05-25-2016, 08:06 PM
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#1 |
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: TENNESSEE
Posts: 392
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If you cant beat 'em, , , , , , , , ,
the old cliché " if you cant beat them, join them".
Well, a short backstory to me and Harley Davidson's. When I was a boy, my first love of a 2 wheeled motorcycle was my uncles --- have no clue what model -- mid 70's Harley. He loved the bike. It broke down though. A LOT. I do not recall exactly what all went wrong, but I do remember he and my late father cussing the bastard a lot in the driveway. My FATHER, however, HATED them with a passion. Let me rephrase that, he hated the " New Junky'Davidsons" He loved the old 40's-60's models. This conversation that took place & started a lifelong debate was in 1986/87. Dad was there to be a living whiteness of Harleys dark years. And that era never left his mind. He took his love of HONDA, and mad disgust with Harley to his grave in 2010. My uncle gave up on motorcycles all together in the early 90's. I, however, still had a secret passion for the thump thump, thump thump, thump thump of the 'ol Milwaukee machines. Of course, Harley bought the company back from AMF in the early ( mid??? ) 80's. But the bad reputation stuck with many folks. . A few months ago, my wife and I went camping over in Pigeon Forge TN. During that camping trip, we went to a large HD dealer there in PF. I got to sit on probably every model of Harley in current production. Even made a Facebook post about it. My favorite model FOR ME that fit me the best was a new XLC1200 all dressed out with windscreen and forward control pegs and Scream'n Eagle pipes. . A couple of weeks ago, I went to the local(ish) HD dealer and took their Skilled Riders course. Made a H U G E difference in my 2 wheel life. Learning to control a 900 lb. Road King at 3 MPH is kick ass!!!! :-D . TODAY: After a few days of camping and debating, I caved. Went back to the "local" dealership ( 50 min. drive one way away, but the closest HD dealer to me ) I went in, with the joy of a 6 ear old on Christmas morning, to buy that $13,000 Harley. " I MUST BE INSAINE! I only paid $9800 for my first NEW car!!! " this thought echoed in my mind the whole way down there.  Low and behold, I arrived and found a place to park my 4 door truck and 22 ft long trailer. Went in, and started shopping. In the "overflow room" ( a HUGE long well lit garage bay ) was a few "bargain Harleys". At first, I walked through them in a fast pace. But, , , , , , , , , what was it, , , , , hmmmmmmm, , , , , , something I walked past, , , , , seemed, , , , , NICE! After watching it rain sideways for 20 min. and ogling over the ocean of testosterone and chrome, I went out for a smoke. ( yeah, bad, I know, blah blah blah ) I kept thinking about the "ol blue" as I came to call it in my mind. It was in that back room. shiny. Dripping in chrome and metallic blue & gloss black paint. And it was in the BARGAIN section????? nooooooooooo. Had to be wrong. So I went back in, trying hard to walk slow with swagger and not look all excited. Playing it cool. In my mind I was hearing my fathers words " Got to be cool. You are in a ( Harley ) shop. Not the bowling alley. Be cool. Be interested, but not TOO interested. They will stick it to your wallet hard if they see you excited " I ease my way back and take my first CLOSE look at this Harley. It was a older used XLC1200. Dressed up exactly like the very one that was $13,000 new. Just in blue & black instead of all black. New tires. NEW TIRES! Brand new. Still have the tits on them in the MIDDLE. "bet she's got 60,000 miles on it!" -- I think to myself --. OH! The key is in it. Interesting. I turn the key on and look at the digital odometer. 9,801 mi. 0_0 OK, sooooooooooooooooooooo, the bike I want, with new tires, in a paint scheme I would have been damn proud to have painted myself. What is UP wit this bike??? AHHHHHHHHHH, I bet it is a salvage title. FINALLY, after my salesman Ken gets the other 3 customers that were there before me all done and happy, here he walks over. I have known Ken for several years now, so I shook his hand and we started talking serious details & $$$$$$$. The bike is clean title. 1 owner, late 50's guy that just bought a " big ass new trike " ( Got to love Ken's humor ). "The bike has not been cleaned up yet" he says. (( you could lick the thing it was so clean )) Then he tells me they ( the dealership ) just got the bike through their shop. New brakes, tires, drive belt, complete engine service, full service end to end. " it is priced about $500 over book, but book does not take into consideration all the Harley add on's, windscreen, Mustang seat, and new tires. " Ummmmmmm, OK. Soooooooo, price???? Well, I paid what I paid. Too much? NO. Not at all. I have looked at used basic model 883 Sportys being sold on craigslist and facebook and at other dealers. this was just a few hundred dollars more, and is a 1200cc with roughly $1200 in exhaust / seat / windscreen. PLUS, NEW tires and brakes. So, the loud beast is now in my stable. My first Harley. 2004. ( still carbureted!!!! woot !!!! )
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" If it ain't broke, I can probably still fix it!" ---- Tim Allen |
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05-25-2016, 08:26 PM
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#2 |
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: East Central Hellinois
Posts: 1,344
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Congratulations on the new bike! Ride it in good health and wipe the smile off your face
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************************************************** *** " Time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted." - John Lennon  “I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” ― Thomas Jefferson "If you don't know where you're going any road will take you there" ....George Harrison song |
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06-07-2016, 02:35 PM
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#3 |
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Volcano, Ca
Posts: 7,112
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I just caught this thread! Congrats! The Sporty 1200 is a fun bike, for sure. The Sporty still sounds like a "real" Harley too. "potato, potato, potato...."
