I wanted to write this as a general reply to people who bash Harleys. Not from this site but just overall. While they may not be the most perfectly engineered bikes out there (is there any bike that is?) ive seen many bikes older then me (24) that still run fine when a competent person maintains it. My dad has owned them, and I will own one in the future.

Yes, Harleys have reputation for breaking down. Look at it this way, most motorcycle owner are gear heads at heart. Im sure most of us fall into this category. When it comes to my GS i would say of the 100% of joy it brings me 60% is riding and 40% is just working on it, maintaining it and tinkering. We all love to work on our bikes, thats a fact. What fun would it be if it always worked and we never got to tear it apart, see how things work, get out hands dirty, re-build a carb/ engine/ tranny.

With that said, so maybe Harleys have a few more problems than other bikes, but its just part of the joy of owning a machine. Getting to work on it. We all love too, so while some see a Harley breaking down as a nuisance or flaw, the owner just likes the excuse to go into the garage and get to work. Also, as i mentioned before, HDs are like all other bikes. Treat them well and they will work perfectly. One day I hope to own a nice chopped down sporty to tinker on.

Tom

Quote from: Twism86 on February 23, 2011, 08:45:45 AM
most motorcycle owner are gear heads at heart.

NO. And that's the whole problem. HD dumped the gearhead/grease monkey long time ago and have got in bed with Lawyers, accountants, doctors and other wealthy wanna be types.

That's not harley's.  At one time all motorcycle owners were basically gear heads...they had to be.  You had to know how to work on it.  Sometime in late 80's they started making bikes so expensive that only Lawyers, accountants, doctors and other wealthy wanna be types could reasonably jump out and buy new ones.  Sure there's still some inexpensive bikes out there...I believe there's a thread now called "ouch to the max" that has a video of their owners.

All the gear heads and such that the mfg's had back in the day still own the bikes they had back in the day.

Maybe Harley owners, (like other manufacturer owners) feel that bike just "fits" them. You know what I'm talking about. When you swing your leg over and you're like, "damn, I could get used to this". Then, you take it out on that demo ride and you can't stop grinning from ear to ear for a week afterwards. It should be about "the ride" not "what you ride". I've personally taken two harleys on demo rides. Both 1200 sportsters. One a custom and the other a low. I liked the seat height and such on the low but I liked the pegs and how I sat on the custom. The biggest thing, I absolutely loved every minute I was on both of those bikes. Little tears welled up upon returning them to their dealerships. This should be what motorcycle ownership is about.

I don't like harley's for the price of what you are getting and the meat head attitude of some of the owners. That aside I've ridden my mates quite a number of times, just for some variety. To me a cruiser sitting position is a little awkward.

IMO, the real beauty of not having a Harley is that I have 5 motorcycles in my garage right now. And the sum of all 5 still adds up to the cost of the cheapest Harley. Granted, only 3 run but it's because I'm tinkering with the others.

My brother in law has a V-Rod and when it breaks down during riding season he is just screwed.

I don't think I really hear about too many people hating the actual bikes. Granted with today's technology the bikes are heavy, slow, overpriced, and covered in way too much chrome and shimmer paint, but there's a bike for everybody, so that much is just whatever. I can't pick on them for the low HP numbers because I love Buells, and they have pretty low HP numbers compared to most other 1000cc sportbikes, and my next bike is gonna be a supermoto, and a DRZsm only has about 35hp.

I think the general distaste comes from 2 things. People love bikes for what they are, the passion of smallere companies, technology of japanese companies, whatever it is. HD doesn't really have anything like that. They just have a bunch of the same old bikes with attention grabbing paint jobs, and their logos plastered on EVERYTHING. They're no longer a motorcycle company, they're just  an advertising and marketing company that sells shirts, leather jackets, motorcycles, and key chains.

