Brain dead

You want a tourer, buy a Goldwing.

The new wings are way to big for me. Right now I'm riding a sport-tourer: A 2013 Triumph Trophy se. Last year I went for a quick ride over SR20 here in Washington state. I covered 583 miles that day and never got a case of monkey butt. I love that bike.

My wife has a 1999 Triumph Legend with a Kenna sidecar which I'm fond of riding, so when I do get to that age I can't ride a two-wheeler, I'm already adept with a sidecar.

Comshaw
 
If you check on it you'll find that a lot of those folks who "somehow" manage to get there do so by shipping or trailering the bikes, then riding a few miles to the parties and taverns. I will acknowledge there are some who actually put miles (a few do a lot of miles) on their HD's. And since most people tend to gather with those of a like mind I don't doubt that those you know do ride long road trips. But there are as many if not more who ride 5 miles a week, in black leather acting out a fantasy of being a biker; all the while disparaging anyone on any other make. It's like riding a sportbike. Many who do are reasonable people but there are some who are plain hooligans.


I've been astride a bike since I was 17, 53 years, a dozen different bikes and over 450,000 miles ago. I will be until I can't hold the damn thing up, then I'll go to a sidecar or trike. I've had some bad, painful experiences on a bike (most were my fault) but also some fabulous ones. All I can say is I'm addicted and won't stop.

I had a 1983 Yamaha Venture I put 83,000 miles on. I bought it used. It was smoother riding, twice as reliable with 1/3 more horsepower and cost a lot less than a comparable used HD. So why in the world would I buy an HD? For the chrome or the prestige? I want nor need either.


Comshaw

I started on a Yamaha 200 dirt bike when I was 12. Had a few others; big Honda's, Kawasaki's, etc, even one of the notorious Bultaco's that would run backward (ouchies when it did, you learned REALLY FAST to test it with easing the clutch just a little to make it rock. If it rocked backward, you killed it and started it again, test/repeat). Had a Hodaka at one time too.

After I graduated to street bikes, I went American Made. Of all the bikes I've ridden and owned, the Super Glide I had in my 20's was better. More comfortable, better control, less problems.



The trailered bikes at Sturgis are the show bikes. You look at the road bikes and you'll see miles.
 
I started on a Yamaha 200 dirt bike when I was 12. Had a few others; big Honda's, Kawasaki's, etc, even one of the notorious Bultaco's that would run backward (ouchies when it did, you learned REALLY FAST to test it with easing the clutch just a little to make it rock. If it rocked backward, you killed it and started it again, test/repeat). Had a Hodaka at one time too.

After I graduated to street bikes, I went American Made. Of all the bikes I've ridden and owned, the Super Glide I had in my 20's was better. More comfortable, better control, less problems.



The trailered bikes at Sturgis are the show bikes. You look at the road bikes and you'll see miles.

Sorry, no. All you have to do is look at places like Craigslist before Sturgis and you'll find dozens of posts from people looking for trailer rides for their bikes. Sturgis has turned into a poser paradise. Dentists and stockbrokers playing the fantasy. There are many that do ride to and from the rally, but having been close to there as the rally approaches (I've never been to one, too goddamn many people in one place for me) I can tell you there is no way in hell 250,000 bikes ride to Sturgis.

Comshaw
 
Sorry, no. All you have to do is look at places like Craigslist before Sturgis and you'll find dozens of posts from people looking for trailer rides for their bikes. Sturgis has turned into a poser paradise. Dentists and stockbrokers playing the fantasy. There are many that do ride to and from the rally, but having been close to there as the rally approaches (I've never been to one, too goddamn many people in one place for me) I can tell you there is no way in hell 250,000 bikes ride to Sturgis.

Comshaw

Never having been there, how would you KNOW?
 
Never having been there, how would you KNOW?

Did you actually read what I wrote or are you just knee-jerking it because you disagree with me? Here let me quote what I said,

"...having been close to there as the rally approaches (I've never been to one, too goddamn many people in one place for me) I can tell you there is no way in hell 250,000 bikes ride to Sturgis."

You don't have to be at the rally to understand how many bikes are on the road. Actually being at the rally wouldn't even give you even an inkling on how many rode there. But riding past there from West to East shortly before the rally, would.


Comshaw
 
I started on a Yamaha 200 dirt bike when I was 12. Had a few others; big Honda's, Kawasaki's, etc, even one of the notorious Bultaco's that would run backward (ouchies when it did, you learned REALLY FAST to test it with easing the clutch just a little to make it rock. If it rocked backward, you killed it and started it again, test/repeat). Had a Hodaka at one time too.

After I graduated to street bikes, I went American Made. Of all the bikes I've ridden and owned, the Super Glide I had in my 20's was better. More comfortable, better control, less problems.



The trailered bikes at Sturgis are the show bikes. You look at the road bikes and you'll see miles.

bultacos? now that's something i haven't heard in a minute.
 
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