new Buell XB12R/XB12S

[mrslush50]

...the japanese bikes handle great, but i wouldnt want to take one of their sport-bikes on a long trip...

Honda ST1300
Kawasaki ZZR1200
Suzuki V-Strom
Yamaha FZ1
Yamaha FJR 1300

(not to mention the Goldwing, which is such an infinatly better touring bike than anything HD has ever produced.)


also, are you saying you would like to take an HD on a long trip?  what a pain in the butt.  literally.  

[Delta88]

C'mon mrslush. Give an old man a little Concours love.

[mrslush50]

sorry.

and there's also the Kawasaki Concourse.  a very capable sport-tourer that cost thousands less than comparable newer bikes.

[yamahonkawazuki]

id like to see the british tests. id like to see how they took care of them. id actually like to see a japanese bike get 120,000 plus. but im not here to harp one way or the other. nobody said anything about hd being the only american mc. i have a gs 1. i think they are a royal blast (no pun intended) to ride, and 2. i cant afford hd right now. i plan to open up hd/buell/import shop in about 3 years. when i can get enough investment capital. so gs is for me right now. buell and hd engines are built by the same people using the same parts. people like hd, cause when needed they are easy to service, dont know what your friends prob is w/ aircleaner bolt. a friend had 74 hd sportie, never had prob. it was amf. id like to see someone get a top-end re-build done on any jap/italian twin done inside of two hours ((valves, cams, timing, pistons rings etc.)) hd/buell are built more for torque than hp/top-speed. its in the crankshaft for 1, ive actually seen an hd be able to pull a full size car. like to see import bike do that . whats my point you ask?, my point is the import bikes are made for people who dont want to be hassled with the warm-up rituals. quick to start, quick to go. but wont last as long. hd's dont run at as high of an rpm as most import bikes plus longer stroke=longer engine life. (properly maintained of course) bmw's are the same way. plus they have the boxer setup (less friction/stress). but the 1 thing hd has which others dont, yes they may be over engineered, but if you want to service tranny, you dont have to remove engine to do so. or split engine case. imp. bikes run harder/faster/shorter(most-times)hd/buell run less hard( yes they do vibrate) slower/longer. and they do hold their values better (check the books )anyhoo enough ranting for me

[Rashad]

id like to see someone get a top-end re-build done on any jap/italian twin done inside of two hours ((valves, cams, timing, pistons rings etc.))

COME TO MY HOUSE. Its been done in my garage. About ten times now. I can do a top end job on this bike with my eyes closed, while shaving, with one hand behind my back, while reading a book. :nana:

Im weird though, i now feel more comfortable pulling the cylinders off, then changing fork seals. Its just me.

[JohNLA]

This has nothing to do with anything and probably just add to the hating but it cracks me up the crap Hardley will put there name on

[KevinC]

Stroke has absolutely nothing to do with engine life, and revs neither for that matter. If you think there aren't tons of Japanes machines out there that have gone 100,000+ miles, and I must add with very little maintenanance, then you are reading too many Harley magazines and web sites. I drop into a Harley shop now and again, and there are lots of low mileage engines being totally rebuilt becasue the owners insist in idling at 400 rpm for that annoying noise, and it pounds the botttom end out.

If you don't ride the living shaZam! out of them, and many times even if you do, most of the Japenese bikes are amazingly durable and reliable. The  new 600s I'm not so sure about, because they have really started to push the limits with them. Sure there are a lot of Japanese bikes that get 5,000 km a year put on them, but there are tons of Harleys and Buells that never do more either.

I know which bikes I'd pick if I had to go a long way with minimum fuss, and absolute reliability.