Do any of you like Harley Davidson....

[Darren]

Never been a HD fan, never really understood why they were so expensive. They always seemed to me to be underpowered, underdeveloped, unreliable and uncomfortable.

[tinkerman]

Never been a HD fan, never really understood why they were so expensive. They always seemed to me to be underpowered, underdeveloped, unreliable and uncomfortable.

Well I have never understood the concept of being a Harley only advocate...anymore than I understand being a one beer brand kind of person....variety is the spice of life and all that.

I would even agree with some of the above comments relating to the cost etc. I mean HD was/is as much about branding and marketing as it was/is about bikes. They sold a lifestyle and anyone that wants to by into it....who am I to criticize.

However after running an 88 evo powered heritage for a number of years (back and forth and around the continent) I can say that the bikes when not tinkered with (too much) are as solid as tractors....and about as comfortablewith paint and chrome...at least from that era that goes on for ever. Tough machines until people start tinkering with things better off left alone. I think the biggest downfall to the HD brand is people that don't have the know how messing with perfectly working machines till they don't work and then blaming it on the brand. I have seen quite a bit of that...and I am not one to defend HD or any other make.

tink

[motozeke]

What I don't like about the manufacturer is that they are still trying to sell bikes based on being an American icon yet they now have a manufacturing plant in India and many of their parts, accessories and clothing come from China. If you want to claim American heritage then don't sell out. Also, I'm not into the Harley lifestyle and herd mentality that many Harley owners seem to flock too.

Outsourcing to maximize profit while posing as "All-American"? What's more American than that?

[Scotrod]

Very true! /\ /\ /\ /\

[motozeke]

Sure I like HD bikes. I like all bikes actually. If it has 2 wheels and a motor it usually makes me smile. I've owned a bunch of Harley bikes and still have one in the garage.

What I don't like about the manufacturer is that they are still trying to sell bikes based on being an American icon yet they now have a manufacturing plant in India and many of their parts, accessories and clothing come from China. If you want to claim American heritage then don't sell out. Also, I'm not into the Harley lifestyle and herd mentality that many Harley owners seem to flock too.

Love the fact that they are an American based company.
Disappointed that the products they make don't have what I need in a motorcycle.
Ditto for the two Polaris bike brands.

I know, right? I buy American wherever I can (I exclusively buy American cars, for instance) but buying American in motorcycles means cruisers or exclusive sport bikes. Huge expanses of unaddressed market needs by Polaris and Harley. Ah, I could go on but why bother.

[racer]

Sure. My first two bikes were harleys. Just don't feel the need to buy another. There are better motorcycles out there.

[Meanie97]

Likes:
I like the way they look
I like the way they fit me
I like the interchangeability (not sure if thats correct)
I like the gas mileage
I like the way they lope, as long as the exhaust isn't too loud
Dislikes:
I hate the dealers
I hate the service department
I hate the suspension
I hate the amount of money I have to drop on them to make them right

[SmallPasture]

Love the bike and all the history that comes with it. Great story!

I'm not crazy about how they've canned the "Harley Image" and sell it to new Harley owners.
I know, I know...ya got own one to understand it. Well, that's not going to happen. Had the not so fun pleasure of riding (the soon to be Father in-laws) Ultra Classic Electra Glide from Houston to Amarillo and back in July. Nope never again. I vibrated for 2 weeks after that and had night sweats from the leftover heat stored in my ass!!!!

but then again....that's me!

Flame away Harleys...I've got fireproof shorts on!

[Big Dawg]

As a reformed Harley rider, (I owned over 50 harleys in the past 40 years) I finally figgured it out. Come on guys, who builds a air cooled, vee twin, push rod motor today to compete in the real world market? Honestly the big bore, long stroke, slow turn motor design is over a hundred years old. The bikes are slow, heavy and ill handling by today's standards. Not to mention over priced. Please don't misunderstand, I don't dislike them and I think from a business standpoint the "Company" has done a remarkable job in selling the image and the lifestyle.

This much I do know; if I am riding across this country on a bike, I'll pick the Honda over the Harley any and every day. When I rode Harley's a 400 mile day was a killer, today on the Honda, 1000 mile days are a killer.

[XKnight]

Love the bike and all the history that comes with it. Great story!

I'm not crazy about how they've canned the "Harley Image" and sell it to new Harley owners.
I know, I know...ya got own one to understand it. Well, that's not going to happen. Had the not so fun pleasure of riding (the soon to be Father in-laws) Ultra Classic Electra Glide from Houston to Amarillo and back in July. Nope never again. I vibrated for 2 weeks after that and had night sweats from the leftover heat stored in my ass!!!!

but then again....that's me!

Flame away Harleys...I've got fireproof shorts on!

You clearly just don't get the Harley mystique. Harleys have a soul. They are the only inanimate object that has one. It's true, it's true, because a bunch of current Harley riders told me so and that's how they are able to tell the difference between their bike any anything that's not a Harley.