MCN

The new Triumph Thunderbird cruiser is brilliant but lacks character, according to Harley-Davidson riders. In a world first test, MCN pitched the British 1600cc parallel-twin cruiser directly against its nearest Harley rival, the 1584cc Dyna Super Glide Custom­ and then...

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The Prophet

What a bogus, subjective, opinionated review. Embarrassing for MCN.

Speedtrip

What did you expect from HD riders? They sure don't ride HD's because they are technically advanced, or have great performance (HP wise or handling).

HD is strictly style over function. They want the cache associated with the lifestyle. You can show a dyed in the wool Harley guy a million better bikes and he will still choose the hog.

SidecarFlip

I equate HD riders (not Buell riders) to the suburbanite who has a half acre lawn and just 'has to have' a diesel powered sub compact tractor with a front end loader and a backhoe to mow his lawn and for other 'chores' when a gas powered rotary mower will do the same job.

He's the same guy who has a 4 door 4x4 F150 pickup, all jacked up (with the omnipresent HD decal in the back window)...becaues it's cool. He never puts anything in the bed because going to the grocery is the wife's job and the groceries fit in the family van.

He's also the same guy who is either going to default on his mortgage or already has because his life is a payment book, and, of course, he has a HOG in the driveway as well. Motor vehicles are, by far, the worst investment one can make. Might as well flush half the money down the crapper.

He has all those things because he has to 'one up' the guy next door.

That's why the Ford F150 was the best selling pickup in America for so many years and that's why HD's still sell well, at least in the past, because that 'guy' is a dying breed.

This country is approaching an apex and the people who are really going to get bit are the people I just described.

Interestingly, over on the other forum, there are quite a few R3's for sale because the R3 is that guy's bike as well. The average dressed R3 is about 18K. You can buy a windshield, ac and heat with doors for that, even less with cash for clunkers.

My 'toys' are all paid for with the exception of the KLR and I got 1.5% financing on that or I'd have done without or paid cash.

I'm not a payment book person unless it makes money like farm equipment. Sure I have a new 65K tractor but it gets paid for with profit from the farm. It's not a liability but rather an asset and being a business investment, it's depreciable as well. I take good care of my implements, my newest, my round bailer is 7 years young. My square bailer and rotary rake is old enough to vote and my mower is a teenager.

You could say I'm cheap but I say I'm investment wise.

__________________
MIA

The Prophet

Sidecar,

You forgot a few things:

I have a guy that lives about 1.5 miles down the road from me. He has:

A Harley dresser
An F - something 50 Ford pickup about three feet off the ground
A Snowmobile on a small trailer
A Jet Ski on a small trailer
An ATV in camoflage yet (where is it?)
A speedboat on a trailer

Saturday mornings are interesting, as if I'm toodling around the property doing chores, I can see him drive by every ten minutes in a different one of the vehicles, or towing one of the vehicles (don't ask!). I would guess in an attempt to drive (get his $$ worth) each one dependent on the season, and/or to show the townfolk that he s has... stuff. He never seems to go anywhere, but merely rides back / forth then puts all the toys away. Wierd... but true!

Me? I can't see how you could focus enough attention on so many things. Last count, there were only 24 hours in a day, and seven days in a week. Where do these guys find the time?

Anyway, every Saturday like clockwork this guy moves ALL these vehicles out of the garage, down the driveway, and close to the road to "wash" them en masse, but I somehow suspect it's more of a "show and tell" exercise.

Meanwhile, I'll finish up my chores on Saturday, take the wife out to dinner on the bike Saturday night, and then get up super early Sunday morning for my solo ride, then more often than not Sunday afternoon rides to a pre-planned event or historical site again with the wife on board. Life is good.

Ride Safe!

__________________

• A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu
• Motorcyles are not my whole life, but they make my life whole. ` me

motowebmaster

If our economy recovers, folks will write books on how to keep all that stuff in a recession

SidecarFlip

+10 on that. I'm thinking that 'Cash for Clunkers' could very well in 6 months or so turn into 'Cash for Repo's'

I'll be looking for a slightly used Ford Escape Flex Fuel or Hybrid, loaded, white with grey leather or green with tan leather. I'm thinking about 18.

The Prophet

Repo Madness? Second - Hand decadence?

Me? I'm thinkin an Escallade with a trailer hitch to pull a Hummer around as a spare?

Will I need to dress like Huggy Bear? Maybe some "ho's" in the back?

It's still a work in progress...

SidecarFlip

I think you should be using the Hummer to pull the xcalade. If you do it the other way around, you'll have to get an afro and some brown shoe polish.

The Prophet

I WILL need some help and advice on this endeavor.

Where do you get those huge chrome wheels... the ones that spin around when you stop?

What is the best rap music to play on the $20,000 stereo system? Which is the most annoying and thoughtless to other drivers?

How to you go about forming a "posse"?

That's all for now.

Ride Safe!


Oops... sorry...

Ry Sabf!