Skins, I hear what you are saying, I too am a fan of machine over man on occassion & you are right we are bagging the rider here. You know what i feel of the machine but that is just my thoughts.

Did you know there are actually people in the world that do not like Ducati's :screwy:

I guess that are not familiar with the PASO :

It's a funny old world, cuz. Do you know there are actually people out there who don't like motorcyclists?

This Harley business is sad. I really feel sorry for the poor old Harley. And the company does nothing, of course, to clean up the image, because it works for the sales department. It's bluddy complicated, eh?

Hmmm - turned into a interesting discussion here guys....... :thumbup:
Whatta ya mean some people don't like motorbikes - truely :confused: :confused: ?? Thought it was only 'her mother' that does'nt........

:confused:

Yes, it is interesting. Best-selling big bike, with a cranky engine, and bad PR.

But I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you guys to it - I've got a head of steam up on a piece for 'Apex'.

Look 4ward to it - think thats more your department than mine........... :thumbup: - my mind wanders tooooo easily, apparently..........

:thumbup:

OK, mate. Glad you enjoyed that last piece on 'Apex'.

Oh dear - gotta have another go at Harley Davidson - Ummmm - can anyone think of any other manurfacturer that has spent so little on R & D since inception of the brand...............????!!!!!

"Sorry Skins" - I just had too.............. :toofar: :neener: :thumbup:

ah, the HD discussion, a favorite.

My father rides a HD Wide-Glide. He didn't get into motorcycling until he turned 50, and that was only because I wound up leaving my old Kawi in their garage for a summer. The next season, he bought a Yamaha Maxim, and then the HD. He hasn't bought into the whole HD lifestyle (thank goodness, or I'd really be chaffing his hide) but he really enjoys the bike. Compared to most HD owners in the area though, he actually rides his putting upwards of 10k a season on it easily. And while we don't have the same riding styles, I've followed him through turns and watched him drag hard parts; his biggest complaint is lack of lean angle which I think is a fantastic thing for a HD owner to complain about. :laugh: :thumbup:

Anyway, he has plenty of new Harley buddies who are mired in the lifestyle. I find it comical to begin with, and I really enjoy it when they try to give my Italian bikes the rub. In most cases, when they get really snippy, I make them compare odometers - and that usually makes them pipe down. The one thing I hear from a lot of them is that their bikes are big cube, air cooled twins yatta yatta yatta, and that bikes shouldn't have radiators blah blah blah. Granted, neither of my Ducs are water cooled, but it's assumed they are since they're generally perceived as a sport bike. So I really enjoy turning it around on them to point out not only is my 750cc bike air/oil cooled, but it's half the size of their big American iron and easily out performs them and is WAY more reliable & comfortable. Plus, two words: Italian styling. Need I say more? :neener: Then if we get into the performance discussion - all I need to point out is HD's V-rod w/ its Porsche-designed, water cooled engine.

Anyway, getting down to it, there are good people and there are jerks in all walks of motorcycling (except Paso owners; obviously, we're all good). I know lots of sportbike owners with disdain for cruiser owners and indeed, disrespect for other riders in general. Not that I associate with that type. Equally, I know lots of cruiser owners who dismiss sportbikes on the whole. Whoever, I also know riders from all niches of motorcycledom who all agree that we're all on brothers on two wheels out there. And what matters is that we're out there. Those are the people I like.

Which describes just about everyone I've "met" on this forum. So, cheers to you all, and lucky me.

now skins remember,when magoo (my buddy) told some harley guys that 80% thing they were just starting to skake their heads in agreement with pride when magoo piped in with the punch line about the other 20% apparently made it back home!!!!!!!!
now i did hear some time ago that there are more (american made) indians on the road 2-day than there was in the 50's when they were still made and i believe it.i brought 4 back to life myself. the 80% h.d. thing was meant as a funny i thought.
my davidson is rubber mounted and way smoother than the 450 jupiter i had ,at any engine/road speed and 3 times the displacement. yup,it do drag when pushed ever so slightly in the twisties. if i ever buy another davidson i may consider a superglide sport with better suspension. but then i think"isn't that what the 907,860 gt and some of the other stuff is for". need i reiterate that i enjoy each bike for what it is.
i'm pretty sure the 450 jup would have beat the davidson on that road that day. i even told scot that that road is a 450 ducati road not a road king road. now getting there is another story as it is 150 miles from me just to get there ,so in that respect the h.d. won on the slab.
i try to find positives in people but there are some people and their attitudes that make that challenge not worth the effort and i've seen them on all makes of bikes.
hey jake,be glad your dad rides and you can go riding with him. melody and i spent our honeymoon in the cancer hospital,literally,as my father got sick a week b-4 our wedding. he passed 10 yrs ago feb 1st. mom and dad always said i would never have a motorcycle! period., but then he got me a honda 70 for christmas one year that i still have. that musta been 1900 and seventy one.
wow , i just read most of the rest of this post. wow!! i do own a h.d. but i don't agree with the lifestyle thing. as a kid about 7 or 8 yrs old we lived in the country. a local scuzball club came to town at the go-go club and caused trouble. my parents call a cop we new and his wife told us things were o.k.,under control. i was scared sh-tless!!!!!!! i don't know why people feel the need to dress to scare little kids when they walk down the street when it isn't even halloween! to this day i don't wear a black leather coat and agree to being a motorcyclist but correct someone if they refer to me as being a biker.it's o.k. for some ,not for me.
hey skins, thanks for the compliment.i'll buy you a cold one at flannigans some day i hope.
welp, gotta pee so i'll close for now. luv ya, wiggs
(that oughta git ya thinkin')

i think i'll go work on the sidecar or maybe the '59 r69's avonaire fairing.guess i could put the battery in the 860gt or fiddle with the eldo. the oil in the davidson needs changed or i could work on the '39 r12 . then again the dogs like to play ball or i should do some laundry... what's an easily distracted hillbilly to do?

He should jump on the Paso & ride :thumbup:

Wiggs - ain't life fulla decisions mate............. :thumbup: :umm: :umm: