Harley forum compairing Monster 1000s and HD XR1200!

[lwszabo]

I like the HD, I have an HD and love it...i love my Ducati also...I have them for differnt "needs"

[DucHead]

Funny, most of the anti-Harley comments in this thread are similar to the comments you can see on Japanese liter bike threads...... about Ducatis....

True, but Ducati owners can point to World Superbike and MotoGP as evidence of Ducati's performance, but HD owners cannot.

[flynbulldog]

HD's serve one purpose: Vanity 

[greenohawk69]

True, but Ducati owners can point to World Superbike and MotoGP as evidence of Ducati's performance, but HD owners cannot.

Harley has never competed in that arena, invalid comparison. 

[greenohawk69]

HD's serve one purpose: Vanity 

Whatever dude...I like mine for what it is.  You got your Ducati for vanity sake also.  Some of you peeps on here whine about HD like a bunch of babies.  I have a Harley and Monster.  Like 'em both as someone stated earlier, it serves a different need. 

[the_Journeyman]

A neighbor gave me some seat-time on a V-Rod.  I was impressed with it.  Handled well, super-smooth (way smoother than my M750) power delivery too.  If I had money to throw at a spendy bike, I'd consider a V-Rod for a stable mate to my M750 ~

JM

[Centerline]

True, but Ducati owners can point to World Superbike and MotoGP as evidence of Ducati's performance, but HD owners cannot.

Check out flat track racing in the USA for the past 30 years.  Harley dominates, the XR has somewhat tenuous roots from the flat track racers.

[Jarvicious]

A neighbor gave me some seat-time on a V-Rod.  I was impressed with it.  Handled well, super-smooth (way smoother than my M750) power delivery too.  If I had money to throw at a spendy bike, I'd consider a V-Rod for a stable mate to my M750 ~

JM

I dig the V-rod as well, but you have to remember that they're part Porsche (which, I think, explains my affinity towards them more so than other Harleys). 

Harley deserves at least part of a star (not a gold one, maybe bronze??) for at least partially throwing themselves into the sport arena outside of Buell's company, but the Harley/Duc comparison is really kind of moot, as is the Harley/KTM comparison.  If you took all of the labels off both bikes and did a "blind" preference test, I think you'd get the same results as if the labels were on them.  People only buy motorcycles for a handfull of reasons and base their decisions on a handfull of features.  Ducatis are race bikes.  Even thier touring model has the dual spark balls of some of the monsters.  Harleys are the most basic of functionslity and mostly for looks.  Two wheels, motor, steering and stopping.  I've ridden a handful of Harleys and have been extraordinarily bored by all of them.  The choice between Monster and XR is like shopping for a car and thinking "Do I want a Hundai Tiburon (classified as a sport compact I believe) or an Audi TT". 

I'm not trying (hard) to dog on HDs, I think it's just that this is such a stretch for Harley's normal models that everyone is searching for something to compare it to when there's nothing there.  I'd compare it to a stock 1200 sportster, I guess.  My mom has a Fat Boy and I do admit it's nice around town and for >50 mile highway treks but I couldn't compare it to my Duc or trade it for my Duc. 

If you want comfort, buy a Road King.  If you want greasy, nasty speed, buy a Monster.  The XR is just a senesless combination of the two based on a historical fancy and little to no reason. 

[Scottish]

Harley has never competed in that arena, invalid comparison. 

Not entirely true... they had a race team... and they kept blowing up for two seasons. I don't recall it finishing a race. Buells are raced too, but need a special "Thunder" class cause they can't compete with the big boys. So it is actually a sadly valid comparison.

[Speedbag]

A neighbor gave me some seat-time on a V-Rod.  I was impressed with it.  Handled well, super-smooth (way smoother than my M750) power delivery too.  If I had money to throw at a spendy bike, I'd consider a V-Rod for a stable mate to my M750 ~

JM

My '06 Street Rod is largely the reason I parted with my '94 M900. 

It's a great all-around ride (my favorite thus far), really too bad the masses didn't get it. I refuse to buy any of their other bikes - if I want to ride an antique I've got my Panhead.

Not entirely true... they had a race team... and they kept blowing up for two seasons. I don't recall it finishing a race. Buells are raced too, but need a special "Thunder" class cause they can't compete with the big boys. So it is actually a sadly valid comparison.

