[soulpatch]

some non hear say:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/05/most-reliable-motorcycles/index.htm

Read of the article:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumer-reports-survey-harley-davidson-and-bmw-less-reliable-than-japanese-motorcycles-200004881.html

[Tempted]

If you have never owned one, you are clueless in the matter. I have owned a few. My Katana is more troublesome than any of my Harleys have ever been. Most people who claim they have any clue about the bike are going on hear-say that someone else heard from someone else who's uncle once had a Sportster that over heated. If you don't have experience with them, you are one of those people. My last bike, a Street Bob, was fuel injected, made 110tq at 3k revs, rode like a dream and blistered most crotch rockets from the lights. Its because I could use the power and not worry about flipping over backwards. A Harley is a touring bike, it wasn't built to take corners at 120mph. Why do you think the vast majority of bike accidents are from young kids on rice rockets? They try to do something on the street that the bike was built to do on a track. Harley riders are typically smarter and more mature than this.

I have bikes from 3 countries in my garage right now. My Harley was more reliable, more comfortable and more fun on daily basis than any of them. It also was more efficient, at 50+mpg from 1600ccs with a better warranty. Parts are expensive, yeah, but the difference is you only have to buy them once on a Harley. People who cry about them probably have never been able to afford a new one. How many Hondas, Kawis, Suzukis, etc from the 60s and 70s do you see on the road? How many Harleys from the 60s and 70s? There is your answer to reliability and longevity questions.

[soulpatch]

seeing older bikes is not an answer to reliability but an answer as to which owners either garage their bikes, or are so attached to keep dumping money into them.

Be biased if you will man. The fact of the matter is that many on here either owned other bikes, have family with harleys, and even independant research firms all agree that they are unreliable and break down constantly. Anyone who is a biker has a riding companion who has a harley and can not make numerous rides.

Going fast till 50MPH in a straight line is kind of against the point of a bike but to each their own. I have yet to see a harley come close to "blistering" me...

[Kreylyn]

How many Hondas, Kawis, Suzukis, etc from the 60s and 70s do you see on the road? How many Harleys from the 60s and 70s? There is your answer to reliability and longevity questions.

Except for the common sense aspect of also asking "how many of the bike were sold in the US in the time period?" for comparison.... you almost had a good point till then.


Krey

[soulpatch]

Why do you think the vast majority of bike accidents are from young kids on rice rockets? They try to do something on the street that the bike was built to do on a track. Harley riders are typically smarter and more mature than this.

You mis speak again. Time and time again the majority of biker acidents are middle aged men. This chart is old as it stops at 2003 but the trend continues on. You are just not worth my time to find it as you are either trolling or just retarded.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/motorcycle-accident-statistics.htm

[superbike]

Somehow, we've come a long way from the "Kat vs SV" name of this thread. Yeh, I know, I got in on it as well, the whole Harley vs all the rest debate. At the end of the day it's just a personal decision to ride what you like. I, sir, have owned BSA, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and yes, Harley Davidson. Mostly bought new, (my suzuki was used), the only one that ever left me stranded on the side of the road was my Harley. I loved the look of that bike. I spent an untold amount of money on that bike with custom chrome and other accessories to "personalize" it. But, at the end of the day, any form of transportation I own HAS TO get me to my destination, or it becomes a memory.

That said, both the SV and the Katana are damned fine bikes. The end. Someone close this thread.

[Badfaerie]

If you have never owned one, you are clueless in the matter. I have owned a few. My Katana is more troublesome than any of my Harleys have ever been. Most people who claim they have any clue about the bike are going on hear-say that someone else heard from someone else who's uncle once had a Sportster that over heated. If you don't have experience with them, you are one of those people. My last bike, a Street Bob, was fuel injected, made 110tq at 3k revs, rode like a dream and blistered most crotch rockets from the lights. Its because I could use the power and not worry about flipping over backwards. A Harley is a touring bike, it wasn't built to take corners at 120mph. Why do you think the vast majority of bike accidents are from young kids on rice rockets? They try to do something on the street that the bike was built to do on a track. Harley riders are typically smarter and more mature than this.

I have bikes from 3 countries in my garage right now. My Harley was more reliable, more comfortable and more fun on daily basis than any of them. It also was more efficient, at 50+mpg from 1600ccs with a better warranty. Parts are expensive, yeah, but the difference is you only have to buy them once on a Harley. People who cry about them probably have never been able to afford a new one. How many Hondas, Kawis, Suzukis, etc from the 60s and 70s do you see on the road? How many Harleys from the 60s and 70s? There is your answer to reliability and longevity questions.

Sounds like your experience is atypical of the brand, which is a really good thing for you. I would caution you about using hearsay and anecdotal accounts when you attempt to deride other's use of hearsay and anecdotal accounts.

[Kreylyn]

Sounds like your experience is atypical of the brand, which is a really good thing for you. I would caution you about using hearsay and anecdotal accounts when you attempt to deride other's use of hearsay and anecdotal accounts.

Krey

[GSXFJim]

Epic Troll-fest....

[thetable]

Krey

+1

Why do y'all keep on feeding the troll?

Not that I'm not enjoying the show, but the lack of writing style by some involved makes for tough reading. I'm tempted to edit them just for readability's sake.

[soulpatch]

target fixation I guess is what keeps me here.

[Tempted]

The thread was about inline 4s vs twins. I mentioned Harley(the most obvious V-Twin brand) and some doofus squalled about losing credibility because of that fact, then proceeded to squall about twins not being good in drag races(the one thing they are good at). This is simply showing why cruiser riders despise sport bike riders. A bunch of cry babies who's FZR600 is the best thing that ever happened on earth. Its an age/maturity thing I guess.

[soulpatch]

Well your reading comprehension is as bad as your guage on bike reliability. From my earlier post:

Go to a drag and you are looking at a mile max so I guess you might care there but then you would still be n wrong type of machine with a GSXr 1000.


Pretty much saying torque would benefit there in a very short run but with a drag race you would be on a wrong machine with a GSXr 1K as well. Better of to be on a Busa or ZX14 as they are the champs in the drag world right now.

[Badfaerie]

+1

Why do y'all keep on feeding the troll?

Not that I'm not enjoying the show, but the lack of writing style by some involved makes for tough reading. I'm tempted to edit them just for readability's sake.

Epic diversion for a Monday afternoon when the building is no longer on fire. That the building was on fire earlier is another story all together.

I don't like vtwins because I hate working on them. Mind you, we've only worked on carbed ones, but to get the carbs and boots and intakes all all and off is a major PITA.

"Reliable Harleys" makes me giggle...

[teddy]

this thread is a colossal train wreck!

btw, I have had both a HD and a kat at the same time, still have the kat. If you really want to compare HD's vs. the rest of the mfgr's in racing, you really ought to compare the rule sets for an HD based bike vs. and 'import' based bike, you will find them seriously skewed to the HD's advantage. Alas, I don't really care. I just figured I should make 'site management' presence known for whatever reason...

Carry on..you know, with the kat vs. sv stuff ONLY kthxbai