One point I forgot. They also need to do this while not getting too tired because once they get tired, they make mistakes. At the speeds they are going, missing a brake marker by only a fraction of a second means missing it by yards. That can be the difference between the perfect line and not even making the corner.

Shrunken testicles = more aerodynamic.

Just riding a sportbike on the road it tiring and requires you to be in shape. Riding a 300hp MotoGP bike balls out around a race track for 45 minutes is absolutely athletic. The amount of strength you need to throw yourself around a bike at the Gs they pull requires these guys to be athletes.

I think there’s a few reasons why:

Full disclosure. Im 35, male and not a doctor/dentist/lawyer. And I kind of like these. Are they perfect? No. But would I test drive one and consider it if was around 7-8K? Sure. 

I kind of felt the same way about the GS. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an awesome bike. I got a Multistrada instead, which feels like and rides like a tall sports bike. I love it.

The cafe is a bit ‘80s in its style which is at once too modern and too retro for what I want in a cafe style bike. Harley hasn’t attempted a cafe since the AMF XLCR, and I’ve been waiting for them to give it another go. It’s not quite what I had hoped for, but it’s a solid attempt. The flat tracker isn’t as…

This is a great take.

“Hurr hurr hurr, get off that thing and come check out a real bike over here, competitively priced against full size pickups.”

They spent decades building bikes for shitty and/or poorly behaved people. Their entire brand culture is around some perceived badasserry.

I mean, I get it, but what is Harley going to do to make a, say, GS buyer want to buy a Harley instead? Or someone shopping the multitude of cheaper streetfighters out there to want to buy a Harley streetfighter?

More likely scenario: too little too expensive.

Nothing will save them until they can bring in younger buyers and make cheaper bikes. Until they can make bikes that are $3-7k that are fast efficient and look cool, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda etc are going to keep kicking their ass. And even if they did, dealers will ensure that they wont sell any by turning off anyone…

Enthusiasts: Harley needs to change its image, it’s a dead brand.

Harley: Hey, here are some cool new designs we’re working on that are unlike anything we’ve ever built!

Enthusiasts: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE! 

The cafe is actually a really good looking concept, I hope it makes it to market with the 975 engine. Call me a traditionalist but cafe’s don’t need huge displacement engines.

Pretty sure that’s a Lambo Buell dude.

If you’re going to replace the bearings I would mic up the crank journals to see if the crank needs to be turned. If not, polishing the journals is all you need. I went through this years ago when rebuilding a marine 427 top-oiler. 

My buddy used to refuel and rearm F16's in the hanger while the engine was running. 

I blame exhaustion. Had my Cutlass stolen from outside my house one night. My 403 powered, dual exhaust through 22 inch GlassPacks, loud starting and accelerating Oldsmobile was stolen from out front of my house while I slept 2 rooms and a sidewalk away. Why didnt I hear it? Because I had spent 10 hours moving trees…

there have always been idiots shouting nonsense. The problem is that today’s average Joe will believe anything.