No disrespect to your dad whatsoever, but I had no qualms with my AMF Harley or any that I'd worked on. My brother in law still owns my old 1974 model and it runs to this day. Original 1974 clutch, trans, etc... They were finicky but they were built like tanks. Here's a pic of him on it about 8 years ago. I found a backrest I thought he might want. Didn't fit the narrow rear end though. Enjoy your new scoot!
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"Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 Last edited by 2LZ; 12-31-2016 at 03:42 PM. |
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06-12-2016, 12:25 PM
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#4 |
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Houston area
Posts: 1,902
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Great buy. I avoid going to the Harley Dealer for fear of cleaning out my accounts for a new 48. That Sporty will keep a smile on your face for years. Accessories for the Sporty are plentiful, so you can outfit your bike for most any type of riding (touring, commuting, bobbing, scrambling, etc).
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"Its not WHAT you ride; its THAT you ride" |
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06-20-2016, 06:54 PM
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#6 |
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: TENNESSEE
Posts: 392
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Great to hear 2LZ. And thanks to all for the compliments and likes.
I did not realize I had been away from this forum for nearly 20 days. Been working my tail off ( wheat harvest season, , , now DONE !!!  ) I have made a couple of changes to the ol sporty. I got the smoked turn signal lenses and sold the mustang seat that was on the bike and bought a different mustang seat. LOL I got the , , , , heck I forgot what it is called. Solo touring IIRC. A solo seat anyways. Also got new Viking leather wrapped hard side bags. Still have to install them though. NOT an easy task as they want you to think it is!!! LOL BUT, I will get them on soon enough. I am trying to figure out how to make quick disconnect brackets to attach to the bags themselves and use the Harley quick attach bag racks that are already on the bike. I would like to, , , , no, , , I WILL find a way to be able to quickly put the bags on or take them off. The windscreen is a quick disconnect as well and I like the feature of being able to go from an in town brutal hot rod to a long day cruiser in just a few seconds.
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" If it ain't broke, I can probably still fix it!" ---- Tim Allen |
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06-21-2016, 12:52 AM
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#7 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: George West, Texas
Posts: 4,097
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Noticed you were absent. Good to have the work although. Much better pic from the 1st. Out in the daylight to see it. Be careful out there
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***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
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06-21-2016, 09:10 AM
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#8 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: CO
Posts: 1,525
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Quote:
First person in 'known/written history' with a Gluten Intolerance was several thousand years ago in Egypt...  Know how hard it is to make 'gluten free' foods... breads/doughnuts are freaking hard to make without that Starch found in Wheat
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"Think as you like... but this self proclaimed Professor is always right" - Buckshot  "You never know what someone is hiding beneath their smile..." - NinjaTom - R.I.P. |
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06-21-2016, 10:06 AM
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#9 | |
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Volcano, Ca
Posts: 7,112
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Quote:
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"Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 |
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06-21-2016, 10:08 AM
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#10 | |
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Volcano, Ca
Posts: 7,112
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Quote:
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"Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 |
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06-21-2016, 06:46 PM
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#11 | |
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: TENNESSEE
Posts: 392
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Yeahhhhhhhh, they done hit me for $340 for gloves, NICE cool ( literally ) armored mesh jacket, new HD helmet, a bandanna for the wifes dog  , , , , , and of course, the infamous Harley Davidson window sticker for the back glass of my RAM. They know. THEY KNOW you are gonna get (suckered) all the HD riding apparel after the purchase. They have this well figured out!
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" If it ain't broke, I can probably still fix it!" ---- Tim Allen |
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06-21-2016, 06:49 PM
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#12 | |
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: TENNESSEE
Posts: 392
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I think 2LZ hit the nail on the head when he said " I think it's been this way forever but no one put a label on it or knew what was causing the belly aches, etc... Also, in the olden days when a flu would kill you and life expectancy was just shy of 40 years, I don't think gluten was front and center, as it is today. With medical advances, comes more branded illnesses. " . My wife has to have the gluten free stuff. I have gotten used to gluten free spaghetti & home made Mac&Cheeze. LOL
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" If it ain't broke, I can probably still fix it!" ---- Tim Allen |
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06-21-2016, 08:03 PM
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#13 |
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: George West, Texas
Posts: 4,097
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That sporty is beautiful. Had a friend in college with a 883 which was blue. He called it , "the breeze". Yours looks brand new, I see why you bought it.
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***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
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