So, I'm browsing the DirecTV guide yesterday to see if there is anything on 2-wheel Tuesday worth recording on the DVR and I come across this show called Speed Test Ride and I see that they are reviewing the Rocker. I set it to record and watched it later last night. I've seen the test drive shows on Speed before and they usually seem to be making an attempt to objectively review the vehicles and go somewhat into the details/numbers of what they can or can't do. In other words, the car tests do seem like more of a review than a paid advertisement. This show about the Rocker was really more like a 30 minute Softail infomercial than a review. During the half-hour "review", all that was really talked about was the rear tire, the ride, and the rear fender.

The infomercial slant in and of itself didn't bother me and I guess none of it should have. But, they had 6 or 7 people riding together, including 1 token "chick", Willie G's son, and even a brief discussion on a roadside with Willie G. himself. Anyway, my thought with that many people riding together: what a good opportunity to show off bikes from across the product line on TV. It was all about the Rocker, of course, but why not put the "chick" on a Sporty, one guy on a V-Rod, someone else on a bagger, and as painful as it must be - put someone on a DYNA, even if it's the new Fat Bob leaving the other models to remain the redheaded stepchildren not worth talking about in public. Do they do that? No! The "chick" is on a Fatboy (that needs more exposure huh?), one guy is on a 105th Heritage Classic Duracell, one guy is on a Softail Classic, and yet another is on a silver Nightrain. Then there are as many as 3 Rockers in the mix as well (understandable since the show IS about the Rocker). Then there is this big discussion about how pure the Softail's lines are and how great the rigid mounted B motor is from a ride perspective and allowing the Softail bikes to be so compact without the need for rubber motor mounts, etc. It was almost like they were selling the Softails against the other models. Didn't seem real smart to me - but, anyway. Who am I to question a 105 year old company's marketing strategy?

I'm sure I'm just reading too much into it. And I still wouldn't trade my Dyna in for any model they had on the show. It just seemed like a good opportunity and they blew it IMHO. And, I thought this thread my make for some good "fodder" while things are somewhat slow around here with a lot of bikes still packed away for the winter.

 

Talk about slow, suppose to get 12 inches of snow today, work said stay home. What shoulkd I do today. Work out? Maybe. No I am on this forum looking for future ideas, these bikes are addicting.

 

Staying on here looking for future ideas gets expensive, believe me. LOL

I don't know where you are at but it was 79 here yesterday and supposed to be close to that today. But then not out of the 50's over the weekend. God can be cruel sometimes...

 

Yeah, I know what you mean about the Dyna family being the step children.

It seems like H-D's philosophy is as follows:
Sportsters sell themselves: People who want a Sportster won't consider other families.
Touring bikes sell themselves. And from what I've heard, H-D sells more touring bikes than anything else.
Softails appeal across lines. Outlaws, couples, liberals and conservatives all love a good softail.
Dyna... We're not sure who's buying Dynas.

On another note, here's a funny picture I found while surfing the web"

 

Live in Aurora , west suburb of Chicago.originally from West Virginia.

 

This is my first Harley, been around metric cruisers my whole life. Metrics will run for ever just change the oil. I bought a Dyna because the guy I ride with had a 02 yellow wide glide (beautiful bkie), he sold me on the Dyna's. I could not afford the WG so I got the Street Bob. So I think its what you have been around that make a huge impact on what you like.Tv ads just make us want to buy the newest thing.

 

I watched it and took away the same as you, an infomercial. I don't mind a show showcasingthe new HD but come on, don't call it a test ride. How objective are they going to be with 2 vice presidents of the MOCO in it. Dyna? whats a Dyna? This was the first HD a bought and to meeverything about the bike works. You can tour, changeit to a bar hopper, Bobber, drag bike, I mean its all there. I saw the Rocker at the motorcycle show and it is a nice bike but it is what it is. The Dynas price point now should ready increase sells which s good. I was down in Tempe for work last week and couldn't believe all the 105 Duracell bikes down there. Up here your lucky to see one of each model butthe dealer I went into had awhole section of them. I wonder if they are selling?

 

Nice bike. The first new dyna I looked at was one like yours but the 07's had already come out and, at that time, they had no interest in making any special deals on end of year models, especially a special edition like that.

I see quite a few duracells on the road now. But, the fact that they are offering 1.5% financing on the 105 anniv. models makes you wonder if they are selling as well as they expected them to.

I have nothing against the rocker or any of the other models they were riding. It just seemed to me like they would spread the product line out and show some of them off. I wouldn't trade for any of them but the closest one would have been the nightrain. Then again, it kind of resembles a dyna to me anyway so that would explain why.

 

From what I understand, the 1.5% on the 105 Duracell's is for 36 months only and of course your credit has to be golden to qualify. So it's only for the lucky few.
I wish they'd make a deal for everybody. So does that make a case for 'shopper discrimination'?
all for one, one for all

 

Doesn't matter, it is still an effort to incent purchasing one of those bikes. If they were so hot and selling themselves, you can best bet you could only get 7.5% or above like the rest of us.

IMO, they are making a mockery of anniversary editions by coming out with them so often. I guess they had to come up with something to try to get people fired up to ride to Milwaukee to see the new museum so they had to create an anniversary scenario around it. Can't you see the marketing meeting right now - "hey, we got all those suckers to make a pilgramage up here to celebrate our 100th, lets see if we can get them back up here again with their wallets wide open for a 105th anniversary." Gee, I can't wait to see what the 106th anniversary bikes are going to look like...