2nd is some of the riders. You've got jerks on any kind of bikes. I'm not gonna pretend like there isn't a huge crowd of snotty kids on gsxrs, cocky mid-life crisisers on liter bikes trying to keep up with the snotty kids, and whatever other group you want to pick on, but it's pretty common to see guys on harleys that hate all of them. you're not a man if your bike doesn't weigh 700lbs, grumble with an offset twin crankshaft rotation and hd stamped on everything. They don't care whether it's a guy on a sportbike, japanese cruiser, even a HD sportster. It seems like the entire motorcycle community can be broken down into 2 groups..... kids, old people, sportbikes, cruisers, standards, naked bikes, stuntbikes, supermotos, dirtbikes, and then one other group of angry HD riders who hate everyone else in the other bike. Again, I'm not saying all people are like that, there's just enough to build up a reputation, and that's what I think puts people off, not the actual bikes.

and just for the record, this is the kind of junk I'm talking about. Just google "harley davidson merchandise", it's really just kind of insulting.

















Dream Capsule?!?!






Like I said, insulting to the motorcycle community in general. Google "gsxr merchandise" and see what you find. Big shock, it's actually motorcycle stuff...

Quote from: tt_four on February 23, 2011, 07:24:17 PM
I don't think I really hear about too many people hating the actual bikes. Granted with today's technology the bikes are heavy, slow, overpriced, and covered in way too much chrome and shimmer paint, but there's a bike for everybody, so that much is just whatever. I can't pick on them for the low HP numbers because I love Buells, and they have pretty low HP numbers compared to most other 1000cc sportbikes, and my next bike is gonna be a supermoto, and a DRZsm only has about 35hp.

I think the general distaste comes from 2 things. People love bikes for what they are, the passion of smallere companies, technology of japanese companies, whatever it is. HD doesn't really have anything like that. They just have a bunch of the same old bikes with attention grabbing paint jobs, and their logos plastered on EVERYTHING. They're no longer a motorcycle company, they're just  an advertising and marketing company that sells shirts, leather jackets, motorcycles, and key chains.

2nd is some of the riders. You've got jerks on any kind of bikes. I'm not gonna pretend like there isn't a huge crowd of snotty kids on gsxrs, cocky mid-life crisisers on liter bikes trying to keep up with the snotty kids, and whatever other group you want to pick on, but it's pretty common to see guys on harleys that hate all of them. you're not a man if your bike doesn't weigh 700lbs, grumble with an offset twin crankshaft rotation and hd stamped on everything. They don't care whether it's a guy on a sportbike, japanese cruiser, even a HD sportster. It seems like the entire motorcycle community can be broken down into 2 groups..... kids, old people, sportbikes, cruisers, standards, naked bikes, stuntbikes, supermotos, dirtbikes, and then one other group of angry HD riders who hate everyone else in the other bike. Again, I'm not saying all people are like that, there's just enough to build up a reputation, and that's what I think puts people off, not the actual bikes.

mid part of your post, i see suzuki doing the same thing. in their dealerships. . harleys fuckup came when they sold to AMF.  turned the MoCo over to a bunch of unions and do it as cheap as possible corp types. and quality suffered.  ive overhauled quite a few hd's, i get more attitude however from non hd riders.  i.e. those that ride other makes wonder why?, i also get more waves from hd riders vs other makes. again i wonder why?

Sometimes they build their own accessories  ( Real HD Golf cart..custom seats and top...I (with help)  built the top...coworkers did the seat- a few years ago..).




I've seen pink Harley Davidson CEILING FANS....That's where they make all the money-from the other crap  ...not with the bikes.

There are a  few older harleys I'd like to have... maybe an older Electra Glide (think old police bikes)...
My best friend has a full dresser... it fits him (physically)...If a GoldWing fit him he'd have one of them...but it's just too "tight"...


Ride what you like.

i did help a guy build a golf cart using a tc88b ( thats teh engine with the counterbalancer installed. the twincam 88)

I want an HD puppy.

Quote from: ver4 on February 23, 2011, 08:30:10 PM
I want an HD puppy.

