Is Thunderbird a dirty word here??

[musicswapshoppe]

XChopper am not sure if u posted a pic as it looks like there should be one on yr thread. But I am looking forward to seeing it. I have to say that I liked the new T bird when I saw it in the flesh last year and though have never owned cruisers and not intending to in the near future. Should for some reason I end up Bonnieless I may just get one as my next bike.

 

[Xchoppers]

Shit man, I don't want to ride some swoopy assed micro-massaged studio sculpture that's asthetically just another tasteless raindrop in the sea of same. I want a motorbike that's got mechanical grit and gristle. I want linkages and cables and things I can see move, things that give the bike depth, that make it interesting to look for hours on end, that stimulate imagination. They make 'em too smooth and take all that stuff away and hell, the bike ain't got no soul no more.

I think some of these cats designing bikes nowadays need to put their crayons down and go spend a lot more studying, riding, touching and smelling vintage bikes as I think that over time they've lost their way from classic, timeless industrial art. They've designed out the romance, to me anyway.

I am 61 years old.
Anyone here older?

I own vintage bikes, new motorcycles, choppers, naked bikes, cruisers, and I enjoy every one of them.
This new Thunderbird besides being fast as hell handles at least as well as anything I've ridden!
If you can only have 1 bike then fine, pick the one you like best but don't think for a second there isn't another motorcycle out there you haven't ridden that will out do what you have.
That's like thinking you're the toughest bad ass around. There's ALWAYS someone that can kick your ass...

 

[sweatmachine]

I am 61 years old.
Anyone here older?

I own vintage bikes, new motorcycles, choppers, naked bikes, cruisers, and I enjoy every one of them.
This new Thunderbird besides being fast as hell handles at least as well as anything I've ridden!
If you can only have 1 bike then fine, pick the one you like best but don't think for a second there isn't another motorcycle out there you haven't ridden that will out do what you have.
That's like thinking you're the toughest bad ass around. There's ALWAYS someone that can kick your ass...

how in the world did you get all of that out of his post?

 

[Xchoppers]

how in the world did you get all of that out of his post?

Get what?

 

[Xchoppers]

XChopper am not sure if u posted a pic as it looks like there should be one on yr thread. But I am looking forward to seeing it. I have to say that I liked the new T bird when I saw it in the flesh last year and though have never owned cruisers and not intending to in the near future. Should for some reason I end up Bonnieless I may just get one as my next bike.

Sorry, I fixed the first photo I posted.
Here's another.

 

[sweatmachine]

Get what?

your response to his quote had nothing to do with his quote.

 

[Xchoppers]

your response to his quote had nothing to do with his quote.

Do you feel you must respond for everyone else?
I have learned to try to ignore you.
Since you don't like cruisers why are you lurking on this thread?
On second thought, don't bother to answer. I don't care...

 

[Xchoppers]

XChopper am not sure if u posted a pic as it looks like there should be one on yr thread. But I am looking forward to seeing it. I have to say that I liked the new T bird when I saw it in the flesh last year and though have never owned cruisers and not intending to in the near future. Should for some reason I end up Bonnieless I may just get one as my next bike.

Here are a cople of pics I took today after lowering the rear with 11" Progressive shocks.
It still out handles my Bonneville.

http://xchoppers.com/g/d/10671-2/8-10-09a.jpg
http://xchoppers.com/g/d/10680-2/8-10-09b.jpg

 

[sweatmachine]

Do you feel you must respond for everyone else?
I have learned to try to ignore you.
Since you don't like cruisers why are you lurking on this thread?
On second thought, don't bother to answer. I don't care...

well, I'm not lurking, I'm posting! No, I don't answer for everyone. You annoy me as well. I try to ignore you too. Wait, does this site have an ignore feature? Gonna look.

 

[Sal Paradise]

No way does that monster handle as well as my Bonny. Out accellerate sure. But you can't flick a heavy bike like I can my Bonneville. As far as styling it looks like a Triumph version of a Harley to me.

If thats your thing then I can see why you got one. Thats fine . Why not? But its not for me. I'd just buy a Softtail.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Sweat and Chopper, I don't think you two are reading each other's posts in the way they are meant.

Chopper likes his bike, and for his type of riding it handles as well as anything out there and looks great. I saw that as a direct response to the quote.

I haven't ridden a Thunderbird, but for a cruiser it is one of the best looking bikes around, and the layout looks like the handling would be very good for a cruiser.

That said, of course it wont out handle a sport bike, or likely even the lighter Bonneville, but that wasn't what I was reading into it!

Jim

PS Of course, the Scrambler will outhandle anything else, and is faster too!

 

[musicswapshoppe]

I read same as you Jim. And Xchopper has had (and still has 69 T120R, 69 BSA Lightning, 74 Commando, 09 50th Bonnie, 02 VTX 1800, 07 M109, 07 R3 ) enough bikes to make his posts great reading, informative and for me fascinating with the changes he is always making. I have to say I would take the T/bird over any harley, and if I could afford a few bikes it would for sure be in my stable. But alas its not likely. Love yr bike X and cant wait to see the background drop you end up putting this one behind. thanks for sharing.

