bike debate: Japanese bikes compared to American Bikes?

Guys, bikes are like women and everyone has their own preferences. Keep in mind that some of the ugliest ones are the most dependable and the hot, good looking ones are flighty, unpredictable and expensive to maintain. Some are good for a fast ride, others for taking a long trip with, some small and noisy, some big and loud, some quiet and others just plain obnoxious. Some guys like ones older than they are, others need to have the freshest one around. Some guys quickly lose interest in their current one and want a new one every year while others are satisfied to stick with the same old one year after year. I'll let you guys decide whether I'm talking about bikes or women...or both.

There is no way you will get a fair answer. Competition is a way of life for some people. They have to have the fastest, the loudest etc and no matter what you offer as proof, they have to try to beat what you say. Based on fact or not. In 42 years of riding,I've owned 26 bikes of my own, and ridden hundreds. Some Japanese, some Brit, a german bike, Harleys Too. I've owned dirt bikes, crotch rockets, cruisers and touring bikes. I can find good and bad things to say about any of them. And I can assure you that someone would argue with anything I said pro or con. In the end, it boils down to personal choice. You will find a bike you love, and others will hate it. I would own many of the bikes I had in the past again in a heart beat. A few, you would have to pay me to own again. I got the need for speed out of my system a long time ago, about the same time as I realized I was now a parent, and that I wasn't really immortal after all. Yes, I've been knocked off, and laid a few down over the years. But I hope to still be riding when I hit 70. No, I'm not anywhere close to that yet!! I will only say ( and I already know that it will stir up hate and discontent, not that I care) that my last 5 bikes have all been Harley's. Note that I didn't say my bikes were any better than the next guys, Just that that is what I ride now. In the end, it really doesn't matter what you ride, as long as you ride.

I don't think it is "Bettter" or "Worse". I have owned over 20 bikes some I really liked and some that drained my wallet on a constant basis and most of them were Hondas, some dirt some street, some both. Currently riding a rather slow Pacific Coast 800cc twin but I also have a VFR700 that will hit an indicated 155 (honest 142) and it has been there many times but not lately. I am getting older I guess. I have never owned a Harley but with the new versions the biggest thing holding me back is the high price and feet forward riding position with floorboards on all the tourers. I do not like feet forward, my preference, others love it. I am buying a Moto Guzzi Norge next to try a European bike. Harley gets closer to what I want but they are not there yet. It's not that it's a Harley, I got over that a while after AMF sold them. AMF ruined their reputation and it took a long time for myself and many friends to be convinced the reliability is back. If they make what I want I'd buy one. I'd prefer to buy one as it is US made even if it does have a bunch of Japanese and European parts in it. The Harley is slow and heavy. So is my PC800 but I like it. It is how the bike is to ride not outright speed. Ride what you like. Don't think I am not taking flak over buying a Moto Guzzi. So what, I like it. It isn't fast but it is lighter then the PC.

it's not the bike it's the riding of the bike, the freedom, the world wide comerardery that it's all about.

Harleys are great if that's what you like, but ride one before you buy one. Same goes for any bike.

185 on a Honkwakuzuki or any other bike is brain dead stuff and often just before you get all dead stuff.

If the human body imapcts with some thing solid at over 35/40 MPH, then the bits on side usually rupture. This can at best be weeks in hospital, or at worst a trip to the morge, 1 way.

Me, I ride a BM does 120 ish on a good day, but only in Germany where some motorways are un-restricted. Depite this speed, cars, big fast expensive ones, pass you at twice this speed which is quite normal there (G) but any civilised person who does not have a death wish, and rides a bike , rides if for the bike, not the speed. Some do break all traffic regulations and get fined/banned, but on a public road it's only a matter of time before they are on a one way trip.

Try working out how many feet / meters per second you are covering when doing 185mph.

Then consider, it takes you 2 to 3 seconds to think/respond to some happening ahead of you one the road, and a heck of a long time to stop, so if you have 50 yards / meters before you hit the obstruction, how fast will you be going at point of impact?

Sobering isn't it, knowing that you are about to at best on your way to hospital, and at worst on your way......

Whichever one suits your riding style and any other requirements. It must fit you, be comfortable, and be something you like. Most of the Japanese bikes will last a long time if not abused and properly maintained. The same applies to Harley-Davidson. Parts for Harleys are easy to come by, and will be for longer than most Japanese cycles. I don't feel very strongly about either one. I rode Japanese bikes for almost 18 years, mainly Hondas. I've been riding a Harley for the past 2 for many reasons, but those are my reasons. Not another's.

First off, unlike the Harley that makes one engine in different sizes and one bike with different amounts of doodads added onto it, the Japanese make many very different kinds of bikes, each with a unique modern engine matched to it's purpose.

But if you want to compare a Harley to a sport bike..... On the one hand you have a very expensive reproduction of a 70 year old design. On the other hand you have an affordable street legal bike that if you took them back a few years would win at the race track.

As apples and oranges as you can get. Some people want pure performance and bang for the buck, other people want to ride in a parade.

Where can you do 185 mph. On the tracks. Look up NESBA. Road America, Road Atlanta, Miller Sports Park. Barbar.

Simple on why. It's a rush. We joking welcome people to track days with, "get a second job, more credit cards, etc..'"

Because once you have done a track day. you will be hooked.

As for the comparison. Not fair. Performance, metric bikes. Harley has a style, a "lifestyle". go into any HD shop. Look at the marketing. I'm thinking about writing my masters paper on the "branding" job. it is impressive from a business stand point.

wait wait wait.... wait,

Randy, people aren't immortal?... **** I'd better slow down a little,

oh well, I'm still 10' tall and bullet prof!

I think randy hit the nail on the head,

but tell me if the conditions were right (safe) you wouldn't like to scream down the road at 185? (they actually go like 200)

Don't forget there's jap cruisers too, so I don't know exactly what you are talking about, but I'm guessing the sport bikes. Harley is slow and heavy, longer time to stop, less manuveribility, not as thrilling, but I'll admit HD is badass looking and probably a hell of a lot more comfortable.

Basically it's personal preference, no answer.

Personally, it's not the company, it's the style of the bike. I ride a 'jap bike' BUT it's a Suzuki C50T, a cruiser/touring bike. It's all in how you want to ride. I like sitting back with forward controls and going long distances comfortably. My neighbor is a sports bike junkie, but even he says that it's fun, but only for short distances. Your bike choice is all in what fits you and don't let others rag you because your choice doesn't match theirs. Just ride safe and keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up.

it's not just raw speed, dude. Jap bikes can corner/stop on a dime, whereas Harleys (heavier, bulkier) are apt to tip over. I suppose this age old debate cannot be solved in this forum, regardless...