Til the genetic engineers come through.... here ya go :
http://www.kooldawgtees.com/images/DOG_MOTORCYCLE_JACKET_PINK.jpg

So now it's the fact that they sell merchandise with their logo on it being the reason people hate/bash them? Is it jealousy that say, suzuki doesn't make a pool table with their logo on it?

Quote from: jserio on February 23, 2011, 09:30:59 PM
So now it's the fact that they sell merchandise with their logo on it being the reason people hate/bash them? Is it jealousy that say, suzuki doesn't make a pool table with their logo on it?

or jackets, keychains, bike covers, prolly toilet paper too

Quote from: jserio on February 23, 2011, 09:30:59 PM
So now it's the fact that they sell merchandise with their logo on it being the reason people hate/bash them? Is it jealousy that say, suzuki doesn't make a pool table with their logo on it?

Oh not quite, however how many times do you hear me bash suzuki ... not just for the gs, but also for the sv, savage and other bikes. Some I never even own, or will ever own - like the gladius.

I think its just that we dont like to be thought of as Idiots who cant tell the difference between aluminum and steel and which is better for the frame. HD does that as a matter of course, and the meat heads that own them love it. The dealers are way worse ... its a bike shop dammit, not a 5 star hotel. Suzuki seems to do it just by accident ... as long as we dont see too many more gladius type bait and switch crap we are good.

BTW we are the segment of the user population both HD and suzuki would love to get rid of ... Cos we mostly buy used, maintain and use it forever and make and mod our own parts or junkyard them, and we never stop talking about it, especially the bad. Its usually like, man what a POS this side cover is, the sticker fell off today and there is big honking hole there. Or This POS tank is rusting ... how to coat it ? There never is any inclination to go to the "dealer" and buy the replacement part. On any HD site, the discussion is all about being hands on. And giving you keys to the service department using your own hands is hands on by their definition.

Cool.
Buddha.

Buddha, you got me thinking and I just realized: the GR650 that I am rebuilding wont say Suzuki any where on it (except on the neck of course). The tank badges have been shaved and filled, side covers have been ground off and polished, and eventually I plan on swapping the mag wheels for spoked wheels. Guess I don't want anybody to say "nice Zook"......

Okay, the shirts-mugs-caps-leathers-etc I understand...but ear rings & pool tables?  They must have taken some marketing courses from Starbucks (what do you mean they sell coffee??)

I'm in Harley's target demographic (decent income level and in my 40's), but they don't appeal to me (except the V-rod line)...if I was to buy American Iron, it would say Victory by Polaris on it... ...I shouldn't be that hard on them...the XR1200 isn't bad, but the headlight...where did they find that pancake?

My biggest problem with them is the price...I'm a cheap bugger...I don't see why I would spend $15,000-$20,000 on a bike when you can get bikes like the Star Styker, the Honda VT1300C Sabre and the Suzuki Boulevard M90 for $11,000-$13,000 (pricing is Canadian market)...they are more reliable, have more style (to my eyes) and are cheaper to insure...although I'm more of a standard guy so I lean towards the MT-01, Z1000, CB1000 or the B-King...

I guess really they are aiming a little higher than myself, since they want guys that don't think their pricing is out of touch and will bring it to the dealer for servicing...oh yeah, and will upgrade every couple of years...trading in their perfectly good bike with all the extras added to start again...they are just not the everyday man's bike anymore...but they do sound cool!!...as long as you don't put straight pipes on them, hate the crackle...

Later.

LMFAO and agreeing on the gladius WTFH was that thing. or that HUGE ass bike BRIEFLY made by honda? had that weid front end? was a fun ride, but meh too pricy. glad that HD holds its value, artificially or whatever it does. although our beloved gisser, holds its value well too. you can USUALLY sell @ a profit

I just don't get why some riders seem to feel the need to bash some else's choice for what they chose to ride. That goes for both sides, cruisers or sportbikes. If I don't like a bike, I won't buy it. I won't tell people not to buy it simply because I don't like it and bash them for buying it if they like it.