Honda Pacific Coast ipcrc Archives

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Well, what do you know? Harley made a common sense bike.
Written by tomrhoades43 on 7/25/2011 at 01:51 pm

I don't think it is Harley that drives the market. For the first part of my
riding career I was a "purist" no windhield, fairing etc. Just an open bike
with an engine I could see and work on. The wind bug and weather were part of
the ride. I still rode year round, in all kinds of weather exept serious snow
and ice. I was over 40 before I even thougth about a windshield..and eventually
bought a Gold Wing. Part of it was also affordability...touring bikes were
expensive. The PC didn't take off because it was expensive, and mediocre in
performance. The extensive body work put off those that liked to do their own
maintenance. It didn't loook like a motorcycle it looked like a big scooter.
It was a bit to utilitarian for US tastes. I worked for a Honda dealer back
then, and always thought the PC was underrated. I loved to take it out for
lunch time rides. It was an attraction in the show room, mostly to be belittled
and gawked at..no one was buying it. The couple that we sold were not sold to
motorcycle people but to semi interested seniors..sort of like the Suzuki
Bergman today.
Younger riders are generally drawn to performance...which certainly is not HD
then or now. They look at HP and 1/4 mile nos.

While I now enjoy the PC800, I still find the performance a bit anemic and
braking just adequate. Its smoothness and handling is what keeps me interested.

Tom Rhoades
1989 Honda PC800 "White Flight"

--- In ipcrc@yahoogroups.com, "Wade" <wbpc800@...> wrote:
>
> As a cheese head I really should root for Harley. I do think the Sportster is
a very cool looking bike. If I could afford one for a toy I probably would own
one.
>
> OTOH, I'm bummed that they were so successful and so many people bought into
their marketing model that the model of the PC never took hold. The dominant
force driving the market became how something looks and sounds.
>
> I simply want to ride. I live in a climate where the weather swings wide and
long days means just the gear for a comfortable ride takes up a fair amount of
storage space. I want to ride a long time in a wide range of temperatures.
Keeping the wind off me is an essential part of being able to do so. Mounting
such protection to a fork is simply unacceptable to me.
>
> I want something that is easy to maneuver around daily use. I don't want
something that is so long and heavy it takes way from the fun of just using it.
I want to use it without having to worry that my laptop etc will be stolen or
get wet.
>
> Obviously the PC fits what I want. Harley doesn't make anything that does. I
feel sad that they ended up driving the market because I just don't see where
they drive anything that makes actual use of a motorcycle better. Heavy
vibrating and loud may make for a fun experience for some but I don't see how it
makes actual use of a motorcycle better.
>
> Would would have happened if is instead usefulness, comfort, and reliability
drove the market? Where would we be today. I think we would have something much
better and more choices than the nt700.
>
> OTOH,at least we have tight harley tops to look at from time to time;-)
>