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 Figure 1: A Japanese version of an American classic. In the beautiful and uneventful year 2020, we talk about cruisers. Some people have too much chrome, too little gear, and like to shift below the handlebars. What is a cruiser? Cruisers are what companies think Americans are nostalgic for: low seat, wide handlebars, forward pegs, fat rear wheel. They usually have a v-twin engine that has a high displacement, but revs low. They're also heavy. Very heavy. Who makes cruisers? Like, everybody. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha all have their own. Ducati makes 'em. BMW is making one. Indian motorycycles is back with super expensive ones, along with forum-favorite Harley Davidson(R). Why would I want a cruiser? You want one because you're a big fan of straight roads, wearing leather (but not the protective kind), and chrome. Sons of Anarchy is your favorite show. You don't go on very long trips or very short trips. You really like to customize your bike with a lot of expensive accessories. Why wouldn't I want a cruiser? A lot of these things are still stuck in the motorcycle dark ages. Harley still thinks ABS is the hot new thing. Cruisers are expensive. KTM doesn't make a cruiser Duke. Dirt is a no-no. Should I get a cruiser? Yes. There's really no good reason except that cruisers are fun. There's a low roar of the engine, along with the forward facing seating position that is relaxing. You can't flick them like a sportbike. They're hot and probably air cooled. There's something about riding a cruiser that you either like or don't. Plus, you can make people's heads explode when you actually wear a full-face helmet.  Figure 2: A 2007 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider. Note the copious amount of chrome and the upright seating.  Figure 2: An Indian Scout Sixty: A mid-life crisis. Show me your cruisers! RIP C.A.H.O.G. Long live C.A.H.O.G.
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Jul 9, 2020 17:47
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| # ? Apr 23, 2024 15:52 |
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I have a Goldwing
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Jul 9, 2020 21:39
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One day I'll buy a real Indian, but until I have a job that pays double what I'm making now I'm going to stick to my vulcan clone. It's as Indian as I am, looks like it but not enough to count.
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Jul 10, 2020 01:34
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I like cruisers. First I had this bike, which I got 2 days after passing the MSF:  Then I traded it in for this bike because I needed some storage and stability on the highway:  But I obliterated that bike, so I bought this one:  And I love my Road Glide, but it's not really a motorcycle per se, it's more like a trike with two wheels if that makes sense. I actually kind of regret trading in that original Sportster, because they're just so dang customizable and fun. But they're really top heavy and suck on the highway, which is where I do most of my riding. The Road Glide is great for having a passenger, transporting a lot of poo poo, going long distances, and is surprisingly stable at low speeds. That said, the stock suspension is god drat terrible. I've heard I just didn't adjust it properly, but I thought I had. HD catches a lot of poo poo for being slow, unreliable, having legacy technology, a high MSRP, and above all else, the worst fanbase. They're not meant to be fast (you can make them faster but yes a stock CBR1000RRRRRRR is going to beat a Harley any day), the reliability hasn't been an issue since the 90s, and they're starting to get ABS and TPMS and traction control as of 2018. The cost is somewhat comparable to other American cruisers, and the top end of their reasonable bikes is about $28k. You can get into a Sportster for like $8500, but they have smaller less expensive bikes if you can ignore the stigma. At this point arguing against Harley is like arguing why a Playstation is better than an XBox or an iPhone is better than an Android: if you can afford it, it's really just a matter of preference.
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Jul 10, 2020 14:02
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Jim Silly-Balls posted:I have a Goldwing I call mine a "bagger" around the Harley guys at work. It really is Honda's first attempt at a cruiser though, and only became a touring bike by necessity. It stopped being a "cruiser" in 88.
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Jul 10, 2020 15:20
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I dunno. Anyone I’m who knows even a little about bikes knows what you mean when you say Goldwing. There is even less variation there than just genetically saying “Harley”.
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Jul 10, 2020 15:28
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Jim Silly-Balls posted:I dunno. Anyone I’m who knows even a little about bikes knows what you mean when you say Goldwing. There is even less variation there than just genetically saying “Harley”. Yeah probably, but they're not remembering that the wing started out as a naked with a low seat for big asses and neutral riding position ie a cruiser. It wasn't until someone figured out you can really eat up the miles on them that @Loderunner's old man starting making aftermarket fairings and bags for them. Honda wanted a piece of that action and came out with the Interstate and dropped the standard, and the bike ballooned from there. The rest is history until the Valkyrie came out.
