Hotshots
HOTSHOTS
Hit-and-myth Harleys
As validation of Peter Egan’s contention that the $25,000 Harley is a myth (“Egads, Egan!” Hotshots, May), I did in fact buy a 2003 Electra Glide Standard for $13,900 from Monty’s Cycle Shop in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts (that’s $13,700 list plus $200 for setup). I’m nobody special; it’s just the way Monty’s does-and always has done-business. Just goes to show there are still some good guys out there. Jack Fitz
Dedham, Massachusetts
I agree with Peter-the $25,000 Harley is a myth. The basic bike in each of the Sportster, Dyna and Softail lines all sell for well under $25,000. As you add chrome and accessories, of course, the price goes up, but I bet more bikes go out the door well under $25,000 than at or over that price. I was in a dealership recently, and they were selling V-Rods for MSRP and Softails at $500 over.
John M. Walling Willis, Texas
Regarding the “unbelievably low” price of Peter Egan’s H-D dresser and the apparent disgust from some readers about price gouging by dealers: May I offer a fairly simple solution? It is a four-step process that has worked great for me:
1) Separate yourself from the HarleyDavidson ego trip. 2) Realize that you don’t have to join the already huge flock of sheep. 3) Buy a mid-’80s Honda Gold Wing for $3500, give or take. 4) Smile to yourself while you decide what to do with the $15,000 left over!
Scott Nye Casper, Wyoming
I know how Egan got an Electra Glide Standard for $13,700. The same way I did! I live in a town in the northeast comer of Ohio, and I ordered mine from Erie Harley in Pennsylvania. Price out the door, tax, title, Ohio transfer: $15,200. Randy McConnell Ashtabula, Ohio
I have listened all too long to people complaining about inflated Harley prices. Yes, there are many dealers that jacked prices during the long waiting periods of the mid-’90s. Some still do, but I vote with my wallet. I don’t spend my money at those shops, no Tshirts, nothing. Shop around! The Harley dealerships in my area are all family-owned (not by some chain auto dealership). I could walk into any of them today and pick from a selection of MSRP bikes sitting on the showroom floor. Bret Park
Reading, Pennsylvania
I purchased my 2002 FLHR for $16,500 at my local H-D dealer. I had researched prices on H-D’s website, so I knew what the MSRP was and what I was willing to pay. The sales girl told me they “never” sold bikes for MSRP. I told her that somewhere in America someone would, that I had a pickup truck and wasn’t afraid to use it. A few hours of haggling later, I had a brand-new bike for MSRP, plus shipping and setup. Anyone who pays $25K for a $16,000 bike is either too rich or too stupid. Alan Goodwin
Austin, Texas
I’m a Harley-Davidson dealer in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and I have never sold one bike in my 15 years in business for one penny over MSRP. Nothing makes me angrier than the rip-off, low-life gouging, profiteering weasels out there calling themselves H-D dealers!
When I started, I wondered if I would still be in business the next year. But things picked up quickly around 1989. Then, the unexpected happened: I sold a customer a new bike and he was back three hours later, telling me he had just sold the bike, and to please sell him another one. The truth is, customers (making a quick buck selling their MSRP bikes) started all this.
One dealer after another succumbed to the temptation to inflate prices until most of them just took it for granted that all customers were stupid enough to pay more. Unfortunately, there really are a bunch of idiotic people out there who want a bike so bad they pay rip-off prices-and then bitch about it! Or worse, they don’t have a clue what the MSRP is, because they never looked at the brochure or checked H-D’s website before going to see the dealer.
If everyone all at once would just say, “No!” the dealers would come around. Problem is, there are so many new dealers (50 percent of today’s Harley dealers have been in business five years or less) accustomed to running their business this way. When things slow down, or the supply of motorcycles finally catches up with demand, you’re going to see a lot of H-D dealerships going under or up for sale.
I’m just glad I’m not a customer right now. There is no doubt in my mind that I would be riding a Kawasaki Drifter or a Honda Gold Wing-anything but an H-D-if my dealer tried to pull something like that on me.
