What are your thoughts?

[Beethoven]

We are having insane weather up here, and the bikes are as thick as flies on a dead beaver. It seems to me that 2 out of every 3 bikes is a Harley. Am I the only one that wants to crazy glue moose antlers to his bike just so it won't look like ANOTHER boring Harley? I mean, if every woman on the planet was an 18 year old cute blonde that would be terrible. OK BAD analogy - that one would be awesome - all right - to the question - does anybody else find the endless streams of cookie cutter Harleys boring?

[timsr8der]

We are a rare breed! We choose to be different & we take a path of dominance. People today buy a harley because they want to belong to blend in & to hide behind a name. Once again we dominate they want what we have but are scared to step out of the norm

[Beethoven]

@ tims - Isn't it fascinating how the "Motor Company" has talked people into being "rugged individuals" and "highway loners" - and then turns around and has them buy identical bikes, pants, coats, helmets and beanies??? I won't go into a Harley store anymore. The sales pressures are so overwhelming they make me ill. These boys REALLY know how to sell stuff. "Oh, it will take 6 months to build YOUR bike" - as if somehow it is being made by knomes in the Bavarian forests and is completely different than anything else. The only Harley I like is the V-rod, and if I get one (used) to customize, I will get it from a local Jap bike dealer, who now has an entire floor of the next building filled with Harleys that have been traded in on his metric bikes!

[hawk60ce]

i would go with a ultra classic if i were to buy from the motor company. strictly because they are one of the few that sell a true full dresser off the floor. I'm currently looking at a victory cross country too with the added tour pack. offers bigger bags and trunk than the HD, not to mention bigger motor, and mp3 hook ups standard, and a $4K cheaper price tag.

[Beethoven]

My understanding is that the Victory is considerably more powerful.

[SoCalRaider]

We are having insane weather up here, and the bikes are as thick as flies on a dead beaver. It seems to me that 2 out of every 3 bikes is a Harley. Am I the only one that wants to crazy glue moose antlers to his bike just so it won't look like ANOTHER boring Harley? I mean, if every woman on the planet was an 18 year old cute blonde that would be terrible. OK BAD analogy - that one would be awesome - all right - to the question - does anybody else find the endless streams of cookie cutter Harleys boring?

If U like repairing bikes & spending more on everything that has HD on it then HDs are great. I see a change coming. I have 2 freinds that just bought Victory bikes & 1 traded in his HD. But I tell them my CI's are still bigger & size matters.

[distantThunder]

didn't HD come out with new bikes that had bigger engines ... and bigger price tags?

As far as the "rugged individual" image goes.
HD might not always have the best mechanical designs ... but they have got true marketing genius.
They know how to sell that image - you have to hand it to them.
When it comes to really knowing how to market cruisers - Yamaha is still wearing dirty diapers :-)

dT

[oops]

There's a thread on the "other forum" going on about this same thing. I posted this over there:

Say what you want about the Harley people> They have the marketing down better than any of their competitors. Just go by any Harley dealer on a weekend (at least here in FL) and they always have something going on for their customers. They do alot more for their customers than any of the other motorcycle companies I've seen. You're not just buying the bike when you buy a HD, you're getting into a huge community.

And NO, I don't own a Harley. I just have my eyes open to see what goes on.

Yea, they might look the same but the owners don't seem to care.

Hey, get a bunch of Raiders together and they look pretty much the same!

[Beethoven]

@ Oops - you are absolutely correct - they have a fantastic marketing system. It's their strength and to some extent, their weakness.

[busajack]

i would go with a ultra classic if i were to buy from the motor company. strictly because they are one of the few that sell a true full dresser off the floor. I'm currently looking at a victory cross country too with the added tour pack. offers bigger bags and trunk than the HD, not to mention bigger motor, and mp3 hook ups standard, and a $4K cheaper price tag.

Good shoppin hawk. There's so much out there ride every dam thing you can find.

[busajack]

i would go with a ultra classic if i were to buy from the motor company. strictly because they are one of the few that sell a true full dresser off the floor. I'm currently looking at a victory cross country too with the added tour pack. offers bigger bags and trunk than the HD, not to mention bigger motor, and mp3 hook ups standard, and a $4K cheaper price tag.

