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I miss having a sport bike, even a sporty bike terribly. I've got the Street Glide and a DRZ400, but I'm on the hunt for a nice Gixxer 750 or 1000 for days when I feel like carrying some corner speed. On many days the Harley just doesn't do it for me.
ANother ZRX owner here. Does everything, endless mods available. Had mine for 11 years and never get tired of it. Drag a knee in the twisties, cruise the strip, load up and tour, I've even pulled a trailer cross country with it. You get the sportbike benefits without being folded in half. Full on sportbikes, and I've had several, are for hard charging the twisties. If your not doing that and can afford all the citations/insurance go with something like a ZRX, Honda 919/599, Suzuki Bandit 1200/600 or SV1000/650, Yamaha FZ1/6 or that tasty new XR1200X. I'd love to have an XR.
I had a 2008 Yamaha FJR1300A for about a year. Really enjoyed the bike. It was more of a sport touring machine, but had plenty of spirit and handled well. It was an entirely different riding position, and in many ways as much or more ergonomic and comfortable than the Ultra. The problem I was having was that it wanted to go really fast, so I had to be really careful. Always ran a radar detector when on that bike, and it paid off several times.
I had owned a couple of Harleys before I bought the FJR, and had one HD at the same time I had it. Both bikes had their place and their intended use. One was better than the other at certain stuff, and vice versa. It's all about the enjoyment of riding, and not about much else. But I went ahead and sold it before it depreciated much more. Made a guy in Mass real happy. He flew in here to SC and rode the bike back to Mass. He had absolutely no trouble on the trip home.
Had a Ducati 1098S for two seasons but never rode it much. It was beautiful to look at but too uncomfortable to ride. Same with the V-Rod I had prior. Love my Ultra Classic and my hot rod Heritage......
i have a zrx 1200R eddie lawson replica kawasaki, but it rarely gets ridden. it sure feels tiny compared to my streetglide, but it's a fun bike when i want to scare myself. when that's not quick enough, i have my 1924 dodge coupe, 509" big block mopar, 200# less than a ford pinto, yeah, it's rilly quick. it's all about the fun factor i guess.
i have three harleys and my next bike will be a ducati. i have had several sport bikes and miss not having one now but I wouldn't give up my chopper or dyna
Was thinking of the same thing when I spotted an 04 sporty 1200 in a neighborhood garage for sale. Not too much money and probably would not depreciate much more over the years. Think it would be nice to have something to jump on for the quicky local riding. Still thinking about it. Would definitely be too tempted by the speed of a Ducati or similar.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.