Maldev Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/17/is-harley-davidson-the-worst-motorcycle-money-can.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRat Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Interesting that BMW is the worst Makes me want to log back into an old forum I was on to poke fun at a few of the BMW fanboys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickkciR Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Guess the fact that Victory and / or Indian didn't make the news is Good . and .. Bad news "Victory and Indian brands had apparently not made enough of a dent in the market to attract CR's attention by the time of the survey" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildhorse Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 At least they didn't go back to the garlic era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRat Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 At least they didn't go back to the garlic era. Nah, sales volume needs to be larger than a pimple on a gnats ass to make the cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildhorse Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Well there is that but now figure the sales ratio to the amount of failures.Chipher that on the old slide ruler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHIEF DOC 99 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 They only looked at HD Honda Yamaha Kawasaki and BMW What your mechanic wants you to knowMotorcyclists could easily prevent many of the problems they encounter. That’s the unvarnished message we got from motorcycle mechanics from around the country who discussed common problems they see in their shops. Here’s how to prevent unnecessary expense and downtime: Stay on top of maintenance. What makes mechanics shake their heads are the regular and egregious examples of neglected maintenance: brake pads worn down to the metal, drive belts and air filters with holes from rocks worn in them, and long-overdue oil changes. "Preventive maintenance is definitely the key to motorcycle longevity and keeping your maintenance cost down,” says Joe Dane, master Harley-Davidson mechanic at Motorcycles of Manchester, in N.H. In addition to engine oil, that includes changing brake fluid, which can absorb moisture; lubing chains; aligning wheels, steering heads, and drive belts; and cleaning or changing air filters. Keep your tires properly inflated. Each mechanic mentioned low tire pressure as a consistent problem. When tires are underinflated, “handling gets really hard, steering gets hard, and the bike doesn’t want to lean,” says Mike Franklin, owner of Mike’s Garage in Los Angeles. “It causes all kinds of problems.” Check the tires’ pressure weekly. Check the brakes. Motorcycle brake pads cost as little as $50, says Dane, but once they’ve worn too far, “you have to replace the rotors and everything else, and the bill jumps up enormously.” Franklin adds, “When the [brake pads] get down to metal-on-metal, they make an unholy grinding noise. And yet people just continue to ride them.” Inspect your bike regularly. “Really check your bike over before any long trip,” Dane says. A lot of maintenance is simple stuff that you can easily see: lights, forks, and belts or chains. “Make sure you have no leaks,” he adds. Jon Roppe, chief Harley-Davidson instructor at the Motorcycle Maintenance Institute in Phoenix, says, “Everybody wants their bike to look amazing, but they tend to really lose the safety aspect.” Store the bike properly. Motorcycle storage is a big issue. “It’s the guys who let their bikes sit for weeks and months at a time that run into problems with failures,” Roppe says. His advice: Use fuel stabilizer to keep filters, pumps, carburetors, and fuel injectors from clogging. Lift the tires off the ground to prevent cracking and flat spots. Put a tender, or trickle charger, on the battery to keep it charged. And if you can, store your bike in a garage or under a cover out of the wind. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/05/most-reliable-motorcycles/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indiantoo Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 They only looked at HD Honda Yamaha Kawasaki and BMW What your mechanic wants you to knowMotorcyclists could easily prevent many of the problems they encounter. That’s the unvarnished message we got from motorcycle mechanics from around the country who discussed common problems they see in their shops. Here’s how to prevent unnecessary expense and downtime: Stay on top of maintenance. What makes mechanics shake their heads are the regular and egregious examples of neglected maintenance: brake pads worn down to the metal, drive belts and air filters with holes from rocks worn in them, and long-overdue oil changes. "Preventive maintenance is definitely the key to motorcycle longevity and keeping your maintenance cost down,” says Joe Dane, master Harley-Davidson mechanic at Motorcycles of Manchester, in N.H. In addition to engine oil, that includes changing brake fluid, which can absorb moisture; lubing chains; aligning wheels, steering heads, and drive belts; and cleaning or changing air filters. Keep your tires properly inflated. Each mechanic mentioned low tire pressure as a consistent problem. When tires are underinflated, “handling gets really hard, steering gets hard, and the bike doesn’t want to lean,” says Mike Franklin, owner of Mike’s Garage in Los Angeles. “It causes all kinds of problems.” Check the tires’ pressure weekly. Check the brakes. Motorcycle brake pads cost as little as $50, says Dane, but once they’ve worn too far, “you have to replace the rotors and everything else, and the bill jumps up enormously.” Franklin adds, “When the [brake pads] get down to metal-on-metal, they make an unholy grinding noise. And yet people just continue to ride them.” Inspect your bike regularly. “Really check your bike over before any long trip,” Dane says. A lot of maintenance is simple stuff that you can easily see: lights, forks, and belts or chains. “Make sure you have no leaks,” he adds. Jon Roppe, chief Harley-Davidson instructor at the Motorcycle Maintenance Institute in Phoenix, says, “Everybody wants their bike to look amazing, but they tend to really lose the safety aspect.” Store the bike properly. Motorcycle storage is a big issue. “It’s the guys who let their bikes sit for weeks and months at a time that run into problems with failures,” Roppe says. His advice: Use fuel stabilizer to keep filters, pumps, carburetors, and fuel injectors from clogging. Lift the tires off the ground to prevent cracking and flat spots. Put a tender, or trickle charger, on the battery to keep it charged. And if you can, store your bike in a garage or under a cover out of the wind. