Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:10 pm by krazy loop
Thanks for the advice, Indianut. The fact of the matter is I am just starting to get used to the idea of the electric start alternator shovel engine and have yet to graduate to a foot shift hand clutch set up on my hogs. Why the government doesn't make every shifter mechanism illegal except jockey lids is beyond me.
I will say this, however. This past summer I blasted around a bit on a couple of BMW 4 cylinder racers, one a 2003 130hp K1200RS and the second a 2005 167hp K1200S. Amazing as it sounds the first is around 1170cc's and the second is just about 1200cc's. Jesus H, are those things fast and powerful. Cracking 4th hard on the S at 60 mph can pull the front wheel off the ground for about 40 yards. It's too bad for us that our old HDs can't crank that kind of power from 74 cubes. Both are liquid cooled but any stop makes the temperature gauge start to go through the roof. When stopped for more than a minute, like for a train, you need to shut them off. If you don't and they get hot enough the electronics will shut the enine off for you until it cools back down to avoid overheating damage. Right after you have stopped for more than a very short time and then crank down a highway at higher speeds, they both take maybe 3+ minutes to cool to the normal range. And remember, I live in Michigan, not Florida or Louisiana, so while we can get some 100 degree days here we don't get continuous 96+ degree days all summer like the deep South. The RS will toast your feet and ankles in the summer right through your boots at lower speeds. So, from that and what the bro's here say, it seems the present time is the day of the flamethrower as far as heat put to the rider goes on modern bikes. The only point in my favor is that I live in a primarily rural area with major highways close by so I don't have top stop and sit around on a running bike all that much. And with both BMWs, like newer HDs, about the only thing an owner can do to either of them is put in gas, oil, brake fluid, and air in the tires. A computer runs the entire bike. Handlebar position adjustments don't exist at all. Even changing oil on them is a major pain in the ass. Thinking about this makes me recall rewiring my 51 pan at 3 am under a streetlight when I fried a coil wire (and a few others as well). At least I was able to bypass the igintion switch with some wire from the lights, rewire the coil circuit, fire it up, and ride home in the dark. On the other hand, the new factory bikes aren't supposed to have that problem these days---until they do. Then your GPS lets the company road service truck find you.
Those BMWs are fine machines to be sure, but riding either one isn't exactly an adventure the likes of which we are used to with the old stuff we have.
New Knuckleheads? Thank, you, Jesus!!
thanx Pa, Twinn Cams are Harleys too...basically they work the same with the exception of better machining...I've had guys over and I fire up the old 45 because they don't believe it could run as well as the modern motor and they are so similar it's hard to believe that they are 64 years apart...I like them both...I'm gonna miss the ol' bobber when she goes ,but then somebody else will be as happy as me....and I will get another old one after the dust from the house settles a little....and as Knuckle Tim says "the Bitch is black!!!"...................Paul
Curt!, you know it's twice as fast ,but I'll never know.. I'm the slow rider...heh,heh 