Are people going to continue making thug/club style bikes with the new softails?
 

It'll be interesting to see where the trends go now that the new '18s have hit the market.

The new Fat Bob seems to be the clear pick of the litter from a performance standpoint. However, its unique styling to going to pose some challenges for people looking to customize and give it a more retro vibe.

It's hard for me to imagine what the new Low Rider or Street Bob would look like with a ton of mods.

Yeah. Rusty already did it. Mids and all. Folks will keep doing it. He also had sme words for the haters

Yes

Imagine pretty much what you see now, but without visible shocks

Great look you gave the bike. Looks awesome.

Of course they are. The whole thing on club style bikes is building it for performance (suspension, brakes, motor mods, etc) and livability everyday (fairings and screens, bars, pegs, paint, etc). That isnt gonna change because they dumped the dual rear shocks.

Looks like the bikes rips. Sounds fun. A bike is a bike. Everyone has there own personality. I bet it's fun to romp around on. Isn't that what's it's about. Being fun for the user

I don't know why you'd want to make the new Fat Bob "retro". It's a whole new thing with lots of potential for a REALLY cool modern club style bike.

Hopefully, somebody will come up with a cool quarter fairing for it. I'd be all over that. And most of the performance and suspension mods are already there. Stage 2 it and it should fly. It's also almost 100% blacked out from the factory if you like that (I do).

So basically, pipes, cams and a fairing. That's my vision of new club style!

[EDIT:] I really don't like that whole single disk front end that RB put on it. But I kind of see why he did it in the short term. Kind of a shame to get rid of a dual disk, inverted fork front end with massive LED headlight.

I'm on the fence about the mids. Will have to see how the new forwards actually feel. Lot's of people saying they are kind of between old style forwards and true mids. That should work for me.

Can we move this crap to the soft tail form?

Rusty Butcher did it because he's a sell out that received a free F-ing bike from MoCo and is in the business of selling garbage. Dealers, Tuners and Parts sellers are raving because they what to sell parts. There is nothing on the market right now and it's all about getting on that band-wagon ASAP because there are plenty of RUBs that will buy these fugly bikes.

As for the "Tall Dyna" thing... it will remain to be seen. Yes, most of the changes to these bikes are with performance in mind, but there is also a heavy hand of appearance appeal going on as well. Hitler even said he was pissed because people won't be able to see his expensive rear shocks now. If performance was the true trump card, these guys would have jumped to different brands long ago. (Victory, Indian, Triumph, etc).

The new bikes are a click forward performance wise, but lets be real, they are not going to be chasing down Haybusas, Diavels or anything else imported at that price range. I'm also willing to bet, bang for buck, you'll go further with an older Dyna and mods then a stock Softail with an exhaust and tune.

I don't think the club bike trend will ever go away like the Orange County Pro-Street look. The club trend was born out of performance not looks and most riders want to improve performance.

The popularity of the trend does seem to be waning though, as noted by how often the "thug" thread updates compared to a year ago.

To be honest, I'm no longer a fan of the "club/thug" label. Sure, that is where the style has originated from, but I think you might as well call them SOA bikes if you're going to call them that. I like the term purpose built - my bike was modified from stock to fit my needs - a quick, comfortable bike that can navigate through traffic (splitting lanes) on my way to work every day, while being able to hit the twisties on the weekend and hold up to the daily abuse that I put it through. It fits my needs, my purposes - purpose built.

Will this style - whatever you want to call it - go away? No, I don't think it ever will. I do think the fad has come - and will go away some day, but there is always going to be people that set their bikes up this way. It may become less and less popular, potentially even moving over to the performance bagger scene, but it will never go away. I'll be the first to say I'm not the biggest fan of how the new bikes look but I am definitely looking forward to seeing what the performance aftermarket can do with these bikes to improve on what is already (supposedly, I haven't ridden one) a better platform.

I think the Street Bob would have been a better Bike to start off with for him and others doing that style.

IIRC, in the '80's the club riders were among the very first to adopt the FXR bikes.

There was no internet then (of course) for tough guy traditionalists to vent their spleens on. While we were all: "Hear no Evo, See no Evo, Ride no Evo", they were figuring out that an Evo with a cam and head work would walk away from a 5" Shovel.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

Yeah, but free is free. HD gave him the bike.

Well, I disagree. I dont think that will be the trend on the new softails.

One of the reasons Dyna production died was because the outlaw trend was weakened in the first place. Why would someone spend 20K on a Fat Bob and then turn into a completely something else with another 5k?

Sure, there will always be a small group of moders who want to impress with their rides but that;s not called a trend.

Plus, HD has increasingly made it harder for the moders to make changes on the new softails. Look at the Digital gauge on the handlebars and the monoshock.

The new softail is a response to a trend, so it's already modified to fall in line to whats in demand out there. According to HD's own account it was introduce to attract new and younger buyers. I do not see many of this new flock of buyers, assuming there are any, buying these bikes and turn it into Thug style bikes.

he got it free. It was better than a street bob.

nobody cares what you think

One day, cvaria, maybe by an act of revelation, or blessing from above, or even by banging your helmet on the curb of some street, you will see the truth and you will stop hating.

Love is a beautiful thing and can be learned. No human is borne a hater. Open up your heart to love and say no to hate, and you shall be a happier person.

here's why your opinion on this topic doesnt matter. according to your own bs posts, nobody needs a club style setup. We all just need to ride around with crap brakes and hd mini apes to enjoy the soul of stock. You remember any of that crap you posted, or do you need me to quote it all here. Im fine either way.

keep track of your own bs and you will not get responses like this.😉

The pot calling the kettle black.

Also, do you own a new softail? Because your statement that Harley made changing things harder is incorrect. They actually made changing and modifying a lot of things even easier.

