HD owners educate me

[Buckeye Bleau]

I never owned a Harley and most likely neve will. I have always enjoyed visiting the dealerships and viewing the lovely steel sculptures and the other items for sale. My wife has bought a helmet and some jackets there, but that is about the extent of it.

I have two two neighbors that own them with the accompanying loud pipes. My question has to do with their preride habits. They will pull the bike out of the garage, two different owners, two different houses, then start the bikes up. They will allow them to idle for 10 to 15 minutes, then sit there throttling them up and down a few times. Is this practice necessary or just a demonstration of testosterone and machismo?

Joe

[Grandpot]

I never owned a Harley and most likely neve will. I have always enjoyed visiting the dealerships and viewing the lovely stell sculptures and the items for sale. My wife has bought a helmet and some jackets there, but that is about the extent of it.

I have two two neighbors that own them with the accompanying loud pipes. My question ha s to do with their preside habits. They will pull the bike out of the garage, two different owners, two different houses, then start the bikes up. They will allow them to idle for 10 to 15 minutes, then sit there throttling them up and down a few times. Is this practice necessary or just a demonstration of testosterone and machismo?

Joe


Joe, that would be the latter or just not knowing what else to do with them.

[Bob Denman]

:bbq::popcorn::bbq::popcorn::bbq::popcorn:

[HankD]

I never owned a Harley and most likely neve will. I have always enjoyed visiting the dealerships and viewing the lovely stell sculptures and the items for sale. My wife has bought a helmet and some jackets there, but that is about the extent of it.

I have two two neighbors that own them with the accompanying loud pipes. My question ha s to do with their preside habits. They will pull the bike out of the garage, two different owners, two different houses, then start the bikes up. They will allow them to idle for 10 to 15 minutes, then sit there throttling them up and down a few times. Is this practice necessary or just a demonstration of testosterone and machismo?

Joe


Idling and revving is what Harley-Davidson's do best :roflblack::roflblack: (and yes, I owned one for a long time)

On another note, I had a group of sport-bikers go near my house last night. They had pipes so loud that they sounded like a hive of mutant bumble-bees from a Japanese monster movie.....revving and shifting just to make noise.....so it's not just HD owners that do it. nojoke

[boomerman]

I am a current owner of a few HD myself and I don't even understand why they do that.
I always used to say if that thing needs you to keep blipping the throttle to keep it idling give it to me and I will fix it with a screwdriver and adjust your idle and fuel mixture.

[Bob Denman]

:agree: Having to blip the throttle, is a sign of a poorly-running chainsaw... :banghead:

[Chupaca]

Others don't....I think it's in the manual..:roflblack: had a old indian but usually did that and things fell off. :roflblack: but they do sound better than the sport bikers needing to hit the rev limiter as often as possible....

[trikermutha]

NOT Needed. Some like to warm up there bikes. Now to blip the throttle another story.

Sounds more like Machismo to me :roflblack:

[cmbspyderrss]

Funny stuff. I think it may be that blue arrow on google maps or your GPS that is the locate me now symbol. They are just letting the neighbors know where they are just Incase you forget from week to week like a locating beacon.

its no different than blipping the throttle when you come to a stop light. Days of carbs needed that to not load up but with FI in 99% of everything there is no need but just one of those cool old habits to have.

[asp125]

Old HDs with carbs might need some blipping to clear its throat. Those with EFI just like the noise. Just like those sport bikers who don't know when to shift; hitting the rev limiter in each gear. But seriously guys, how many of you pull these out of the drawer and give these a squeeze or two before using? ;)
http://www.picnic-basket.com/assets/images/ven/spoche/florida-tongs.jpg

[Bob Denman]

Perhaps it's just the Mating Call of morons... :dontknow:

[UtahPete]

Its no different than blipping the throttle when you come to a stop light. Days of carbs needed that to not load up but with FI in 99% of everything there is no need but just one of those cool old habits to have.

Hmmm. You're right. On my carbureted VStar I do blip the throttle at lights and other stops. But, it's not to hear the engine roar because mine is pretty quiet.

