Random Rant
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 300
Likes: 87
From: Muncie, Indiana
Random Rant
A lot of us have been around the block a few times in our life. If your on this forum, you have been around many blocks literally on your motorcycles over the years. I have enjoyed a lot of forum post and Utube videos about motorcycles and the folks that ride them over the years. Seems many folks these days have a way with words and filming that makes you want to follow them on whatever platform they post to. But is it just me, almost all end up just repeating the same subjects again and again, one starts it and other posters just follow along. It seems to also be all the possible negative things about a motorcycle or gear or place we travel to and through.
Example: For every cam chain tensioner that has caused damage, how many have had none. On the EVOs, how many INA inner cam bearings lasted till lifters needed replaced and never failed. Just seems a lot is negative, like bike made a noise, inner cam bearing might be going out, I think you get the picture?! Seems some folks over-think a lot of things and miss the point, take that first step off the front porch, take a ride, maybe a long one, enjoy what you have and every hour on the road remember it minute by minute.
All this to say, nice to run across a post or video every now and again about just how great riding a motorcycle is for them ,a great trip they just did or even a non-monetized recommendation of a product that they got that really added to riding.
RANT over, so much more to be said but then I would have to rant about my own negative post.
Dennis
Example: For every cam chain tensioner that has caused damage, how many have had none. On the EVOs, how many INA inner cam bearings lasted till lifters needed replaced and never failed. Just seems a lot is negative, like bike made a noise, inner cam bearing might be going out, I think you get the picture?! Seems some folks over-think a lot of things and miss the point, take that first step off the front porch, take a ride, maybe a long one, enjoy what you have and every hour on the road remember it minute by minute.
All this to say, nice to run across a post or video every now and again about just how great riding a motorcycle is for them ,a great trip they just did or even a non-monetized recommendation of a product that they got that really added to riding.
RANT over, so much more to be said but then I would have to rant about my own negative post.
Dennis
Popular Reply
Nov 21, 2025, 08:52 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3,367
From: Idaho Panhandle
We rant here to clear the air. Before social media and HD forums, we would bitch to our riding buddy. But, he didn’t care. Now, with thousands of eyes we get to bitch electronically and we can post it, walk away and return a day later to see the impact. Pretty cool really.
In many of our younger days, we’d be sitting there alone, bike in parts and solving the issue over weeks. Ordering parts online, scrolling through our service manual book with tiny grainy B & W pictures that looked nothing like our bike.
Then we got early, pregoogle YouTube where people posted videos of how to do stuff. I loved that period. No ads, just some guy posting an instructional video to help others. Even, HD forums took issues seriously. Posts early on were more like talking to a rider in a roadside tavern about a common issue than ranting about the end of Harley Davidson. It’s different, I agree. HD forums is my only social media, therefore it is important enough that I have adapted to the changes. I realized early on that what people say and even more, what people read into posts is very different than if we met at a tavern and were sitting next to each other having a brew and talking about our bike, or our president, or the weather.
I still enjoy other OPs posting rants. We have less of a filter and while each response gives that poster a unique opportunity, after 10 or 12 they start to blend into several categories.
to the point we post issues more than glory, yah, I get it. If I’m unhappy, I want to share my misery. If I’m happy, I’m out riding. I don’t need or want to post anything. Somehow, if I have an issue with my bike, it feels better knowing you had the same issue, how you fixed it and moved on to the next issue. Also, it’s winter here. Morning coffee or late afternoon whiskey, I check in here to see what’s going on in the only social media site I’m on to see what’s going the hell is going on with other riders. Topic is not important, sharing some of our daily **** is.
In many of our younger days, we’d be sitting there alone, bike in parts and solving the issue over weeks. Ordering parts online, scrolling through our service manual book with tiny grainy B & W pictures that looked nothing like our bike.
Then we got early, pregoogle YouTube where people posted videos of how to do stuff. I loved that period. No ads, just some guy posting an instructional video to help others. Even, HD forums took issues seriously. Posts early on were more like talking to a rider in a roadside tavern about a common issue than ranting about the end of Harley Davidson. It’s different, I agree. HD forums is my only social media, therefore it is important enough that I have adapted to the changes. I realized early on that what people say and even more, what people read into posts is very different than if we met at a tavern and were sitting next to each other having a brew and talking about our bike, or our president, or the weather.
