I got contacted by my cousin on the side of the family I don't talk to any more.

It turns out my old man's bike still exists:



He's selling it and has given me the first option on it. I'm not sure why but I was tempted for a moment ... I really do hate when old shit like this comes back to haunt me.

You don't really want a Harley, anyway. Maybe it'll go to a good home and make someone happy.

Hmm. An interesting problem. Because personal baggage aside, with racetech forks, ohlins/racetech shock(s), and decent rubber, this would be a very different bike from stock.

And in a way, it would be symbolically transforming something that was almost unfixably wrong into something that's much more right and usable (no offense to Harley riders--I mean specifically for one person here).

Dare I ask what he wants for it?

I heard from him. He's had it serviced and it's in running condition.

Masochistically I'm considering picking it up. Not really sure why. I confess I feel really weird about it ... on the one hand, as Ian so correctly states, I don't really want a Harley, but it is the old man's Harley pretty much unmodified since back then.

It's clearly some weird psychological/emotional thing that I wasn't aware of ...

I've decided to get it.

Don't worry, none of you have to be seen with me when I take it out for a ride. It's going to be quite a sight, some guy in a full faced helmet with sport boots and a Transit Suit on a Harley ...

I doubt I'll own it for long but I think I need to make my peace with it.

Ah, no worries, I've got no problem being seen with a Harley.

And I'd be riding full gear if I were riding one myself

So by Harley model type, this would be a Dyna (Superglide) FXDL:

F = post EVO 1.3 litre big twin, carbed

X = sportster front end

D = dyna chasis

L = low rider

Or it might be an FXRS (pre Dyna chasis lowrider):

F = post EVO big twin 1.3 litre carbed

X = sportster front end

R = rubber mounted

S = sport

'92 -'93 was a crossover model year, so I suppose it could go either way?

If memory serves it's an FXRS.

Which would imply the following stock specs:

Cool. Thanks for the link.

Yea, a stone-age beast. Doesn't go. Doesn't stop. Doesn't corner. Take your basic cement mixer engine, put into iron frame add some wheels and hope for the best.

I guess it depends on how you look at it.

All bikes can be customized to some extent, but Harleys are almost (no insult intended) like lego sets. If you don't like what you have, you can easily take the whole thing apart and make it into something completely different that you do, and something that's truly custom to you.

For example, imagine a Harley with Race Tech Forks, Ohlins shocks, sticky sport tires, high performance disk brakes, and electronic fuel injection--it would be a completely different bike relative to what it was.

As for motors, in all fairness, the Evolution motor ("EVO")
which came out in the mid 80s was a complete redesign and a big jump from the old shovelheads they replaced. The Revolution motor (in Harley's VSRC model among others)
was designed by Porsche in Stuttgart(!)

I'm not saying I'd give up my K13 for one, but I am saying I can understand (at least in part) the appeal.

Of course you can.

You'll have to ride the beast once it arrives.

I'm a new member, but have followed you since the long trip. i thought that if you think that you like the HD even a little bit, you could convert it like Doug did on ADVRider. Here is the link. He made a dual sport out of it and rode across Russia to Magadan.

Wow. Welcome to Miles-By-Motorcycle!

The plan is for me to expand the site here dramatically and create a mobile travel planning/travel-log/group coordination app ...

As for the Harley, we'll see. It's the old man's bike and I have to admit I felt weird about just letting it slip into obscurity. I'm not someone who appreciates those machines at all but I think I'll spend some time riding it before I left it go.

Russia to Magadan on a Harley. Damn. That's impressive. Back when I was a teenager, many years ago, I had dreamed about doing the Long Way Round and the first Failed Alaska Trip was prep for it. LIfe got in the way and the dream died ... but who knows.

Thanks for the link and I hope you make it back by this humble little site of mine.

(On a separate note, did you see the article Keith Code wrote in this months motorcyclist?)

I never spend time at advrider, but I did happen to read a little bit about the guy that rode the Harley across Russia. Sounds like he's done a lot of major trips.

Why not on a Harley? Or a 500cc single, for that matter? Makes it a little bit more challenging - and "interesting". Certainly better stories.

What did Keith Code write in the latest Motorcyclist? You either mean the one that I haven't gotten yet or the one that I already forgot about.

Ian, I imagine you haven't gotten the issue yet. It was an article about how if you're hesitant, don't be, get on a track.

I've never ridden a HD. Might I take a turn?

Sure, there's actually quite a line of sport touring riders who want to take it for a spin.

It's arrived in Jessup. I'm scheduled to pick it up tomorrow.

Cool. Don't forget to change your signature block to reflect the latest addition to your stable. Oh, and bust out the ass-less chaps and brain bucket when you ride that beast. Must look the part dude.

The bike is now titled and tagged. Duncan's picking me up tomorrow morning and will drop me off at the depot on his way to work. Hopefully, the beast starts and will get me back home.

Weird times.

You and Yun worry about what things look like. Me, not so much.

I'll happily ride along wearing my Arai, Transit Suit and sport boots. It'll look silly as hell.

Don't worry. I'll ride it alone when no one's looking.

LOL, me, worry about what I look like? Have you seen my riding outfits?

Now that it's titled and tagged, make sure to get it neutered and that it's shots are up to date!

See, the thing I keep seeing is that when any bike magazine reviews a Harley, the test riders are always wearing full gear.

Why ride any other way? Skin grafts suck...

Ok, today I saw this bike with my own two eyes.

One word...HIDEOUS!

Edit: Ok, maybe that isn't fair. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I don't find much to like. It also saddens me that this is what most americans consider a good (or great) motorcycle.

I just can't understand why we can't build a decent motorcycle here in high volumes at a reasonable price. If you have $40k to spend you can get a nice US made bike but for $15k, forget it. I am pulling for Motus to fill the void but their prices are going to be too high I suspect.

Feh.

I saw this yesterday as well...

as fugly as it looks. I can understand the appeal. I am also awfully tempted to want to ride it.

I'm pretty consistent when it comes to how things "appear" to others. Hence I can definitely appreciate this giangatic piece of machine.