My first 'bike' was a bored out suzuki A50P (ap50) 1977 model. . . Bored out, oversized piston and a RD350LC exhaust and carb jets. . . (Oh, and Honda MT5 clocks.) And that was faster, and more reliable than most of the 125's that are around today. . . Shame it got wrote off by a Nissan Micra
My first 'bike' was a bored out suzuki A50P (ap50) 1977 model. . . Bored out, oversized piston and a RD350LC exhaust and carb jets. . . (Oh, and Honda MT5 clocks.) And that was faster, and more reliable than most of the 125's that are around today. . . Shame it got wrote off by a Nissan Micra
My first road bike was a 1964 Royal Enfield 250cc, with a two stroke twin engine, next I had got a 1954 Vellocette 350cc. Back then you could have a 250cc with L plates at 16, and unlimited once you passed your test.
That yellow chopper is made by Big Dog and there is a dealer for them in my town just down the road from me. I have pressed my nose against the showroom windows so many times, thinking of ways to cough up the cash for one: $30,000 & up. The wife wants me to get one too but with a king/queen seat so she can ride along. I don't think so... chopper ergonomics don't support extra passengers too well, let alone being a hardtail. I told the wife if I had one of those, the family may not see much of me!
CNG doesn't produce near the amount of energy/BTU that gasoline or diesel does. I wouldn't be caught dead in America riding a big displacement bike powered from CNG, let alone try to envision a chopper outfitted with the ugly mods to make it work. About the only transportation in this nation running off of CNG are some mass transit busses and certain fleet vehicles. Generators that are powered from CNG are carefully selected for their KW output ratings. Their gas/diesel powered equivs. produce an appreciable increase in output wattage but require a large fuel storage tank in order to run for many days during extended outgades.
If you're not bothered about speed and you just need a commuter then converting it to a cheap fuel makes perfect sense. Of course I wouldn't do it with a brand new bike I'd buy an old ragged out one.
Poor performance compared to what? A BMW, A Ducati? A bike with an S&S motor? I agree that Harleys are pumped up to way more than what they truly are. A Honda Goldwing is superior in many ways to a Harley. A Yamaha Valkyrie is good too. Harleys just have a failthful following and it's an "American thing". Their owners love their bikes better than life itself or having sex with a Playboy Playmate. If there's one person you never want to get cross with, is the shop-rat worker who lives to ride, rides to live, and stops at a bar every night after work. What a complete teacup that kind of person is, IMHO. Recently my state repealed it's manditory helmet law, allowing riders to travel without helmets. Fatal accidents are on the increase as the medical profession cited and pleaded over. I say let 'em go helmetless. It filters the human gene pool.
I don't know about that one. If the motorist is in compliance with state laws and such than often the Ins. Cos. are aligned with them. The Ins. Co. would need to have specific documentation of such a requirement of mandatory helmet use while motoring in order to refuse coverage of a claim. But I'm no legal expert nor an underwriter.... as much as I may appear to be!
The Harleys aren't that bad of a bike. The AMF models from years back were crud, but they have revamped things for the better long since then. I just can't see the hang up Harley owners have over their particular brand of bike. It's like a majority of mechanics claiming Sears Craftsman tools are the cat's azz, when in reality brands like SnapOn, Mac, Proto are superior.
The Harleys aren't that bad of a bike. The AMF models from years back were crud, but they have revamped things for the better long since then. I just can't see the hang up Harley owners have over their particular brand of bike.