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Jul 10, 2020 15:58
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Please do not act like someone with an OG naked wing would simply just say “Goldwing” when referring to their bike lol “What kind of bike do you have?” “A Goldwing, but a naked one, you know? Without all the fairings and bags and windshield? Like a regular 70’s Honda but with a boxer motor like a Porsche or Subaru. They keep the crank down low in the oil which helps with longevity. It’s not like the new ones that look a lot like Harley’s, this one just looks like a normal motorcycle. It’s from that small window of time when you could buy them naked or maybe convert some of the older ones. There were also aftermarket fairings you’d sometimes see on them but mine doesn’t have any of that. Still has all of the good qualities of the newer wings though so it’s like the best of both worlds you know? Eats up miles but is still aesthetically rooted in 70’s UJM design. Hey where are you going? You don’t even know whether I use car tires yet or not! Spoiler alert I do and it’s called dark siding but it’s really the way to go because”
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Jul 10, 2020 16:31
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Strife posted:HD catches a lot of poo poo for being slow, unreliable, having legacy technology, a high MSRP... the top end of their reasonable bikes is about $28k. Strife posted:reasonable I was going to give you poo poo about considering 28k reasonable, but that's not an argument only that lands against HD. Indians can cost even more (a Roadmaster is $29K MSRP), Goldwings are in that ballpark. As far as I can tell, reliability really isn't an issue with HD and hasn't been for decades, as you said. I think Harleys probably see more miles than the majority of other bikes on the road, too - Harley riders might have a rep for trailering their bikes everywhere, but I get the impression that's mostly BS. One of the local dealers by me has 7 or 8 used 2019s on the floor with more than 20k miles on them already, and hands down the highest mileage bikes I most frequently see are HD touring models.
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Jul 10, 2020 16:36
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Jazzzzz posted:I was going to give you poo poo about considering 28k reasonable, but that's not an argument only that lands against HD. Indians can cost even more (a Roadmaster is $29K MSRP), Goldwings are in that ballpark. Yeah I just meant because the CVO models are unreasonable. Both in price and function.
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Jul 10, 2020 16:56
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Jazzzzz posted:I was going to give you poo poo about considering 28k reasonable, but that's not an argument only that lands against HD. Indians can cost even more (a Roadmaster is $29K MSRP), Goldwings are in that ballpark. It’s been years since I’ve seen a bike on a trailer. I give my bike some grief for some things, but it’s built like a rock. Maneuvers like one too
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Jul 10, 2020 22:42
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Here’s my Dyna Low Rider. Even has the sun glinting off the chrome. 
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Jul 12, 2020 00:05
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Here’s my 2020 Lowrider S. I recently added an Edward Richie Sissy Bar, Whiplash Seat, Joker Machine pegs, Biltwell alumni core grips, RRI front led signals, and a lay down plate holder. A moon low profile tail light with integrated signals is hopefully going on this weekend. 
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Jul 24, 2020 20:44
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I picked up a 2001 Road King. I’ve been modding it into a west coast cholo/vicla style bike. I’ve done stretched bags, 16” apes, a rear fender overlay, a 21” front wheel and a few smaller things. I also have stretched side covers I have to paint up and install yet. I bought it for a really great price and have lost any equity I had with these parts. I’m enjoying it more than I expected. 
kenny powerzzz fucked around with this message at 06:10 on Jul 26, 2020 |
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Jul 26, 2020 06:06
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kenny powerzzz posted:I picked up a 2001 Road King. I’ve been modding it into a west coast cholo/vicla style bike. I’ve done stretched bags, 16” apes, a rear fender overlay, a 21” front wheel and a few smaller things. I also have stretched side covers I have to paint up and install yet. I bought it for a really great price and have lost any equity I had with these parts. I’m enjoying it more than I expected. How tall are you? I have 9" bars on my bike and I can't conceive of what it's like to ride with anything higher, but I'm only about 5'9.
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Jul 27, 2020 14:09
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Strife posted:How tall are you? I have 9" bars on my bike and I can't conceive of what it's like to ride with anything higher, but I'm only about 5'9. I’m 6’2”. The grips end up at or slightly above my shoulder level. I’m actually surprised to experience nothing negative from them such as shoulder fatigue or hand numbness. They seem a little daunting at first but after getting used to them I don’t feel nervous or afraid I’m going to drop it or lose control. I can’t say they are as safe and maneuverable as a more normal bar though, because they’re not.
