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Toying with the idea of jumping ship and getting a Harley..what do you all think?

14K views 137 replies 71 participants last post by  stampde 
#1 ·
Hello fellow S3 riders. I wanted to take a quick poll and see if anyone ever got the itch to jump ship, sell their speedy and get in to the cruiser riding life style. I’ve been toying with the idea of slowing it down a bit and getting in to a Harley Soft tail or possibly a tourer like the Road Kind or Street glide. I currently have a 2009 S3 (3800 miles), love it to death, but somewhere deep inside I really just enjoy just a relaxing cruise. I had metric cruisers (Yamaha, Honda etc) in the past but I really like the look and feel of the Harley. I’d love to keep both but it wouldn’t make sense $$ wise, and I barley have time to ride one. Maybe it’s my age (42)?! Or maybe I just need a temporary change. Anyone ever get that feeling of a need for change? Any regrets after the change? :confused::confused::confused:
 
#46 ·
Thank you all for you responses comments and suggestions. I will keep you updated on what happens.

Going to rent a few Harley models in the next week or two. I am also now considering a Yamaha Roadliner or Stratoliner (never heard of these before but they are NICE – google them on Youtube). The other contender maybe a Triumph Rocket (but that’s a long shot). May also consider test riding a Sprint GT or ST. Anyway, thanks again and I’ll let you know what happens.
 
#60 ·
I've had two speed triples five harleys and a stratoliner s. never had the same Harley twice but I just bought my second s3 after trading in a pretty nicely worked fat bob. I wouldn't buy any of the harleys I've again but I'd definitely buy a roadliner or a stratoliner again, especially since you can get a nice one for $6k with under 5k miles. There's one in buffalo and one in Pittsburgh. They do everything a Harley does are super reliable and since it's already taken the depreciation hit if you don't like it you won't lose too much.
 
#50 ·
I'm 45 and have an 07 Speed Triple. I've had a cruiser before. That was my first bike. I liked it but I like the feel of speed and great handling. I recently rode a Harley Dyna. It was OK but I just wasn't inspired. But, I'm not a Harley hater. I judge a person by who they are.

Anyway, maybe it is your time. Many feel the same way as you and sell the sportbike. If I felt that way, I would do it. Just get a good reliable bike. Good luck mate.
 
#51 ·
Well said. I love the high-zoot top-of-the-line Triumph Thunderbird. I just haven't gravitated to that style of bike. Get something that is reliable and handles well. Ride what inspires you to get out there and enjoy.
 
#53 ·
As part of a promotion in Australia I had 2 days with a 2012 model Street Glide with Screamin Eagle pipes, stereo radio and cruise control. Once up and moving it was a nice ride- did 450km in a day on it. At low speeds, traffic light fuel stations etc the weight was so difficult to manage- just could not feel comfortable with it. Also the height of the screen caused a very unusual helmet vibration- not a buffeting that I have experienced before- but an actual helmet vibration to the point of almost blurring my vision at certain speeds- if I slid way forward it disappeared or way way back. But in the normal ride position was terrible- test ride first is a must.
 
#57 ·
I have owned and admired both HD and Triumph motorcycles. My brain has two modes. An easy cruising, wife on the back, low intensity world. The other, get on a back road with a high performance bike like my Street Triple and have fun. I clock 3000-5000 miles a year in each style of riding. I have always owned some form of Harley, mostly Road Kings. While Triumph makes superb cruiser style bikes with an emphasis on performance, for me personally, they lack the overall character of the HD. Many of the traits that are criticized, are what makes the HD appealing. The performance of the HD is more than suffucient for their intended purpose, and the build quality and reliability is every bit as good, if not better in some respects than the Triumph. Contrary to the BS, HD riders are not knuckle draggers, and Triumph riders aren't unfulfilled boy racers and geeks. If they were, who cares anyway. If you seek a more laid back experience, and the HD appeals to you, go for it.
 
