My bike's better than your bike... HD vs Honda...yadda yadda yadda....

[Alien]

There's certainly nothing abnormal or wrong with thinking that the bike you ride is the best bike around.  That's why you bought it, right?  I would feel sorry for anyone who felt otherwise.   I've owned 1 Harley, 5 Hondas, 2 Kawasakis and 1 Yamaha.  I loved them all while I had them and I'd be proud to ride any one of them now.

Much like religion, brand loyalty is fine and dandy until it's forced on someone else. 

It all comes down to personal insecurity.  Insecure people need to feel that they're a part of the "majority" (at your local bar, Harley Davidson, on this board, Honda).  Once they've become a part of that majority, they bash the minority to bolster their self-esteem.  (High School anyone?)

I can't imagine giving a damn what anyone else rides.  I love my Valkyrie, but if my buddie loves his Vespa, Who am I to give him s**t about it?  I will ride with anyone on any type of bike as long as they ride sober and safe.  As for those who don't want to be seen riding with a Jap bike, that's cool, I wish them safe travels as well.

If your bike is an extension of your manhood and/or ego though, you just might be better off selling it and getting a stretch limo instead.

[Jess Tolbirt]

another pot stirring post? where is the popcorn eating smiley at?

[Alien]

Hmmm.  Not my intent at all.  More like a long winded "Live and let live."

[registbass]

 I love em all . even the chinese knockoff of  russian Ural  bmw knockoffs and the Indian made Enfields .they all have a personality of their own . Not one is the "best ". I read an article the other day about the new BMW 1600 inline 6 cyl. with 160 BHP . thats too cool . I love checkin out the homemade bikes on u-tube . One I really like is the guy who mounted a 6 cyl. corvair motor on a harley  frame ! its like a valk with a bigger motor but a smaller frame . and its sounds killer . I go to ratbike.org and check out all the rats and some cool ass diesel turbo bikes . I had a rat on that site , probably still on there but I lost the bike in the flood of 2008.   I would love to have the time to build more bikes but I have 3 small kids and a full time job that makes it hard .  Cant get enuff of em . The valk just has something ... for me . when I've been on the road for 12-18 hours at a stretch , its the middle of the night and I'm tired as hell but still kickin down the interstate , I can turn my head a little and hear that 6 hummin along like crazy and not even workin at 70 mph knowing that it would go on as long as it wanted to but I cant . I'm sure everyone could say the same for whatever they ride .  Its a beautiful thing.

[Alien]

Yeah, I love that Corvair bike too!

[Buda]

But my bike is better than yours.......lmao

[BamaDrifter64]

Yeah...and Paul Jr.'s bikes are better than OCC's bikes....

Dave

[rainman]

But my bike is better than yours.......lmao

No mine is better and faster cause it is black 

[BF]

My tires and oil are better than your tires and oil.   

[Moonshot_1]

There's certainly nothing abnormal or wrong with thinking that the bike you ride is the best bike around.  That's why you bought it, right?  I would feel sorry for anyone who felt otherwise.   I've owned 1 Harley, 5 Hondas, 2 Kawasakis and 1 Yamaha.  I loved them all while I had them and I'd be proud to ride any one of them now.

Much like religion, brand loyalty is fine and dandy until it's forced on someone else. 

It all comes down to personal insecurity.  Insecure people need to feel that they're a part of the "majority" (at your local bar, Harley Davidson, on this board, Honda).  Once they've become a part of that majority, they bash the minority to bolster their self-esteem.  (High School anyone?)

I can't imagine giving a damn what anyone else rides.  I love my Valkyrie, but if my buddie loves his Vespa, Who am I to give him s**t about it?  I will ride with anyone on any type of bike as long as they ride sober and safe.  As for those who don't want to be seen riding with a Jap bike, that's cool, I wish them safe travels as well.

If your bike is an extension of your manhood and/or ego though, you just might be better off selling it and getting a stretch limo instead.

I have great respect for your opinion, as wrong as it may be.

My bike is better and it's just a fact.

[BigAl]

The reason I ride is it makes my butt look smaller.

With a bike hiding it.

But I think my problem is Low-T or low testosterone.

You can't make this stuff up. Oh wait I just did.

[Paxton]

Personally, I love anything with wheels, including my custom wheel-barrel, my former three Vespas and my 2 Lambrettas! 

However, I do have biases and I discriminate in favor of Honda products. I love my VTX1800... (sort of), but I go nuts over my Valkyrie. 
YES, she feeds my Ego and I want it just like that! 

Somehow, I never liked any vehicle which you see three of at every intersection. As we know, that is NOT the case w/Valkyries. 

Riding a Valk, I see it as a double blessing.
We've got the increasingly rare Dragon that many have never seen, coupled with her grand performance and exhilaration. 

If Valkyries had never been created, I'd probably still own my early vintage Gold Wings of years past. 

I like the looks of some Harleys, but I never had the "burning desire" to own one, although I did.   

As for the people who ride, their chosen machine is just a matter of their own taste.  Unfortunately for most, they'll never know what is like
to ride my Dragon into the Sunset. 

[wiggydotcom]

While I agree with the original post that it's not about what we ride, it's THAT we ride., I don't see anything wrong with anyone on here thinking his bike or the Valkyrie in general is superior. Last time I checked it was the Valkyrie Rider's Cruiser's Club. If I was to visit a Wing board, or a HOG board, I'd "expect" them to be loyal also---and possibly even bash my choice of the Valkyrie.