[RinconRyder]

Hardley-Davidson: Turning gasoline into noise for over 100 years.

[Bob Denman]

Hmmm. You're right. On my carbureted VStar I do blip the throttle at lights and other stops. But, it's not to hear the engine roar because mine is pretty quiet.
Which one do you have? :dontknow:
I had a pair of 650 Classics: a 2000, and a 2002. Revving them up doesn't seem tp produce anything other than some exercise for the right wrist! :roflblack:

[mxz600]

I have two two neighbors that own them with the accompanying loud pipes. My question ha s to do with their preside habits. They will pull the bike out of the garage, two different owners, two different houses, then start the bikes up. They will allow them to idle for 10 to 15 minutes, then sit there throttling them up and down a few times. Is this practice necessary or just a demonstration of testosterone and machismo?

Joe

Not sure why they let them idle for 15 minutes, but this is why they throttle them up and down.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu_ozjAu_vM


Perhaps it's just the Mating Call of morons... :dontknow:

Well color me a moron. Everything I have has an aftermarket exhaust (except my sleds. That pipe dumps out down by my right foot, the noise can be excruciating). I love the sound of unbridled HP and it just is not the same with a quiet exhaust. In fact I just love loud stuff. I watch my movies loud, listen to loud music, love to shoot my guns and blow stuff up (boom boom, exploding targets anyone). I am the neighbor from hell.

[Bob Denman]

I'm not talking about loud pipes: that's an entirely different discussion... for another time! :D
I was referring to the mindless blipping of the throttle for no good reason. :banghead:
:D Two-strokes never seem to sound as good as a properly designed four-stroke exhaust system! :bowdown:

But I used to have a set of HPE twins on my XCR 520: they were LOUD, but they gave an amazing boost to the sled's performance! :bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowd own:

[SteveLaoyster]

The way I understand it is a HD with a carb doesn't pull quite enough air/fuel mixture at idle and that gives it the potato noise with an occasional miss.

Blipping the throttle before taking off insures that the bike doesn't stall. Yes, I did experience this with both my HD's.

Once HD put the EFI on the bikes, this problem disappeared. No need to blip the gas anymore. Just a macho thing IMO.

[ARtraveler]

Now that you folks mention it....

I have some HD's in my quiet woodsy neighborhood. They do start them, run them for about 10 minutes, and frequently blip the throttle to impress the neighborhood with their "potatoe, potatoe (copywrited by HD)" sound. Never thought about it--but like the answers so far.

Same with the packs of sport bikes. They whizz by on the Glenn Highway (about two miles as the crow flies) sounding like a pack of attacking Zeros or Messerschmidt dive bombers--and sometimes at 1:00 AM. Once in awhile they get caught by the police and a ticket party takes place. Most of these guys are military--so I let them have their fun.

Driving through my neighborhood--I get polite waves and nods from most of the neighbors. Even the Vulcan has a quiet pleasant sound--to me anyway. I think I like that better. :yes:

[RinconRyder]

The way I understand it is a HD with a carb doesn't pull quite enough air/fuel mixture at idle and that gives it the potato noise with an occasional miss.

Blipping the throttle before taking off insures that the bike doesn't stall. Yes, I did experience this with both my HD's.

Once HD put the EFI on the bikes, this problem disappeared. No need to blip the gas anymore. Just a macho thing IMO.

Nope, not the carbs. If you listen to EFI'd HD's they still have that potato-potato exhaust note. It is the crankshaft degree that fires one cylinder shortly after the first then the ensuing longer pause before the next stroke that makes that sound. Honda tried copying it some years ago with one of their twins and Hardley sued claiming that the sound was copyrighted.

However, some older carburetor HD owners would purposely set their idle speeds very low so that throttle blipping was required to keep the bikes running.

[SteveLaoyster]

Nope, not the carbs. If you listen to EFI'd HD's they still have that potato-potato exhaust note. It is the crankshaft degree that fires one cylinder shortly after the first then the ensuing longer pause before the next stroke that makes that sound. Honda tried copying it some years ago with one of their twins and Hardley sued claiming that the sound was copyrighted.