#58 ·
I strongly disagree! I happen to be, simultaneously, a knuckle-dragger, an un-fulfilled boy racer, AND a geek!!!:D

I guess ultimately it is an issue of personal taste. I find the Rocket and Thunderbird to be vastly more appealing with regard to aesthetics, handling and performance than any metric or American Cruiser. However 'personality and character' can be quantified or defined, I find Triumph motorbikes radiate them even while sitting still. I cannot imagine a compelling case being made for the awesome Rocket III Roadster 'lacking the overall character' of yet another HD. But it's an academic argument -- we like what we like.

Reliability track-record of any given vehicle will always be twisted to support the speaker's personal preference, I have found. Chevy guys claim Ford is not dependable. Ford guys claim Chevy stinks. I've heard it all regarding motorcycles too. Hard to remain objective about something you love.

Boils down to 'get what you are drawn to' -- if there's no passion and it's just a practical, rational, functional decision, the fun factor cannot be conjured up and it will sit in the garage.

Similarly, if you get a motorcycle just for the performance numbers, rather than the one that makes you go "OOOH!" when you see it, you won't be satisfied either. Not everyone demands performance from their motorcycles, that's why there's HD. :p
 
#61 ·
I think a bike has to have a soul to appeal to me. Something that sets it apart. None of them are terribly practical, really. I owned an ER6N , because it was naked, a twin cylinder ”sport” bike, and I bought it new for under 5k OTD, they sold in the US for 2 years. Then I owned a new B-King. Again, it was naked, amazingly engineered, rare, and bought it for a song. Sold in the US for one year. Now I own a new S3. It is naked, has the most linear liter bike engine in existence, three sweet sounding cylinders... While not as rare as my other bikes, it isn't common, it has a soul, because it isn't a carbon copy of someone elses bike. All repli--racers look and sound the same, soul-less. Every V-twin ”cruiser“ is another copy of another V-twin.. To me, there is no soul there. I cannot connect with a bike unless it is special, different, in its own class in a way. Most motorcycles are just copies of another. How creative is that? How special is that? Sorry, I cannot connect with, or fall in love with the same bike that everyone else owns too. Some bikes are so common, there isnt anything special about them, they just exist.
 
#62 ·
I went the other way. Had a Road-king, then bought a Buell 1125R, which I traded towards the Speed Triple when my frustrations with Harley-Davidson peaked when parts were not available for my 4 year old Buell. I much prefer my sport type bikes to the cruiser, by a long ways, and I prefer long distance on the sport bikes. I just live for a windy road. I don't think I would ever go back to a cruiser.

I am LOVING the Triumph. I think I might have to get a new tattoo, and I never had a HD tattoo. :)

To me, fuel should be converted to horsepower, not noise. :D

Sugarbear.
 
#66 ·
maybe I keep making the same response because there are people who keep making comments that represent an extraordinarily ignorant stereotype.

I have yet to make such a stereotype about speed triple riders, yet there are those here who feel they have a moral obligation to bash the choices of other riders. They are not alone thought...there is another group that seems to be far worse, on here.
it really is no joke that I decided to build a bike in response to comments like the previously posted one. . . Maybe someday some of the people making such comments will realize that they were funny the first 100 times they were repeated. Now they are just lame and come off as desperate attempts at validation through putting down the choice of others.
 
#67 ·
maybe I keep making the same response because there are people who keep making comments that represent an extraordinarily ignorant stereotype. Maybe someday some of the people making such comments will realize that they were funny the first 100 times they were repeated. Now they are just lame and come off as desperate attempts at validation through putting down the choice of others.
...or perhaps they are not taking themselves or the posts as seriously as the short skinny kid from high school...

Ya know, my Italian family might tease our Irish guest about their cuisine, and when we step out to a pub afterwards they will be quick to remind us that our music sucks and we can't brew a proper beer. It's all in good fun, and we don't try to start brewing beer to prove them wrong.

