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Question: How much Cool are you willing to sacrifice for Comfort?

5K views 55 replies 30 participants last post by  Joe_13 
#1 ·
Ok, so I ride a Harley and I'm in my 40's. My Dad rides a Harley and he's in his 70's. He has an Ultra, I have a Street Glide. He has a cup holder on his bike, I said it messes up the look. On long Road trips,he's kicked back sipping Sweet Tea, I'm dying of thirst. He has a Tall Wind Shield, I prefer the low look. He has a backrest. I say it makes it look like an Old Mans Bike. He has been riding for 50 Years, I've been riding for 20 Years. I know that everything he's suggesting would make it more comfortable but I'm just not ready to trade in Cool for Comfort quite yet.
At this stage in my life, I'm OK with 70% Cool and 30% Comfort.

What is your Percentage of Cool and Comfort?
 
#6 ·
Something to think about from the Evel Knievel thread. The Fonz looked cool leaning against his bikes, but he couldn't ride. Don't worry about what other people think is cool, learn from your father. Comfort is much better than cool if you do anything more than bar hopping with your bike. If bar hopping is your thing then hurry up and get then lean away, Aaaaaaaaaaaaay!:thumbsup:
 
#7 ·
When I was in my 20s I was looking at bikes and really liked the Goldwing but my wife said that it was a fat old mans bike so I bought a Vulcan and really like it for years. Fast forward 25 years and now I have a Valkyrie (for those that don't know this is a sport version of a Goldwing) I have been looking to add a trunk to my bike there is no cool factor in a trunk it would just be nice to have a place to put my helmet someplace safe and dry when I get somewhere. I also hope to bring my wife for some longer rides and she doesn't know how to pack light! I guess this makes me a fat old man at this point and frankly this is somewhat true :)
 
#9 ·
At some point in your life you just don't care what others think about you. It might be when you are finally mature. Not really sure there but I hit that point so long ago that I can't remember when it was or what I thought cool was then. I did hold off on the back rest. Figured with my bad back it would be just one more thing to bother the back. Had nothing to do with being cool. But I should have added one many years ago. There are so many other things more important than being cool though. Once you realize that, then you are cool. JMHO :wink2:
 
#11 ·
Being "cool" typically means sacrificing yourself just to impress others. Frankly, I don't give a **** what others think of me. To be blunt. My only concern in the context of others is that they don't think I'm a gross person. So I bathe and such. But I don't care what they think of the bike I ride, car I drive, clothes I wear, etc.

I'm 40 years old. I have several bikes, my main ride is an Ultra Classic. I have a backrest on it, and I have a tall windshield. I'm a very tall guy, and I'd rather be comfortable than try to impress other people. The bike came with a short windshield that looked cool, but I actually ride distance, and that short shield was miserable to sit behind.

I remember as a teen, I said I'd never dress or act like my dad. Fast forward 20 years and I get it now. I know why he's the way he is.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I ride a '99 Goldwing with EVERYTHING!
And as far as I'm concerned, I "AM" COOL!
And I don't care what others think.
I rack up the miles while they are leaning on their bikes being "cool" like the fonz. LOL!!
I have a backrest, two way radio, cruise control, stereo, GPS, and a big trunk and saddlebags to carry my soft side ice chest with cold drinks, as well as a place for extra clothes and rain gear.
AND!!! my bike is QUIET!!!
I don't need a loud exhaust that screams "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!!!"
And I certainly don't need a pirate outfit with a "doo rag" wrapped around my head and big scruffy beard to make me look tough!
Damned right I'm cool!!
 
#15 ·
I ride an 81 Honda CB750 C myself so I kinda have both in terms of comfort and cool. There are features that after riding for a while I would love to have... Larger windshield, deeper seat, a cupholder for my morning coffee lol. Being 30 myself and working construction I'm beginning to lean more toward the comfort and functionality because my back doesn't care about cool ? lol.
 
#18 ·
I am the coolest person I know:71baldboy:

When you have ridden 1,000 mile days across the deserts of Ca, AZ and NM on your way to the Sturgis, SD rally in the first week of August, believe me. you want as much comfort as you can get and being COOL is much more important than looking COOL.:grin: Average temps hovering at 105 plus almost anywhere in the area points out the importance of good ergonomics for the long haul.

