Harley-davidson Motorcycle Reviews


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Harley-Davidson Softail 1450cc Sept '06 (56)
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Having owned and ridden just about everything from Honda to Guzzi in my 48 years, Last year I decided to buy my first Harley Softail, ( Bandit sits in Garage crying )I live and work in Southern Germany in Munich so off I trotted to the local Harley Dealer ( House of Flames ) Before popping in I checked their website while I was in Dubai and found they had a 2006 Softail Standard at their Ulm branch, On a whim I called them and asked for the bike to be bought to Munich, On my return to Germany I went round and fell in Love with it straight away, so off to the Bank I goes and gets the money, 5 days later after a full service and getting it registerd It was delivered to my home. I spent the next two hours looking at it and wondering why I have left it so long to own one, The lines and design of the softail are smooth and very pleasing to the eye, I then set about fitting all the parts I had purchased while waiting for the delivery, Shotgun shorties,stage 2 kit with Hyper charger, crome footrests front and back,risers and drag bars,lots of harley skull crome covers and levers, saddle bags and sissy bar, Then once again I sat in the garage looking at my new beast, which now actually sounded like a V twin Harley, The bike had 3000 Kms on from new and since then I have toured Greece,Romania,Germany,Austria,been back home to the UK and all without a single problem, The bike rides very smooth, brakes are perfect and fuel economy although isnt the best is very acceptable. The bike has now done 9000 kms and is at the local dealer BOBO,s for service ( Note about BOBO,s they are possibly the friendliest and most efficient Harley dealer and service centre I have ever known, Prices are a fraction of House of Flames and much nicer people.)

Any one from the ex-pat community down here thinking about buying a Harley go see BOBO before you commit to buying from another dealer.

My bike is now stripped down as it is going for an Airbrush makeover in Dachau so sadly I have to ride the wifes sportster for a week or two. being over 6 foot it kinda looks stupid with me on it,

A foot note to any one who is thinking about a Harley is simply try the softail , traditional skinny front wheel 21", 200 rear tyre on all models after 2006 make it a far better ride and the 1450 lump is a sleeping lion with massive torque and it will bring a grin to your face every time you push the starter knob. Buying the softail standard and then setting about doing it how you want is the best way to go, I now have the bike of my dreams and just love the looks I get were ever I go.


Photos of the finished Art work will follow when finished watch this site.


Thanks HD.

Dave ( woody ) McGreggor
Munich
Germany
Submitted by
Rottie on 19/07/2009
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Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200cc Apr '08 (08)
Overall Rating:
Review
You know how it tends to go on test rides - you’re struggling to locate that bloody chin-strap stud again, whilst 50 worrying thoughts jockey for position in your rapidly-overheating cerebral cortex. And was it such a good idea to sign your hurried agreement to coughing up 1,000 quid, in the increasingly likely event that you bend this huge lump of Milwaukee iron, shuddering like some Victorian orgasmatron between your legs ? Better just switch it off for a mo’ – don’t want it overheating. Those big cylinders are air-cooled and there’s only around 700 miles showing on this funny little clock. Right, got it, let’s go. Strewth, that sidestand’s got a long reach and why are those damned indicators flashing again ? Ah, so that’s the start button ! Why don’t they colour it red or something ? Never mind – It’s obviously an HD quirk. Oh no, the salesman’s coming over again. Probably thinks I’m a tosser or something, so let’s pretend that I know what I’m doing. Hmm, the clutch is heavy but progressive and, mercifully, I pull away without stalling. My, this thing’s pretty basic ! Throttle’s on the heavy side and the gearbox changes up OK, just to a slower, more definite rhythm than the slicker pedal I’m accustomed to.
Now where’s that right turn I’m supposed to make ? That’d be it then, and happily the brakes seem to work alright in spite of those curious, non-floating discs. Shame there’s so much traffic about even in early Spring, so let’s just settle down and get the feel of her. The ergos seem right for my lanky frame. I’m seated ‘in’ more than ‘on’ and these wide, black-painted bars are starting to feel quite natural.

Tramping on a bit now and this 45 degree vee knows how to rev (unlike a tuned Buell I tried a few years ago). Well frisky but stable, needing a fair bit of upper body input at speed. That Remus can, which the dealer decided to put on for some reason, sounds really horny at an indicated 100 or so. Wow, this thing has a raw and brutal charm all to itself ! What they used to call ‘A Proper Man’s Bike’ before so many of us turned metrosexual. Somehow, I can’t see Jodie Marsh throwing a white-booted leg over this Sportster, but it’s casting a spell over me.