However, some older carburetor HD owners would purposely set their idle speeds very low so that throttle blipping was required to keep the bikes running.Sorry if I wasn't clear but I meant that the miss & stalling problem is gone since putting EFI on but the potato sound is still there.

[Buckeye Bleau]

So if I inderstand this correctly, my neighbor with a relatively recent model HD does not need to start his bike right beside my sunroom and let it idle for 15 minutes. Correct?

The other take regarding rolling on the throttle before launching, is just his adrenal glands emptying out into his blood stream?

Joe

[Bob Denman]

Yup... next time he does it: walk up, shut it off, pull the key, and give it a toss across his yard! :D

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

But seriously guys, how many of you pull these out of the drawer and give these a squeeze or two before using? ;)
http://www.picnic-basket.com/assets/images/ven/spoche/florida-tongs.jpg
:roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflb lack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:: roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

YOU NAILED IT!!!!!

[SteveLaoyster]

But seriously guys, how many of you pull these out of the drawer and give these a squeeze or two before using? ;)
http://www.picnic-basket.com/assets/images/ven/spoche/florida-tongs.jpg
Yup, been there, done that!:roflblack:

EFI was a great improvement to the internal combustion engine. So long as the engine has oil & coolant, you can drive off shortly after starting. Revving a cold engine to high rpm's is a bad idea thou.

[Yazz]

I have a carby HD. The blip is done before taking off from a stop so it doesn't stall. That has already been discussed here.

In the carburetor days, you had to warm the engine up before riding or you'll have a cranky, stuttering ride. At least that's how my Evo acts.

Why someone with an EFI feels the need to warm his HD up? He has carburetor envy!

[SteveLaoyster]

I have a carby HD. The blip is done before taking off from a stop so it doesn't stall. That has already been discussed here.

In the carburetor days, you had to warm the engine up before riding or you'll have a cranky, stuttering ride. At least that's how my Evo acts.

I did find that by putting Iridium plugs on both my HD's shortened my warm up time significantly.

[ChrisK]

I have (and still regularly ride) a 75 FX-E that looks like an FL (created by my late brother who was somewhat confused). When I took over custody and care it had an old S & S 2 throat that he SWORE worked perfectly. I could not agree LESS - so I replaced it with a S & S Super E. Allegedly the BEST S & S ever... Bottom line? Taking off you've got to give it a bit of throttle and feed out the clutch perfectly or you sit there and wonder what happened. My thought? Old Harleys are just plain ornery - and I would love to find a way to hang EFI on the 'ol shovel just to see how good it could get.

Which explains a lot of why we have 2 RTs for the days when the Harley gets fussy! :yes:

[boomerman]

My 99 and 2003 Harleys have carburetors and I just pull the choke, start the bike and ride off with no issue.
I do not have to let them "warm up" to ride.
I am old school and I have always worked with carburetors and if they are adjusted right you can set the choke, start the car/motorcycle and go.
No need to let them warm up.

[ARNIE R]

Well, since we are here now, another HD question............why all the black t-shirts and/or black vests?

[vampyregirl]

I have a neighbor with a Harley that lets hers warm up for about 15 minutes before she rides. My next door neighbor with a V Star does the same thing. I know the V Star will stall out if he doesn't warm it up. Quite frankly, it sounds like it's sick all the time (the bike, not the neighbor ;) ). Both bikes sound like they have mechanical issues.....

[BoilerAnimal]

Not sure why they let them idle for 15 minutes, but this is why they throttle them up and down.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu_ozjAu_vM



Well color me a moron. Everything I have has an aftermarket exhaust (except my sleds. That pipe dumps out down by my right foot, the noise can be excruciating). I love the sound of unbridled HP and it just is not the same with a quiet exhaust. In fact I just love loud stuff. I watch my movies loud, listen to loud music, love to shoot my guns and blow stuff up (boom boom, exploding targets anyone). I am the neighbor from hell.


I used to. Now I use hearing aids to hear what I used to be able to hear before I damaged my hearing. Now I limit the volume of everything that I can. Too little, too late, however.

