awww Em .. dunno if  u thought i ment u ..  but i dint.. i just mean i personally take an interest in all bikes/trikes etc i just love the mechanics/looks/sound/feel of them.. each and everyone is a work of art.                                                                                                                                                                             

Not keen on Constables, tho                                                                                                                                                                              

Point taken Em - I shouldn't have singled out your post, but it's remarks like that and the general Harley-knocking TC referred to that just irritate me. Why is it "OK" to knock Harleys?

I may never have ridden or owned a bike myself, but I've been around them for 41 years. My Mum & Dad used to stick my carry-cot in their side car!

I'm no blind supporter of everything "Harley" or anything like that. It's just boring and predictable to knock them IMO.

                                                                                                                                                                             

which eva bike we ride is our own personal choice n its a gud job we all like summat different cos wot a borin place we would be in, personally i like cruisers.........oh and harleys                                                                                                                                                                              

Group hug everyone...   Nothing was aimed personally at BB or emzed, everyone has a right to their opinions, it was just a general observation.   I normally join in the jokes  but when a stranger feels it is okay to come up and slag off your ride to your face I just find it bad form...   However, I find that when I tap them on their helmet as I overtake them on the next stretch of open road, it normally shuts them up...                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                   

probably disapointed at a standard harley not reliable think somebody is living in the past although not my cup of tea the 96 inch 6 speed twincams are reliable an XR1200 is huge fun the v rod is far from needing a grand spent on it all my harleys have been customs and older models and none have been any trouble and all manufacturers have problems from the infamous honda chocolate camshafts early hinkley triumph starter clutches yamaha warriors that had to be recalled after locking up and throwing people off in the states but the trite favourite bike to slag off is harleys dont see the need i dont like sports bikes but dont feel the need to pick holes in them

Have you tried an XR1200, punkdude? If so, any good? I was meant to try one out a couple of months ago but unfortunately had to call it off at the last minute... Am I right in thinking they are running their own race series supporting BSB events or something?   Steering this thread back to topic, I actually think the Iron 883 is a good looking bike (with obvious Nightster heritage) and a very tempting price to anybody wanting an entry-level Harley (although inevitably you will end up paying a little more as you customise it either for looks, or performance)   As I said in an earlier post on this topic, Victory's have caught my eye at the shows but does anybody have first hand experience of them?                                                                                                                                                                             

Out of all the bikes I've been on the back of over the years, and there have been many, the one I have the fondest memories of was THE most unreliable, uncomfortable, bone-rattling, gorgeous looking, lovingly restored, loud piped, temperamental beeatch of a 1959 Triumph Tiger 110.

We spent nearly as much time pushing her along the road as we did riding her and it took a few minutes before you found your land legs again after having your toenails vibrated off when you had to do any motorway stuff, but hell I loved that bike! (More than her rider, ultimately! )

24 years ago, when I spent a summer working in the States for a biking family, I spent much of my time defending the merits of Japanese bikes, as they were just as bad for Harley loving as others are for Harley knocking. As far as they and all their biker buddies were concerned if it wasn't HD, it was "Jap crap".

My heart will always return to custom bikes, as I love their individuality, as well as the skill and imagination that goes into building them, but I can appreciate various stock bikes too, from classic Brit bikes to the latest sports bikes... I'll never invest in a romper suit though

OK so it's impossible for me to rate a bike on its ride/handling qualities yet, but I can sure appreciate everything else about it, and dream of the machines I would hope to own one day.

nice post wannabe                                                                                                                                                                             

It was the public service announcement bit wasn't it Ian? The promise never to inflict a Wannabe in a romper suit on an unsuspecting nation                                                                                                                                                                               

My fave bike was my dad's old Arial and sidecar....   Mum ont pillion..me and two older brothers int sidecar.. oooh the times we hadta push it up Batchworth Hill...                                                                                                                                                                                

I always wanted an Ariel Kaz With or without sidecar   A mate had one of only 2 Ariel square four Norton hybrids called the Aeronaut, lovely bike very well engineered for its day (1968) it ran really well after we rebuilt the engine All bikes are beautiful in the eyes of the owner/rider   Ride safe, ride free, but RIDE   Em                                                                                                                                                                              

When I first saw this post I rather hoped it would reveal some carnal activities which I had missed   Any takers   Em                                                                                                                                                                               

Hey Em i wish mum still had that old bike, I think they traded it in for an old morris minor van when me and my brothers got too big for it.     Bet that old Aeronaut would be worth a fortune too.   My oldest brother found an old Greeves dumped on a canal bank many yrs ago.. it was a complete wreck, and had obviously been there a long time, but he's restored it, not quite sure if he ever got it running, but its a beautiful bike. I love the old classics.     lol @ carnal  activities..      I bet you weren't the only one!                                                                                                                                                                                  

Hmmm... pity the closest we got to carnal activities is canal activities                                                                                                                                                                              

lmao !!!!!   I didn't even notice that one! ..well spotted                                                                                                                                                                              

my fave bike was my raliegh striker...in green.....the pedals were really comfy..........lmao                                                                                                                                                                             

lol i had an orange Raleigh Chopper..so ner ner ner