Are harleys really that slow?

I'll bet if I get the yamaha it will last me 10 years. I take care of my stuff, and other than doing a little twisty shredding I don't plan on wheeling and stunts. And I like to go fast sometimes but racing and going 80 mph are 2 different things. Think I'll do the FZ1 either first generation with carbs or a later 2nd gen with fuel injection. The early fuel injection was dangerous on the fz1. But really can't go wrong with carbs.

 

Dangerous FI? Something I must not have heard about...

Carbs are always good if you dont have to pay someone to work on them. lol

 

Wow, I thought this thread was going to be a Harley bashathon. Nice to know there is such a wealth of knowledge and maturity amongst the members.

 

I dont see any real reason to bash a HD other than sky high prices and high ownership cost. Hell I grew up around Harleys and Honda CBXs and the it seems we had the Hondas apart more often, of course they also got ridden much more often. The harleys were my dads show toys that got ridden once in a blue moon and the CBX's were his daily drivers.. Still looked show clean though.

 

You may be surprised how many of these people that make tons of money DO NOT buy these on credit.They may pay too much but they dont pay all that interest.There are more nad more people nowdays that actually SAVE up to buy new cars and other things.Try it sometime,dont be a hater of those who live within their means or earn enough to buy what they enjoy.I do not own a Harley,cant justify the price but I do like the way some of them look and sound.

 

Love HD, just not the price or some of the owners...

skillet

 

The last Harley I owned was a 102ci stroker built from an 1984 FXST Shovel Head(last year for the shovel and first year for the Evo). It was a screaming rat bike. Easily the fastest bike I have owned. I think my Seca is probably a bit quicker off the line due the gearing but that FX would never stop accelerating. I don't think I ever found out just what the top end was(my cojones are only good for 130mph).

I loved that ugly ass Harley but I will never, ever buy a new one. Harley-Davidson has completely forgotten about the people who made them what they are. The blue collar everyday Joes who kept them alive and viable evn through the AMF fiasco years have become persona non grata.

 

Always found the Harley thing interesting but the modern day marketing routine puts me right off.
Not fair to compare a VRod to a 550 seca after all isn't the VRod a little over double the capacity.
Been to the local drags a few times and while the Harley's sound awesome and look the part they seem to spend an awful lot of money on performance gear to get similiar times to Joe Blow's jap bike.
Mind you vertical wheelies and thundering exhaust is a spectacle all its own.

 

I didn't mean to compare against a 550, I meant in general. Fireblade, R1, GSXR1000, gsxr6, R6 take your pick of the fantastic plastic bikes, all will destroy a standard V-rod. The V-rod is an amazing bike, just not up to the performance of a modern sports machine

This in no way means I do not like them. Like I said before, the noise and presence of a vrod is unbelievable, and the reason i would have one in my fantasy garage!!!

 

Again there is a point completely missed. And a LOT of these yupps are financing beyond their means. Sure a lot of people buy things outright. But as far as I go, I BUY EVERYTHING WITH CASH. I interact with people DAILY who live way outside of or pushing the limit of their means. I'm not hating anything. I am stating an observance. And to "Hate on" I guess I'd have to be jealous. But I do pretty well for myself and actually own EVERYTHING I have. And as a person who saves and buys what he wants outright, in cash, I make sure that I get exactly what I want. So trust me... I wasn't hating. But that wasn't even my point.

 

Ya the rockets would destroy a vrod, all being stock. Haha. Its such a cool looking bike too. If I had to have a harley I'd go with a Yamaha Vmax... oh... haha... I mean a Vrod. What's really a trip is the hardcore harley guys call it the vturd and don't like it at all. But they respect BMW and like lots of power. When the Vrod first came to the market, before I rode street bikes, I saw a NOVA special called "The Making of the Vrod" I thought it was the baddest thing ever in the whole wide universe. haha I thought everybody who had anything on 2 wheels would be drooling over it. Oh well... now I am starting to talk myself into wanting a Vrod. Too top heavy though.

 

Balancing things up a little...............

 

that looks so slow....

