Stereo systems are like Harleys

Hee Hee, That’s what I mean. I’m from the Bay Area. Richmond, Oakland, Jan Jose. Those old bike were as long as a VW bug back then..

Jack Egan, Sonny Barger, Jaime Melgoza. They met up for Sturgis in the little rural communities like Brentwood, Byron hot springs, Bethel Island. Never any problems. Usually 3-500 would roll through. My Dad knew more of than me, a LOT were veterans of WWII, Korea and some of the 62-65 Vietnam advisers... I knew their kids.. They were pretty strict about their kids going to school. No lack of discipline, lets say..

My Dad worked on a LOT of their bikes pre Sturgis and a few of the Widow maker runs.. Hill climes.. LOT of fun back then.. !/2  milers too. The beautiful 750 Harleys, all rollerised.. My dream bike back then, reverse throttle guy too.. Just made good sense back then for good wheelies.. Hee Hee..

My Dad had an Ariel Square Four. Beautiful..Me a flathead 45, hated that thing.. Had a transmission out of a trike SFPD retired 45s.. lots of parts.. had a reverse... YUP.. was for a trike.. 50.00 usd..

Regards

"I hope there’s not an audiophile equivalent."      The wannabe/weekend warrior/shop-to-live, live-to-shop, "audiophile"  (99%ers, maybe?)

 There is, it is called "The audio lifestyle". This was big a few years ago. Audio Research when it was owned by McIntosh push this among other brands. I remember an Audio Research Rep telling me it was not about audiophiles anymore. It was about living the audio lifestyle. I told my Audio Research dealer (a good friend), I was too old for another lifestyle. I was just in it for the music.

 I am glad to say that it looks like Audio Research has gotten back to the family philosophy. Not just trying to sell new gear but servicing the old stuff as well.

Weekend Warriors? Accessorizing because from the factory, the thing is kind of disappointing? Weight to power ratio? I dunno. I had a "not real Harley"-- a V-Rod which was a great motor in search of a frame that didn't flex, had brakes that didn't do much (I installed Brembos and then the frame really did flex) and did do some customization by stripping off all the crap the prior owner had installed to make it a rat rod.  That market peaked several years ago (kind of around the same time that Guitar Heroism™ died), except for the hard core riders. Old Harleys are cool, but man, you got to have an ass of steel.
I had a friend who did the Real Cannonball Baker run (not the car thing, but running X-country on a bike, in his case a pre WWII Harley with a suicide shifter when he was in his early 70s). Tough Brit.
So, Japanese bikes are like digital to Harley analog?
Where does BMW fit in?
I liked the Italian bikes.
I'd really like a Brough for bragging rights, but I quit riding a while ago and never considered myself good, only careful. I'm now too old, too likely to really hurt myself and my reflexes aren't what they were. I do miss the freedom you feel on a bike. Maybe flying is the way to go. 

I traded my Road King for a minivan over 15 years ago.  Now I listen to music with my 15 year old.  :-)
Just a little virtue signaling there.  Only hurts when I laugh, haha.