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Jul 28, 2020 07:27
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As Nero Danced posted:One day I'll buy a real Indian, but until I have a job that pays double what I'm making now I'm going to stick to my vulcan clone. It's as Indian as I am, looks like it but not enough to count. Is that a Drifter or a regular Vulcan with a Drifter front fender? Did you take the back fender off? I've had an 03 Indian Spirit, an 01 Drifter 800, and an 09 Indian Chief. The Kawasaki was probably the most fun to ride out of the 3 of them, and the closest to a 50s motorcycle in weight and wheelbase.
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Aug 2, 2020 14:30
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PeterCat posted:Is that a Drifter or a regular Vulcan with a Drifter front fender? It's a vulcan 900 classic with a custom fiberglass fender (I don't think if it would fit on a drifter 800, the guy's site said it was specific to the 900). The rear is the stock fender, I just hide it with the bags. I wish it had the 800 rear fender but I'm not sure how much work would be involved. As it is this bike was cheap to get where I wanted and looks pretty drat good to me so I have no complaints.
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Aug 9, 2020 01:05
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Hello all. I just bought this and it rocks.  2019 Fat Bob 114. VH pipes, stage 1. Came with bags and rack too.
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Nov 19, 2020 20:38
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Stage 1 aka the m8's normal power output before the marketeers bottleneck it to 40hp or whatever. Noice.
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Nov 19, 2020 21:20
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Heh, yep. Things that need doing: 0. Install baffles (I am assuming it has had them removed), it's a tad bit too loud with the V&H pipes. 1. Install Harley heated grips. While doing this, the dealership also needs to fix the slop in the throttle, it has both too much "regular" slop, and it has lateral slop too. WTF. 2. Install a second USB port, somewhere near the tail-ish, so I can plug in a rear camera. 3. Wire the GPS unit to the battery, so I am not using the front, built-in USB slot for the GPS, and can instead use it for a front camera. 4. Better mirrors. 75% of these mirrors just show me shoulder/elbow, and not stuff behind me, no matter how much I adjust them. I need new mirrors that go out further to the sides, i.e. ones with longer arms possibly. Possibly bar-end ones, but I don't think bar-end ones would look good on this bike. What do you guys think of this to-do list?
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Nov 20, 2020 00:15
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Always loved that wide boi. Excellent choice. Fat front tires make cruisers so much hotter, and I'm a huge fan of the headlight there (how well does it work at night?). Excellent choice, and I look forward to seeing more of it.
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Nov 20, 2020 02:05
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Thanks man  I've not ridden it at night yet, will get out more once lockdown 2.0 is over in Scotland (December 11).
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Nov 20, 2020 09:58
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Steakandchips posted:Heh, yep. I had put the quiet baffles in my V&H pipes on my Sportster and didn't like it. They sounded weird and there was an expectation of a smoother power band that just didn't materialize, so I took them out about 6 months later. Most canned tunes are put together with the stock baffles in mind, but if that pipe has no baffles at all, yes, putting them back in will make it much better. Yeah the loving slop on the throttle from the factory is mind boggling. Heated grips are incredible though. All the power stuff makes sense. You can buy mirror extenders that add a few inches to the sides, but they do look kind of goofy. There's also HD mirrors that just have longer stems, and they're surprisingly cheap for an HD part. Really cool bike. I love the look of the Fat Bob, even if the headlight takes a minute to get used to.
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Nov 20, 2020 16:01
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Heh, I love it too. Took a pillion passenger for the first time ever (my wife) yesterday. She was comfortable on the Bob and it didn't even notice her, no problems accelerating/braking/turning at all! Re baffles, can't seem to find the baffles in the UK and importing them from the States is very expensive... I'll leave the pipes as is for now. I've purchased some cheap mirror extenders from Amazon, lets see how I feel about those before splashing out on new mirrors. If I do get new mirrors, it won't be Harley's stock design round teardrop shaped ones with an extended stalk, it'll be something fancy. I do like Rizoma stuff... New question: Harley turn signals, they auto-cancel too quickly when I am on roundabouts, sometimes even when waiting for a left or right turn when stopped. I want to remove the auto-cancelling "feature" as it is far too error prone, I prefer cancelling turn signals when I am done turning. Any tips on how to achieve this?
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Nov 22, 2020 11:36
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Normally you find the wire that runs from the speedo to the immobilizer/turn signal module and unplug/cut it, I don't know if this is still the case on the m8 bikes though.
