I was in the local Yamaha dealer several years ago buying parts for my money pit Yamaha Warrior atv. I was waiting on the parts guy and started wondering around the showroom. I saw a pearl white Roadie all stripped down with a solo seat and seat rail. I told my wife right there that I would own one just like it some day. Long story short I had previously sold my prize pearl white 73 sportster to help pay for a water well and septic system on our property. I went 12 years without a bike. I was driving through town and saw a Victory for sale and we stopped to look. I rode it and thought it was the biggest piece of shit I ever sat on. I went home and did some research and decided to forget that deal. I did however have permission to buy it. That was a big step. I started looking at lots of bikes. One night I was looking at some dealer adds and saw a pearl white Roadie with low miles. I went the next day and looked at it. I wanted it bad but after the Victory deal I got nervous and went home to do some research. My research brought me to the RSC. I read for hours and the next day I called the dealer and told him I would take it. I had to forward 100 bucks to get them to hold it. I picked it up the next Saturday. I bought it for $2500 less than I sold my 73 Sportster for.

Grew up on Harleys in Milwaukee but moved to California in the late 80s & couldn't afford to live there and have a Harley.
Checked out every bike at the San Francisco 1998 International Motorcycle Show with the wife (now ex).
Sat on the Henderson - felt like a dead moose, couldn't imagine trying to ride it.
Sat on a Gilroy-era Indian, liked it, didn't like the price & the seat felt like a bare wooden park bench.
Sat on an HD Ultra, wife said it felt cramped for such a big bike, rear guards hit her right in the leg.
Sat on the Roadstar, holy crap this thing is HUGE! Thought about that bike for a long time.
No money to buy a new bike at the time so we rode home 2-up on my Kawasaki police bike.

Fast forward to 2008, after moving to Wisconsin I get a job at a Yamaha dealership & there's a 2006 Roadstar right in front of my desk. Mostly stock but already had 2000 miles on it, it was a factory rep's demo bike that he traded in on a Rhino side by side. Had V&H HS longshots on it too, this was the bike all the sales people started to show customers how bitchin' a Yamaha sounds with pipes & proper jetting. That bike almost sold several times but didn't & after sitting in the store for 2 years unsold, I struck a deal with the owner of the store to take it home.

It's the bike in my profile pic (slightly altered since then).

Had wanted a bike forever. Didn't realize you could get good looking cruisers for a good price. Came home from work one day to my neighbor cleaning his new to him 6 year old Vstar 650 classic real nice looking bike. Found out he only paid 3000 for it and I flipped. I knew I could get 3g together so I started Web shopping. Always liked the look of the Indians and was trying to hold out for a Kawi Drifter. Stopped at a local bike shop and they had a Vstar classic 650 listed at 3200. I told them I would do 2800 cash right now and brought it home. After finding out I really enjoy riding I wanted something bigger and was looking into a liner but came across a guy on Craigslist willing to trade so I traded a Dakota rt then sold the vstar for fairing and bag money. Love this bike and the only bike I would consider leaving it for would be the Indian Chieftain, but that will be after my oldest graduates college.

It was my first bike - went big. It was one that a buddy rode and raved about so I followed his reco. It turned out to be a great canvas and a powerful option.

I was looking for a replacement for my 87 goldwing that I had gotten tired of dumping money into....saw my 2000 Silverado and it looked cool and my wife liked all the studs and said "I'd ride on the back of THAT instead of the old man's bike (goldwing)"....it was in my price range and I bought it...didn't know squat bout R*'s and was shocked at the torque.....It was love at first sight.......


and btw....it doesn't look like it did when I bought it............

for 20 yrs or so i was sports bike or nothing.... last real sports i loved was a GSX-R 750, problem was it just kept trying to kill me.... but ended up killing it instead. t-boned a car breaking it into three pieces. decided to get a vintage sports... 750 katana.... but ended up killing it, just could take the abuse cause i couldnt help myself.

best day ever was when i drove passed a bike shop and saw a big arse bike sitting on the footpath, stopped and found out it was a Roadstar..... i took a seat on it, started it up and then decided to buy it.... didnt even ride it just loaded it onto my ute and took it home. when i did take it for a ride it took about 3 seconds and i was in love, i have bought three so far.... still own two and a spare engine for just incase.

Was a sport bike guy for a lot of years and had them all..... GSXR750, R1, F4i, sv650, zx14, zx10, and a few others I cant remember lol. While I had my R1 I bought a Kawasaki Mean Streak for a great price. It was such a nice ride I loved it and wasn't riding the R1 nearly as much anymore. Long story short I bought an investment house and sold all the toys extra cars and both bikes to fix it up with cash no loans and as soon as I finished I went out and bought the zx14 which was one of the best bikes i ever had very balanced, fast, and comfortable. Ultimately wanting more comfort and selling the zx14 for an fz1 which was a great bike but in my mind I wanted a custom metric bagger to take trips on but was anti harley at the time. I saw a great deal on an 04 roadie that had less than 1000 miles on it, rode it and bought it the same day.

I had done some research and new that the roadie was easy to customize and I built the ultra star of my dreams.







Rode it for about 2 years before I realized that for trips and long distance the roadstar was not making me happy with all the vibration, lack of power, and lack of turning radius. I just about grinded my floorboards off in the mountains lol. So I bought a concours c14 for the long trips but the bike just wasn't me so I traded it for a Honda F6b which I absolutely love and will be my touring bike for many years to come.



Also realized in that same week that I would never take that custom roadie on another trip again just beat me up too bad so I sold it and a couple months later bought the roadie in the sig pic for my around the town bike and I love it for what it is!

Grant

Was sold due to the reliability and plenty of aftermarket parts to add to it. Then I found out about this clinic and have been broke ever since. Great bike and wouldn't part with it.

I was always in love with the midnight from day one. The bike as a whole showed so much muscle and style. Loved all the chrome that came from the factory. I found it was so easy to work on any part of it with out having any speacial tools. It was very easy to modify it for bottom end or top end. I loved the torque that the bottom end gave me after I installed a 30 tooth pulley. The roady ws the only bike I could find that gave me all this with out emptying my wallet.

I rode every big cruiser available in 2004-5. I rented several different HD including the Heritage Softail, Road King, Road Glide and Fat Boy...I had wanted another big VTwin for as long as I can remember...my choice came down to the Heritage Softail and the R*...with two step children in college, I could not justify the $8000 difference in price...I've owned the R* for 11 1/2 years and have never regretted the choice...if I had the money, today, I'd buy an Indian...Yamaha blew it killing off the big cruisers.

I owned a 1977 FXE and it was the worst bike I ever owned...took me many years to give HD another try.