[Peteoz]

Please accept the Big Pete comeback of the day award, asp. That is just brilliant...you've made my day.....thanks.....Pete


Old HDs with carbs might need some blipping to clear its throat. Those with EFI just like the noise. Just like those sport bikers who don't know when to shift; hitting the rev limiter in each gear. But seriously guys, how many of you pull these out of the drawer and give these a squeeze or two before using? ;)
http://www.picnic-basket.com/assets/images/ven/spoche/florida-tongs.jpg

[ARtraveler]

Well, since we are here now, another HD question............why all the black t-shirts and/or black vests?

Pink and purple just does not cut it. :thumbup:

[Buckeye Bleau]

I have a neighbor with a Harley that lets hers warm up for about 15 minutes before she rides. My next door neighbor with a V Star does the same thing. I know the V Star will stall out if he doesn't warm it up. Quite frankly, it sounds like it's sick all the time (the bike, not the neighbor ;) ). Both bikes sound like they have mechanical issues.....


I started this and and it has all been very interesting, thank you.

What I find interesting in so many of the posts is that so many people have, did, or know someone, that does this long warm up thing, especially like my neighbors on newer HD machines.

We are talking ten to fifteen minutes, while the delay for start on the Spyder is 15 seconds. :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: And people bitch like crazy about it to the point of being angry!

It is a Mad, Mad, Mad World out there.

Joe

[Yazz]

Well, since we are here now, another HD question............why all the black t-shirts and/or black vests?

Because black doesn't show road grime. I wore a white t-shirt riding once and the front was a medium grey by the end of the ride. That was back before using a windshield, but I still wear dark shirts while riding now.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The way I understand it is a HD with a carb doesn't pull quite enough air/fuel mixture at idle and that gives it the potato noise with an occasional miss.

Blipping the throttle before taking off insures that the bike doesn't stall. Yes, I did experience this with both my HD's.

Once HD put the EFI on the bikes, this problem disappeared. No need to blip the gas anymore. Just a macho thing IMO.
I think it's actually caused by the firing timeing (?). But I may be wrong on that ..... Mike

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

as those young rascals said about them on south park, they are fags

[mxz600]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnhgvOd5BY

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnhgvOd5BY

yes that is the ones that the word was redefined for

[vided]

And you folks talk about those snotty HD folks :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

3........2..........1..........fire

[ofdave]

had two Harleys, a Softtail Classic and a Road King.
Neither one needed to warm up for more than a minute or two. Then driven slowly for a few min. to get it warm.
20W 50 oil in the engine and 75-90 gear oil in the trans, never had an issue.
15 minute warm-ups are probably more like 5, they're just so darn loud it seems longer. The engine would be very near overheating if it idled for 15 min.
Blipping is a throwback to when bikes (not only Harleys) didn't idle well and a quick blip kept them going.
The practice today likely has nothing to do with that, it's just because the rider thinks he/she has to and it's cool.

[Maddoggie501]

had two Harleys, a Softtail Classic and a Road King.
Neither one needed to warm up for more than a minute or two. Then driven slowly for a few min. to get it warm.
20W 50 oil in the engine and 75-90 gear oil in the trans, never had an issue.
15 minute warm-ups are probably more like 5, they're just so darn loud it seems longer. The engine would be very near overheating if it idled for 15 min.
Blipping is a throwback to when bikes (not only Harleys) didn't idle well and a quick blip kept them going.
The practice today likely has nothing to do with that, it's just because the rider thinks he/she has to and it's cool.


Correct. The blipping was to keep the older bikes running. The new ones are fuel injected and do not need any blipping. A short warm up, while i put on my jacket and helmet, and ride away.

[subdude17349]

The blipping when letting out the clutch on older bikes (all of them, not just HD) did indeed clear the carb a bit so it wouldn't stall. Totally unnecessary these days.

But, I have a buddy who does it from every stop on his 17 HD FLQRPLSMFT. I have a great time asking him when HD is finally going to go with fuel injection so he can stop that annoying blipping. :roflblack:

[Sccar]

I don’t have to warm up my HD any more than my spyder. I use to have to let my V-Star warm for a while especially in the cold.