Where are you getting any of this info??

Look, my post was about the trends and marketing and the direction they are taking. It requires a level of knowledge and comprehension that not everyone on this forum has. :icon_user:

For you I recommend topics such as seats and turn signals and tire pressure and the likes. :rolleyes:

No sir. You are talking out of school ....that's what you are doing.
adding dual guages became easier with the dynas and now even easier with new softails since they are all basically the same bike.

The low rider softail guages and harness are now going to be the default for club. and since they are all keyless, theres no need to worry about ignition switch relocation. Also takes care of the idiot lights since all but the breakout and street bob have the indicators in the guages.

We, the dyna forum, have already done the work and can plainly see how it's gotten easier. Proof of the pudding: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...-quetions.html You are talking out of your patoot.

Adding tbars and etc are just as easy. If you go back and look at the "useless"(according to you ) oictures i posted of fatbob nuts and bolts, you will see the triple tree and riser bolts behind that ugly light. You gotta stop shooting your mouth off with out doing research.

Mods, please move this poster to softail forum. This confused soul is still dreaming of a new softail turned into Dyna.

And people blame HD for taking a different direction. They just cant get rid of the image the thugs and outlaws gave them. The new line just screams : It was a nice ride folks, now just leave us alone.

So thats how it is? 😂 talk yourself into a corner then cry for help. LOL

Put on your Big Boy Pants and get back in this ring, McGregor. LOL

I dont think you realize that not everyone wants stock. You are happy with it but, those who arent change what they dont like... we dont bitch about it or lay down and take it. Thats the real soul of hd. Make it how you want it. I dont want a boardroom bike. 😆

I think I missed out on the coolaid you all are drinking.

Yes. People will put tbars and fairings on a Softail. They do it right now. It's all over Instagram
I'm not sure there is anything else to say in this thread other than that

I stay in Dyna ring for ever.

You, not so sure. One day you wake up and you look at your headlight and it has become rectangular. :icon_that:

Anything can be done, whether it's these new models or old models. I don't think the performance oriented style that we see so often with the dyna and fxr will ever go away, and will continue on with the new softails.

I think it's even very likely we are going to see even more, due to how easy a lot of things are now to work on and change on the bikes.

You F***ing Guys realize your just fighting over a name right? "Softail". These new Harleys Are neither the old Softail or Dyna. Lighter Stronger frames and a Better suspension. Theres no reason you couldn't Mod it in anyway you like. And from what I hear the new bikes handle like there on rails better then the old Dynas ever did! So to me these would be great bikes to mod out "Thug/club style!! My choice would be the Street bob for that tho! The others are too much money and a different style.

DOOOOOOOOOD... relax. There's always going to be that guy, the one that just doesn't get it. I've got an FXDLS with some mods that make it look like a typical CA club bike. Why? Performance and comfort. I happen to like the way it looks too, and it's only going to get better as time goes on and more money is available.

While mine looks like so many others it's in the subtle differences that make each unique. Why those specific bars? Pegs? Grips? Pipes? Why that seat? What performance mods? These are all things we all ask ourselves and others, except for those who think that the one size fits all from the factory or out of the HD parts catalog is the only way to go.

Maybe he will see the light, maybe not, but don't let it get under your skin so bad. I'm going ride a new Fat Bob this weekend, and I'll see what it's all about. I'm not looking for a new bike, I'm totally happy with my bike as it sits, and it's only getting better with more mods. Let the guy hate your style, hate what you ride, and just give him the finger and move on.

Isnt yours 2017?

Seems like OP is talking about 2018, specifically the Fat Bob. Hello?

How's that for seeing the light DOODADOO?

i add, i dont sell. Plus i already said im buying one. Im just watch for issues and gripes. And ill probably get a 107. The 120 and 124 kits are alreay out and cost $~900. S&S cam kits are cheap as hell too. $190 for chain and ~$400 for gear drive. I'll never be on the frontline.

No doubt. Oddjack is the resident noob who tells us all we need to know. He'll get better soon. Hes just in that "phase".

I may add a 17 or older WG. I find none of the 18 attractive, specially the engine sounds and feels so fake.

Whatever makes you happy, enjoy.

But please, do more studying online, try to educate yourself on a wider span of issues. Earlier I suggested you open your heart, now open your eyes as well. :icon_eek:

I hope so.

I'm still fairly new to this too, having spent most of my time in the 4 wheeled world, but people are the same over there too. Their way is the only way.


That said, I'm looking forward to riding the new Fat Bob next weekend. Also looking forward to the resale of my now very limited production Dyna staying nice and high. Sure, there's a lot of FXDLS on the road now, but only 18 months in production it's a fraction of the Dyna's. Not that I'm going to sell it, it's good for insurance in case of loss. The better it holds value the less I'm screwed if it goes down hard.

I hope this sentence was supposed to be satire...Harley's whole image is based off of the "outlaw" life in one form or another...but hey, what do I know, I'm just a young "thug" riding around on my "thugg'd out" Dyna :icon_crackup:

😆Will you shut it. 😆

I don't know about that man, you got a lot of chrome and non-blacked-out parts there. Better black it out if you want to intimidate!

The club bikes in the 90's weren't blacked out. That whole fad came later.

Muhahahahaaaa

finally, something worth reading:icon_crackup:

Do we really have to call them softail just because Harley says so???

To me, it's a dyna with a monoshock rear suspension and a new motor.
A softail is a somewhat larger Harley witch handles a bit weird...:icon_slap:

This said, I never got over EFI and the battery draining alarm, so I will not be advocating the '18 models...

Damn, guess it's not thug enough. Pimp dyna it is. :icon_pimp: