Who here rides a Harley?

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: mpvue
if you have to ask, there's no way you would ever understand.


This has to be the lamest, most overused comment when talking about the "mystique" of a Harley.

And I am glad to see that Victory is finally pointing out that the emperor has no clothes.



Victory has one awfully ugly dresser. The other bikes aren't too bad, though. I still wouldn't want one.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: PT1
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
"If I have to explain you wouldn't understand" is the popular Harley saying. I own 3 Harleys and would never own another Japanese bike after owning 2. This is just my preference and I am well aware that the Harley has nothing technological going for it and the Japanese bikes can mostly run rings around it. I also like the family feeling a HArley rider gets from other Harley riders. One bro watching out for another so to speak. Of course with the infiltration of the wannabe bikers - a lot of that has been lost!

I just prefer American Icons and the Harley sound and torque cannot be duplicated. Some bikes come close to the sound but never exactly. I am a fair minded person and I consider all motorcyclists my friends no matter what they ride. We are all in it together and we riders all need to band together to protect our hobby.

One good thing, too , is that parts and accessories are always available! Most older Japanese bikes it gets hard to get stuff for as they age.


+1 OMG...I am agreeing with GMBoy...but it is true...I have owned 2 metrics...no comparison to the Harley Davidson experience. People looking in from the outside...can never understand. I love riding my Harley.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: mpvue
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: mpvue
if you have to ask, there's no way you would ever understand.


People who say this don't know the answer themselves.

maybe there isn't an easy compartmentalized answer. some things you just 'get', and some things you don't.
people ask why some prefer manual shift cars.
or steel bicycles.
or old homes.
or tube guitar amps.
or record players.

it's either something you do or don't do, that's all.
Tube guitar amps do sound better!!!

 

[grampi]

Some of you have mentioned that you like being part of the Harley family. Well, I see too much of this from the other side. While I have always lived by the notion that it doesn't matter what you ride, but only THAT you ride, too many Harley owners seem to have adopted the if-you-ain't-ridin-a-Harley-you-ain't-[censored] attitude. Certainly not all Harley owners are like this, but a lot of them are. I'd just as soon spit on these people as give them the time of day. Harley owners who aren't like this should discourage this type of behavior as it puts all of you in a bad light.

Some of you have said you like the looks of Harleys. Looks are subjective to the eye of the beholder and I personally think the only good looking Harley isn't really a Harley at all, it's a Porsch. The V-Rod.

Also as someone mentioned, Harleys have become the cookie-cutter bikes. Everybody and their brother, sister, cousin, uncle, and grandfather has one. 9 out of 10 bikes you see on the road these days are Harleys. There's absolutely nothing unique about them, not even the custom ones. They've been done, redone, and overdone in every way possible. If you want a unique motorcycle you have to buy something other than a Harley. BTW, if I wanted something American that is Harley-ish I'd get a Victory. They're built better than a Harley AND they're designed and built using today's technologies (not those from WWII).

Someone also mentioned you can't match the torque of a Harley. You obviously haven't ridden any of the big cubic inch v-twin metrics because not only do they match it, they exceed it (and some by a wide margin). Ah, the marvels of modern technology.

And lastly, I guess I base my motorcycle buying decisions more on function rather cult status. A Harley may have a soul, but that can't replace the feeling of massive acceleration when I twist the throttle on my M109R. It can't replace the fact that when I go into a corner I know my bike will stay well planted and be predictable and confidence inspiring. It can't replace the fact that my bike isn't going to leave me stranded somewhere. And Harleys certainly aren't worth the over-inflated price. If I'm paying that much for a bike I'm getting a Victory. They are much nicer bikes IMO.

If you want to be just another cow in the herd, buy a Harley. If you want to be unique, buy something else.

 

[nazareth]

funny all the negative comments on harley and people who ride them are coming from people whom either never ridden and or dont own a harley.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: nazareth
funny all the negative comments on harley and people who ride them are coming from people whom either never ridden and or dont own a harley.


Funny? Really???

 

[boraticus]

I've found that there's no sense in trying to reason with the preponderance of Harley riders. Most of them are Willie G. sock puppets regurgitating repetitive HD slogans, that unfortunately for them, make them look like mindless sheep.

I pity the normal (and quite rare) HD rider who rides because he loves to ride and happens to like Harleys.

Owning a Harley nowadays is like having a promiscuous woman for a wife. Everybody in town is more than familiar with her. That gets old in a hurry. Unless, of course, as the sock puppets like to say " You understand."

