Gone over to the darkside

Me too for our own YMCA section

2008 FXDC Super Glide Custom 96Ci (1584cc)

Here with the Cairngorms as a backdrop. :thumbYep I ride it (lots) and nope, I don't have the tassles :ymca. No, I don;t polish it with a toothbrush. Yep, I do grin from ear to ear.
 

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Hardly Driveable

I succumbed too, acquired an Electraglide on fleabay last Christmas to sit alongside the 1150.

Yes it's loud.
Yes I grin whenever I ride it.
Yes passengers love it and the music system is better than anything in my home.

Now I have to work out how to protect it for winter riding.

Seen here at the Canadian War memorial near Ypres this 'summer', and outside a hostelry in Normandy:

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Softale Custom 2007

Yep, I gotta admit to having one,and boy is it a joy to ride.My wife and I toured Spain on it this year, 2279 miles in seven days!! Most comfortable bike ive ridden/owned to date.Have only just joined the GS world with 2008 1200 which I plan to use all year round and tour France on iin 2009.
No tassles,no badges,pins,cut off jackets etc just pure a pure nostalgic experience on big nut and bolt engineering.Fantastic.
 
I loved my Vrod but the engine kept making promises that the handling couldn't keep, hence the switch back to a trusty GS.
 
FatBob

Drool Drool. Went to local HD dealer recently and tested n XR1200. Nice lump but geometry all wrong, but spent an age looking at the Fat bob. Went to NEC on Tuesday and the first stand i come to on walking in....HD. I think that there is a voice calling somewhere!!
Going to have to book a test ride. Then all i have to do is make some room in the Garage and dive for cover from the Mrs
 
RichiesS

I rode a FatBob from Miami to Key West last year. It was a real laugh...especially the 'Beware of alligators' sign when you are stuck in traffic anyway so what'ya gonna do!

Probably less 'gators around Guildford but I suggest you go for it and buy a Hardly (speaking as a recent traitor to the dark side).

Simno
 
What's the FX like for touring on? What bags can you get for it - don't suppose anyone does nice ally boxes for 'em? :D

The FXDCi is a strange one for touring. It's designed as a "street custom" with longer front end and odd steering geometry. It's great in straight lines, and perfectly acceptable for bends if you don't mind learning a new riding style.:D I did 1000 miles over the August bank holiday upto Aviemore, Elgin and Lossiemouth to stay at a mate's house for the duration of Thunder in the GLens '08. The H-D returned over 50MPG , was stable and reasonably comfy, and the last 400 miles were in torrential rain all the way from Aviemore to Preston :(
Luggage? Rucksack on me back and tent strapped to cissy bar. Panniers? At what H-D charge? Nah! I've already paid a kindey and one arm for the bike!

1594 twin cam engine is perfection for long distance touring. 6th gear at 80MPH (if you've got strong stomach muscles: no screen on mine) is relaxed, and drop one cog and open it up and you feel that mad rush of torque that only huge swept volume brings :D:D

Gotta love that V Twin:thumb
 
FatBob

Well i took one of the above mentioned out for a bit of a test ride the other day. Left me a bit confuse i think.

First of all let me say, the bike in question had some sort of conversion on it with V and H pipes and was bored out to 107 cu inches... a right big bugger!

First impression, once i got used to finding the foot pegs somewhere at the front was that let the clutch out and you feel this almighty pull. Stomping torque. The gearbox, i thought, was suprisingly good. Bit aof a clunk, but engages easily enough.

My first concern tho was the brakes. Best described as wooden, and at worst, non existant.
But once you get used to braking alot earlier than you would on a normal bike......!
The handling was a revelation. I was suprised at how it tipped into corners, held its line and felt stable. With all of its available stomp and the handling, i was soon acting the hooligan!!

On normal A and B roads, i found that snicking it into 4th and just pottering along, was how it really liked to be ridden. I took it up on to the A3 to see what it could do, and although capable of ton+ speeds, you need a neck like Arnie and the grip of a gorilla to hang on!! Again, i would suggest about 80 - 85 was the max for any sort of distance work on big roads.

Overall, i liked the experience. I think it looks a million dollars. Big, hard, cool, low, and a real muscle bike. The seating position you get used to very quickly, and the sound when you open it up is enough to blow the skirts off the local female population!!.One disapointing thing i thought, was the headlamps. Its a twin lamp unit, but with one being high and the other dipped. Would be sooooo much cooler if they both came on together.


Would i have one? Well i aint got the thick end of 11k for a bike that i would ride for 40 - 60 days a year. If money no object and gargae was big enough....Feck yeah i'd have one!!!:thumb2
 
You can get twin disc conversions for those models with single disc set ups. I've taught myself to stamp hard on the rear brake when I really need to stop.
 
Got to agree about the brakes.

Front break, rear brake and finally throw out the anchor.

I don't think that Harleys have an emergency stop facility.

Also agree about the headlamps - will look into that!
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Am in the process of selling my Softail custom as i want a StreetGlide if ya gonna pose..... pose big!:thumb
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Oh well, the love affair was brief and has proved to be not too costly.

Have just sold the Fat Bob!

Loved the character of the bike and can understand just how people love them but, sadly, my second brief ownership of a Harley proved that I really should be on something else.

Enjoy yours' and thanks for the comments!


:thumb
 
Oh no!

Well the upside is that you don't tend to loose too much on the HD brand. Shame you didn't bond with it, nice bike :(
 
been watching it

Oh well, the love affair was brief and has proved to be not too costly.

Have just sold the Fat Bob!

Loved the character of the bike and can understand just how people love them but, sadly, my second brief ownership of a Harley proved that I really should be on something else.

Enjoy yours' and thanks for the comments!


:thumb

on ebay for the last week... didnt seem a lot of interest till the death. dont think that was too bad a price as there just over £10,000 new.

whats next then?
 
Test ride time

another GS, K1200R or maybe a ZZR1400

Dunno yet
 
Am in the process of selling my Softail custom as i want a StreetGlide if ya gonna pose..... pose big!:thumb
could'nt agree more, but blacker!!!:thumb:thumb
 

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