GS rider heads for the dark side...

Well, it all started at Christmas...

I'm normally spotted on one of these:



I can't be arsed with cars, so do vast mileages on it, use it for work, shopping, touring, camping - you name it. It's a gorgeous bike and I love it to bits. I've serviced it, cherished it and even - occasionally - cleaned it.

It was all going so well, but then I decided to scratch an itch I've had since I was a brat - a Harley. So I headed down to Oxford HD and hired one of these:



I was convinced it would be slow, handle like a greased whale on platform heels and I'd hate it. But it was something I needed to get out of my system. I also reckoned if I liked it in December it was a bike I could live with.

Oh dear. BUgger bugger bugger. I picked it up from Wooton and by the time I'd got to the edge of Oxford I wanted one. That's about three miles. Arse. This was going to be expensive.

Anyway, rode into Oxford, parked up on Broad St and was instantly assailed by a bunch of Japanese tourists who wanted to have their pics taken astride it. Hmm. It's a bike that's a bit more conspicuous than I'm used to. Not great, but I still wanted one... Lots.

Three days of ice, snow and 500 miles persuaded me this was the best bike I've ridden. For the way I ride anyway.

Problem - £15k. Ow. Sell the cats? Not really viable. Sell a guitar? Never. Mortgage the house? What? On top of what I already owe? No way, Jose.

So I very, very reluctantly handed back the keys.

The GS actually felt small afterwards, which was nice. But the itch won't go away. It's not helped by my pal Alex lending me his Electra Glide frequently. There's something about those bloody old, agricultural, tons-of-torque engines that I can't get enough of.

So, here I am several months later, rather more broke but still determined to get an HD of my own.

Problem is - which?

883 converted to a 12 Sportster? Quick enough for a slow rider like me, but can I tour on it? Can it be 'the car' as the GS is? Will it tour? Should I buy one and keep the GS?

Electra Glide? Too damn big, but can I unbolt the topbox, the screen, leg-guards and the rest and turn it into an ersatz Road King?

Chaps - I could really, really do with your advice.

I have £5-6 to spend (assuming the cats fetch proper money) and I need something that'll do what most peoples' cars do. It needs to be rideable in all weathers (but I do look after my bikes pretty fastidiously) and able to go from here in the Cotswolds to Leeds to see clients without knackering me.

What do you think? What should I go for?

[Music]

If you can wait to the end of the season a m8 has rather a nice softail for sale for around that money
low mileage and black here is a pic

Music

[Steppenwulf]

All the best in your quest buddy, but now is not a good time of year to buy second hand.

With your budget of 5 or 6k you will be looking at an evo and there are more clued up bods on here who know prices better but I'd go for a big twin if you want to commute big distances and in all weathers. In fact an evo Road King bought in mid Winter might just be what you are looking for, buy a crate of wine and some time in December get wrecked and surf e-bay and see what you end up with ;)

[usabear]

Add some Spice to his life, eh? ;)

[Steppenwulf]

Originally Posted by usabear

Add some Spice to his life, eh? ;)

You know it makes sense!

[Helmetbolt]

This could be what your looking for. They don't come up this cheap too often.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1996-HARLEY-DA...QQcmdZViewItem



You can easily take the tourpack off.

[S.T.Chapman]

the thing is if you opt for a sportster you wont be happy but you will spend oodles of money trying to get it the way you want, before the penny drops.
you know allready what you want....
go for it;)

and if you take the tour pack off where are you going to dump your helmet and more importantly where will you stick a 24 pack of grolsch

Thanks HB - I like the look of that 'un. Down in Somerset too, still one of my fave places. There's another one too, a bit cheaper, further down the page. Current fave is this one though:

It's a 1340 FRXS convertible with luggage. It's done about 40k miles, but milage never really puts me off bikes (the Beemer's done 50k and just gets better) Reckon it'll go for around £5k...

[BaZa ®]

Originally Posted by GSer

It's a 1340 FRXS convertible ...

Always nice in the summer convertibles....

Originally Posted by S.T.Chapman

the thing is if you opt for a sportster you wont be happy but you will spend oodles of money trying to get it the way you want, before the penny drops.
you know allready what you want....
go for it;)

and if you take the tour pack off where are you going to dump your helmet and more importantly where will you stick a 24 pack of grolsch

Fair point, and I reckon you're right. If it's a 'keep the Beemer, second bike', then a Sportster should be fine. I suspect I'd be looking for a big twin before much longer though. It's a big 'un I want really (fnarrr)...

Good point about the Grolsch too, although I'm more of a Wychwood fan (my office is a mere few steps away from the Brewery in Witney. Tough old life, innit?)