It’s just a shame that it isn’t better finished for the price. Ugly levers, exposed wiring connectors, and a cheap- looking filler cap all tend to tarnish the image. But I can’t help myself wanting to take it home and give it a really good going over. Talking trade-ins and finance with the guy, I catch myself tossing morsels of praise at this barely-tamed silver animal, still throbbing in the orange glow of the setting sun. I feel like I’m starring in one of those glossy Harley-Davidson marketing dreams, sorry, brochures, which clutter a cabinet drawer in the garage. Come on ! be sensible – let’s wait and see what changes HD make to the XR for next year….
Submitted by
Rintintin in Chichester, West Sussex on 03/04/2009
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Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200cc Sept '03 (53)
Overall Rating:
Review
Reviewing the monster that is a twelve-hundred sporty is very simple.

If you're a power ranger, don't buy it.

If you're obsessed with speed, don't buy it.

If you like to fly around corners fast enough to put the law off chasing you, don't buy it.

If you want to get your knee down, don't buy it.

If you want to pull wheelies through town in an attempt to attract the opposite sex, don't buy it.

If you've got a problem with vibration, don't buy it.

If you've got a problem with loud noise, don't buy it.

If you think you're neighbors might have a problem with the noise, don't buy it.

If you're a wimp, don't buy it.

BUT!! To get to the point, if you are a broad-minded individual, capable of forming your own opinions on matters where you have to look at the bigger picture on an issue, without quibbling aimlessly about small attributes that make up this amazing motorcycle, then this IS the bike for you.

Many of my friends were gobsmacked when I bought my first 883 harley sportster aged 21.

They made fun of me, claiming that a harley is "an old mans-mobile", "a fat yank" and was so pointlessly noisy that the police would give me "the worlds first rolling asbo"....

Now, I'm 24, I have a 1200 sportster (which I bought a few months after buying my 883).

It is my friends, on all their different sports bikes, who have attracted the law, in all its ugly ways, on their sports machines.

It is my friends, who have flown into corners far too fast, only not to come out the other end, so many times.

It is my friends who have been hit by other car drivers, who didn't realise there was a motorbike on the road, probably because the car driver couldn't see or hear them coming. Or maybe the fact the motorcycles in question on said seperate incidents were probably doing about 150moh at the time....

On a harley, I'v never had this problem.

I've ridden my harley all around europe, TWICE.

I've been to the Faro rally in south portugal, on both my trips around europe.

Iv ridden all around the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps in all directions, all around Spain, most of eastern Europe, but always sitting in the comfortable armchair that is my sporty.

No sports bike could ever compete with that.

But yet the narrow minded, hopeless little plastic-fantastics still think they have something better, even though they cannot even get to the end of the nearest motorway without crashing, getting pulled over, or having to stop because their bodies are in so much pain from the riding position they have to put up with.

Im sure I'v convinced you that a Harley is the bike for you after all, and I havent even gone into how beautiful one is, how easy it is to maintain, and how much fun I'v had adding tuning parts and fabricating my own piece of motorcycling history into the shape I want it to be.


Submitted by
gwilymh on 20/03/2009
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Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 1600cc Apr '06 (06)
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Swapped my Streetbob last year for a new one of these.
The ride is so smooth and it goes around corners better than most Harleys with its fat 200 rear end.
Straight line acceleration it will keep up with most Jap and Italians up to 60, then you just want to enjoy the comfort and show off the beast so you go into cruse mode and enjoy the ride.
My new bike has had more pictures taken of it with people just wanting to stand by her and touching it, and I have taken more passengers for joy rides than on any other of my bikes.
The FatBoy is an icon and probably always will be.
Submitted by
Blenk in Jersey on 10/03/2009
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Harley-Davidson Touring 1500cc Apr '03 (03)
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A massive bike in both stature and weight. It is an amazing bike to ride as the balance is good and you can ride comfortably from 2mph with feet on the footboards. Very comfortable for both rider and pillion with luxuries like radio/cd built in intercom and cruise control. It even has a cigarette lighter, ideal to plug the sat nav in.
It has a very lazy engine and provides loads of torque.I average 45mpg which isn't bad for such a cruise liner.
Submitted by
tubby57 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent on 25/11/2008
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Harley-Davidson Softail 1450cc Sept '00 (X)
Overall Rating:
Review
this bike give you the grin factor every time you ride it i have owned this bike for six years now and it as never let me down in this time the bike as gone up in value not down like most this is because every one i know myself included put most of they time in to these bikes and not to are alike the more you do to them the more they worth but even if you keep it standard which you wont they dont loss that much money but the bike it self is great if you have never trided one go get a trest drive and you will get the harley bug this bike as load of torque and will sit all day long at 80mph with no effert all i can say is dont knock it before you try it
Submitted by
fm in Pontypool, Torfaen on 30/09/2008
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Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 1600cc Apr '06 (06)
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Harley-Davidson Fatboy

