New to harleys and the forum
#1
09-20-2010, 06:11 AM
New to harleys and the forum
After riding sporty type bikes for 10 years, i finally decided it was time to get myself a cruiser. i wanted a harley but every one i saw on craigslist was priced at 10k or better unless i wanted a sportster. I'm sure the sportster's are great bikes but they're really not my thing. I started looking at imports and victories, they're priced much lower.
i wanted to spend around 5k and i saw 3 bikes that could have been perfect an 04 mean streak with 3000 on it, an 08 vulcan 900 with 450 miles on it and an 05 victory vegas with 8500 on it. i looked at the mean streak and the guy said it was perfect in his ad, it was not. the 900 was up in orange county about 2 hours from me. i decided that was my last resort, it was smaller than i wanted but 450 miles, practically brand new.
i tried contacting the Victory guy and we emailed a few times but he was never available to show it. I was checking CL on my way home from staten island, where the mean streak was, and i saw a guy selling a 91 softail out on long island. it was a bit more than i was looking to spend but very reasonably priced for an HD. called him and set something up for later in the day.
On my way to look at the HD the victory guy finally calls me and says he's available to show. It's on the way to the HD so I stop and take a look at it. the bike was perfect and the price was right and i was buying that bike but i told him i had another bike to see and i would let him know after looking at it.
i really had no intention of buying the harley now but i would still go look at it. it was 19 years old and more than i wanted to spend. i get to the fellas house and he opens the garage door and WOW. the bike was freaking hot and had lots of goodies installed and sounded mean as ****. the bike had V&H pipes, baker six speed, fat chromed forks and the best part, an open primary and it barely leaked any oil, i laughed when he said that. the only thing i didn't like were the bars but they're easy enough to swap out. i told him i'ld take it and went to get a friend to drive my car home and to hit the bank.
riding it home was nerve racking. i had a full face helmet and i couldn't see where i was supposed to put my feet once i got going and the bars just felt weird to me but i got used to it after a few miles. there was a bunch of traffic and that made me unhappy, where are these people going on a saturday afternoon. the road finally opens up and i start twisting the throttle and this thing moves and then some dumb broad decides to make a u-turn right in front of me. i start smashing the brakes, they're not that great and i slow down a bit but i'm still going pretty fast. i look to her right and there's no room to pass and i can't tell if she's going to back up for a 3 pointer or go up on the grass to complete the u-turn. there was an opening behind her and i decide that's my only route and i squeak by as she starts backing up. wow, i almost **** myself but i made it through and i got home alive.
here's a picture of the bike.
i wanted to spend around 5k and i saw 3 bikes that could have been perfect an 04 mean streak with 3000 on it, an 08 vulcan 900 with 450 miles on it and an 05 victory vegas with 8500 on it. i looked at the mean streak and the guy said it was perfect in his ad, it was not. the 900 was up in orange county about 2 hours from me. i decided that was my last resort, it was smaller than i wanted but 450 miles, practically brand new.
i tried contacting the Victory guy and we emailed a few times but he was never available to show it. I was checking CL on my way home from staten island, where the mean streak was, and i saw a guy selling a 91 softail out on long island. it was a bit more than i was looking to spend but very reasonably priced for an HD. called him and set something up for later in the day.
On my way to look at the HD the victory guy finally calls me and says he's available to show. It's on the way to the HD so I stop and take a look at it. the bike was perfect and the price was right and i was buying that bike but i told him i had another bike to see and i would let him know after looking at it.
i really had no intention of buying the harley now but i would still go look at it. it was 19 years old and more than i wanted to spend. i get to the fellas house and he opens the garage door and WOW. the bike was freaking hot and had lots of goodies installed and sounded mean as ****. the bike had V&H pipes, baker six speed, fat chromed forks and the best part, an open primary and it barely leaked any oil, i laughed when he said that. the only thing i didn't like were the bars but they're easy enough to swap out. i told him i'ld take it and went to get a friend to drive my car home and to hit the bank.
riding it home was nerve racking. i had a full face helmet and i couldn't see where i was supposed to put my feet once i got going and the bars just felt weird to me but i got used to it after a few miles. there was a bunch of traffic and that made me unhappy, where are these people going on a saturday afternoon. the road finally opens up and i start twisting the throttle and this thing moves and then some dumb broad decides to make a u-turn right in front of me. i start smashing the brakes, they're not that great and i slow down a bit but i'm still going pretty fast. i look to her right and there's no room to pass and i can't tell if she's going to back up for a 3 pointer or go up on the grass to complete the u-turn. there was an opening behind her and i decide that's my only route and i squeak by as she starts backing up. wow, i almost **** myself but i made it through and i got home alive.
here's a picture of the bike.
#3
09-20-2010, 07:02 AM
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Look the drive assembly over and see if it has a makers name on it someplace, it should.
Also try looking the belt over to see if it has a make and size printed on it.
Then just look it up on the internet. Odds are you can get one from the either the original maker or half a dozen on line parts houses like J&P or V-Twin.
Good luck and ride safe, and remember that a HOG is a heavy bike and the brakes are not in the same class as those put on sport bikes.
So try very hard to avoid idiots making u-turns or talking on cell phones and ALWAYS have an escape route in mind.
Cause those fools will kill your sorry azz.
PS Congrats, looks like you got a nice looking ride there.
Also try looking the belt over to see if it has a make and size printed on it.
Then just look it up on the internet. Odds are you can get one from the either the original maker or half a dozen on line parts houses like J&P or V-Twin.
Good luck and ride safe, and remember that a HOG is a heavy bike and the brakes are not in the same class as those put on sport bikes.
So try very hard to avoid idiots making u-turns or talking on cell phones and ALWAYS have an escape route in mind.
Cause those fools will kill your sorry azz.
PS Congrats, looks like you got a nice looking ride there.
#4
09-20-2010, 08:03 AM
Cruiser
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09-20-2010, 08:21 PM
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09-20-2010, 08:24 PM
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#10
09-21-2010, 02:20 AM
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