hillsy wrote:MadCow wrote:
ALL bikes have and always will be compared to a Harley-Davidson. That is a fact.
Now...you gotta ask...who sets the standards?
Maybe in heavy cruiser world, but in no way is this true as far as performance bikes go. Honda invented the modern superbike with the first CB750 and the rest of the industry who makes performance bikes has followed their lead.
The closest thing HD got to a performance bike was the Buell.
But that didn't end well....
Completely agree...even my 2009 VROD Muscle...as quick was it was, is just a power cruiser and not a performance bike...and is currently the fastest thing HD has...and my FJR1300 would run circles around it plus had panniers and a top case...different class of bike for sure..
I had a Ninja ZX11R back in the day...and at the time it was top dog...until the Hayabusa came out (I think that was in '96?) and it was dethroned.
When I think of performance I think of Yamaha R1, Hayabusa, CBR1000RR etc etc...HD never comes to mind. These latter bikes are truely performance racing bikes..and have my respect...
I'm even iffy about putting the 'Busa in the list of performance bikes since the others handle more like racing bikes..the Hayabusa can't hang in the twisties like a true racing bike...of course handling being relative to their class...'Busas just don't have the granularity...they're more brute power....kings of the drag strip.