From HD to LT. Enlightening Transition.

[BeamerT]

After five Hondas, a Yamaha and my latest excursion, 70,000 mi. on a '97' Heritage Springer I began researching touring bikes. As a previous Wing owner I already knew what that was all about. I found an '03' LT in Tampa with 13,000 mi. on her for $11,500.00. Seemed like a fair price so I teamed up with my wife in the Explorer and we took the two hour ride. What a worth while trip that turned out to be. My first experience with German engineering. What an awesome piece of machinery. The handling, acceleration and all the amenities. What a sheer joy to ride. The Heritage hasn`t seen much riding time since I came home with the BMW. I`m sorry but where the Harley is concerned, I`m afraid that an occasional bike night will have to do. :bmw:

[SilverBuffalo]

Welcome to the forum, you'll like it here.
From your first post I'd say you're going through a transition that a lot of us here have also done.
You'll find that there are quite a few former Harley riders amongst the LT group,
which only proves one thing:

Harley Davidson makes a good "starter" bike for BMW riders

[usmctpdog]

Yes,
As Hans says, there are alot of Ex-HD Jocks here who have swooned over the sophistication & handling pleasures of the Elegant LT.

I count myself as one after ALOT of HD's and 500K miles of riding experience.

Welcome to the Cult

[UncleRock]

After five Hondas, a Yamaha and my latest excursion, 70,000 mi. on a '97' Heritage Springer I began researching touring bikes. As a previous Wing owner I already knew what that was all about. I found an '03' LT in Tampa with 13,000 mi. on her for $11,500.00. Seemed like a fair price so I teamed up with my wife in the Explorer and we took the two hour ride. What a worth while trip that turned out to be. My first experience with German engineering. What an awesome piece of machinery. The handling, acceleration and all the amenities. What a sheer joy to ride. The Heritage hasn`t seen much riding time since I came home with the BMW. I`m sorry but where the Harley is concerned, I`m afraid that an occasional bike night will have to do. :bmw:
Been there, done that I don't think I have even started my PanHead since the 4th of July parade in o4
Rock

[BeamerT]

Thanks for the welcome. Funny thing, my wife just gave me instructions to hop on the LT and ride to FT. Myers HD where her Sportster is in a million pieces(entire engine being rebuilt). I need to pick up her rocker box covers and cart them over to an aluminum polisher. I`m still fond of my Harley. I find the cleaning process to be very relaxing. I`ve noticed that the shop over at Ft. Myers HD is actually larger than the show room.

[George_S]

YMMV, but I didn't buy a motorcycle to spend relaxing hours polishing it. I'm on my 3rd BMW since my Harley. With the Harley, almost one weekend day was spent polishing chrome and not riding. Very annoying for me, not relaxing. Riding gives me enjoyment, even a rush. When I want to relax, I don't think of motorcycles.

[grifscoots]

YMMV, but I didn't buy a motorcycle to spend relaxing hours polishing it. I'm on my 3rd BMW since my Harley. With the Harley, almost one weekend day was spent polishing chrome and not riding. Very annoying for me, not relaxing. Riding gives me enjoyment, even a rush. When I want to relax, I don't think of motorcycles.

I'm gonna have tatooed on me someplace: If I never polish another piece of karome, it will be too soon.

Right under: it is what it is.

[cfell]

I've been banished from HD... don't miss nuthin' but the trouble.

[deputy5211]

Now you guys know that I can't stay out of this one . . .

I still have my Harley, and I still love it. I love my LT, as well. I don't agonize about keeping the LT clean, but I enjoy cleaning and polishing the chrome on the Harley. OK, I confess to occasionally spraying the LT with my water mister and wiping her down with a soft microfiber towel, but why not take care of your stuff?

As for trouble from the HD, I hate to talk about my good fortune for fear of spoiling it (old Italian proverb), but it had been a consistently reliable machine and has given me many hours of enjoyment. YMMV. :D

[SilverBuffalo]

Been there, done that I don't think I have even started my PanHead since the 4th of July parade in o4
Rock
I can relate, I sold my last HD (former LA police motor) 66 FLH last spring,
had that bike since I lived in Costa Mesa in 1974
the reason I decided it was time to "get rid of it"
when I purchased all of my license plate "stickers"
I found 2 more in the saddle bags of the HD
that had not been "put on" from the previous years.

During that same approximate time period I rode my BMW for 60-70K.

The guy I sold it to used to ride beside it 30-some years ago,
he's happier than the proverbial pig in....... well you know :)
I don't miss it a bit.

