It is that time of year again. The annual Sturgis SD Harley happening is in full swing. Which means that no place within 500 miles of the rally that happens to be on a road leading to SD is safe from bikers.
Nothing I say and no amount of complaining about it is going to change the infernal nuisance of this two week period of the year. Hopefully we get the 3 days of thunderstorms that are predicted.
This has been my 2015 annual anti Harley/Sturgis rant.
Heh, my parents accidentally tried to drive through there during Sturgis, on their way to Yellowstone. They complained about it for a month.
ReplyDeleteHarley = the original Hover-round
ReplyDeleteOnly 9 people dead so far.
ReplyDeleteStilicho, the only thing I think is still worthwhile about Harley's is that patented engine sound they have. THAT roar is what a motorcycle means to me.
ReplyDeleteNot the polite putterings of the others. Harley set the standard for the industry, not their fault they have fallen into disfavor. Some fools decided to slide by on their name recognition.
Res, it could be worse you know. But at least you have the blessing of knowing that this happens at this time every year so you can plan around it for those two weeks. Have you tried taking some of your vacation during this time of year so you can avoid at least part of it?
Truthfully, I would rather deal with motorcycles than mountain bike riders in large groups. You want to talk irritation?? Try getting that bunch of condescending snots to let you pass and go about your business.
THAT roar is what a motorcycle means to me.
ReplyDeleteThe Harley Davidson motorcycle is the most efficient method of converting petroleum hydrocarbons into noise pollution without the added inconvenience of horsepower ever devised by man.
I totally agree. But seeing as how I am old enough to have been around actual Harley's when that name meant something, I really like the noise. The noise that the Japanese and other models emit just sound like souped up Vespas to me.
DeleteI am not ashamed to admit that I am old school. I like what I like, and it caused me no end of trouble in school. (grin) IIRC, the original owners no longer own HD. But I know that HD patented that sound and nobody has been able to reproduce it, though many have certainly tried.
Kind of like Old School Godzilla. The original film makers own the rights to that sound, and it is so closely guarded that you have to beg permission to get them to let you use in in your film. I believe they allowed the most recent Godzilla movie to use the sound.
^^^^^^^
ReplyDeleteHarley's sound OK, sorta, but they ride like a wagon full of rocks on a gravel road, and handle like a pregnant cow on wet grass. Personally, if I'm gonna be on a bike for a few hours, I'll take quiet pipes every damn time. What I really don't get is why all the Honda's et al went to two cylinder just to get that sound. All their fancy balancing and rubber mounts just aren't the same as a smooth water-cooled V-4.
ReplyDeleteBill, I am sure you are correct about the handling of the bike(lol), but I think a lot of it is some guys just like to announce their arrival, and since you can hear those bad boys coming, especially a large group of them, what better bike to ride?
ReplyDelete