Tough crowd..

[Steel]

I guess Louisiana USA must be under a mushroom then. Most riders I speak to either had a Triumph, or their uncle, cousin, older brother or dad had a Triumph years ago. They all seem friendly enough.

 

[TriumPhil]

Y'all swamp critters are both wily and wise, Steel.

 

[Steel]

Y'all swamp critters are both wily and wise, Steel.

And for the most part, a friendly lot

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Many say this engine design is antiquated or "dead end". It is not the most complex engine by far on the market but I know of many guys personally that have hung six figure mileage on their big twins with proper maintenance. I have witnessed burn out competitions (a dumb practice in my opinion) where guys banged off their rev limiters for literally minutes on end until the back tire shredded and never seen a engine blow first, tho I am sure it has happened. Are they too expensive? YUP. Does HD cut corners on important bearings etc? YUP...Stupidly and at their own peril. However at its core if maintained somewhat respectfully this motor and tranny are good equipment, not Honda good, but I dare say Triumph good, Moto Guzzi good etc and way better than some ( Ural, Royal Enfield etc.) When I had Corvettes for years the argument was that the Chevy 2 valve V8 was a relic that would not continue to be competitive against the complex motors from competitors. However at a WAY lower price it is competitive with cars costing many times more and soundly whips many. Check out track times on the latest ZR1. I love the conversation, love the passion of motorheads. Love my new TR3t, wish they would finish getting it tuned because it is riding weather and I want to ride the big girl...

YOU cant compare a Harley to a CORVETTE the HARLEYS dont make competetive horsepower and are air cooled donkeys that dont STOP or ,HANDLE

 

[grampi]

I guess Louisiana USA must be under a mushroom then. Most riders I speak to either had a Triumph, or their uncle, cousin, older brother or dad had a Triumph years ago. They all seem friendly enough.

The mushroom comment was in reference to snobby Harley owners, not Triumph owners...

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

Most people ride the different brands for different reasons. Some think a bike or certain kind of bike makes them superior in some way or another just like a big house or a certain car. Some think a little bike that gets a zillion miles per gallon makes them smarter than the others. In reality its just metal or wood and it doesn't make a person anything but it does reflect their personality. We all have things in common as human beings and one of them is that each has a different perspective and personality.

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

I don't own a Harley anymore but I had plenty and I liked them. They felt good to ride even though they weren't too fast. They sounded way better than they actually ran but it felt like they had low end grunt. I still like them but there are so many better choices. I would never buy a new one but there are some great deals on used super low mileage ones. In my book its impossible to beat a Rocket touring or roadster for the performance and the money. I think if they ever learned how to market them here in the US they would double or triple their sales. They are motorcycles best kept secret.

 

[cusso ken]

I don't own a Harley anymore but I had plenty and I liked them. They felt good to ride even though they weren't too fast. They sounded way better than they actually ran but it felt like they had low end grunt. I still like them but there are so many better choices. I would never buy a new one but there are some great deals on used super low mileage ones. In my book its impossible to beat a Rocket touring or roadster for the performance and the money. I think if they ever learned how to market them here in the US they would double or triple their sales. They are motorcycles best kept secret.

The "they sounded way better than they actually ran" assessment is right on the money ,my shovel always gave me the impression that it was a powerful beast and I loved riding it ,mainly the unique sound especially the bigger 1340 shovel engine, a lot of my mates at the time used to knock the Harley even then, but most of their girls loved a ride on the "big" Harley and I did "pretty well" because of it

 

[Rick Morris]

I agree with Grampi, it is the H-D rider's attitude of no one else is as good as me because I ride a H-D that is the most obnoxious thing about H-D folks. My thoughts are that a lot of H-D riders have never owned anything else. They are clearly ignorant to other riders because they are so superior for paying twice as much for half the bike. While riding any bike and another bike is coming the other direction I always give the two fingered salute, if it is H-D coming the other way and I am on a non H-D bike very rarely do I get as much as a nod. If I am on my Springer I always get a response from a H-D rider. There is definitely a superior attitude from most H-D riders and it is B.S.

I have had several bikes by different manufacturers and have always found the H-D bikes to be great to look at, but heavy and low in power. As an owner of makes of multiple bikes, it is clear that H-D has a long way to go to compete with most Japanese bikes and several European bikes.

You cannot deny the fit and finish (paint especially) of H-D. They do a great job with making the bike look great when it is new. They have done a better job than most with marketing and having multiple styles and design for all the riders out there. I do start the H-D once every couple of weeks to keep the inferior oil system and check valve in working order, and the noise gets my neighbors wives to look at what is going on. HA HA HA, I guess the H-D has some usefulness.

 

[Steel]

The mushroom comment was in reference to snobby Harley owners, not Triumph owners...

I was speaking of HD owners around my area. All of them have at least known someone who's had a Triumph, and seem to like them.