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Jun. 1st, 2007 @ 09:33 am (no subject)
Are Harley's made for big guys, and others aren't?

In my efforts to find riding gear that works, the only place I find stuff that consistently fits is the clothing section of Harley Davidson dealerships. I'm 6'4", 260lbs. I went to the Kawasaki shop and their stuff was seemingly made for midgets. Same with the motor sports shop (selling Duccati's and other fun stuff). The actually Vespa dealership sold stuff that seemed more for fashion than protection.

As I'm quickly discovering, for a guy my size, an 11hp Vespa isn't going to cut it. It'll work for this summer, but I will need something better eventually, and all this has me thinking that if I go into these shops and if their cloths don't fit someone my height, how will their bikes fit me? I don't want a Harley, but a Buell might be fun.

Anyway, I feel kind of silly getting on the Vespa with all my Harley branded clothing. But at least it fits and it's safe.
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From:jovino
Date:June 1st, 2007 06:45 pm (UTC)
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Dude... at least you care enough to WEAR the gear! Someone once commented to me that my jacket cost more than my motorcycle. I simply replied to him, "I'm worth more than my motorcycle. IT can be replaced."
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From:evilbaron
Date:June 2nd, 2007 10:48 am (UTC)
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if you like going long distance (say seattle to portland without multiple stops) i recommend not getting a V-twin. :P 3 & 4cylinders are so nice and smooth. heh

As for gear, a lot of people who ride mopeds/scooters figure that since they're only going <50mph they don't need any gear, half the time you see a girl in a long billowy skirt, and a skid lid that is obviously not a legit DOT certified braincan. Makes you go

Of course, they don't realize that when you go down around 30mph on a BICYCLE the road rash is horrible enough. yuck.

I am guessing that a lot of the non-harley gear is made small because a lot of the guys who ride sportbikes are tall and skinny, short and skinny, or somewhere in between. being in the 5'8 160 category actually does have an advantage now and then. LOL
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From:brokenchains
Date:June 3rd, 2007 10:48 pm (UTC)
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J. dumped his bike Christmas Eve. only going about 15mph, if he did not have his motorcycle jacket on we would have been in the ER digging dirt out of his elbow bone and probably pieces of the bone. The jacket got down to the lining but his elbow only received a small strawberry/raspberry (what are they really called).

As far as Harley and stuff. Vespa are the Harley's of scooters.