Good shoppen hawk. There's so much out there try every dam one you can.
I'am still trying to get all the Vic. models straight in my head.

[busajack]

Oops

[NHRAIDER]

Went from a raider to aharley 3 yrs ago and doubt I will ever look back. I noticed the same things when I rode a raider, ( how can everyone want to ride the same things,and I also much different and well better because I am not afraid to be different). Lol, now after 3 yrs on my roadglide and 31k miles I never even think about crap like that because 1 I don't give a .... what people think I ride what I want and 2) I don't have the time. I am riding way yay too much.. This conversation has been going on in here since literally day 1 of this website and it looks just as pathetic and self absorbed now as it has ever looked.

Just ride what you want and be happy, who really gives a ...... Do you think someone rides by you or next to you and says. Wow that guy is not afraid to be different.lol. Sounds stupid does,nt it?

If I had a dollar for every time someone said, I see a trend starting and Harley is going down I would be a millionaire..

I like Harley,s, Yamaha,s, Kwai,s, Suzuki,s, victory,s. whatever. They all have something to admire in them but I don't give a .... what someone else rides nor do I care what they think of mine either. The only people I would rather not ride with is the a-hole with his nose in the air who thinks he is better or smarter than someone else because of his friggin motorcycle.. Ride safe all

[faithrider]

how tough would sonny barger look on a honda,if captain america and billy had rode suzuki water buffalos it would be a diffrent world

[Beethoven]

Good one faith - a lot of the movie baddies though ride metric or brit bikes . Personally, I wouldn't want to get in Sonny's way, even if he was on a bicycle. He doesn't need a bike to look tough - he IS TOUGH.

[Beethoven]

Pathetic - self-absorbed - A-hole - Teensy bit over the top I would say. I was just asking for peoples thoughts. Anyways - enjoy the video, and take it in good sportsmanship.
Honest Harley Davidson Commercial - YouTube

[timsr8der]

I guess it depends on the town you live in. Most & I say again Most people around my town don't give a >>>> however theres the rotten apple group that will track down the different & hang there bike from a tree. I'll show pics later this summer of the yammi hanging from the willow tree, need to make sure no banjos are playing when I go by. Erie is 99.99999999% harley & I wish I had a $ for every question I get at bike nights, what model hog is that so once again they by the harley to say they own one, just to belong. I wish it was only bikes but its the same when it comes down to any sport or vehicle. cats skidoo or polaris in sleds, chevy dodge ford in trucks,
blonde brunette or reds in wives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[faithrider]

seen the new 2012 1/2 softail slim FLS, or the newXL 1200V "seventy two" ??. dont know what will be next from the "COMPANY" but there sure hopin to find all the angles of any buyer. i figure pretty quick they will have season Harleys, kinda like SEARS AND ROEBUCK spring,summer and fall,winter catalogs you can get bike colors,styles and apparrel that will match each season.

[Beethoven]

I was just reading a bike magazine, and they had a list of new cruiser type bikes. It seems to me (although I could be wrong) that the prices of non CVO Harleys have dropped considerably since the last time I looked. Interesting.

[NHRAIDER]

I was just reading a bike magazine, and they had a list of new cruiser type bikes. It seems to me (although I could be wrong) that the prices of non CVO Harleys have dropped considerably since the last time I looked. Interesting.

Yeah I noticed that too, they up sized the motors On non CVO,s to 103 and have lowered the price. I guess the economy has a lot to do with that.


Btw those victory,s are nice but I personally do not like the look of the motor although I do realize it is more powerful, I did test ride a few of them and although powerful it was kind of noisy and the price was on par if not more expensive than a comparable hd and resale is no where near a hd. Decent bikes though, I do like the kingpins but those crossover cross country,s are fugly IMO and although I admit power is a big part of a motorcycle purchase to. Me comfort and looks are just as important.

[faithrider]

is it true hd has a one piece crankshaft now? that was a selling point of the raider to me,if harley did go to a forged one peice design w/ automotive type insert rod bearing it would look more favorable for hd and bump the cubic inches up i think would be excellent marketing move.