Met a guy today at a Harley Dealership.....

[creole]

We just got home from a 3000 mile trip through the badlands, Yellowstone, the Tetons etc. We ride with three other couples who all ride Harley Davidson ultra classics. I'd been giving them a hard time the whole trip because we stopped at about every HD shop along the way (one of them collects the poker chips) and I was accusing their bikes being attracted to the "HD shop). Anyway, at the last HD dealership on our return trip home in Pueblo colorado, we roll into the parking lot and the other couples get off their bikes to go inside. This guy on a construction crew working at the dealership crosses the parking lot to look at our 99 RSV. As he was walking up, my wife and I were assuming he was coming to talk HD but he asked if he could look at OUR bike instead. Apparently he had just purchased a Millennium edition from somewhere in Washington and drove something like 45 hours to go pick it up! Our Harley friends could hardly believe someone wanted to talk about YAMAHA.....We just ate it up....LOL

 

 

Sooooo......I Gave him a slip of paper with http://www.venturerider.org written on it and told him to look us up and all he ever needed to know would be there!

 

 

Great Trip, Great Day

 

Creole

[stickhandle2]

Great story, I had the same thing happen last year, had spent the day riding with my brother, he was on his HD Sportster and I was on my 86 Venture. We pulled into a Tims and are just sitting there (my brother needed the rest, being that he was on the Sporty), a guy walks up to us and starts asking me about my old Venture, it was perfect, the look on my brothers face that somebody would want to look and talk about an old Yamaha rather then his Harley.

 

I still smile when I think of that.

 

Mike.

[Phoneman1981]

That is always nice. Good for you. Last year I had a guy trailering a Harley come up to me and compliment me on my "Nice looking Tour Deluxe" I about fell over. Nice couple from Oklahoma. Instant friends. Hope to meet up with them again someday..

[Snaggletooth]

When I bought the '84, I got it from the son of the first and original owner. I'm the second. The son wanted a HD. I asked him why not just keep the Venture and spend a few bucks and fix it up. It really didn't need all that much. He said he wanted a reliable and comfortable bike to ride.

 

It's been over six years now since I brought it home and almost 69,000 miles on it now. I still stop and visit with his son now and then. He's on his 3rd HD since I got the Venture.

 

When I stop by his place to see him we sit and he talks about the Venture. His HD buddies stop in and he tells them about the Venture. When I ask how their bikes are holding up they laugh and ask "which one?" They are loyal to the brand but admit to the problems, and the shop time involved.

 

I was asked once "How far have you been into the motor?" Well, I did put in new valve cover gaskets. And upgraded the clutch. They don't give me a lot of grief about the old girl anymore. They quit trying to pass me all the time to. That don't work.

 

Good bunch of guys even if they are HD folks. If I ever need to find a trailer I know who to call.

Edited June 15, 2013 by Snaggletooth

[creole]

I couldn't help but sniker a little bit, in the lower part of the Rockies of Colorado, their chrome horns were turning BLUE from engine heat and they were all complaining. Then we crossed the plains of E. Colorado and W. Kansas in 101 temp and 40 MPH crosswinds, where at every stop they were "COOKED AND BURNING UP". One of them asked me if we were getting much engine heat? To which I replied "Oh....some, but it's not bad...." LOL

 

 

We really like this group (who by the way are all family, us being the outsiders) and enjoy riding together, are always pointing out the white HD's to us because they know we really want a white bike, and they somehow think our RSV is inferior.....I keep telling them we're not getting into any more debt until we get some things paid for. The next 3-4 years and everything we owe on will be done......then we can pick our bike (color included) I sure hope yamaha has a white one that year...

 

I'm always asking what this "service" is they seem to need? Seems to be more than just an oil change, because they take their bikes in to the nearest dealership (175 miles) for service every 5000 miles.....I would think if it's just an oil change they'd do it at home.

 

Now just to be fair, I did a lot of things to our bike just for this trip, hoping if there was a breakdown somewhere on the road, it would not be ours. But our bike is 10 years older than the oldest HD in the group and we have 6 times more miles than any of theirs, but didn't do anything other than general wear and tear type maintenance........The Old Girl Ran like a top and never complained about anything

[djh3]

Yea thats a mystery to me why alot of the HD riders all congrigate at dealerships across the US. Even when on a trip. "I got to have this t-shirt or that hat". Sometimes when I'm on a long trip frequently up to NC on 95 as I go by a couple of the HD places closer to the road I let the stebel honk and wave at them. They have to be giving something away that you have to own one to get the inside info. Good for them and the economy I guess. They are keeping people working.

[Douginflorida]

I was riding the back roads of NW Fla. with my good friend Mike who just bought a gleaming 2 tone red 2012 HD Ultra Classic, we stopped at a small country store for lunch. We were standing there admiring his bike and another HD when a nice white haired guy and his pretty wife pulled up in a Mercedes SL convertible and chatted us up. I commented on how I envied Mikes new Harley and the guy says to us as he looked at my 1998 Royal Star Tour Deluxe then the Harley's , as far as I'm concerned son, YOU have the best bike in the parking lot, I've owned them all he says and yours will out run and outlast all of them...I smiled and I thanked the man and agreed...The look on my friends (and his wife's) face was priceless...We had a great day riding and yes we still are friends and ride together often...

[Yammer Dan]

Old men know what they are talking about. Everybody goes thru the Hardley stage I think. Most Outgrow it or learn better. Most.... My last Hardley was a 56 Pan. Kick til sweat poured off my chin in a stream. And it ran great. It was just stubborn. 56 Pan. Rigid Frame. No shocks at all. Raked 47 degrees extended 16 inches. No front brake. 18 inch Ape hangers. No exposed wiring all ran thru frame. 2&1/2 Gallon tank. Twisted tube Grundy Front forks. Candy Apple Red with gold metalflake. Polished cases. It sure was purty. Sitting looking at it was more fun than riding it!!Do I wish I still had it? HELL YES!! Sit it out front to show off to everybody!! Keep "Brown Sugar" out back.

[hunter 1500]

I used to own an Susuki LC1500 and had it set up with a fairing and hard bags. It was a real sharp bike and I pulled in for gas along with a lot of other riders and there were two guys one on a very new looking Electra Glide Classic and he walked up to me and said that's a nice looking bike, what Harley model is it.

[Snaggletooth]

I don't know how many times I've been asked "What year is your Goldwing?"

 

 

I guess it's because it's gold. Gotta keep educationg them.