Rare to see these for sale, such a great looking bike and top of the pile when it comes to getting noticed, have one myself and have lots of people taking pics of it.
For the bike itself, handles really well, comfortable and the engine performance is everything as good as Harley say -probably more!!
Submitted by
Karl on 11/09/2008
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Harley-Davidson Dyna Glide 1450cc Sept '05 (55)
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I run an 06 model streetbob fitted with a s/e stage one kit, v&h shortshot pipes with a v&h fuelpack. It's also got forward controls and a dual touring seat. The only thing still to change is the springs. The bike is great fun and sounds brilliant. Only downside is lack of room for luggage.
Submitted by
tubby57 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent on 28/07/2008
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Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200cc Apr '03 (03)
Overall Rating:
Review
Harley-Davidson 1200 Sportster

Just bought a Harley Sportster 1200C. First impressions are that with the forward controls it is going to be an easy ride due to me being 6ft 1".
My first major ride was solo and a 600 mile ride down to France. Open roads and a full set of panniers.

After the first 100 miles I had to pullover. Mainly due to the muscles in my back. They were pulling and burning right across the centre. Not a comfortable feeling. Hopefully I'd get used to it(?) Refuelled and only managed to squeeze in 8litres of unleaded. This made the mileage over the 55 to the gall. I thought was pretty good.
Speeds 60-70mph. Not having a screen or even a deflector certainly didn't matter, although since talking to other Sportster riders they have recommended one! At about £100 I'll have to think about it.
Overall, comfortable as I have now gotten used to the muscle pull, pillion riding is no problem There isn't a great deal of room but it's not too tight!
My other bike was a tourer so I miss the 220 mile plus range. I can travel 130-140 miles before I have to think of refueling but that makes me take a break!
Had the bike for 5 weeks and have travelled over 1100 miles.
I Like it. It has Samson slash pipes and tons of chrome which has to be polished. Louder than the triunph but certainly a head turner. Dogs don't like it and also I have set off a car alarm when I styarted the bike up once. That was worth a laugh!!
I'll sort out a few photo's soon.
Cheers
Pete
Submitted by
peteg in Grantham, Lincolnshire on 19/05/2008
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Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200cc Sept '07 (57)
Overall Rating:
Review
The Harley Davidson ‘Nightster’ is, as the name suggests it might be quite a dark horse!
It, unlike the majority of Harley-Davidson’s you would see in the course of your travels, is missing the almost de-rigueur chrome and lustrous paint of its brethren and breed. In fact, almost entirely contra the normal policy of Harley’s magpie designers it has virtually no polishable metal surface which I think you’ll agree in the main is unusual.

Harley stylists have decided that for 2008 black is the new chrome, and a sand-cast effect finish is the new polished ally for their new 1200 XL Sportster derivative. Furthermore they have stripped this bike to its minimal requirements. The seat is solo, subsequently there are no rear pegs, the rear fender (painted black) adorns the top curve of the rear wheel and other than a number plate (and a lonely crosshead bolt to fit a dual seat if the future owner required) is parsimonious in its feature. The tank is a minimal 12.5 litre affair perched atop the frame rail and is… err, black, with subtle grey tone pin striping and the legendary moniker only. No chunky anniversary badge or shield and bar. The wheels are black rimmed and highlighted quite nicely by chrome spokes. The handlebars, switchgear, levers mirrors, headlight, frame and forks are also painted just plain ole black pardners.
The only chrome features are the exhaust manifold covers and silencers.

It wouldn’t look out of place in the scorching badlands heat of Mexico, land of Zapata moustaches, chewing tobacco, tequila and aged cactus, but it does I fear look out of place on a cold winters day in Sussex as it thuds through the early morning dreariness and cold. Speckled orange sodium spots lining the foothills of the Downs and commuter traffic hobbling the large lumpy motor’s big bore potential. Pale faced shivering rider, clean shaven, skirting Eastbourne deeply imbedded in the burgeoning 21st century fog and drizzle.

Read the rest of the review, watch a video and check some pix UKBike.com Video Roadtest
Submitted by
RoadHoover in Hastings, East Sussex on 04/03/2008
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