also, to help you see why Im so one sided, let me tell you how this hate started.... Remember, you know me, Im a scrawny california nerd.
Summer 93 just out of highschool. I Ride the Suzuki GS1000 to a job interview. Im parking it. SOme HUGE redneck in a shitty truck with harley stickers everywhereand a busted up harley in the back...yells. "move that jap piece of $hit outta my spot!" Im like....dafuk...but he starts getting out. SO i move forward.
Note: Suzuki Gs1000 is regarded is one of the most influencial bikes ever made. certainly not crap.
Fast forward to 1998ish(ithink). Im financially stable now. I wanted a new bike, having sold the GS. I still didn't hate harley yet, but still had the experience from the day in 93 in memory. I actually went to the Harley shop to look at NEW sportster. it was pretty I wnated one. I go to test it out in the lot. rumble rumble rumble... shakes like a whore at the pearly gates. 14,500 dollars he says. I was thinking 7000. which I mentioned and apparently offended the sales guy. "well its a special edition" well it runs like crap, are they all like that?" well thats the vtwin harley for ya" "well thats bad I say, hondas magna vtwin is like a sewing machine" he says "mabe you should just go buy a honda"
Ive never been back. This is when I developed the "bike is built for image" mentality. As I was waiting for said sales guy. I looked around. 50 dollar tshirts. 700 dollar leather fringy jacket... dafuk good is fringes... lol Had another salesmen tell me harley doesnt make money on bikes. but they make a killing on the accessories and licensing. I believe it.
After that, I only owned an old suzuki dual sport clunker. But only rode occasionally. But started to notice the harley phenomenon. Guys with mullets. headbands...poorly tuned loud exhaust riding like they own the road..... it was polarizing for me. And now I want nothing to do with it. I still see it every single day. they never give me the "motorcycle wave back" everyone else does.
in 2005 I bought my yamaha vstar brand new. It was a 650 and put the harley 1200 to shame. and ran smoother. that was the best bargain motorcycle. 5000 dollars. and there was NOTHING it couldnt do that a Harley could.
there ARE some harley faithful that dont fit this mold. I respect them.
now. again, I agree. apples and oranges. but people need to quit telling me the oranges are better than the apples. because, they are not.
