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You guys really never heard of Sportsters being referred to as "half a Harley" or "dirt bikes" bybig twinguys? I guess I'm dating myself to the shovelhead era. It's all good natured humor though.
Back to the point, going to a radiator big twin is nothing like the normal transitions, i.e. knuckle-> pan -> shovel -> evo -> TC and shouldn't be compared. It will completely change the nature of the beast and remove a lot of the personality that makes it a Harley. If I wanted the most technologically advance motorcycle, I wouldn't be on a Harley. It's an emotional and sensory attraction that's kept me hooked for nearly 30 years and being air cooled, with all that is good and bad about it, is a big part of the attraction. All I can say is woe is the day that the Harley big twin goes to liquid cooled. I am positive that HD is smart enough to try and delay it for absolutely as long as possible.
Anybody who would call a Sportster "half a Harley" has never witnessed a pack of over 100 Hell's Angels or Highwaymen tearing down the road at 90mph, ALL riding Sportsters! Six inches handlebar to handlebar, 12 inches fender to fender! Patch holders refer to dressers as "garbage wagons"...
A Harley is a Harley. Even the V-Rod...
ok ok...... no knockin models..... that is a sensitive subject and a rider should ride what he/she likes. A HARLEY is a HARLEY. Whether it is a sportster to a Ultra or anything in between. Makes no difference if it is a 883....softail.....touring or anything in between. Not cool to even joke around with it. Sportsters helped make this company way before many of the lines that are in existance today. Bad Form Peter Pan... Bad form
You guys really never heard of Sportsters being referred to as "half a Harley" or "dirt bikes" bybig twinguys? I guess I'm dating myself to the shovelhead era. It's all good natured humor though.
sorry, didn't get the 'good natured humor' in your voice inflection. usually when someone says 1/2 a harley, or girls bike, they are showing their ignorance...... sometimes, though, us sportster guys (yeah, i got a road king, but i still love the sporty) do joke amongst ourselves, but its usually obvious.
OK, I'll take the heat on the Sportster quip - a playful put down that used to just be understoodbut is certainly not politically correct in the newer generation of Harley owners. I'm new to the forum but have been riding a long time. Peace.
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