Jim Bailey
Jim Bailey’s Harley-Davidson Fort Wayne, Indiana
Peter Egan is not alone. Although price gouging is real and rampant among a certain cadre of motorcycle dealers, there are others who have a sense of fair play. I and many others have purchased motorcycles priced at MSRP from O’Tool’s H-D in Wurtsboron, New York. There are responsible dealers out there who want repeat business from committed motorcyclists. These are the ones that will continue to survive economic cycles.
Vincent Lawler New York, New York>
Honda's lost ponies
Comparing the quarter-mile times and trap speeds for the Honda CBR600F4Í and new 600RR in your 600cc Supersport shootout (“Splitting Hairs,” CW, May) with the F4i’s dragstrip figures from June 200 l’s “Stompin’ 600s,” should I assume that the 2003 F4i has been de-tuned to make the 600RR look like it’s worth the extra money?
Steve Swanson Diamond Bar, California
I was wondering if Honda has ever explained the loss in horsepower for the CBR600F4Í? The 2003 model seems to have 10 less horsepower than the 2001 models. It even has less than the 19992000 CBR600F4. Isn’t this a rather unusual move for a sportbike manufacturer?
John Liptrap
The Woodlands, Texas
The F4i power (and torque) specs CW published in the latest 600 comparison cannot be accurate. That bike ought to be right in the hunt with the latest and greatest in the test, maybe a few bhp shy. Methinks your Dynojet hiccupped.
Dean Pepperine Rochester, New York
No indigestion on our dyno ’s part, just a sub-par F4i, maybe not fully broken-in when delivered to us from Honda ’s press fleet. After the comparison, we dyno ’ed two more 2003-model F4i Hondas; both gave 92-93 rear-wheel horsepower, considerably better than our testbike s 85.
Holy crap!
Regarding the “Jesus Rocks” backlash in May’s Hotshots: I would like to say to readers Dennis Avedisian, Thomas Moss and all the others out there who can’t take a joke, get a life! Quit harpin’ on a dead guy (girl?), his absentee father and, oh yes, his virgin (wink, wink) mother.
Ride on boys (and girls)! Did you know that “Amen” was a motorcycle aftermarket company in the Seventies? Kinda ironic, isn’t it? Dale R. Murphy Brockville, Ontario, Canada
As a medical person, I am concerned about Mr. Moss’ health and blood pressure. It is clearly established that stress is very hard on the body, and takes its toll eventually via high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
Riding is a great counterbalance to the stresses of life. It is something of a Zen experience in that the rider must clear the mind of all extraneous thought and focus on the subject at hand. This focus is the basis of any sort of meditative thought, whether religious or not. My point is that I think Mr. Moss needs to ride more and shake with anger less.
Stop seething, and realize that there are many paths to righteousness, some twistier than others. Go on a nice long ride, my fellow rider, and enjoy the fruits of the roads ahead. It does wonders for a sense of humor, however blunted that sense may be. Kimberle Shannon
Costa Mesa, California
To all the bloody fools who have cancelled their subscriptions and are burning their back issues because you called God “she” (what else would you call her?), I say take your name-calling crusade elsewhere! It is that exact attitude that shows up so much in the Middle East-anger and outrage over the opinions and/or statements of others who don’t meet your religious standards. Let’s remember that this is America, land of freedom of press and religion. You get your say, and I get mine.
Lee Camden Carlyle, Illinois
Holy crap! I figured the “she” comment at the end of the “Jesus Rocks!” letter would annoy some of this fine magazine’s more conservative readership, but sheesh, come on! It was a joke! Besides, Jesus wouldn’t have ridden a Speed Triple; he would’ve ridden an old scooter, or maybe driven a hand-me-down Yugo. Humility, gentlemen, humility.