A Speed Triple is a Speed Triple, and nothing else is. You can't turn a Speed Triple into an RSV4 anymore than you can turn an HD into Speed Triple.
 
#72 · (Edited)
The xr1200x is awesome. Probably the only Harley I'd consider.

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I agree 100%. However, to the H-D crowd the sportster is nothing more than a chick bike. :rolleyes:

The fact remains the only way to make a Harley competitive is to dump huge amounts of time and money into them, and when you figure they are way over priced to begin with, it just doesn't make sense. That is unless you are just dead set on owning a Harley and you have plenty of money to spend. Considering you can buy a slightly used Vmax with some upgrades for about half the money and have better performance. Again though if the OP is jumping ship from sport bikes to get a cruiser why are we even worried about performance?

My point is take any bone stock Harley and compare it to any bone stock import and there is no comparison in performance and reliability. the import wins in both categories for about a third or more less money. I wish an American company could produce bikes that could compete, I'd buy one in a heart beat, but until they do I'll keep buying the imports.
 
#78 · (Edited)
Believe me this was not set up thread ..I was toying with the idea of a hog ..but now after riding the 'dogs' I think I'm going to keep the S3 for a bit and ride the hell out of it .(weekends only that is)..will give details later..thank god I came to my senses..tnx everyone


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#80 ·
I had a Fatbob that I traded in for the S3. I miss that bike, but I couldn't have two. I'll get another Harley someday. I love the way the Dyna line shakes at idle but smooths out when riding. I only got rid of it for the twisties. Cruisers just sit to low for that type of riding. I never had a problem with them being air cooled, never once felt hot to me while riding in 90-95 degree weather.
 
#81 ·
Lol I just got rid of my fatbob for an s3 as well. I've had 5 Harley's, every single one of them I've invested thousands into making faster, better handling. Only one, a vrod, was legitimately fast out of the box, although it handled poorly for it's speed.

With the exception of my road king I've never kept one more than six months. Road king was truly awesome for two up, and was purchased in my "money is no object" phase. Luckily I usually made money on my harleys, even factoring in upgrades. Except that vrod lol. I took a bath on that. Funny thin I'd riding the triumph Storm stock made me notice all that was wrong on the worked up fat bob, but riding the s3 proved more satisfying than either.
 
#82 ·
The Yanks and their Harleys...
The Brits and their Triumphs....
...and us Canadians with our...Can-Am Spyders!!...
They can make any Harley or Triumph look pretty good. These summer snowmobiles are all over the roads up here...and some of them actually wave at me! All the disadvantages of an automobile combined with all the disadvantages of a motorcycle. Quaranteed to hit every bump in the road...and way overpriced too!! So, forget about Harley, if you really want to jump ship...get a Spyder. http://en-ca.spyder.brp.com/
 
#84 ·
Snowmobiles! That's hilarious! That's what I have been calling them as well.
This thread scares me though...I'm 47 going on 15..

I couldn't do a Harley just because I could never be lumped into that group. If it was just the bike, that would be one thing, but it's that whole persona that I can't get my head around. Everybody riding something that looks exactly like what everyone else is riding. You pass a group and it's half batwing fairings and half plasti sheilds with three headlights, pull into the pub and it's a big cluster f*ck of more of the same. No thanks. Don't forget the leather vest with plenty 'O' conchos and crests to tell everyone all dem places where they bin at, and lots of black stickers with white writing on the helmets stating all those hilarious cliches. Oh yeah baby, I'm all over it.
 
#86 ·
I'd ride an S3R on any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. My "go to" bike. If I could only have one bike....that would be it.

...but I've gotta say that if I could have two, ok....three....bikes, and if money were no object.....the 2013 Harley CVO Soft Tail Breakout, with a110 in it, is one bad ass looking machine. For pure attitude, nothing beats it.
 
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