Thats a bit of a different choice. I'm a Harley guy but not much on the V rods. I know some guys that love them but they seem like they have one foot in two different worlds and not the best of either one.
A foot in two worlds? If i went Harley it would be for looks. I know the V Rod is only good for straight line performance, but i didn't have that in mind when i considered it an option. I
I have a tiny thing of a bike, its a Suzuki GN250. Cheap and easy to maintain (and much more macho than a scooter) and for a first bike (and only vehicle) its offered me allot of fun and adventures. This is my actual bike, I like to keep it clean and tidy.
Yea what I was trying to say is it looks like HD was going for the sport bike market but the V rod is not really in that category and is not a cruiser either. Like I said some people love the V rods and I find them OK and would never try and put anyone off one if they like them but they are not my thing, not to say I haven’t seen some tricked out mean running V rods.
I see what you mean. It doesn't fall into the classic look of Harleys but that's what attracted me towards it. I demo'd one at a Cycle Show an I loved the feel of it. In the end I wish I had money to buy all the motorcycles I wanted because my list doesn't just stop with the V rod and 1198. I've had my eye on fat boys as well =D
I ride a 05 fatboy now with a stage 1 upgrade.
I’ll look for a new picture to post.
And something a guy can never have too many of is bikes.
However the wife doesn’t feel that way, so for now I’m back to one
On a bike like yours I'd ditch any fairing, or perhaps fit a simple fly-screen.
But looks like where you are you need the weather protection!
It's more important that a great machine like yours is ridden and enjoyed than just being an ornament - so if that means a big fairing, I guess you're the best judge!
Edit to add: Here you go Bruce, Cafe Racer and Bonneville go together like peaches and cream. I'd drop the headlight on this one and add a little flyscreen, but that's just me
A mate of mine rode one coast to coast across the states and despite being a sports bike rider he still hankers after one sometimes
Are you happy with your 65? Many times, when I am picking-around on GOOGLE I'll see a bike that size for sale, and I wonder if the owner is/was happy with something less than a R100. I can remember back in the 1970-s when, say, a HONDA 350, 450 and 750 were considered pretty good-sized bikes. Compared with some of the modern Goldwings of today they'd be next to nothing now.
What kind of riding do you do? What was your longest trip? How does it hold up to the daily grind? Thoughts?
Im happy enough with it for what it does. It is (was) an r65ls, so it was really an around town bike. No its not that fast, but its a good size to throw around a bit. Ive done a few 5 to 6 hour days on it, but really it is more a little short blat bike. Hence why i am stripping it to turn it into a cafe.....great size (in my opinion) for that.
Most of my longer rides are dirt/road mixture type rides, hence the dr650.
To answer what i think you are asking....is it fast and big and wonderful compaired to todays bikes? Hell no, thats not why I have it. I just like the character of old airheads. No other reason I guess.