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As for the title of lurker, the wife would probably agree with that title when I surprise and grab her.

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I've been accused of being a lurker in this way as well. It can be quite challenging too! I do however, use my own wife as the lurkee....

I've been reading the BA.com posts for about a month now and have found them very informative and entertaining. So yeah, I've been lurking.

I am a returning rider with a tough decision to make. Which bike to get. This is really a tough decision...

I rode mostly H-D's back before "The Fad" began. you remember, back when the transverse four was going to rule the world and the V-Twin was an obsolete and dying mount.

I bought and sold a bunch of 'em and got out of the bikes all together, thinking that "The Fad" would be over in a year or so and I could pick up a nice late model weekend warrior's bike when he got tired of it. Well,,, Ahem... Has it been a year yet??

My requirements for my new bike are:

Upright riding position. (I'm too old and fat to be a jockey.)

Hard luggage capable. (I carry a lot of junk at times.)

Trailer hitch capable. (See above.)

Comfortable cruising at 70+ MPH.

No H-D's. (Everybody and their brother has one.)

No H-D clones. (Everybody's brother and their uncle has one.)

No 2 wheeled Mars rovers. (I want an old school standard/cruiser/tourer. Not something that was designed by Buck Rogers after some bad mushrooms.)

My short list of bikes are:

Bonneville America or most likely Speedmaster.

Moto Guzzi Stone/California/EV.

Ducati GT1000

BMW R1150r

Notice anything about my choices? They're all twins. I like twins!

The BMW is a little too Buck Rogers-ish but it rides great. It is a little "soul-less" though, if you know what I mean.

The Ducati is an old school bike and I do fit it but, I haven't been able to ride one yet.

The Guzzi's feel right and are currently tied for first place. It would be however, an unsold '03 or '04 as Guzzi can't get their act together in the U.S. The rest of the world is getting new standard/cruiser,tourers but, the U.S. only gets the Mars rovers.

The BA and SM are tied with the Guzzi in my book. A little less power but, a little less weight. The Guzzi has the edge on handling but, I'm not a knee dragger anyway.

My head hurts... Decisions, decisions...

The BA does have a really big plus though. When I got on one for the first time, It felt like, well, it was so "right" that it felt like I had ridden it for years.

Now, before I have to put on my Nomex undies, I am not badmouthing the H-D or those bikes styled after it. I do like a lot of them. I just refuse to be one of the crowd. It's a choice. I guess that makes me anti-social, huh? I've been labeled worse...

Let me know your thoughts and opinions! I need valid arguments about my choices, pro or con.

Whew! I sure am longwinded aren't I...

Thanks

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Dave

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