I bought a Dyna Super Glide Sport in mid March and put almost 7500 miles on it by the end of the year. So my choice was strictly for comfort.

The Tourist · 02-10-2006, 10:55 PM

If you count the boomer demographic, just about all of them rode some type of Honda before riding/buying a Harley.

I rode whatever I wanted. I've owned Sportsters, Hondas of all sizes and cylinder configurations and big twins. I admire what Yamaha is doing with their twins and their customs.

I like the idea that Victory has in establishing another American bike. We often forget that Harley and Indian shared that same identity.

Watch a Hyabusa light up.

phreak_of_natur · 02-11-2006, 12:23 AM

rhode an old KZ440 for years, because I was a brokeass new husband & dad. wanted a harley before I even knew there were other bikes out there. 10 years later, and now I can afford what I have always wanted.

RKJ · 02-11-2006, 12:25 AM

Nah, I just rode *** bikes (Honda and Yamaha) until I could afford a H/D. I wouldn't go back.

sjpr13 · 02-11-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MegaGlide

They'll whack your pee-pee for sayin' "***" around here. You might be safe with that period after it (***.), cause you can claim you were saving pixels by abbreviating, but I dunno...

Yea where's The Tourist when you need him...

chapds · 02-12-2006, 01:18 AM

No more *** bikes for me. Had a Honda Ace 750 ( great bike ), a Kawi Drifter 800 ( biggest piece of you know what ever ) & a Drifter 1500 ( awesome awesome bike ). The, I had a fender problem on my Kawi & it was a manufacturer defect. The wouldn't help me at all. I then looked them up on Better Business Bureau ( filed a compaint as well ) & found out that Kawi as a company had a grade of F. Hell no, that was it. I loved the 1500 ( it was paid for too ) but it had to go. Sold it on e'bay for a bunch of money, & was in the hunt for a new bike. Was looking at the VTX 1800 & then, it came to me. Watching monday night football, saw the Street Bob commercial. That was it. Went to San Diego Harley the next day & ordered one, sight unseen. Had it a couple of months now & just couldn't be happier. & yes, back to your question, never will I go back to Japanese bikes. I love owning a Harley.

Later,
Chap

SC_Compact · 02-12-2006, 08:39 AM

I've been riding on and off since 1978.

Here are the bikes I have owned:
1978 Kawi KZ650
1979 Kawi KZ650sr
1979 Yamaha 750 triple (worst bike I owned)
1990 Kawi Zephyr 750 (10,000 miles on it in a year)
1995 Honda ST1100 (10,000 miles on it in a year)
2004 Sportster (11,000 miles on it in a year)
2005 FXDI - purchased May 2005 (14,000 miles and counting)

I am very happy with my FXDI. Prior to buying the FXDI I did consider a BMW R1150Rt and also a Kawaski Concours. The Concours is one of the best bargains out there. 1100cc's full fairing, luggage etc for about $8000. If the Concours came with a VTwin I probably be riding that now instead.

I love the VTWIN rumble as I cruise down the road.

If I was younger and I wanted a high performance bike I would certainly consider a *** bike.

I always said if I was ever going to buy a cruiser it would be from the company that invented the cruiser Harley Davidson and thats what I did.

mike634 · 02-12-2006, 10:06 AM

I am waiting to pick up my 06 Super Glide from the dealer and I am putting my 84 Honda Shadow up for sale. Now if all this snow we just got would melt.....

45leadslinger · 02-12-2006, 10:41 AM

ismith,

another link to give you more info

http://www.v-twinforum.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=70965

Oilslick · 02-12-2006, 11:20 AM

Biking for me started with all manner of pre-unit British twins as H-D's were rare and expensive in the UK back then but yes, I have had a couple of Japanese bikes.

I bought a Z1000 shaft as an insurance write off to repair and make some money but ended up riding it for a couple of years. Not a bad bike really, got you from A to B reliably but I always hankered after a Harley.

When I was about to trade my Sportster, I got the usual 'you want to try a Kawa this or a Honda that etc, they are far superior' so I did. I became a serial test rider of everything including the Rocket 3, Speed Triple, Yamaha V twin something or other and an assortment of Japanese sport bikes.

You know what? I ordered a Street Bob. No doubt in my mind that I made the right choice.

Mind you, It would be wierd if every biker had a Harley wouldn't it