FZR vs. Softail Classic

[reelrazor]

So, it's that time of year when my Harley customers want spring services done.

Had an '04 Softail Classic for the weekend-new rear tire, brake pads(rear of course)three oil service....

The thing has a potato chip windshield, tassled saddlebags, tassles on the levers, floorboards (really??!! FLOORBOARDS??!!), and a backrest 16 inch wheels front and back....front 130/90-16-ribbed.....rear 140/90-16!...ohh and a sticker on the back saying "Terrorist Hunting Permit".

Well, dropped and changed out the rear tire Saturday. Let it sit overnight to make sure the tube was intact...put the wheel assembly back in(ohh, yeah, had to jack it about 4 feet off the ground to get the wheel/tire out from under the ground length fender....and took it for a ride to get the oil hot...

GF and her sister went hiking with the dogs....I told them about a nice set of trails about 8miles outa town...they drive past it all the time, but both were clueless...I gave them directions..they left....I got the Harley rideable and ran out there to make sure they found it...

So, about 20 miles on that thing.....I was trying to do lane weaves at road speed....my weaves had a period of about 15 seconds...a car pulled out fairly close in front of me and I haddta brake a bit-all the while looking at options besides just momentum carrying me a) into the car, or b) off the side of the road.

I got home and had a crushing headache that started from the v-twin throb at the base of my skull

Rode it back to his house tonight.....

He ran me home and paid me (one good thing about Harleys-work on them pays well) .

I hopped on my FZR...my gawd...now that was riding...it felt like a bicycle and I was holding the front axle in my hands. Accel NOW, slow NOW, turn NOW, wheelie NOW.....heels hooked on the pegs (Yes REAL PEGS, with even the comfort rubber stripped off)..skimmed my toes on a little 'circle the town' loop I like...

It makes me really really think how ignorance keeps a man in the dark whenever I hear(or think about) H-D guys saying "those things are too uncomfortable" (meaning sportbikes).

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”-Herbert Spencer

[space_weazel]

I'm with you but, I will say that its all a matter of different strokes for different folks, You love your sport bike but my back kills me on one with clip ons, so I raised my FZR bars up with some GP style and a seca top triple, no longer that sport bike seating... additionally for what he does likely highway riding for long treks the softer feel and heavier weight are better perhaps for him. Though thats not to say that he made some poor choices for a highway machine in the effort to get a HD and likely compromised for one that was a price he could afford at the time.

I for one had/have the FZR, wanted a better two seater, liked my long gone 84' magna, and went looking for a new magna and enamored with new bike syndrome, and its great price, bought a 97' impulsively, after riding in for a while, it was a pig, it ate a lot of fuel, and was quick but felt like it was trudging along I cared for it for a year and sold it just last week, that was a bad choice of bike for me and my body but the kind of thing a HD rider might like. I replaced it with a BMW. Still have the FZR and will for a while.