HD, 883 sporster (with built1200), vs my 81 gs750(1166)?

[TxGSrider]

My experience with these things, is a large engine bike (or car) is allot easier to get a good start from a stoplight or a roll.
A sport bike like a 600cc inline four, has to launch at some ridiculous high rpm to stay in its "power band", so setting at a light requires him to hold that rpm until the light changes.... which is silly if a light is 3 or 4 minutes long and theres a decent chance he'll spin the tire or wheelie if he's too excited. Most of our bikes (1000cc and up inline fours) can launch pretty quickly with just a few thousand rpms and not blow the tire off it. A big twin can launch pretty respectably just off idle, but they run out of breath pretty quick. So from a stoplight a big twin can do ok ill the next stoplight... if its not too far away.

At the dragstrip, with predictable lights and good traction, the situation can change allot (with practice) allowing the smaller, high RPM, bikes to launch hard and do pretty well... and the big twins weight and lack of horsepower usually leave them way behind.

[81gs7501166]

Exactly my thoughts! I can sneak away leaving bout 3k, and hammer down, while the young guy on the 600 has to build rpm, and think , that old man, that old bike, what just happened?

[GS1150Pilot]

Horses for courses, but a modern 600 will leave you for dead if it's ridden by a half-decent rider.

As for VMaxes, the first gens are quick, and if they are modified just a bit, they are extremely quick. The second gen bike will be so far ahead of you that you'll wonder whether you twisted the throttle.

[Spyder]

My Uncle (well wife's Uncle), is a renowned HD tech. He builds "fast" Harley's. He rides a built bagger, and likely for Harley standards it is a fast bike. Years ago when my 750T was still a stock 750, we threw it (my 750) on his Dyno. It pulled 67.X HP, and was running rich on the main jet. That's when all the $hit talking started. I said I thought that was a respectable number for a stock 30 year old 750. He said it was, but would never keep up with his 100+hp (don't remember the actual number he said it was) HD... I have learned over the years not to argue with this guy... We rode to lunch. After lunch, on the ride back, he started taunting me. We were doing about 50. I dropped 2 gears and left him like he was tied to a stump. Then the excuses started, lol. It's all about power to weight ratio...

Now, there isn't a Harley (street) within a 100 miles of me that can dream of touching my old GSXR 750, lol... But that's another story to come I guess...

[GS1150Pilot]

My Uncle (well wife's Uncle), is a renowned HD tech. He builds "fast" Harley's. He rides a built bagger, and likely for Harley standards it is a fast bike. Years ago when my 750T was still a stock 750, we threw it (my 750) on his Dyno. It pulled 67.X HP, and was running rich on the main jet. That's when all the $hit talking started. I said I thought that was a respectable number for a stock 30 year old 750. He said it was, but would never keep up with his 100+hp (don't remember the actual number he said it was) HD... I have learned over the years not to argue with this guy... We rode to lunch. After lunch, on the ride back, he started taunting me. We were doing about 50. I dropped 2 gears and left him like he was tied to a stump. Then the excuses started, lol. It's all about power to weight ratio...

Now, there isn't a Harley (street) within a 100 miles of me that can dream of touching my old GSXR 750, lol... But that's another story to come I guess...

They are out there.

[Rob S.]

They are out there.

Well, he lost. The other bike did 10.2. But that 10.4 Harley was highly modified, I'm guessing. Box-stock ZX14R does a (corrected) 9.4.

Seven years old, and it's still got the record. I think.

[81gs7501166]

I just don't GET the whole HD thing? I'm as American and patriotic as anyone, I understand made in USA, but that's it? Such a following , overpriced factory accessories, unreal resale value? Double priced riding aperal. I pick my rides, for their value. The things they do Well, and price.
In my early 30s, I pulled in for a fuel stop at a local 7-11. 2 big Burnley guys on a old HD pulled in beside me, dressed like gang members. I was trying to mind my own business and ignore them. One spoke , hey you, you know the difference in my HD and your jap ride?
I quietly said no, he said, yours don't leak oil, and you don't have to work on it all the time!
we laughed, and I was relieved. They knew what they had?

[rphillips]

No doubt, the HD's have improved a lot over the last 30 yrs. These days, how will they compare with the Japan "Harley Look-a-likes", where do the Harley's fit in? Are they up with the Japan mfg. as far as quality, workmanship, leaks, maintenance? I think it's funny, how the Japan mfg. always put very small, even tiny, logo's on their harley look-a-likes, I guess they wanted folks to think they were actually Harleys.

[Rob S.]