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Nov 22, 2020 18:42
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Thanks Slavvy. Don't they also use lean angle sensor input to also factor in when to switch off, aside from speed?
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Nov 22, 2020 20:32
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I think on baggers maybe? On a 'normal' evo or TC it's just a speed signal. No idea if the m8 bikes still run the same setup but Harley being Harley I'd be surprised if they changed it. You can also just hold the button down.
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Nov 22, 2020 21:51
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Thanks, I'm just dealing with it by turning it on late and cancelling it early myself, not the best but hey-ho. New question: The air cleaner has a rain sock. I live in Scotland. The rain sock is annoying as hell as it comes off a little bit every once in a while. What is the solution to not needing a rain sock? Can you get a solid cover or something for the air cleaner that still lets air through? Do I need a different air cleaner?
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Nov 30, 2020 00:25
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You need a not-exposed air filter setup yeah. Whatever the bike originally came with would be ideal but you'll probably have to get it remapped and will likely lose a smidgeon if power. For the conical type I assume you've got, the sock is the only actually water proof solution, a simple debris cover will not survive Scotland. But also don't sweat it too much as the filter element is oiled and water can't really get in anyway, the sock is mostly to keep the water running off the filter instead of just pooling on it. I'd try zip ties.
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Nov 30, 2020 00:42
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Slavvy posted:I'd try zip ties. This is a good solution to most problems.
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Nov 30, 2020 03:25
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I have all sorts of bikes but the biggest difference between Harley and Sports Bikes is that a Harley is just as enjoyable to ride at 5/10ths as it is to ride at WOT. So if I'm behind a slow caravan it's not big deal I just lean back and enjoy the fresh air. But when I'm on my sports bikes I'm angry if anything keeps me from going as fast as I want to. gently caress you sedan for only going 65 in a 45, I'm a SPORTS BIKE vroom vroom, get out of my way. If you're over 25 or a functioning alcoholic with a 600+ credit score there's no reason not to get a Harley.
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Nov 30, 2020 04:00
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You’re just describing every bike that isn’t a pure sport bike. Who is honestly cross shopping the 2020 HD Fat Smasher against a new S1000RR? E: how have we not had a thread where we try to come up with Harley bike names?
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Nov 30, 2020 05:32
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Slavvy posted:You need a not-exposed air filter setup yeah. Whatever the bike originally came with would be ideal but you'll probably have to get it remapped and will likely lose a smidgeon if power. For the conical type I assume you've got, the sock is the only actually water proof solution, a simple debris cover will not survive Scotland. But also don't sweat it too much as the filter element is oiled and water can't really get in anyway, the sock is mostly to keep the water running off the filter instead of just pooling on it. I have this type:  I've ordered 2 new socks from China as well for a £9 instead of £lol from HD. Will be zip tying the existing one shortly.
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Nov 30, 2020 13:00
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I misread socks as shocks and thought you just bought $9 Chinese shocks for a 2019 Harley I was gonna  you so hard but crisis averted
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Nov 30, 2020 15:10
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Heh. The zip ties work well. I had to use a tie on each side, but each 300mm tie was too short, so now I have extra ugly zip ties where on each tie I had to connect two 300mm ones together to form a 600mm one that I trimmed to about 400mm, i.e. they're ugly enough anyway, but now with a visible bump of the connector bit too. I am ordering black long-rear end zip ties now... Why is the air filter not somewhere more sensible where it would never catch any rain? Anyhow, here's a video of the fixes needed for the Bob when it's going to the dealership next week, I've spelled it out very clearly for the HD techs, so they don't cock it up. Thoughts? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GRN-PaAJxs
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Nov 30, 2020 18:49
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Steakandchips posted:
Heritage™
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Nov 30, 2020 19:00
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Sagebrush posted:Heritage™
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Nov 30, 2020 19:22
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Sigh. I bought Harley's quarter fairing for my FXBB, waited too long to install it, decided I hate it, and now I'm stuck with a $400 fairing with $150 in mounts. And it's huge so selling it and then trying to ship it sounds like a nightmare.
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Nov 30, 2020 19:36
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| # ? Apr 23, 2024 15:52 |
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Put it on ebay and use ebay shipping where they come collect it from your door to send to the buyer (we have that here in the UK, don't see why you wouldn't in America).
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Nov 30, 2020 19:37
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