Did I catch the Harley illness?

"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario) 06/05/2017 at 22:25 • Filed to: Motorcycles, Two Wheels Good

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Pictured is the bike I rode today. A 1200 Sportster. My mom bought it and is getting back into riding after a 20 year hiatus. She didn’t feel comfortable driving it the 45 min back so I did the honors.

This is the first time I’ve driven any cruiser much less a Harley.

To answer the question, no I do not see myself ever purchasing a typical Harley. I did not catch the illness. It’s a bit more comfy than a sport touring bike but the vibration from that engine negates any advantages. My hands were already starting to get numb by the time I got home. And I feel much more at ease on a more nimble bike. It just feels like your trudging along on this thing.

It’s a different riding experience, but not for me. I could see maybe getting a cruiser with a smoother engine someday.

Though this was the first time I got to ride a bike in 2 years since I sold mine and now I’m starting to itch to get one again.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 06/05/2017 at 23:11

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What year is that Sporty? Starting in 2004 they had rubber motor mounts, so that might explain the vibe you felt if it was an earlier model.

jimz > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 06/06/2017 at 06:20

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Yeah, this. My Dyna has an un-counterbalanced big twin, but it’s on soft mounts so other than the paint shaker idle the only real vibes I feel on the road are when it passes through its resonance at 3100 rpm. I find the higher-order vibrations of a parallel twin to be more annoying.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 06/06/2017 at 07:37

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It’s a 2001, maybe I’ll get to ride a newer one someday, but I couldn’t imagine taking this thing on an extended road trip.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > jimz 06/06/2017 at 07:40

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Up until this I had only drive inline 4 bikes. And this bike is a 2001, so no rubber mounts.

jimz > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 06/06/2017 at 07:46

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the only Sportster really “capable” of long rides is the 1200T. and even then, the 5-speed transmission will make it a bit unpleasant on the highway.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > jimz 06/06/2017 at 10:46

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My last scoot was a ‘97 FXDL which was a great ride. I don’t recall the resonance you described though. What speed does 3100 rpm translate to?

jimz > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 06/06/2017 at 14:37

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it’ll depend on the gearing, but on my bike it’s about 74 mph in 6th gear.