 

[BigCahuna]

Boy for a company that been building bikes for over 105 years, somebody must be buying them. Could it be they don't change drastically in design every two years?, or because they have the largest dealer network for parts and service?, or people like the traditional looks and can customize them to suit how they want it?.How about the simplicity of the bike,it does what it does well.Now here' s the part that hurts most Japanese bike buyers the most, RESALE. Most think they are getting a real great deal when looking at the latest Japanese bike that's built to "look like a Harley", only to find when it's sale time , nobody wants it at least for close to what you paid for it.Sure they might be faster, corner better, but Harley owners want the stability of a proven cruiser that can't be mass produced with cheaper parts. And Harley owners like the fact you can rebuild the bikes for years and years, where most other brands are not worth the effort or expense.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: nazareth
funny all the negative comments on harley and people who ride them are coming from people whom either never ridden and or dont own a harley.


I can't speak for anyone else, but I've ridden plenty of Harleys, which is why I don't own one. And unless you've owned something other than a Harley and have had to deal with snobby Harley owners, then you can't even fathom what us non-Harley owners have to deal with. Apparently it's acceptable for Harley owners to dish it out, but if non-Harley owners dish it back, than all of a sudden we're the bad guys.

 

[boraticus]

The resale point is a myth. Look at what you pay initially, sell the bike and see what the difference is. If you paid what an equivalent metric cruiser costs, the math might work for you. On the other hand, you're paying several thousand more to buy the Harley and only making a couple thousand more than what the metric bike would fetch on resale. Try to sell a Harley nowadays. They're a dime a dozen. I have HD riding acquaintances who have recently lost their shirt on their Harleys.

When the market is flooded with Harleys (and it is), the price is driven down to their true value. Put your Harley up for sale and be prepared to wait. Then be prepared for the shock of what it's really worth. If you've added thousands in tinsel and chrome, don't expect to get anything for that. People don't pay for the decorations.

Ride your Harley because you like to ride that brand of bike. There's no way you'll ever logically justify the exorbitant price you paid for it and it's also very unlikely you'll ever get what you think it's worth when it comes time to sell.

Accepting reality will be the first step to getting out from under the sock.

 

[RonH]

They are nothing more than ugly, noisey, obnoxious garbage to me. The main *attraction* if you can call it that is the "obnoxious" part. Owners love to be loud and think that puts them up above the other motorists out there. Well it DOESN"T. I'd have hunting season all year on Harleys and have a shotgun aiming at the street if I had my way.
OK rant over and it's not Harley that's bad, it's the iddiots that ride them. Not all of them, just the general majority. If you are quiet, wear a helmet and know how to ride, fine. If you've never ridden before, don't wear a helmet, take the mufflers off and cruise around making your stink in my ears, I can live without you on the street.

 

[BigCahuna]

The resale is real, Just because some people can't afford a Harley doesn't mean there worth less.Like the saying goes, "It's worth whatever someone will pay for it". And apparently some folks have no problem with the price.And the resale will always be better then some throw away bike. All the high performance bikes loose their value real fast too. Maybe it's because they are like riding a lawnmower, nobody gets emotionally attached to their lawnmower.the main reason foreign bike owners don't bling their bikes out is due mainly that no one feels its worth it, plus they are only made for short periods of time and Bam there out of production.I couldn't care less what anyone else rides its their choice, and a free country last time I checked.Just remember what brand was here first, and after 105 years is still around today.,,

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Boy for a company that been building bikes for over 105 years, somebody must be buying them. Could it be they don't change drastically in design every two years?, or because they have the largest dealer network for parts and service?, or people like the traditional looks and can customize them to suit how they want it?.How about the simplicity of the bike,it does what it does well.Now here' s the part that hurts most Japanese bike buyers the most, RESALE. Most think they are getting a real great deal when looking at the latest Japanese bike that's built to "look like a Harley", only to find when it's sale time , nobody wants it at least for close to what you paid for it.Sure they might be faster, corner better, but Harley owners want the stability of a proven cruiser that can't be mass produced with cheaper parts. And Harley owners like the fact you can rebuild the bikes for years and years, where most other brands are not worth the effort or expense.


I've heard the reasle value argument before and it also holds no water and here's why. Motorcycling is a hobby. Hobbies cost money. If I was looking for an investment I wouldn't be buying a motorcycle, I'd be buying gold, or CDs, or mutual funds. So how much my metric sells for when the time comes is no concern of mine. My only concern is that my bike meets my needs while I own it.

Also, the very things you mentioned about Harleys that make them so attractive to the people who buy them is what turns me off about them. The WWII, chrome plated anvil design and technology does nothing for me. The metrics change all the time to incorporate the new technologies; technologies that improve function. Improved function make the hobby of motorcycling more enjoyable.

 

[Lorenzo]

Those of you arguing over whether one type of bike is great or terrible just need to get a life. Very very few of us ride for any practical reason. We ride motorcycles because it makes us happy. So buy and ride whatever you like and quit caring that someone else likes something different.

If you like a particular type of bike, buy it, enjoy it, but don't think it makes you part of a superior tribe because you've purchased the right product.

