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One of the things to think about is parts and service for some of the other brands. Triumph and Indian come to mind but I guess it depends how close you are to a dealer and whether you do any touring or long distance riding.
I used to think that too coming from owning several Harleys. Felt the need to be close to a dealership because of potential problems. I've owned quite a few Harleys. Found out that being close to a dealer is no problem at all if you have a bike that very rarely has problems. Can't say being close to a dealer was ever an issue with my BMWs and my Indian. Never had one single issue on the road with either so the proximity of a dealer mattered very little. Ride what you like and don't worry about not having a Harley.
Gave up my 2017 Ultra Limited in March of this year due to knee problems from injuries. Low speed, parking lot, around town, etc. Miserable. Bought a '19 Low Rider. Love it, but not good for any kind of distance. Also bought a '19 Honda Africa Twin for getting around the mountains and long distance. It didn't work out for long distance riding and I should have known that going in, but bought it anyway.
Last Friday, I traded it in on a new 2018 Gold Wing. Manual shift. I tested a DCT but not sure I could get used to that, so I got what I did and after a couple hundred miles I like it. Much more stable in situations mentioned above. Lower center of gravity and just a better chassis.
I've had an HD in the garage since 1976 and if I could only have one bike, it would be an HD. However, I've owned many other brands and the only one I regretted buying was a 2010 Kawasaki Concourse. It was blisteringly fast and fun to ride, but I bought it for Iron Butt rides and it just didn't work out for me with my knees. I only owned it for about 6 weeks.
What I have come to learn in 40 years of riding motorcycles from numerous brands is that they were all fun. I love my 2015 Low Rider and it will likely be the bike I ride until I stop riding. I have considered adding a second bike (something I have never had before). I could see getting a classic British bike from the 70s or a UMJ from the 80s or even another HD like an FXR from the 90s. When I retire in a few years, I could easily see adding a second and third bike to the stable.
Gave up my 2017 Ultra Limited in March of this year due to knee problems from injuries. Low speed, parking lot, around town, etc. Miserable. Bought a '19 Low Rider. Love it, but not good for any kind of distance. Also bought a '19 Honda Africa Twin for getting around the mountains and long distance. It didn't work out for long distance riding and I should have known that going in, but bought it anyway.
Last Friday, I traded it in on a new 2018 Gold Wing. Manual shift. I tested a DCT but not sure I could get used to that, so I got what I did and after a couple hundred miles I like it. Much more stable in situations mentioned above. Lower center of gravity and just a better chassis.
I've had an HD in the garage since 1976 and if I could only have one bike, it would be an HD. However, I've owned many other brands and the only one I regretted buying was a 2010 Kawasaki Concourse. It was blisteringly fast and fun to ride, but I bought it for Iron Butt rides and it just didn't work out for me with my knees. I only owned it for about 6 weeks.
What other specifics can u give about the Concours? Always seemed intriguing with, what is it 165 hp?? How does it handle/ride? Is the seating position straight up or are u forward like a sportbike?
What other specifics can u give about the Concours? Always seemed intriguing with, what is it 165 hp?? How does it handle/ride? Is the seating position straight up or are u forward like a sportbike?
Pantera99 - I can't say much negative about the Concourse. It's a blast to ride. The seating position is close to a sport bike crouch, but not quite. (I've owned a couple of those as well). It handles like it's on a rail. It will surprise you in a bad way with it's weight though. After riding sport bikes for a lot of years and getting used to ripping into twisties at speed, the first time you do that on the Connie it will let you know that it's a bigger, heavier bike. My advice would be to LEARN it for a few months. I owned 2 Honda ST1300's in the past and they're the same way, but the Connie is a beast with the power it delivers.
Your legs are bent more on the Connie than on the ST, like I said, close to a sport bike crouch. The positive's are the windshield being big and adjustable. The front of the bike is itself a fairing that does a damn good job protecting you from the wind and weather.
Negatives are the seat slopes forward into the tank. Don't ask me what happens when you hit a pothole. Let's just say your voice will go up a couple octaves. No cruise control, which is flat ridiculous for a bike that's designed as a Sport Touring machine. You see a lot of the bags in the mirrors, but you can get used to that. My arms are about three inches longer than before I bought the bike from launching the bike off the line. Just can't help it.
The only reason I regret it is that it wasn't what I was hoping for and I didn't do my homework before buying it.
Yes IDK if I'd wanna own a Concours but probably be alot of fun to rent for a trip. I have an SV1000S little Suzuki vtwin rocket & it's a blast to ride but no storage other than a tiny space under back seat. But super light & smooth & 48 mpg as it's only 400 lbs or so. I can see the Concours or ST seeming heavy. I've heard cops complain that the ST1300 is pretty awkward with all the added police equipment/lights & everything.
I wanted something with more power than my KE 100. In 1981, local dealer still had a new 1978 Maico 250 in the crate. He showed me and my parents the bike. It was still in a crate in the back of the dealership. Bought it and it was an absolute beast. The power was scary. I rode that thing almost every other day off road and tore **** up. There was a nearby area that me and other youngsters with motocross bikes would ride. One day, local police tried moving in when we were all out there in Jeeps. Easily out ran the cops. Only had it a year before selling to get my first street bike in 1982 when I turned 16 (a new 1982 Suzuki GS 300).
When I traded my Road King in 2 months ago I went and ride the Indian again but just couldnt pull the trigger. I also went and rode a F6b Goldwing. I was really excited about trying one out but was sadly disappointed. Yes it was fast, smooth and quiet but it just did nothing for me. I had always liked the looks and concept of the F6b and was finally going to get to ride one. I took it back and bought a new Street Glide the same day fully convinced I had made the right choice. Now 7500 miles into it in 2 months I still love it.
Ive not had an issue with my last 3 Harleys, theyve all been great for me. I ride 25,000 miles per year and do my own maintenance. I see no reason for me to change but I do like test riding the other brands just to make sure. Everyone is different though.
I've owned a lot of bikes over the years and loved most of them, but there is a certain feeling Harleys have that I need no matter what. I guess they just pulse at the perfect frequency for me. I'll always have at least one in the garage...and if I had to have just one bike it would be a Harley. Which one is whole other problem.
That said, I do enjoy the feel of other bikes. Especially ones with their own flavor of character...Generally this means Triumph, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, and BMW (specifically the R9T platform). The Royal Enfield Classic 500 has a lot of charm too.
Having two bikes (at least) is the best solution I've found. My sig doesn't list everything in our garage, just the HDs. They all have their great points. Keep your Harley and add something else. Nice used ones are dirt cheap as well. My .02
Last edited by Thingfish; Sep 30, 2019 at 10:25 AM.
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