The VR1000 program (which the V-Rod engine is derived from) was tragically underfunded as I recall. Initial problems resulted in H-D becoming unwilling to pony up the dough to keep doing R&D to stay competitive and they pulled the plug and redirected their efforts to drag racing. V-Rod was a way to A) pull in new buyers that didn't want early-1900s performance and B) a way to recoup some of the VR powerplant development and tooling dollars.

[LA]

Like I said, 550 lbs. DRY? 

               Damn! how much better would the same bike be with 100 LBS. lighter?

                              Many testers have said good things about the bike, but how much better would it be 100 LBs. lighter?

Even if you went back to Norton MkIII series frames for a pattern wouldn't you come up with something that weighted 100 LBs. lighter.

The extra weight doomed the effort before it began.

LA

[Monstermash]

Check out flat track racing in the USA for the past 30 years.  Harley dominates, the XR has somewhat tenuous roots from the flat track racers.

Thats because no one else give a shit about flat track racing. If Ducati or any of the Japanese brands decided to get involved it would be lights out for Harley just like in every other competitive motorcycle arena.

The funny thing is that most of the print media (Motorcyclist and Cycle World) gave it great reviews. That proves only one thing, ad dollars dictate the reviews in the media.

My '06 Street Rod is largely the reason I parted with my '94 M900. 

It's a great all-around ride (my favorite thus far), really too bad the masses didn't get it.

They didn't "get it" because there is nothing to get. Sure the Street Rod is pretty cool when compared to other Harleys but try and make time down a twisty road and the fact that it really is an overweight slug with shitty suspension becomes abundantly obvious. Not to mention all the hard parts that start to touch down at the slightest hint of a spirited pace.

That being said if I was ever going to buy a Harley it would be the Street Rod. It would be my lazy Sunday afternoon crusier. 

What I want to know is why are Harleys so freakin expensive? It isn't because they come with all the best components and it certainly isn't because they spend a ton of money on R&D. Their definition of R&D is deciding what color to paint next years models. There hasn't been any significant improvements in their design (other than the V-Rod, which they didn't even design) since the company started doing business.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Little Harley hatred there, Tom?



You better hope you never end up like me (unable to continue riding a duc). Someday comfort may become an issue-you might change your mind about what's desirable in a bike....

[JohnnyDucati]

Mea culpa.

I've been guilty of poking fun at the HD's, but I've come to regret my prejudice.  (Though I still think the cartoony HD "lifestyle" and uniform are ridiculous, though.  All flash, no substance, for sure non-safe.).

If some one lives in Nebreska, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, ND, SD, Florida, etc., etc., there's nary a twisty road for ever.  Depending on where you live, the nearest fun destination might be 230 miles away on flat, boring, endless, drudging highway.

If that's the way you roll, I can't blame you for picking up an HD or equivalent for those kind of rides.  Not everybody has GP-worthy twisties on their back door, or if they do, wants to carve them like Rossi.

[Speedbag]

They didn't "get it" because there is nothing to get. Sure the Street Rod is pretty cool when compared to other Harleys but try and make time down a twisty road and the fact that it really is an overweight slug with shitty suspension becomes abundantly obvious. Not to mention all the hard parts that start to touch down at the slightest hint of a spirited pace.

That being said if I was ever going to buy a Harley it would be the Street Rod. It would be my lazy Sunday afternoon crusier. 

Just so ya know, the SR has a frame unique to the model with less rake than the rest of the line, as well as more ground clearance and seat height. Inverted fork? Check. Longer travel rear shocks? Check. I've ridden mine on the same roads I'd ride the Duc on and at the same clip with no drama. Overweight? Sure, it would be even better with 100+ pounds less to carry around (I'm betting the exhaust mount weighs 30 pounds itself). Slug? Nah, mine puts down a hair over 120 HP at the wheel with minimal (non-internal) mods and has surprised a few. The SR chassis setup allows several more degrees of lean angle than a typical V-Rod model and I've never dragged anything yet while out tearing around.

Which isn't to say I'm ruling out another Duc entirely. Quite the opposite. But I have been amazed at how much I like my SR. I'm one H-D owner that can appreciate other makes.