Fog Light question

Michael said:

Boy, could I respond to that one!! But I guess it's better to be nice, huh? In all seriousness though, due to my one-time position in the motorcycling industry, I think I've been priviliged to ride many of the brands available since the early sixties, from Velocette to Guzzi, from BMW to a Yamaha roadracer, from Suzuki water buffalo to a Norton 850, Honda CBX to Harley and I think most all bikes have at least SOME redeeming qualities, but I have always liked to own something with personality and distinction. Not necessarily pricey, just maybe character. And, I've always felt that Triumph (and several other British bikes I can name) really fit the bill. And that was before the latest generation of Triumphs. After I dismounted from my first ride on the first r3, I told my wife that I felt (my opinion only here) that this bike was perhaps the most perfect bike I'd ever been on. In an age where bikes are designed to become ever more focused on a single type of performance, this bike is more versatile than any I've known.

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This is so concise, well written, and from the heart I nominate you as a candidate for the President of the United States.:bch:
.....please consider me for Minister of Propaganda as I've always wanted to speak from a pulpit.

Bsa

I'll take Saergent at Arms....Birmingham Small if possible.

Decree

Yes, yes gentlemen - consider yourself duly appointed by Presidential decree to the positions from which you've chosen to serve as public servant to this grand experiment we call DEMOCRACY IN ACTION. . .and for our first effort, we will expedite the construction of motorcyclist-only lanes of construction, winding through the countryside pursuing the horizon via long sweepers, tight hairpins, and the obligatory hill at the end of the long straight - fresh smooth asphalt, banked properly - void of the off-camber turn and the frequenting of the semicomatose SUV cager, wandering indiscriminately straddling the dual yellow line while applying eyeliner carrying on the simultaneous cellphone conversation. Of course, all motorcycles will be immediately exempt from taxation (both sale and fuel), based upon our ability to convince the EPA of our (relatively) insignificant impact on the environment as compared to that of the standard cager. Soon, we will be respected as the motoring elite which any landowner would feel privileged to host as his transient guests. . .

...here here.....and any road maintenance crew that does a repair that can be detected as a bump of any kind will have a weeks worth of pay docked and will be forced to travel in construction zones, 20 hours per week, while riding a Harley Davidson hardtail,....until further notice.

Fog lights

I think I've seen those on another cruiser; I hadn't really considered them, I'll try to check out a pair. Really glad to hear your comment regarding the 35-year term - I've always liked to own something "different" - not to say that it was necessarily "better", just something that didn't remind me of a cookie cutter. When my wife and I started the Modesto Christian Motorcycle Club, I had (and still have) an '81 CBX we bought on our honeymoon. I knew it would be immediately obsoleted in the horsepower wars by the Suzuki GSX 1100 and the Yamaha flagship, but that made no difference to me - I just thought it was way too cool to own something that had that much "class" (my opinion). And, I felt the same way when I bought the r3. I made the comment that if I lived in the middle of Canada, with no neighbor within fifty miles, I'd still want the exact same bike, appreciating it just for the instrinsic value this bike speaks to ME. It's nice to have other people drool over my bike (though it makes me feel REALLY uncomfortable), but I do not value their opinion to the point to sway my choice in bikes. I think it's like owning a 45 ACP - if I owned one, my primary motivation would be the excitement of being in control of that much power. Wouldn't make any difference if my friends saw it or not!

Mistake

Jefff1 - I just sent you a reply to your suggestion, but it somehow was sent (I think) to a comment on page two, sorry - I'm new at this and am significantly lacking in the skills required to communicate via the portal. But. . .I'm learning.

Hardball

I dunno Hondax - sounds like you play hardball with the punishment you deal out!! Quick story - when I was involved in the West Coast motorcycle scene in the 70's, I had the opportunity to ride some of the finest bikes in the area. For example, last spring a magazine did a special nostalgia article (American Flyers) on the Beezer 4, a bike owned by an old friend of mine - an artist called Larry Corby - and I'd had the privilege of riding his "Beezer" back then - a Honda four mounted in a BSA frame - combining the best of both worlds - reliable power and handling. Well, when I tried out the r3 to compare it with other bikes, I spent MANY miles comparing the r with new Victorys and almost-new Harleys - bikes I hadn't been on in DECADES. And, I mean no disrespect here - I was astonished at how RELATIVELY slow and ponderous those bikes were in comparison to the r3. I had assumed that (particularly the Harleys) would've somehow been "refined" to be more competitive in the market. Perhaps if I'd ridden a V-rod I might have been significantly impressed, but, not, I'm afraid, enough to buy one. In the end, however, I believe the marketing value of a Harley enables them to pursue "refinement" of the breed as on option, not a requirement. Although I have heard rumblings of a Harley-saturated market and declining resale values. . .but don't know if those comments are true or even prophetic. . .