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/05/most-reliable-motorcycles/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHIEF DOC 99 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 CR likes this new offering from Honda made in Marysville Ohio... 750 lbs ~ 6 cylinder Valkerie Muscular Honda Valkyrie motorcycle rides again for 2014 Lightweight, sporty Goldwing is a modern cruiserPublished: November 29, 2013 09:00 AM Cue Wagner: the Honda Valkyrie has been reimagined and is set to take flight. Positioned as a “muscle cruiser,” the original Valkyrie was a big, brash motorcycle launched in the 1990s that had a unique look and feel thanks to using a horizontally-opposed flat-six engine in a decidedly V-twin segment. Now, for 2014, the Valkyrie returns, applying the same formula to a new century. As before, the new Valkyrie is based around a Goldwing-sourced engine. It shares an 1832cc liquid-cooled six-cylinder engine and five-speed transmission with the latest Goldwing and Goldwing F6B. The key twist is that the Valkyrie weighs in at 750 lbs., well under the 904-lb. Goldwing and 842-lb. Goldwing F6B, making it certain to deliver the promised muscle experience. Although black-out treatment has become de riguer among big bikes, it feels odd not having a dramatic chromed powerplant. Instead, the visuals focus on the raked design, bold look-at-me colors, LED lighting, and heavy Brahma-bull feel. Learn more in our motorcycle hub, buying guide, and in our reliability and owner satisfaction report. Beneath the bodywork is the basic aluminum frame shared with the Goldwings, with a suspension tuned for a sportier experience (and lighter load). It boasts larger disc brakes than the heavier siblings, ensuring more aggressive stopping power. Interestingly, ABS is optional. Suiting its intended personality, the foot pegs are mounted in a more-forward position befitting a cruiser. The handle bar configuration is unique, as is the instrument cluster. For those who wish for a more distinctive appearance, a variety of Honda accessories will be ready at launch to enable customization. When it goes on sale in the spring, the price is estimated to be below $18,000, positioning it well beneath the other Goldwings, which start at $20,000. —Jeff Bartlett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasbin Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 CR likes this new offering from Honda made in Marysville Ohio... 750 lbs ~ 6 cylinder Valkerie Muscular Honda Valkyrie motorcycle rides again for 2014 Lightweight, sporty Goldwing is a modern cruiserPublished: November 29, 2013 09:00 AM Cue Wagner: the Honda Valkyrie has been reimagined and is set to take flight. Positioned as a “muscle cruiser,” the original Valkyrie was a big, brash motorcycle launched in the 1990s that had a unique look and feel thanks to using a horizontally-opposed flat-six engine in a decidedly V-twin segment. Now, for 2014, the Valkyrie returns, applying the same formula to a new century. As before, the new Valkyrie is based around a Goldwing-sourced engine. It shares an 1832cc liquid-cooled six-cylinder engine and five-speed transmission with the latest Goldwing and Goldwing F6B. The key twist is that the Valkyrie weighs in at 750 lbs., well under the 904-lb. Goldwing and 842-lb. Goldwing F6B, making it certain to deliver the promised muscle experience. Although black-out treatment has become de riguer among big bikes, it feels odd not having a dramatic chromed powerplant. Instead, the visuals focus on the raked design, bold look-at-me colors, LED lighting, and heavy Brahma-bull feel. Learn more in our motorcycle hub, buying guide, and in our reliability and owner satisfaction report. Beneath the bodywork is the basic aluminum frame shared with the Goldwings, with a suspension tuned for a sportier experience (and lighter load). It boasts larger disc brakes than the heavier siblings, ensuring more aggressive stopping power. Interestingly, ABS is optional. Suiting its intended personality, the foot pegs are mounted in a more-forward position befitting a cruiser. The handle bar configuration is unique, as is the instrument cluster. For those who wish for a more distinctive appearance, a variety of Honda accessories will be ready at launch to enable customization. When it goes on sale in the spring, the price is estimated to be below $18,000, positioning it well beneath the other Goldwings, which start at $20,000. —Jeff Bartlett I wonder if it will take 6-8 months to get an accessory ?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHIEF DOC 99 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 CR MC report Video http://bcove.me/wb4nmynb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TripWire Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 You have to wonder if the type of people who buy the bikes had an outcome on the results. From the people I come across on the road there are seem to be higher percentage of yuppie types riding HDs and BMWs because it makes them cool. They are the ones who only want to talk about their rides, upgrades they made, "stealership" labor prices etc.. Don't get me wrong I want to know about your ride but what I really want to know is where have you been, where are you going next, what have you seen and your experiences out on the road. They are probably a small minority but they also tend to be squeaky wheels. Honda Valkyrie - This seems like a smart move by Honda, take a good platform and make ump-teen various of it. If I was going something based on this platform I would go for the F6B but I can think a few other toys I would get first. I have a friend with a older GoldWing and that thing just keeps running like a top with nothing more that standard maintenance. Pretty sure he will go over 200k sometime in 2014. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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