Ha Ha Harleys

[docfishr]

Well it's Saturday and I finished the chores by early afternoon so I thought I would wind my 78 CX500 through the valley behind my house. When I came to the canyon road there were three Harley riders all outfitted with their cute little beanies and skull masks entering in front of me. They saw me coming on my little CX and decided to loose me. I guess they thought that raw power could make up for lack of handling. NOT! I pushed them hard for about two miles until all three overshot a tight right and wound up in the oncoming traffic lane leaving me a clear shot to go under and by them. At the end of the canyon they came roaring up to me at the stop sign and were doubly embarrassed to find that they were had buy a 60 something white beard on a little 500. God I love this bike!

[Whiskerfish]

It's not nice to pick on Harleys but sometimes it is just too much fun to pass up

[FirstYearDeek]

It's not nice to pick on Harleys...

Around here, they ask for it with behavior just like Doc described. They're especially disrespectful of the little scooters that are becoming more and more popular.

Again, that's just the area I live in, but I've always said if you don't want to be stereotyped, don't be stereotypical.

-Deek

[mooseheadm5]

That is too funny. Just be careful out there in case they are the type of riders that are not necessarily amused by such shennanigans.

[Rat]

Don't you be chasing those poor Hardleys out into the traffic .

Gord 8)

[docfishr]

Right! Cause I would feel so bad if those loud aggressive morons had to lay all that chrome down. Oh yeah.....

[BerlinKowgirl]

I've done that many a times with my 78 CX500...not only with Harleys but with all kinds of big bikes and a numerous amount of real sport bikes, too...with riders who thought they can magically ride like "The Doctor" Rossi just because they are on a Duc or Aprilia or whatever...lol...soooo much fun 8)


Cheers,
Peewee

[Q]

There is a group of mostly sport bike riders who get together once a year for a camp out and road ride on some of Oregon's best winding roads. These folks are serious riders with nothing but the latest sport bikes, fanciest riding gear, and stickiest tires, but they don't have 40 years of riding experience behind them like I do. It was great fun to see the look of their faces in my rear view mirror of my old CX500 after being passed by an old hippy wearing jeans and hiking boots.

A fancy bike does not make up for the relative inexperience of the rider.

The CX500 may not have the best suspension but it's adequate. With their good ground clearance you can really lean them over without leaving behind a trail of sparks.

Q

[docfishr]

Yeah, the clearance is great but suspension is a bit soft for that kind of sporty riding. It sure soaks up the bumps on our California washboard freeways though. I wish my GL1000 was as smooth on the open highway.
I like the way the CX handles so much that I am thinking about beefing the suspension a tad and putting a set of gripster dual sport tourance tires on it so I can ride it on the long dirt roads to some of my favorite trout streams.
Anybody made such mods?

[sunnbobb]

Years ago when I was living in Idaho, I replaced all the suspension components on my cx with progressives. Fishing up in the hills was a pleasure after that.

[docfishr]

Thanks Sunnbobb. That makes it easy.
You guys have some great fishing up there but too much rain for riding.
California spoiled!
Doc

[Sidecar Bob]

I guess they thought that raw power could make up for lack of handling.

Raw power? The only raw power most Harleys produce is in the form of noise from the aftermarket non-mufflers.

The CX/GL500 produced 50 HP and the 650 produced 65. The 1340CC Harley big twin of the same year produced somewhat less.
BUT
Horsepower is only half of the equation. The other half is weight and it's ponies per pound that counts in the final analysis.

Your CX weighs over 100 Lbs. less and produces more HP than any stock Harley made before the twin cam. You do the math.

[LikeMike64]

How do the GL1X00's compare to the Harleys in the HP and lbs/hp areas and handling?

[Sidecar Bob]

In the same weight range but no comparrison in HP.

A stock GL1000 is 80 HP.

Have a look at this site to see what they have to do to a Harley to approach that http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/hplist00.htm

I've told this here before, but I have to tell it again:

Some years ago the club I had recently retired from invited me to come with them to something near where I lived. Afterward they asked me to lead them to somewhere where we could have a coffee & kick tires before everyone went their own way.
They put me in the left front position and the Road Captain in right front and away we went. At the traffic light I pulled away normally. A few seconds later I looked over at Ice (the RC) and he wasn't there. I looked in my mirrors and saw headlights waaaaaay back behind me, so I slowed down and waited for them to catch up.
When we got to the coffee shop Ice jumped off his bike and started looking over mine very carefully. "What do you have in there?" he asked.
"It's a '79 GL1000 engine" I answered.
"No, I mean what have you done to it? What cams, carbs, stuff like that?"
His face dropped when I told him that it was a completely stock, almost 20 year old 1000cc Honda engine and "As far as I know it has never been opened up. It's geared higher than stock because it has a 1000 engine and an 1100 final drive and I stuck a pair of"pull off" HD mufflers on with no special tuning."
He proceded to tell me how much he had spent on his Fat Boy in the 6 months he since he bought it new. He had spent more having his engine "built" (Harley for taken apart and put back together the way it should have come from the factory) than I had spent on the whole bike. And his much improved over stock, almost new Harley couldn't keep up with my old Honda.

He was almost in tears.

I didn't have the heart to tell him I wasn't really trying....

[docfishr]

Yeah, that must have been a few years back. I often ride my 78 GL1000 with a buddy who rides a 06 Deluxe. On the freeway he has no trouble keeping up with hard acceleration. But when we get on the winding back roads he just doesn't have a prayer. And that is when I'm sightseeing.
Now he wants to trade his Deluxe for a new Road Glide because they handle better. I just smile at the thought of him getting another mortgage and still won't be able to keep up. He's never seen me ride it hard!