Harley Nightster

Motorcycling
1

Well I’m just about to p off all the harley fans out there but here goes. Having had a slight mishap on my zzr12. (roundabout, 1 dozy driver, straight across me and written off the bike) I had the opportunity to to be delivered a hire bike. Choice of 1400 suzuki or the Harley 1200 Nightster. Please bear in mind that I have been riding bikes since I was 9 and am 46 now.Not ever being a Harley fan I thought I would take the opportunity to try one. I did start with an open mind, honest. Oh Dear… What a mistake. Well the looks of the machine. First impression… Well, yes, it’s a Harley. Colour scheme (it’s orange and black) hmmmmm looks like a reject from Bassets. 1000 miles on the clock and less than a year old the finish is appalling. Looks like it has pieces of meccano for a swing arm and belt guard. The studs are starting to corrode and the exhaust mountings have nearly rusted out. I know… You are all saying that it is a hire bike and that it would not have been looked after etc etc. But for the age and milage that is pretty poor you must admit. Foot pegs look like the rear pegs off a BSA Goldstar. Indicator switches… 1 on each side…Why???

All I can say is that this machine has confirmed everything I every thought about Harley Davidsons. Over priced, over rated and over here. Sorry people… The year is 2008 not 1975. That is how this machine performs, brakes, rides and runs. 1200cc and 50bhp. What a waste of cc. I have looked on the Harely forums and the write ups for it are amazing…So does that reflect on their other models?? And they say the bike is cheap at £6695. Well I say what a rip off.

Where’s the torque!!! That V twin grunt??? It has no performance, 0 - 60 is when it eventually gets there, no top end to speak of (103mph indicated on the clock); good job too as it’s brakes are next to useless. It has no ground clearance when cornering. doesn’t handle at all. Weaves and wobbles at anything over 65. Sounds like my dad’s rotovator. Has no headlight worth mentioning so is definitely not safe to ride at night. This machine is not worth the 6 and 1/2 grand they want for it. Yet people do pay…WHY??? Please, Harley Davidson, what have we Brits done to deserve this pile of rejected parts???

Oh and at less than a year and 1000 miles the flaming seat is water logged!!! So it’s a wet butt every time you ride the thing.

I could go on but what’s the point as all I’m going to get now is real stick from all the Harley diehards out there. I have had the bike for 2 weeks and I have done 500 miles on it so I think that is long enough to be able to form an honest judgement.

Honest opinion…Save your cash and buy a Suzuki GS500. You’ll get better braking, better performance, better handling and the finish will last longer and they’re a damn site cheaper.

Well to all the Harley fans out there…You like them and you are entitled to that …after this experience I DON’T!!! So please respect me for that.

Loz

2

So, 46 years old and it take you that long to figure out that HD are not Japanese superbike…
No wonder you still don’t know that it is polite and customary to say Hi before potentially pissing off a lot of people (although granted that in this case not that many)
At least you didn’t try to sell us something… yet :hehe:

PS:Hi, and welcome to LB
PPS:Sorry about the off on your bike

3

Give the guy a break man, not everybody knows that. I didn’t until Sneaky told me to intoduce myself first:hehe::smiley:

4

I agree with Day Release here - not everyone knows that you have to go to the Newbie section to say hello first (on this forum in particular it seems). I have been on plenty of forums and not gone to the Newbie bit, just straight slap bang into threads! In fact i went on a ride out with the Box Hill forum before I’d even known about them, and then went straight to the Rides Outs section. On this forum i don’t think i went to the Newbie section either first.

Welcome mate anyway, I am Hels, I ride a Honda Hornet 600 and have never ever ridden a cruiser or a Harley, although I have ridden off road on a WR450!!

5

Hi to you all. I do apologise for not having said hello first. My bad. Just that I really was not impressed by this machine and felt I needed to voice it somewhere, but I could not find anywhere other than all the sales site with their bull. The chap that wrote up on it on the MSN site must have had a really fantastic one… :hehe: I have had V twins and v fours before and they all had grunt. I did not expect and knew I wouldn’t get high top end, but I did expect a little more grrr in it. I guess I’m just fed up with the bull that surrounds them. (Harleys that is) On the plus side though it is nice to sit on it and plod/pop along at 60. Relax and take in the scenery. but not too much as the tank is so small. 2.8 gallons, yet at a steady 55 - 60 you get 55+ to a gallon. So not all bad. Just don’t like being ripped off I spose

6

Hello and welcome to LB:)

It’s always good to start with a controversial thread:D

When you buy an H-D you aren’t just buying a bike, you are buying into a lifestyle. They will never be the fastest or best handling machine out there but there are many thousunds of Hog owners around the world who are happy with their P&J’s. I have a pal from years ago who has been all over Europe on his tractor and it looks like a pile of poo but he loves it to death.

It’s horses for courses and just cos its not your cuppa, doesn’t mean its all bad;)

ps…It aint my cuppa either;)