[ARNIE R]

Scenario...

Traffic lite....

Side by side...or, behind me....

First throttle blip, loud.....

Second throttle blip, louder and longer...

Third throttle blip, can't hear myself think.....

Fourth one, Geez, can't the lite just turn green and let this guy go ahead......?:pray:

[melodys39]

When I met my husband, he owned a HD, and I rode on the back with him for about 5 years. Then I found scooters, and went from a small scooter, to a medium size, then a large one.

My scooter club always loved that he rode sweep with us, and the loud pipes kept the cagers off our butts.

He loved his loud pipes, and it is a 'Harley' thing. But he wasn't one to sit and rev the throttle over and over. That is not a 'Harley' thing, but a show of testosterone ☺

When my husband passed away almost a year ago, we buried his favorite belt buckle with him, which read 'Live Free, Ride Free'. Now I see Spyder memorabilia that reads ' Live Free, Ryde Free'. He would have loved that :f_spider:

P.S. As you can see, my avatar is HD. It will forever be a part of my life :doorag:

[classicvw]

Correct. The blipping was to keep the older bikes running. The new ones are fuel injected and do not need any blipping. A short warm up, while i put on my jacket and helmet, and ride away.

Maybe it's so the HD rider can keep the fillings in his teeth from vibrating out? I always laugh my butt off when I'm stopped next to a HD at a traffic light and you can't even read the license plate because it's a vibrating blur. That can't be comfortable if its transmitted to the rider.

[ofdave]

Maybe it's so the HD rider can keep the fillings in his teeth from vibrating out? I always laugh my butt off when I'm stopped next to a HD at a traffic light and you can't even read the license plate because it's a vibrating blur. That can't be comfortable if its transmitted to the rider.


that vibration is on the rubber mounted engines
above 1500 rpm or so when riding it is not felt by the rider

[Lew L]

Reno has Street Vibrations!!!! Thousands of bikes in town. 2 fatalities so far. My bikes stay in the garage this weekend.

Kaos

[Maddoggie501]

that vibration is on the rubber mounted engine

above 1500 rpm or so when riding it is not felt by the rider

I just purchased a 2018 Softail Slim with the 107 motor. It has dual counter balancers. Nothing shakes at idle.

[Bob Denman]

:D I find it interesting that denigrating Harleys and their owners in here is okay...

But watch us get out tails in knots, when someone tells us to "Get a real bike!" :roflblack:

[WileyTweety]

:D I find it interesting that denigrating Harleys and their owners in here is okay...

But watch us get out tails in knots, when someone tells us to "Get a real bike!" :roflblack:

Owned Japanese Crotch Rockets most of my younger years. Always said that Harleys were for Old Farts who couldn't handle the speed. After a couple of bad crashes, thought I'd better get a slower bike and not kill myself. Now consider me an Old Fart with a Harley VRod. Got highsided and broke my wrist in two places. Wife said that I was getting too old to be riding something meant to fall over. Resisted getting or even thinking about a Trike till saw one in office garage. Test rode one in Seattle which changed my mind as it was still a blast to ride - even on 3 wheels. Mulled it over for a few months and decided to give in to the "boss" and look for a Spyder. Went back to Seattle and test rode the F3s and was sold. Now waiting for the ship transporting bike to land.

As for blipping the throttle, for me a matter of habit. Love the sound of the rumble as all my bikes were piped and loud. Harleys are a bit loud but I still have fun taking the grandson out and setting off car alarms in the parking lot! He thinks its a blast too! Guess it's my way of fighting the "Old Fart" label!!! Wondering if the Spyder will be able to do that too.

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: You probably DO have to grow old... :banghead:
But nobody ever told me, that growing up was mandatory!! :thumbup:

[flaggerphil]

Compensation.

[ofdave]

I just purchased a 2018 Softail Slim with the 107 motor. It has dual counter balancers. Nothing shakes at idle.

my '04 Softtail didn't shake at idle either.
Softtails are not rubber mounted.

[Bob Denman]

Compensation.

:D For what? :roflblack: