-=> ED KOON wrote to TIM RICHARDSON <=-

 EK> On Jul 23, 2003 05:19am, TIM RICHARDSON wrote to JEFF BINKLEY:

 WC>>Try the remark to a biker in a real biker bar and you'll
 WC>>soon find out if you are one or not.
 WC>>Doesn't get any simpler than that.

 TR> And this guy is what passes for a `bad-ass' biker.

 EK> Real Bikers Ride Harleys :)

I like to go around corners and Harley's are far less manuverable.
I test drove one way back when I had cash and they were relatively 
cheap by today's standards.
I took it back to the showroom and said you can keep this.
Other downsides are Harley's frequent breakdowns, unbalanced 
vertical twin shaking that drips screws, parts and leaks
along the highway and high cost of parts and repair.  
Now the new Beuller Harley line and is a reasonable ride 
but the cost is on the level of a pretty large downpayment on a house,
around 20 grand. 
Paid something like 1650.00 for the only bike I bought new, mt first
in 1975.
Many people with limp dicks ride Harley's because they use the machine
to establish their masculinity.
I've bought Japanese bikes used for 250.00, 300.00, 800.00
and the pristine 1100 for 1600.00.
Some of these bikes bought used required some fairly
heavy repair to brake systems but that's an afternoon's
work despite the manual stating you need a hydrolic press
and special tools to rework them.
I used the bleeder valve opening and closing it while
pumping the brake to release the brake pads and cylinder and
a C-Clamp to drive the piston back in after cleaning and seal 
replacement.  Fill and bleed out the air as for any disk brake
but watch out for rear brake drum types as you can slip the spring
and wind up with it embedded into a finger or hand, this happened
to me once.
The 550 Suzuki bought used in perfect shape I got for 800.00
had about 6k on the odometer and I kept that bike for nine years
spending perhaps three hours a year on maintainance, oil 
changes and tuneups.
Only breakdowns were occasional flat tires and one thermaly
stressed main fuse that blew. Finallly killed it
when more concerned about a new job I overlooked
chain maintanance for too long and the chain kinked and broke
at the sprocket breaking the chain and splitting the lower case.
Nine years of hassle free riding for 800 bucks, I can live with that.
Harley's require constant attention and only two individuals
I personaly know could properly maintain them so they ran smoothly
without problems, Panhead Jim who actually built his own
garage to work on his bikes and Dangerous Dan who had his
Harley balanced and blueprinted.
These were guys who would send some parts out to be magnafluxed
for tiny cracks before reassembling their bikes and neither one of
them used their Harley's to define their manhood.
Even Miami Frank had me doing some of his Harley maintanance.
The local Outlaws mototcycle gang either stays at their clubhouse,
compound or rides in great number they're so manly they fear
to travel alone. The Outlaws _are_ exceedingly dangerous in 
number and that's the only you see them.
Took me about a week to shake out the minor problems 
with the used 1100 and then I took a test drive
in a driving rainstorm that lasted until passing Combee road
east side of Lakeland and continuing on to Daytona only to
turn around and come back.
A man who defines his masculinity by the brand of ride he
choses is a man? I beg to differ, a man is defined by his
_actions_ and not a brand name and one would think this self evident?
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