I was at the bike show in Calgary last weekend and what a huge selection of bikes to see! There were lotsa cruisers, customs, and scooters.
Bikes from 50cc one-lungers....all the way up to a 500cu.in./500h.p. Chevy big block powered custom. (The stock 350cu. inch Chevy wasn't big enough for him anymore?! ???)
Well, ya know the only bikes there that still really turn my crank were the Road Stars! The new Stratoliners are nice, but theY don't have the character like the RoadStar's styling.. {but they do have EFI and pushrods!).
The newest big cruisers like "Suzuki M109R" and Victory's "Vegas Jackpot" are beautiful bikes... But these guys ruined their V-twin engines by putting in Overhead cams! What is an OHC doing in a V-Twin engine? Who cares about high-revving HP? A V-Twin was built for low-end Torque and low center of gravity, wasn't it? As far as I'm concerned, if ya want OHC and a screaming motor, go buy a sportbike.
I get a lot of comments on my Roadie having a pushrod valvetrain, and lots of long time bikers tell me they think Yamaha did the best job building a big
V-twin, because they made 'em the way it was meant to be, with PUSHROD valve actuation!
I love my Roadie!
Pushrod V-Twins RULE!

I don't know. I kinda like the old 70's beemers with the narrow tanks and the cylinders sticking out of both sides.

Talking about cylinders sticking out of the sides, a relly neat looking bike is the new 2 cylinder URAL "Gear-UP" in olive drab camo paint, complete with engageable 2 wheel drive, and built in side car. Just like they used in the military in the 50's in Germany. The Ural is made in Russia and now imported into Canada.
It looks like a bike I would love to get to take my kids fishing in, the things will go on and off -road just about anywhere, they are neat looking retro style units, and extremely simple and bulletproof.
I agree with you Musky the cylinders poking out of a bike's sides are a neat feature. Thats the one thing I like about the appearance of early Goldwings (pre 1982)

I really like the looks of the Triumph America. After I get the Roadie payed off I might just have to get one for my around town bike. Very reasonably priced too I think.

I have a buddy that has one of the Ural's with the sidecar, it is a kick! It looks really old school (with the olive drab paint) and really turns some heads! The kids enjoy riding in the sidecar. Told the wife, that is what she needs!

The Strats and Roadliners are real nice technologically but if I want glitz I will buy a Queen CD! I love the R* for the same reason I love FatBoys and Softails...OLD SCHOOL BAaaaaaaAaaaby!!

I am not a full blown, Indian Larry type, chopper kind of guy...but I think VTwins should have just a certain look...RS got it

Regards, Ted

I think VTwins should have just a certain look

I think definetly the motors should be in a V configuration. And for sure there should be 2 cylinders.

I don't know about "RULE", but these pull pretty good for something missing about 1000 rpm. I've had the 03 Silverado LE since my FIL stopped riding last May, and I am ok with it, but not totally in love. I've had the quality issues with the Yamaha accessories, and in my world, anything that vibrates this much needs to be dis-assembled and see what's wrong. Sure, its pretty comfortable, and I enjoy it most in the warm months (only 2 more cool ones to go in Texas) especially without a windshield. You can't argue with the torque(my rear tire is trash in 5000 miles from hard pulls) and the basic machine is pretty solid. I wish it did not vibrate to hell at 55-60mph (or at all for that matter) and had another 800-1000 rpm to roll out. Other than that, its pretty nice. Ain't no SV-650 though! The seat is my ONLY gripe with the SV. And those DOHC Twins make power in spades! Pushrods RULE? Naaaah.

Ain't no rubber mounts here. She's a big ol metal mounted torque monster. Gotta expect to feel it when she purrs and hang on when she roars.

I've been having some fun on this thread but I agree on the Roadie. Only bike I ever had that pushed ALL the right buttons.

Mine wags its tail like dinners here when shes idling ,but I dont notice alot of vibration at 60???.....Coug