In my early 30s, I pulled in for a fuel stop at a local 7-11. 2 big Burnley guys on a old HD pulled in beside me, dressed like gang members. I was trying to mind my own business and ignore them. One spoke , hey you, you know the difference in my HD and your jap ride?
I quietly said no, he said, yours don't leak oil, and you don't have to work on it all the time!
we laughed, and I was relieved. They knew what they had?

But other times...

Early 1980's, my rat bike Kaw 900 is parked next to a Harley big twin with all the chrome doo-dads outside a bar Saturday night. I said, "It sure is pretty," to which he took offense. I doubled down: "Too bad it won't go too fast."

Smoke is practically coming from his ears. "You want to race?" he asks. I start to go for my full face helmet and ask, "1/4 mile? Mile? Few miles?"

"Few miles?" he says, "How about a few states?"

"Okay," I says, "I got to be at work Monday morning." I put my helmet back and let him off the hook. Enough pretty girls had already seen him throw down the gauntlet, me pick it up, and him run with his tail between his legs. No need to twist the knife.

[81gs7501166]

My son traded his 05 gsxr600 even for a Honda vtx1800, he is 30, and he loves it. It's a look a like. My signature gs will dust it. My sohc cb750(836) will give it a fit, it's close. But he doesn't care, he got over the crotch ride position, and rides 2 up, on longer trips more confortable. I get that. But he ant got 12-20K in it.
I have close friends who have given up their jap bikes for HD bikes, but none can explain to me the reason? I kinda think it's the , What others think about my ride thing? I don't buy any car or bike to please others, don't care what they think, their to please me!
But, theirs always a but, our local HD shop has several bike shows each summer. Ocassonaly I'll go, it's 99.9% HD bikes. Ill pull in on either my 81 gs 750, or my 76 cb750, and it draws them like crazy, gives me a big grin. I have occasionally ask why u ride Harleys, most common answer, all my friends do?

[GS1150Pilot]

Well, he lost. The other bike did 10.2. But that 10.4 Harley was highly modified, I'm guessing. Box-stock ZX14R does a (corrected) 9.4.

Seven years old, and it's still got the record. I think.

Rob, you missed the point, which was that no Harleys were around that could beat a GSX-R750.

[GS1150Pilot]

No doubt, the HD's have improved a lot over the last 30 yrs. These days, how will they compare with the Japan "Harley Look-a-likes", where do the Harley's fit in? Are they up with the Japan mfg. as far as quality, workmanship, leaks, maintenance? I think it's funny, how the Japan mfg. always put very small, even tiny, logo's on their harley look-a-likes, I guess they wanted folks to think they were actually Harleys.

Much like a TLR, which was essentially a knock-off of Ducati, there is something in the original which can't be replicated. I'd also go so far as to say that it is the same thing that makes an old V8 Mustang more appealing than, say, a Lexus SC. There is something special about a Harley. I used to think otherwise, but these days, if you want a Harley, why would you go get a Honda? To pinch pennies? If so, go for it; but it isn't because Harleys are unreliable, and it isn't because Harleys don't have great attention to detail or the best paint in the business, and it isn't because Harleys aren't fun to ride.

[mrbill5491]

Horses for courses, but a modern 600 will leave you for dead if it's ridden by a half-decent rider.

As for VMaxes, the first gens are quick, and if they are modified just a bit, they are extremely quick. The second gen bike will be so far ahead of you that you'll wonder whether you twisted the throttle.

A friend of mine has a late model 2014 VMax, it has a chip in it and he put a V&H exhaust on it (sounds soooo damn good). We were out on the White Sands missile range Highway, 50 miles of straight pavement and did a roll on from about 45. I dropped to 3rd gear and opened it up and he dropped one gear, think it was 4th, all I heard was that exhaust system bark ( I think he spun the rear just a little too) and nothing but dust for the next 5 miles until he let me catch up lol.

[GS1150Pilot]

A friend of mine has a late model 2014 VMax, it has a chip in it and he put a V&H exhaust on it (sounds soooo damn good). We were out on the White Sands missile range Highway, 50 miles of straight pavement and did a roll on from about 45. I dropped to 3rd gear and opened it up and he dropped one gear, think it was 4th, all I heard was that exhaust system bark ( I think he spun the rear just a little too) and nothing but dust for the next 5 miles until he let me catch up lol.

Yeah, those things are insanity on crack.

[Eli69]

well since we're talking about harleys here's what bugs me... while harley guys may know the goofy names of all the harley models, like super air bagger glide train, most just don't seem to know much about bikes in general. like, if you're talking to them and you start getting more technical than simply what kind of pipes they replaced their stock exhaust with, they usually seem to just fizzle out. know what i mean?