Young or OLD like me, heat and dehydration takes it's dangerous toll. We almost lost a young Lady to heat stroke on the way back from Medford, Oregon and South through Bakersfield, CA when the entire ride was 115 degrees!

If you think you look COOL on a 2x4, hard Bobber seat, by all means go for it. Believe me your tastes will change sooner than later.:smile_big:

Bye the way, your young 'Hottie' girlfriend really doesn't enjoy looking cool riding down the road setting on a narrow and hard 'P PAD' excuse for a passenger seat on your cool ride:surprise:

I'll at this point sacrifice 99% of my abundance of cool for comfort when I ride:smile_big:

Sam:nerd:
 
#19 · (Edited)
I am the coolest person I know:71baldboy:Young or OLD like me, heat and dehydration takes it's dangerous toll. We almost lost a young Lady to heat stroke on the way back from Medford, Oregon and South through Bakersfield, CA when the entire ride was 115 degrees!

If you think you look COOL on a 2x4, hard Bobber seat, by all means go for it. Believe me your tastes will change sooner than later.:smile_big:

Sam:nerd:
Wow. Yeah. I rode up and down most of California in a few days. On the third day it was extra hot in the afternoon. I was passing out I was so hot. I drank plenty. That wasn't a problem, the problem was that it was just too hot.

I knew in that state, I just had to take a nap, cool off, and let the heat of the day let up a little.

I literally laid down behind a bush and took a nap...and the bush definitely didn't keep people from seeing me, but it was helpful "in theory". At least at that heat level even the insects were on a break, lol.

At that moment I felt 0% cool and 100% practical.

And yeah, my 2017 Yamaha WR250R dual sport looks so incredibly awesome but it lacks every comfort including it's awful seat! I've wanted to replace it for 2 years now, but instead I keep up with tires, oil changes, chain lubing, new chain, etc. I'll get there, and while it looking nice would be good, the new seat must be comfortable first!



Back rest? Now you're just making me sleepy, lol. I huge back pack filled just right, when leaned back on gives my back rest just fine. For more daily trips, I have a bag strapped on the back combined with a more normal sized backpack which also allows me to lean back and rest my back. The "extra" bag would normally fit in the backpack, but drinks are heavy and I love not having them carried on my back. The rain gear keeps drinks cold for a while (insulation), and it has a tire inflation/goop can (this last bit would not fit in the backpack if I have my school books).
 
#22 ·
...I'm just not ready to trade in Cool for Comfort quite yet.
At this stage in my life, I'm OK with 70% Cool and 30% Comfort.

What is your Percentage of Cool and Comfort?
You don't have to trade cool for comfort. At this stage of my life (nearly 72 years old), I'm 100% ok with my ride and that's all that counts.

 
#26 ·
Guess I'm a horse of a different color, I have taken 600 mile trips on my wide glide carrying nothing more than a back pack
because I liked the look of a guy not getting fancy with anything. If I heard it would rain, I had plastic bags to keep my boots dry,
a cell phone in a ziplock bag in my vest and rain gear where I could get it quickly. I was very satisfied to just get on the bike an
start rolling to where I wanted to get to.

The clothes in the back pack were in plastic bags though, just to make sure they stayed dry, doing that lotsa $$ on debit card and
a couple hundred in small bills, it all worked out fine.
 
#27 ·
The way I did it on my Ironhead '69 Sporty back in 1973 .. :) No Cell Phone or Credit Card though .. Did the route 66 thing a couple times and found some temporary work for cash .. Total different world then though, far more helpful and friendly people especially in rural areas ..
 

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#30 ·
Those guys riding across the country on choppers during the 60s and 70s did have some kind of appeal. But like a lot of things, as much as I like the idea, I just can't do it myself anymore. I'm getting too old and beat up. And I've spent too much time being domesticated. I couldn't give up the creature comforts anymore without a bit of a fight.

On a related note, I'd love to live off the grid in Alaska. But I know I'd never make it a year these days. So instead I like reading books about people that did.
 
#31 ·
I ride an '02 Dyna with a sidecar but always wear long pants, boots, and armour MC jacket because it is comfortable. The chance of my sliding down the highway is minuscule but I still wear the protection.

At 69 and riding for over 54 years I don't give a sweet G.D. what anybody thinks! Ride your own ride.
 
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