1st Apr 2017, 20:02
Yeah, well, there's a whole lot of difference between a Harley and any rice burner. It's not supposed to ride like a Kawa or a Honda, and if you like that kind of bike you won't like most any Harley. And if you like Harleys you won't like any Japanese bike. It's an entirely different experience, and about the only thing they have in common is that they run on two wheels.
Unfortunately, though, as time passes Harleys are becoming more like Japanese bikes, with computer controlled everything, sockets where you plug in your heated clothing, GPS systems, etc. You used to be able to rebuild an engine on the kitchen table. Now you have to go to a dealer to get the engine remapped if you change even the exhaust. They perfected the Harley with the Evo engine; it was still a Harley, but didn't need maybe 6 hours of wrenching for every couple thousand miles of riding. Then they switched to the Twin Cam and computers, and it's been downhill ever since.
3rd Dec 2017, 19:28
I too have owned all the big named Japanese and German bikes, as well as a Harley Davidson FXRS-SP, and in my honest opinion there is literally no comparison to be made.
The BMW was over engineered, not reliable and quite expensive compared to all others for regular maintenance and repairs.
Japanese bikes, while normally reliable and economical to maintain, can be over complicated in certain areas as well. And often times parts aren't as durable as they could be and create serious issue when a bit thicker casting or a hardening of the part could have been all that was needed.
Harley Davidsons aren't perfect, as nothing is. But my FXR is easy to maintain. Has the complexity of a bowling ball considering its basic design is a twin cylinder engine with gearing timed single cam, with lobes that operate a couple pushrods per cylinder that open spring tensioned overhead intake and exhaust valves. Basic 100 year old tech that's built very well, and while not the fastest or most sophisticated motorcycle I've ever owned, it's the first that will actually accelerate up most hills in 5th gear with 450 lbs of rider, passenger and weekend necessities, without having to downshift from higher gears like other bikes to keep the RPMs high, due to having a engine design philosophy that has overhead cams and a short stroke, small bore sizes and multiple cylinders that have no low RPM performance and the torque curve of a Harley Davidson. It's not the most comfortable bike, nor the least comfortable bike I've ever owned. It is however the best looking, easiest to maintain, super durable as well as extremely reliable, and let's be honest... Sounds the best by far!
8th May 2016, 14:22
My experience has been the exact opposite. Have owned a BMW, several Japanese bikes and a couple of British bikes, and now a Harley Davidson. By far the Harley has been the most pleasing to ride, even now with it being 26 years old and having 115,956 miles on it. I have done all the servicing of the Harley and it has yet to need a serious or expensive repair of any type. The BMW lasted 69,xxx miles and the Japanese bikes all ran when I was done, but most were oil leaking, smoke belching, tired old dogs long before 80,000 miles.