 

[KingOfFleece]

I've had several Softtails and they are nowhere near the T-bird in terms of motor, braking, handleing, or comfort at speed. They do look good IMO, though.

 

[Thruxtonian]

Tbird looks good I think for what it is. Feet forward just doesn't personally do it for me. Someday maybe, but for now I prefer my feet under or maybe a bit behind. Just a personal thing. I ride with a few guys on Yamaha star cruisers, and they just can't figure out how I could be comforable with my feet "up there" but they are both relatively new riders, and started on cruisers. So for them it's all they know, and all they are used to.
My issue with the tbird is the same as the Speedmaster/America. I think they are nice looking bikes, and I also wanna see Triumph sell enough bikes to be succesful and spread the word. I just feel there are too many cruisers already being sold out there, and would rather see Triumph concentrate on more "unique" machinery.

 

[pepper]

I am 61 years old.
Anyone here older?

I own vintage bikes, new motorcycles, choppers, naked bikes, cruisers, and I enjoy every one of them.
This new Thunderbird besides being fast as hell handles at least as well as anything I've ridden!
If you can only have 1 bike then fine, pick the one you like best but don't think for a second there isn't another motorcycle out there you haven't ridden that will out do what you have.
That's like thinking you're the toughest bad ass around. There's ALWAYS someone that can kick your ass...

My best riding buddy, Jack Kirk, was 82 years old when he died and had been riding since the late 20's. He's the only guy I ever knew who, in his lifetime, had actually owned and ridden a Crocker as an everyday bike. You get him on a bike and he wasn't 82, he was a happy go lucky kid that loved to ride. Just goes to show ya that age don't mean shit. And not that it makes a damn bit of differance but I was the service manager and lead H-D tech of a 5 line motorcycle dealership (Hacienda Motorcycles, go look 'em up) and then went on to own a bike shop of my own for a decade, what, you think I'm some snot nosed kid who doesn't know the differance between a clutch spring and a leaf spring and you gotta tell me how the fuck it all is?

Tim Prentice (http://www.linkedin.com/in/timprentice), the guy who designed your new bike, also designed the Honda Rune, Yammy Road Star, Trump Rocket III, new Indian, etc. etc... and to my eye they all share a common design theme which I don't care for irregardlesss of how well they perform. My fuckin problem pops not yours. Jeeezz, ain't no need to get all bowed up and shit man.

 

[strokerlmt]

Hey Xchopper.........great looking bike. What is the seat ht with the new shocks? I want to ride one to see how it feels. Ride up to Cambria....I'll buy you lunch or we can ride up to Big Sur for lunch.
I enjoy ALL Triumphs. Obviously my Bonneville is my favorite. Anyway keep posting details about the new ride.
LMT

 

[strokerlmt]

PSSSSS.....I'm 59 yrs old. I have really started to enjoy and appreciate machines and riding even more in the last 5 yrs. Instead of "blowin the roses off their stems" as I go by I enjoy every one I see these days. :cheer::cheer:
LMT

 

[Sal Paradise]

Seriously, if you think it out handles a Bonneville, then let me know how you hang off that puppy with that seat and those controls.

Your answer will tell me everything.

 

[drlapo]

at Bennigton this year there was a guy on the "sport ride' on a Rocket III and he had no trouble keeping up with everyone
he had a car tire on the back and it was very unnerving to follow him
he would put that thing up on the edge of the sidewall and just rail around the corners
I had trouble catching him with my Thruxton (on the straights)

 

[biker7]

I sold my Victory Vegas to buy a new Bonneville. By all intents...at least to me, the Vegas is more beautiful than the Tbird. Clean tank versus integrated tach and speedo which I hate...mono shock and much prettier Ness inspired sillohette. Performance is likely equivalent...my Vegas had Brembos. The Tbird may handle a bit better but that would be up for debate...foot control position is similar as are seat options...right now the Victory has more. If you like the fat tired Jackpot version which handles even worse but makes more a statement then the Jackpot is a very high style choppersque bike. I sold the Vegas to buy a new T100 and to me there is no comparison between bikes....much prefer the T100 plus it doesn't make my back sore from riding in the cruiser slouch position. But quibbling over this guys is kinda silly IMHO. At the end of the day there are guys who like to stretch their legs out and crucify their back and feel the vibration of twice the displacement of a bonny motor under them while wrestling with 250 lbs of mass on a raked out bike that is more about style than what makes sense. They want to ride a big and heavy bike because they like the image it projects. The Vegas motor was and is something to behold however.
To buy another cruiser, I would still prefer the Vegas to the Tbird as cruising is about posing and the Vegas is the ultimate production cruiser for just that.
George