Antiquated technology is over rated and not worth the burden for street cred for me anymore anyways. Don't miss it one bit. I payed them dues for 25 years on my old rigid Pan. Come to work everyday with a swath of sweat down my back and my hands deeply ground in dirt and greese. Always tweaking an tuning her. She had a persoanlity all her own. If everyone was looking she wouldn't start......

Those were the days though....long pony tail down my back, full beard on my chest, exposed tattoed arms raised up on 14" ape hangers on 6" riders with my brothers in front of and beside me.. To me I felt like I was saying FU to the world...no better feeling. Now I am beat down 40 hour a week citizen letting things slide that normally would result in some major calamity. Alls I have left are precious memories:

Cranky, but not surprised. Like I said, I had to rebuild or replace lots of stuff on brand new Harleys. It's part of that same love/hate affair, like with computers.

I'm tethered to home for the next few seasons. To me, a new EFI 4.5 Sportie tank would be a touring bike. I don't even know if I'll be able to feed Betty.

Neither do I. I must admit I like the electric foot on my Sportster, however. I'm baffled by the digital clock, and I severely dislike this modern heat problem.

We all ride for personal reasons. I actually exhale when I get a Sportster up on the slab. You'll see that this summer. I'm just not the garbage wagon kind of guy. All those knobs and switches, and the radio is the tool of Hades. Can't bikers just hum while they ride like we did?

It was a adjustment for me..for 30 years it was trimmed down bikes ....took a good solid year to get acclimated and truly its almost more bike that I am man. I commander it on pure experience and blind faith..point forward and give her throttle Scotty! I'm only 5'7. Technically and for my safety I should be on a Softail of one design or another. Once rolling its awsome. These were my 2 rigs for a long time then I bought the Buell in 1996:

I still have the 1983 but now have the 2001 and 1998 Ultra. Check out the cock pit and the handle bars...10" bagger bars comfortable!:

BI63, you need that stuff. Your long distance vacations wouldn't even be possible unless you had better suspension, glass and room for luggage. But let's be honest, how many people actually do that? Take a look at the garbage wagons parked at your dealership. Most of them are garage queens that spend most of their lives being polished.

I have a theory on that. Underneath all of the options you'll find the same engine, transmission and frame you'll find on Betty. But park them next to each other and Betty looks like a Sportster. I think most of these guys are looking for that 'iron penis' we often hear about. They drive huge bikes, so hence, they too must be huge.

Do you really need a tour pack to drive ten miles to work? Heck, Lewis and Clark took less with them...

Got it in mind.

Sorry, guy. I've talked to the wrenches at my shop.

Several years ago they told me that the average seasonal mileage of a garbage wagon was about 4K. Recently they said that average dropped to 1K, which dovetails to the individuals I've spoken to. I suppose the biggest factor there is the pricce of fuel and the fact that people are limiting the scope of their vacations.

As to vacations, that's the biggest single use of a wagon. Like any other bike, most are used around home.

I'm not blaming them, per se. Last year I parked Betty for most of the year and drove Spinner everywhere. We all make decisions. But just be honest about the stuff you do.

From my suburb to the shop is 12 miles. A geezer glide, really? What's going to happen? Are these guys going to run out of bottled water, iPod batteries and clean underwear?

Don't worry everyting will be OK!

Harley makes quick releases for everything, bags, sissy bar, seat, you name it. You can have your stripped down version and when you want to take a trip you just clip on your bags... etc.