 

It's really not slow. Haha... it a drag bar. But check out some youtube vids of the vrod. Its fast. Why do I keep defending the vrod. Ok... I'm done with this thread.

 

Not all Harleys are slow. I used to watch the "All Harley Drags" at the Woodburn, OR drag strip. The big dogs run pure nitro methane. Just the pressurized gas out of a cylinder like a welding cylinder. I've stood behind them when they launch. You watch the tree and when it goes green your eye can't catch up to the bike before it traps at the end of the quarter mile. Impressive to say the least!

Loren

 

Gotta disagree with this statement. My BMW K1200LT is far superior to a Harley for long distance touring. I go between 250 and 300 miles on a tank of fuel, my brother in laws 2006 full dresser goes 150 miles between fill ups. My scoot is virtually vibration free. The frame is MUCH more rigid resulting in more predictable handling, the noise they make from a loudness standpoint is about the same. Mine sounds like a Ferrari (high revs) and his has that low rumble characteristic of a Harley (Duh!). He has more low end torque so he leaves the line quicker but once I reach 5000 RPM's mine pulls away like a freight train. I have an electric adjust on the fly windshield that is the cats meow. I never have to look through the plastic. Raise it to just below eye level and the wind and rain goes away. Harley's luggage holds more because they are square. Harley's luggage is ugly because they are square. Top speed? Who cares? You can get a ticket with either one.

Bottom line? Ride whatever trips your trigger. I tour on my Beemer and I'm very happy with it. My brother in law is very happy with his Harley. (Mine's better :lol: )

BTW Either one will bankrupt you if you have to pay the dealer for service. Oil change at the dealer for mine is $158.00. This does not include the gearbox or the final drive. Just the engine! A replacement mirror is $600 USD. Hit a big pothole and they will fall off so we make stainless steel cable ties to keep them from hitting the ground. Clutch replacement(dry clutch) is right at $2000 USD. I will NEVER, EVER, EVER think repair parts for my Maxim are expensive.

Loren

 

eh

Seems like they are built to look and sound a certain way, which in my opinion when building any machine, that should come second. If you build something that serves its purpose the best, (getting a person from point a to point b on 2 wheels) being awesome comes naturally.

But society always has been and probably always will be shallow.

(sorry.. harsh.. yes.. lack of sleep from guys (and gals) rippin around on their super loud bikes into the wee hours of the night are making me grumpy)

Anyway, in regards to the OP

I think I just read the V Rod (stock form) hammers out a 1/4 in about 11.91 seconds.

And I believe it is one of the fastest stock HD's. (Correct me if I'm wrong)


Therefore, yes, Harley's really are that slow.

 

Harleys mostly are slow, STOCK! Harleys prepaired for drag racing do kick ass, I personally don't like the way they run, especially at idle. They are as annoying as an old odd fire V6. the only time they idle right if if something is wrong. Porshe 914 in germany was a Volkswagen 914: with the Porshe 6 they were fast in their day (120+ mph), our muscle cars were'nt any faster than the 914-6 which was made for cornering. The xj 750 or 900 is definetely a better race bike than the xr750 was, or the 883 is for that matter. I'd put my money on a stock xj1100 over a a stock sportster 1200 any day, but not the new xr1200 or V-rod. Like dirty harry said "A mans got to know his limitations." same with bikes.
I wish the science, technology and parts supply (including after-market) that followed Harley Davidson all of these years existed for my xj750. I'd ride it untill I couldn't climb on the seat any more! Maybe some day Yamaha will realize that americans love drag racing and launch a balls out drag racing program. I'd love to see equally factory prepaired ($1,000,000) V-maxes go heads up agianst H.D. factory bikes in Pro Stock.

 

I didn't say touring. I said CRUISING. yup if I wanted to go round the world it would be on a BMW. but if I wanna cruise it'll be on a Harley............or maybe my Ducati Monster...mmmmmm

I don't know about servicing but we have motobins in the uk for BMW parts....reasonably cheap (mayne worth looking in to if it might help keep your costs down)

BMW parts

 

My bad, I thought the question was are Harleys slow. Cruising and touring have little to do with going fast. Unless you're police, fire, rescue or military going fast is it's own purpose.