Jonathan Bowers Midland, Michigan
Someone should clue Avedisian and Moss in. I bet you can find them in front of a church somewhere burning Harry Potter books. Jimmy Rawlings
San Lorenzo, California
Pity the poor folks so insecure about their religion that they can’t take a joke. Me? I ride for the Throttle, the Sun and the Holy Road. Jonathan Rutschky
Eagle, Wisconsin
Boyz, boyz, boyz...
In his May Up Front column, David Edwards bashed the two-wheeled speeddemon flick, Biker Boyz. I must say this was not appreciated by African-American motorcycle enthusiasts who saw the movie. I myself saw the film and enjoyed it thoroughly. You would think that a motorcycle magazine would like any motorcycle movie, so I can’t understand why this particular film received such a bad review. If Tom Hanks and Matt Damon had the two starring roles, I guarantee the movie would get a better review from you guys. Gary Cooper
Tallahassee, Florida
Skin color has nothing to do with a lame plot, wooden acting and implausible action sequences—and Edwards is insulted you would imply as much. However, he s always loved your work in High Noon.
Copycat Captain
Thank you for the great article on the replica Captain America Harley in the May’s American Flyers feature. As the builder, I was very pleased to see it get such attention. More than 200 hours of research went into its construction, making sure everything was authentic, and it’s always a source of pride when that amount of time and work pays off. Incidentally, after they acquired my second Captain America, Harley hired me to build its Easy Rider mate, the “Billy Bike.” Both hold a prominent place in the Milwaukee Museum.
James Grafius
Colton, California >
With his handiwork in the Guggenheim Museum s permanent collection, the Harley Archives and now the San Diego Automotive Museum, Grafius is the man to see for Easy Rider replicas. He can be reached at 909/423-0860.
Be very afraid
Well, once again, Cycle World has managed to fry my senses with another incredible creation from Europe (“Toxic Avenger,” May). The bike in question is “Nosfearatu,” built by journalist Mick Hiiby from Germany. Not since Herbert Kainzinger’s much-modded Mad V-Max (“King Maximum,” CW, June, 1997) have I seen such a well-executed piece of moto-engineering.
Thank you so much for again showing the world what a real custom should look like! Now I only have seven parking spaces left in my dream garage!
Paul Piorkowski Stamford, Connecticut
A quick answer to your question in the “Nosfearatu” write-up about me leaving Fighters magazine to work for Cycle World? Yes! I’m always looking for new challenges. There are still so many bikes to build, ride and write about! So if you need a new staffer: Got work, will travel.
Just two small things about the story. The forks are from a GSX-R1100, not a 1000 as stated, and the small “NOS” bottle atop the gas mask is actually carrying the speedo and idiot lights. But, you’re right, you can never have enough giggle gas on board! Mick Hiiby
Düsseldorf, Germany
Cunsultant overkill
My May issue arrived and I read Kevin Cameron’s column (“Aristotle redux”) about consultants first. As a retired engineer and former consultant, I agree completely. Remember the three absolute laws of consulting: 1) Always continue learning. 2) Don’t tell all you know. 3)... Clay Miller
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Chopper Wars
I was disappointed in Matthew Miles’ statement in April’s Big Dog Chopper article, “As production motorcycles go, it’s the only one of its kind...” American Iron Horse has been building production motorcycles in Fort Worth, Texas, since 1995.
Their “Texas Chopper” model preceded the Big Dog
by at least a year. Its specs are very similiar to the Big Dog’s, proving once again that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Check out the website, www.americanironhorse.com, for more details. Don Lindfors
Lifestyle Cycles Anaheim, California
Cycle World at war
Was watching CNBC over dinner tonight and they had a short clip showing our troops in Iraq enjoying a little R&R. One of the soldiers sitting on top of his tank was reading none other than Cycle World. Thought you would all get a kick out of it. Love your magazine and God bless America!
Beau Saridis Coral Springs, Florida
After 17 days in full combat gear and all that tension, when those tankers have a
chance to relax, out comes your magazine! Hope all is safe over there so they can get home soon and ride.
Mark Boshnack
Greenlawn, New York
Amen (and not the Seventies aftermarket company) to that.