I like this quote by WC fields only he spoke of "women"

Harley's are like elephants,
:) I like looking at them, :)
but I wouldn't want to own one

[tmgs]

After five Hondas, a Yamaha and my latest excursion, 70,000 mi. on a '97' Heritage Springer I began researching touring bikes. As a previous Wing owner I already knew what that was all about. I found an '03' LT in Tampa with 13,000 mi. on her for $11,500.00. Seemed like a fair price so I teamed up with my wife in the Explorer and we took the two hour ride. What a worth while trip that turned out to be. My first experience with German engineering. What an awesome piece of machinery. The handling, acceleration and all the amenities. What a sheer joy to ride. The Heritage hasn`t seen much riding time since I came home with the BMW. I`m sorry but where the Harley is concerned, I`m afraid that an occasional bike night will have to do. :bmw:


yup the switch from HD to a BMW is something I should have done years ago.
We now have 4 bmw's and one Harley compared to 5 and sometimes 6 harleys

Tom

[Tat_n_Telle]

I'm gonna have tatooed on me someplace: If I never polish another piece of karome, it will be too soon.

Right under: it is what it is.

If you're serious about that tattoo, you may want to spell check. Hard to erase those suckers!
Last thing you want to hear your tattoo artist say - "Whoops"

[grifscoots]

If you're serious about that tattoo, you may want to spell check. Hard to erase those suckers!
Last thing you want to hear your tattoo artist say - "Whoops"

I only wrote "karome" because I don't know how to spell "chrome".

It's a shame that I spell "coffee" like this, "kkkkkkkaffee" simply because I don't know how to use the spell check and am entirely too lazy to pull out the dictionary.

[deputy5211]

If you're serious about that tattoo, you may want to spell check. Hard to erase those suckers!
Last thing you want to hear your tattoo artist say - "Whoops"

Rather the tat artist than the surgeon say that! :D

[jayjacobson]

I only wrote "karome" because I don't know how to spell "chrome".....
It's like chrome.....just more ghetto.

[CharlieVT]

Someday I'm gonna ride a HD.

Never owned one, never ridden one.
Bultaco and Hondas and my first BMW in the 70s, then BMWs ever since. (One Yamaha Venture Royale I bought when stationed overseas because that was all I could find. Not a bad bike btw).

I had a friend who chopped his SOHC Honda CB750. Hardtail, HD rear wheel laced on, open pipes, coffin tank, custom paint. I rode that for about 20 miles. It did have an interesting appeal for the "feel" of the thing, but that was enough. He realized he made a mistake too. For us it was always about riding, not the feel or the look of the bike. Mile after mile in relative comfort and reliablilty was what brought me to BMWs. Funny looking bikes that were reliable and performed well. The opposite of form over function.

However, I'd still like to experience the thud-thud of a high torque, low rpm V-twin, I can imagine its appeal. But like the appeal of chopped Honda experience, that's never been enough to make me want to own one.

A little road dirt on a bike doesn't hurt it. I own, and know of other BMWs that are covered with road dirt, bugs, tar, etc. and are very well maintained bikes. A bike doesn't need to be a shiney show piece to have esthetic value.

This 1974 R90S project has faded original paint, cracks, and scratches, but it's a beauty anyway. BMW airheads will probably be the only twins I'll ever own. Yeah, Harley deprived.

[jayjacobson]

Someday I'm gonna ride a HD.

Never owned one, never ridden one.
Bultaco and Hondas and my first BMW in the 70s, then BMWs ever since. (One Yamaha Venture Royale I bought when stationed overseas because that was all I could find. Not a bad bike btw).

I had a friend who chopped his SOHC Honda CB750. Hardtail, HD rear wheel laced on, open pipes, coffin tank, custom paint. I rode that for about 20 miles. It did have an interesting appeal for the "feel" of the thing, but that was enough. He realized he made a mistake too. For us it was always about riding, not the feel or the look of the bike. Mile after mile in relative comfort and reliablilty was what brought me to BMWs. Funny looking bikes that were reliable and performed well. The opposite of form over function.

However, I'd still like to experience the thud-thud of a high torque, low rpm V-twin, I can imagine its appeal. But like the appeal of chopped Honda experience, that's never been enough to make me want to own one.

A little road dirt on a bike doesn't hurt it. I own, and know of other BMWs that are covered with road dirt, bugs, tar, etc. and are very well maintained bikes. A bike doesn't need to be a shiney show piece to have esthetic value.

This 1974 R90S project has faded original paint, cracks, and scratches, but it's a beauty anyway. BMW airheads will probably be the only twins I'll ever own. Yeah, Harley deprived.

Yup, I'm with you. All my local biker bro's ride H-D's. Maybe, one day. Or, maybe a Victory substitute.