Are harleys the ultimate road bike?

i'm stuck in a dilemna between harley and triumph.

Are harleys the ultimate road bike?computer

Let me answer this one by saying that I own many bikes (I am a mechanic and I build custom racing bikes). I currently own:

1998 Harley Road King

2000 BMW R-1200

2001 Suzuki Intruder VS-1400

2003 Suzuki GSX-R 1000

1993 Suzuki Katana 750 (track race bike)

I love all my bikes but I ride the BMW and the Intruder the most. They are the most trouble free and they are my daily commuters. Every morning they start and run perfectly. The GSXR is the same story, but I only ride that one on weekends with me buddys. The Katana is only for use on the track. That leaves the Harley. A fine bike and people really seem to love it when I show up someplace on it. But, it has it's problems.

Even in a 1998 model, the thing leaks oil from the pan (replaced it twice -- once from the Dealership and once myself) and tends to run REALLY rich when the weather heats up. Fouling plugs is not uncommon. Also, Harleys are all air-cooled (with the exceptiong of the V-Rod, which is an AMAZING bike -- if you get the chance, ride one) so they have a hard time in traffic in hotter climates (I live in Texas -- VERY HOT). I have had my Road King simply get too hot and quit on me a few times. Never happens with my imports.

The long and the short of it is this: What do you want to use the bike for? If you are going to be riding every day like I do and you can only afford one bike, then get something from Honda or Suzuki or BMW. These are high quality machines with a lone life and no real troubles to speak of. But if you are a RUB (thats Rich Urban Biker -- someone who just likes the IDEA of riding) then buy the Harley. For weekends and roadtrips in pleasant weather, you can't do better. A lot of people like the Harleys better based on the image, not the machine itself. So if you want image, yeah, get a Harley. If you want a bike that will run for years and give you no headaches, look elsewhere.