Texas?

 

Although the question is about the same as comparing apples wih pears, I think there is core of answer to give. In my experience ther can be a comparisment. A Harley (88B en higher) has so much torque that from 0 to 80 mph there a not so many competitors. But when it comes to rpms (above 80mph) the rice burners will definitive be faster..
A practiced it many times even against 750cc Hondas, Yamahas and other rice burners.
It is that the front of a Harley is too heavy for a wheely, otherwise there would for sure many be made...

 

Off the line my Street glide would take my 03 ZX6RR, for about 100 feet. My 7 year old, 600cc bike redlines at 15,500,once it hits 9,000 it takes off. A built HD may take my 600, but the money spent on motorwork alone would buy it twice over, I only paid 3K for it. You don't want to know how far ahead it would be in the twisties.

 

If you're beating sportbikes to 80mph they either have no idea how to ride them or their simply not trying. My "old as dirt" GSXR 750 will go from a dead stop to 100mph in about 7.4 seconds (proven at the drag strip w/ me riding it-not some pro rider). 80mph would be somewhere in the 5.5 second range. If your Harley will hit 80 faster than that I would be SEROUSLY impressed.
It is an apples to pears comparison though, I will give you that. 2 totally different bikes for 2 totally different purposes. It's just like the Caddy to Ferrari comparison made earlier.


sgt mac: keep practicing and that ZX6R will blast past the glide in the first 60'. A 1.70' 60' is VERY much possible on that bike w/o a stretch. Sportbikes are incredibly tricky to launch though. I've never managed better than a 1.79 on mine, but I am getting better.

 

I've had the wine from both casks.

Guys on Harleys are always trying to race me off the line when I'm riding my FZ1. Soooo funny... They sure do give me the stink eye when they can't keep up. FWIW, I never try to race a sportbike riding my FXDC. That would be idiotic.

 

I spend my time in the canyons and the occasional track day, don't really practice launch that often. That's the whole fun of having the ZX6 in addition to the HD, i can take it up into the mountains and have fun running hard and still take a nice relaxing ride on the HD. If you live up here and love riding canyon twisties, you really don't know what you're missing if you're not doing it on a sport-bike or SM. You guys can flame me all you want but it's the truth.

 

+1

My Harley is awesome out in the high plains. But in the canyons.....I like my Monster, or even my wife's Ninja 250.

 

My ******* bigger than your ****** , aw crap ****** is the owner isn't it ? I keep getting that mixed up ........................

 

Now own the fastest two Harleys since I started riding them,and still have no desire to prove it to anyone.Will certainly join in a throttle battle out on the highway,just for the rush.Running rice means nothing to me especially when it comes to proving anything.Most over the pond bikes are bought and ridden with no thought put into the performance,Boring!Beating them has no meaning to me.The boys I enjoy locking horns with are the ones that put their heart and souls into their machines.The Cookie cutter bikes just have no appeal to me,especially the rice rockets.I guess I have expelled enough hot air.

 

Just some friendly ribbing.
I hear you though. It's mostly straight stuff around here so drag racing is big. I rode my bike (the GSXR) down to Tenn/N.Carolina last year and rode the Dragon as well as the Cherohala and several back roads. I see all the cruisers down there running 10mph and scraping floorboards and I wondered, why even bother? Those kinds of roads were MADE for sportbikes. It was amazing how that bike felt down there. It was in it's element and it was incredible. That's an experiance all the die hard Harley fanatics will never have because they refuse to throw a leg over a truly great handling machine. It's a shame really.
Ideally I'd keep both of my bikes for exactly the reason you stated but I have a feeling come spring I'm going to have a tough choice to make.