Harley Davidson Names Topgolf’s Artie Stars as New CEO

CVO are special editions. Bike for bike, BMW 1600, Goldwing with touring trunk, bs comparable HD touring bike are all around $30K.
The difference is that BMW and Honda have a large selection of other bikes at various price points. But apples to apples HD is similar to Indian, Honda and BMW. Harley does come with “baggage” of lifestyle and image that the others don’t have. Whether that’s positive or negative is up to the customer.
CVOs are special editions that still don't give riders what a Gold Wing does...you're paying for a name and that's it...
 
Maybe in theory, but NOTHING compares to a Rune...those bikes cost Honda north of $100K to build each...
For purposes of the pricing discussion, I’m saying an Ultra Glide vs a GW with the touring trunk, or. BMW K1600. You could say that the GW and the K1600 have six cylinder engines. Also, you have to say that the newer HD V-twins have plenty of power for two up touring. Maybe not so much in the Evo era, but the new ones with the liquid cooled heads are more than sufficient.
HD has plenty of problems, but I think at least for the touring bikes ( Road Glide, Street Glide, Ultra) price is not an issue.
I’m not a HD rider, but I see what people like about them.
 
Funny thing is, even a BUILT 883 won't run like a stock metric of equal size...

Twin against twin - there is a reason Harleys ruled the flat track bike classes for so long.
Harleys current flat track record is standing as the leader against Yamaha and KTM refute the claim they aren't competitive.

I grew up on metric bikes, love them and am not a great fan of Harleys.

They can be made to rock hard but wont last for jack.
 
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I remember in the mid-to late 90s when Harley sales really took off ,there were alot of white collar divorced guys 30-40 years old that were not really hard core motorcycle riders were buying harleys.Alot of these guys did not ride them much but they would go to the really popular bars friday and saturday nights and park there Harleys close to the bars entrance.I was kind of like look at me and my cool bike thing,and sometimes gals walking by would say wow what a beautiful bike.Kind of like accountant monday-friday cool Biker friday night and saturday.Harley sold a fair number of bikes to those kind of guys, I remember giving my buddy a ride home from dropping his HD off for service and the service guy had even mentioned wow have substantial miles on this bike,he said you would not not believe how many 3 to 4 year old bikes we get in for service that have very low miles on them.
 
Re post #88: What's a "mailbox money punk"?


We suffered because US car/truck makers dragged their feet designing/building cars people wanted/needed.
US car makers bought percentages of foreign manufacturers while neglecting their own product.
They pulled on our patriotic heartstrings to buy junk. Sad.
It's been the same at H-D for a while, no?

Seriously, let them develop products more people want.
When fewer and fewer people bought sewing machines, did you lose sleep over it?
The same goes for extreme bikes.
Why not build those electric bikes delivery guys use?

H-D sells a dated product wrapped in the American flag figure-headed by geezers who resent shaving and peace & quiet.
The brochures depict pretty people, but that kid from the South Park clip is right.
When I see single riders or group outings, the uniformity of their appearance seems freaky to me.

A company straining to satisfy a "niche within a niche" isn't getting any sympathy from me.
It'd be like telling me Breitling Watches has gone under.
It goes without saying that I feel for folks losing their jobs.

What's a 'mailbox money punk'?
 
Twin against twin - there is a reason Harleys ruled the flat track bike classes for so long.
Harleys current flat track standing as leader against Yamaha and KTM refute that claim.

I grew up on metric bikes, love them and am not a great fan of Harleys.

They can be made to rock hard but wont last for jack.
Agreed, twin against twin Harley is pretty much at the top in the cruiser/tourer category.
Metrics made a big mistake IMO, trying to copy Harley’s formula and if they stuck to their engines, like flat sixes or V4s, they would’ve carved out a unique following. Instead people tried their underwhelming twin offerings and just went back to Harley, or they never even bothered going metric because they were copies after all without offering anything original.
 
Agreed, twin against twin Harley is pretty much at the top in the cruiser/tourer category.
Metrics made a big mistake IMO, trying to copy Harley’s formula and if they stuck to their engines, like flat sixes or V4s, they would’ve carved out a unique following. Instead people tried their underwhelming twin offerings and just went back to Harley, or they never even bothered going metric because they were copies after all without offering anything original.

They've done a good job with their latest iterations of the big twin, it's got a nice flat curve and blats along serenely.
They have good paint and if you like the look they lead in that regard.
Any quasi handy guy can customize to their hearts content.
If ridden in a mix of bikes from elsewhere it will likely be the slowest in that group - which can mean a lot or mean nothing at all.


There isn't anything compelling to me about one where I'm super interested in a new Gold Wing.
I got to ride one recently and it was a total blast.

Here's a recent ride mix of my buddy and I switching back and forth from his Road King and my 1200 Suzuki.

IMG_6258-preview 2.webp
IMG_5835.webp
IMG_5513 (1).webp
 
I'd say for Harley the writing in on the wall. I give them about 5-6 years before they file for bankruptcy.

The current CEO Jochen Zeitz who is German, did them no favors with the things he has done recently. (I don't think we are allowed to speak about them on this forum, but if you are a Harley fan you know exactly what I am talking about it was all over the news the past year or so. Pretty much the nail in the coffin when your own fans start selling their bikes and at the very least removing the name and logo from their own bikes in shame.
 
I find the loud exhausts/revving that HD riders disrespectful as I am gassing up. Absolutely no regard for anyone.

Not all riders are like that at all. However the few who do this ruin it for younger generation to even think it’s remotely appealing.

Motorcyclists are a dying breed. Not a single kid at daughters HS of 1000 in very affluent towns had one. A few Rukus scooter but that is under 16 no license situation.

Motorcycles are dead.
 
They've done a good job with their latest iterations of the big twin, it's got a nice flat curve and blats along serenely.
They have good paint and if you like the look they lead in that regard.
Any quasi handy guy can customize to their hearts content.
If ridden in a mix of bikes from elsewhere it will likely be the slowest in that group - which can mean a lot or mean nothing at all.


There isn't anything compelling to me about one where I'm super interested in a new Gold Wing.
I got to ride one recently and it was a total blast.

Here's a recent ride mix of my buddy and I switching back and forth from his Road King and my 1200 Suzuki.

View attachment 294577View attachment 294578View attachment 294579
Talk about going from one extreme to another...
 
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