If you don't like a type of bike, then you never have to ride it. Why would hating something you never have to buy or ride become such an important issue to you?

 

[cfromc]

grampi, face it, you originally posted this just to be a troll. You didn't really ask to learn something, did you? You asked to start a Harley bashing thread because you don't like them. People have given numerous reasons, which you quickly turned on them, for example:
"People who say this don't know the answer themselves."
"So it is a cult thing? People who buy Harleys just want to be part of the herd?"
Most of post 1702532, including: "Certainly not all Harley owners are like this, but a lot of them are. I'd just as soon spit on these people as give them the time of day.", "If you want to be just another cow in the herd, buy a Harley. If you want to be unique, buy something else."
"snobby Harley owners"
Face it, grampi, you are just a troll here

RonH, you sound like a troll that has 'issues'. "I'd have hunting season all year on Harleys and have a shotgun aiming at the street if I had my way." Are you going to start shooting Mack trucks later because they are too loud? You better wear ear protection because those shotguns are loud. Can I shoot you for shooting the shotgun because it hurts my ears?

 

[cfromc]

Originally Posted By: Lorenzo
Those of you arguing over whether one type of bike is great or terrible just need to get a life. Very very few of us ride for any practical reason. We ride motorcycles because it makes us happy. So buy and ride whatever you like and quit caring that someone else likes something different.


+1

 

[Gunatics_Adler]

Originally Posted By: nazareth
funny all the negative comments on harley and people who ride them are coming from people whom either never ridden and or dont own a harley.


I do not own one, but my father has a 95 Lowrider and a 97 Sportster 1200 that I have ridden. I dont mind the sportster, but his lowrider sucks. Its always breaking down and it only has 15k miles on it. Do you know what bike he likes to ride the most? His 79 Honda CB750.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: cfromc
grampi, face it, you originally posted this just to be a troll. You didn't really ask to learn something, did you? You asked to start a Harley bashing thread because you don't like them. People have given numerous reasons, which you quickly turned on them, for example:
"People who say this don't know the answer themselves."
"So it is a cult thing? People who buy Harleys just want to be part of the herd?"
Most of post 1702532, including: "Certainly not all Harley owners are like this, but a lot of them are. I'd just as soon spit on these people as give them the time of day.", "If you want to be just another cow in the herd, buy a Harley. If you want to be unique, buy something else."
"snobby Harley owners"
Face it, grampi, you are just a troll here

RonH, you sound like a troll that has 'issues'. "I'd have hunting season all year on Harleys and have a shotgun aiming at the street if I had my way." Are you going to start shooting Mack trucks later because they are too loud? You better wear ear protection because those shotguns are loud. Can I shoot you for shooting the shotgun because it hurts my ears?


This discussion isn't at all about the fact that I don't like Harleys; it's all about my inability to understand the huge attraction to the brand, and why so many Harley owners seem to cop "the attitude." I don't have it. I'm friendly to ALL riders regardless of what they ride, that is until I get the attitude from someone. Then all bets are off. And talking about this certainly doesn't make me a troll.

 

[bonnie john]

yep, another 1 under the easyrider spell

Originally Posted By: RonH
I'd have hunting season all year on Harleys and have a shotgun aiming at the street if I had my way.

I can live without you on the street.

 

[EagleFTE]

Having owned bikes by all of the big four from Japan going back to the mid 70s, I can say that I’ve never even considered another metric after buying my 94 Road King. I was really surprised by how much they had got it right so many decades ago. And no HD has ever even come close to leaving me stranded or even limping home.

They must have got something right. Cosmetically the big four Japanese and even Triumph eventually have all copied the styling of HD / Indian and even changed the engine configuration to look more Harleyish. BMW, like Harley, has stuck to its’ roots and makes bikes that are distinctly BMW.

With HDs you make it what you want it to be, cosmetics to HP/TQ. All are up to the owner. I seldom do, but if I’m at a gathering with hundreds or thousands of bikes in a parking lot mine is easily distinguishable from the rest.. At a glance I know it is mine. Note that the metrics have worked very hard to expand the post production options as well as form organizations with acronyms for names. (It seems there are no limits to the replication).

As far as image, for the most part the only eyes that see many HD riders are in the heads of cows and horses. If that’s not the case you may not be spending enough time in the places that make the bike truly enjoyable.

Are there thousands of people who own Harleys for some reason other than enjoying the riding aspect. You bet. Can’t really tell them not to can we? Aside from the safety aspect of people on motorcycles that have not business being there how does that impact anyone else?

Which leads to the one of the most interesting observations, the reciprocal thread or conversation does not occur. At least not that I’m exposed to. The time and emotion that goes into anti Harley threads is recurring and truly unique to the brand. We have people here that want to spit on HD owners and even have people that want to shoot people because they have a Harley. Truly strange stuff.