If I may throw my two cents into this discussion...
I've been riding now for nearly thirty years, if you start with my
Honda Trail 55, and I buy my bikes for one purpose...to ride them
(usually 4-6K/Yr). I've had trail bikes, trials bikes, motocross
bikes, cruisers, and yes even an HD once. I've never put 44K (let
alone 100K+) on any one bike, but the KLR which I bought last fall
may become the exception. Perhaps the reason many HD owners don't
pile up the miles...in addition to some of the mechanical issues you
all have been talking about...is that they simply don't ride that
much. In my area in Western PA, and only by my observations, as I
put my 150-400 miles on each ride, I drive past many,
many "gathering establishments" (some may call them bars) only to
see umpteen bikes (by far mostly HD's) parked in front. These bikes
are bought for show and for the social aspects of motorcycling (and
if that's your thing then OK..sad, but OK). They will never see 44K
miles at 1-2,000 each year. I have had people call me to ask to "go
riding", only to find they wanted to drive 25 miles to go
drinking...which I never do on the bike anyhow. When I would tell
them howabout a great 150-200 mile ride on some great roads, they
just look at me like I'm crazy.
I'm not trying to paint the HD guys with all the same brush here, so
calm down all you HD owners who don't fit this mold, but it sure
seems this style is most prevalent among them.
I also agree that not many do the "wave" as you pass by...that
wouldn't support the tough guy image!
Mike A15 (and at one time a 1998 Heritage Softtail Classic)
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Peplinski"
wrote:
> OK, maybe 44K is impressive but BMW's like my R90 are reputed to
go several
> hundred thousand miles without major rebuilds. BMW even issues
million mile
> plaques. The Jap tourers easily go 100K miles with no major
service and will
> go the next hundred thou with little more than a clutch or wheel
bearing. I
> can't deny that all the bike shops have a repair department but
you gotta
> admit there just aren't many 100K plus HD's out there, "New Gen"
or
> otherwise. Even the high revving crotch rockets can go 200k with
good care.
> That throbbing rumble does not come cheaply. Its a fact of physics
that
> vibration is bad. While that "potato potato" crap may feel good on
the assl,
> it is not good for longevity. Its amazing that our KLR lasts as
long as it
> does. Perhaps this can be attributed to solid design and high
quality parts
> (doohickey excluded) that our thumper KLR goes as long as it does
without
> disintegrating, but then, parts do fall off if not tightened.
Enjoy your
> Sporty. By the way, how come Harley riders are the only ones that
don't
> wave?
>
> >From: robert bowman
> >To: "Mike Peplinski" ,
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: KLR650 real cost.
> >Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 07:14:09 -0600
> >
> >On Wednesday 27 April 2005 07:04, Mike Peplinski wrote:
> > > Yes, and all that "replacement"stuff must really help. Harleys
are well
> > > known for their durability and penchant for high mileage.
Puhleeze. Do
> >they
> > > put fresh air in the tires too?
> >
> >My current Sportster is at 44,000 and counting, with tires being
the major
> >maintenance cost. And I haven't even replaced the doohickey...
Just
> >because
> >a high pecentage of Harley owners are assholes does not make the
machinery
> >inferior, if you disregard the years when the company was owned
by a parent
> >better known for bowling equipment.
> >
> >
--
Blake Sobiloff
San Mateo, CA (USA)