This is a specific board. If talk about "other" bikes is accepted and tolerated, it's because we are ok with our testosterone levels.

With that said, I'm just thittin ya. 

[Michael K (Az.)]

another pot stirring post? where is the popcorn eating smiley at?

Here it is. I'm not too late am I??

[registbass]

 my personal favorite was the "bite the hook "smiley !!! its so true ! but all manufacturers have 1 or 2 flaws in their designs , no one builds the flawless bike . It was refreshing to see the Henderson X motorcycle resurface in 98 only to see them go down , plagued with transmission problems . i still think those are cool ass bikes . The 2nd gen Indians were cool but had an s&s engine, then their own engine then they went belly up . Now theyve been bought again and trying to make a comeback in a niche market . Harley still stands tall in the nostalgia world and you have to hand it to them for that . polaris is making some nice looking bikes too and some ugly ones . with some serious brand loyalty . I like the new triumph Thunderbird and the Rocket 3, but I cant justify buying a new bike when I dont think I can wear out the one I have that runs perfect after 15 yrs . I wish I could buy one of everything and ride them all but  I cant afford it . Mostly though , its too hard to find a bike that fits these long ass legs of mine .

[cookiedough]

We don't have to brag, well not too much, about our machines whereas HD riders can't get enough of spending money to make them keep running. 

My HD neighbor calls me cheap, I call myself smart! 

[texaninsouthfl]

But my bike is better than yours.......lmao

No mine is better and faster cause it is black 

+1

[alph]

i don't care what you guys think.  if you don't have more then 150 LED's on your cycle, you're not riding anything special!!   

[junior]

my kid can beat up your honor student!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Thulsa Doom]

I get the OP's point and naturally I think he's right. I'm sure no one can argue.
That said, I'm not a prideful person but I can't help but to think we Valk owners are in on a secret that the masses haven't caught on to.
The obvious bike to compare the Valkyrie standard to would have to be the HD Softail. Their weight, price, style/intended market are all comparable.
Harley weights
http://www.dimensionsguide.com/harley-davidson-softail-sizes/
So they're priced  comparably, their weight is comparable, their intended market is similar, emotions aside I think the buyer just gets more bike for his buck with the Valkyrie.
6 cylinders vs 2. When cruising at 70+ for hours on end which engine is happier? The engine with 6 cylinders to share the work or the one with 2 frantic cylinders pumping away like crazy?
Brakes: 1 front, 1 rear vs 2 front, 1 rear on the Valk.
2 is bigger than 1. I always want more.
HP. 100 claimed HP on the Valkyrie vs approx. 70 on stock Softail.
When I was still riding dirt bikes and dual sports people used to ask me when I was going to get a comfy street bike. My answer was always that I didn't want a big, fat, slow cruiser. I like to ride my bikes, not just look at them. Turns out I was wrong, but not entirely. I did finally get a big fat comfy cruiser but this girl has legs. 100mph blasts are nothing on this bike. It's not even a noteworthy event. It's just something it does. Pretty impressive if you ask me. Lots of cruiser bikes make it to the 100mph mark and beyond. It's just easier with this one and I don't feel like I'm doing her any harm wringing it out like that. That's all.
Shaft drive over belt just for robustness, enclosed from the elements. No real data to confirm but to me it just makes sense to make the final drive as strong and durable as possible.
Liquid cooled over air cooled for road going bikes just for engine longevity. I prefer air cooled in the dirt for reliability in a mishap but on the road I try to avoid the big pointy sticks that would cause damage to a radiator off road.
2 cylinder air cooled bikes are much simpler than the beast powering our Valks. I appreciate simplicity and it seems HD's reluctance to evolve or try different engine designs, though archaic, simply works for them and they have the most passionate clientele.
I have a guy in my office who rides a Fat Boy. It's a beautiful machine and he's done a great job customizing it and he rides the daylights out of it (10K avg/yr is pretty good for around here). Much credit is due. He used to tell me that although he's owned other bikes, there's 'just something about owning a Harley Davidson'.
Ok. I get that. It's emotional and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone needs to love their bike.
But when emotions turn to metal and with the absence of brand identity it doesn't stack up.
I wish there was a way to create a focus group of individuals with no preconceived notions or brand loyalty. Show them the Valkyrie vs Softail, explain more HP vs less, more cylinders to share the work vs fewer, more brake discs to stop/control the bike vs fewer, enclosed driveshaft vs exposed drive belt, inverted fork vs conventional, simpler air cooled design vs liquid cooled (with an explanation of each's advantage over the other) and see what they would choose. I can't imagine an objective person wouldn't choose the Valkyrie over everything else in this segment.
I might be biased because I love my Valk but I certainly am encouraged by every bike I see. I just want to see more bikes, any kind of bikes, riding daily and not just for entertainment. More bikes, more bikes, more bikes.
FWIW my father is a kind of nerdy, aging hippy type from Maine (71 Y/O) who rides an Electra Glide Ultra Classic. It's a beautiful bike and he loves it. He and his GF tour with it. He previously rode Hondas and 1 Suzuki.
My FIL is more the pirate style, bar hopper type (65Y/O). He rides a Softail Deluxe. Gorgeous with low miles. Probably my favorite HD of them all. He would only ever ride a HD.

Funny story:
I once had a short conversation with a VP at the company I work for. It went like this:

Him: I'm going to get a motorcycle.
Me: Really? Great. What kind?
Him: Harley Davidson.
Me: How come?
Him: Because they're the best.
Me: What makes them the best?
Him: Because they Harley Davidson.

LOL - Can't argue with that.