I still enjoy other OPs posting rants. We have less of a filter and while each response gives that poster a unique opportunity, after 10 or 12 they start to blend into several categories.
to the point we post issues more than glory, yah, I get it. If I’m unhappy, I want to share my misery. If I’m happy, I’m out riding. I don’t need or want to post anything. Somehow, if I have an issue with my bike, it feels better knowing you had the same issue, how you fixed it and moved on to the next issue. Also, it’s winter here. Morning coffee or late afternoon whiskey, I check in here to see what’s going on in the only social media site I’m on to see what’s going the hell is going on with other riders. Topic is not important, sharing some of our daily **** is.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,376
Likes: 2,573
From: NC USA
Rant all you want Bro, here's mine.
Seems everybody who has a part failure believes every Evo owner is gonna have the same failure. The owners who ride the least, are the ones most concerned about brand/type of oil and plugs.
INA cam bearings last very well ... with stock N cam . nothing else.
No offense to anyone.
Seems everybody who has a part failure believes every Evo owner is gonna have the same failure. The owners who ride the least, are the ones most concerned about brand/type of oil and plugs.
INA cam bearings last very well ... with stock N cam . nothing else.
No offense to anyone.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 956
Likes: 1,344
From: South of Heaven
A lot of us have been around the block a few times in our life. If your on this forum, you have been around many blocks literally on your motorcycles over the years. I have enjoyed a lot of forum post and Utube videos about motorcycles and the folks that ride them over the years. Seems many folks these days have a way with words and filming that makes you want to follow them on whatever platform they post to. But is it just me, almost all end up just repeating the same subjects again and again, one starts it and other posters just follow along. It seems to also be all the possible negative things about a motorcycle or gear or place we travel to and through.
Example: For every cam chain tensioner that has caused damage, how many have had none. On the EVOs, how many INA inner cam bearings lasted till lifters needed replaced and never failed. Just seems a lot is negative, like bike made a noise, inner cam bearing might be going out, I think you get the picture?! Seems some folks over-think a lot of things and miss the point, take that first step off the front porch, take a ride, maybe a long one, enjoy what you have and every hour on the road remember it minute by minute.
All this to say, nice to run across a post or video every now and again about just how great riding a motorcycle is for them ,a great trip they just did or even a non-monetized recommendation of a product that they got that really added to riding.
RANT over, so much more to be said but then I would have to rant about my own negative post.
Dennis
Example: For every cam chain tensioner that has caused damage, how many have had none. On the EVOs, how many INA inner cam bearings lasted till lifters needed replaced and never failed. Just seems a lot is negative, like bike made a noise, inner cam bearing might be going out, I think you get the picture?! Seems some folks over-think a lot of things and miss the point, take that first step off the front porch, take a ride, maybe a long one, enjoy what you have and every hour on the road remember it minute by minute.
All this to say, nice to run across a post or video every now and again about just how great riding a motorcycle is for them ,a great trip they just did or even a non-monetized recommendation of a product that they got that really added to riding.
RANT over, so much more to be said but then I would have to rant about my own negative post.
Dennis
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,031
Likes: 12,555
From: South Carolina
My `89 Softail has been rock solid reliable since I rode it out of the dealership brand new (in Dec.`88).
Same for my `16 Road King, `19 Electra Glide, and `22 Tri Glide (which didn`t use a drop of oil on a 7,300 mile trip to Yellowstone and back this past summer, loaded down like a pack mule.
Put about 75 miles on the Softail yesterday and it never fails to convince me it is the most fun motorcycle I own.
Same for my `16 Road King, `19 Electra Glide, and `22 Tri Glide (which didn`t use a drop of oil on a 7,300 mile trip to Yellowstone and back this past summer, loaded down like a pack mule.
Put about 75 miles on the Softail yesterday and it never fails to convince me it is the most fun motorcycle I own.
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Nov 18, 2025 at 05:18 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 20,970
Likes: 19,062
From: The Wasteland
I've gotten to a point where I no longer watch the same old, same old Youtubers. I have been getting into restoration videos. People finding and fixing old bikes, cars, or machinery.
There are literally thousands of great videos of this type of content out there and the best part is many of them have no commentary. The poster just fixes things on screen while you watch. No BS, no opinions, just a dude fixing something.
There are literally thousands of great videos of this type of content out there and the best part is many of them have no commentary. The poster just fixes things on screen while you watch. No BS, no opinions, just a dude fixing something.
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From: Tampa Bay Area
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,565
Likes: 3,318
From: Cental, MI
Yea...But go ahead and Post "I never Modified that and have Zero Problems" ... See what That gets in Response!!
Again...always a better way!!!