damn harley's!!!

RetroRiceRocketRider wrote:

From my perspective, Harley DOES make fine, reliable bikes...now.
This wasn't always the case however, or there simply wouldn't be any jokes (true, these jokes are getting tiring) pertaining to oil leaks and parts falling off due to excessive vibration.

In my other life as owner of a British car, we have a saying: "The parts falling off this car are of the finest British quality." :laugh:

There are only 2 reasons I won't wave to another rider:
1) I don't see them.
2) I'm in a situation where I can't take my hand off the grip due to traffic or whatever. I'll try to give them a nod though to acknowledge them.

Harley actually has invested in their bikes. They did a re-tool and did some heavy investing in their VRod. It would not be wise for them to get completely away from their meat and potato/potato (pun). They certainly sell enough of them and as a business you better cater to your market or you won't be in business long. Since the AMF disaster it has made great strides in quality and bringing an admittedly outdated design forward. It would be foolish to compete with the Japs on their own turf so they don't. As for the other point about the Harley guys starting it. Who cares? It is still perpetuated by both sides. It's just a little dick war. There are yuppies, squids, jerks, loudmouths and punks on all kinds of bikes. There are also a lot of cool people on all kinds of bikes. Getting to know them is half the fun of motorcycling. Talk is cheap and free.

Brand loyalty has been going since the dawn of the manufacturing age. Racing was born almost as soon as the second guy shoe-horned an engine into a frame with wheels. Immediately folks chose up sides and more than a century later, here we are! :lol:

For years many of us were taunted by the "real motorcycle" comment. Perhaps most times directed at us in fun and sometimes in disdain. In that statement there is no room for "ride what makes you smile". Nope, it's all about brand, as though all are inferior to The One True Motorcycle.

As we age, some of us grow out of this stage of having our self-worth tied to some group or product identity and choose to ride what we do because it intrigues and suits us. Yet, it's amazing the number of people that assume that we're just riding a Japanese motorcycle until we're ready "to move on up". I'm not at all apologetic for owning and riding my KZ650s. In fact, it's a point of pride on my part that I'm not following the herd of V-twin based cruisers.

Now, if you want a group of people that are fiercely brand loyal, just listen to some farmers compare tractors sometime! :woohoo:

:huh: :huh: Did you say sumpin bout my Alis?:huh: :huh: You can get anything you want at Alis's Restaurant!

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Personalaly in my 62 years ive owned and ridden a lot of different brands of bikes the first bike i ever owned was a old police harly, with reverse on a suiside shifter , havey as hell , loved it even with all its faults,
there where a lot of bikes hondas, suzukis. jawa,yamaha, triumph, Indian, Beemer, Kawasaki . and oters i have forgoten at this time,
And Bros let me tell ya , Every damn one of them has its own faults, If the Companies made a perfect bike , they would be out of bussiness in a short time cause no one would have to buy another ,but this__" My bike s better than your bike is bullshit".everytime i hear someone bashing anothers ride I smile , laugh, but not with them ,
I dont give a shit what your riding , you wanted it ,paid for ( or are paying ) for it and enjoying it , and if your riding with me Nuff Said!

my uncle and all his harley riding buddies keep asking me when i'm going to get a real bike, i tell them i already have a real bike, a REAL fast bike!

a week ago my uncle found me a built shovelhead sportster thats streched and raked with a built motor for 2k cause the guys getting a divorce, him and his buddie said now i can finally get a real bike, and then they were silent for a few seconds and addmitted they actually liked the job i did on my bike, and yes i may buy that harley (just to flip it) :woohoo:

I've never had a problem with HD...only with the assholes that ride them.

I ride with a batch of Harleys. Its fun to stop and go in and eat with them, more than once when we came out there have been people standing withtheir backs to the Harleys staring at my bike "remembering when..".
The Screaming Flaming Kawasaki of death never leaked oil, till I mounted that Harley seat and mufflers on it. (hey they were free)
My latest addition to the bike is a sticker that a friend of mine (a Honda crotch rocket jockey) made for me that says.

WARNING!!
This motorcycle may catch fire and/or explode at any given time for no particular reason.

Its going on the tank.

As soon as Harley builds an inline 4 i think this argument would be over. I still wonder why they dont? And dont tell me theres no market for it, or thats not the harley lifestyle. IMO, everyone that rides a harley probably started out on a japanese dirt bike, no?
I wanna see Harley put out a sportbike of the same quality and power..

violentvintagecycles wrote:

As soon as Harley builds an inline 4 i think this argument would be over. I still wonder why they dont? And dont tell me theres no market for it, or thats not the harley lifestyle. IMO, everyone that rides a harley probably started out on a japanese dirt bike, no?
I wanna see Harley put out a sportbike of the same quality and power..

Well they had a chance to buy the Cannondale motorcycle line just a few years ago... a very decent American made racing dirtbike/ATV line. It would have been a perfect fit. Of course they passed and now the Chinese and ATK own the line. BTW the Cannondale was the first mass produced American made watercooled motorcycle Harley fans hate when you point out that the V-Rod was beaten by around 3 or 4 years.
And many of the Harley riders never rode a bike before they plunked down 20 large to be part of the lifestyle.
That is what Harley has managed to do better than anybody...sell the image. They make more off of clothing and HD gizmos

I would like a V-Rod and a few other Harleys. I also really like Buells. Friend has one and that is a great motorcycle. I REALLY like the Guzzi Griso. I'd take about any Duc also. There is a family here that has six of them from old to new. 3 generations riding them. They can all park next to my Kaw herd.