Harley Used To Be About Bikes Not Lifestyle
#1
11-24-2016, 11:48 AM
Top Answer
11-27-2016, 06:38 AM
Here's my "lifestyle".
I've been riding motorcycles since I was 10; that's 47 years at this point.
When I was 11, I started working for the sole purpose of paying for motorcycles, parts, gas and oil.
I had a motorcycle operators license before I had a license to drive a car. (I still have that paper license. They didn't even take your picture then.)
Any girl or woman who did not abide with my love of motorcycles and riding soon found themselves looking for a new companion.
All of my children took their first motorcycle ride sitting in front of me holding onto the tank (and yet none were killed or maimed).
I rode a Shovelhead at my job as a motor officer.
I have ridden all over the world as well as the North American continent and it still isn't enough. Every time I thumb the starter on one of my bikes and it fires, I get giddy as I did when I was a kid.
The Haul Road
I live in a 990 square foot house so I can pay cash for any motorcycle I want. My pickup has a rubber floor and roll up windows for the same reason.
In 2008 and 2009 I rode my motorcycle to cancer treatments and appointments.
In 2008, when I was not expected to survive, all I wanted was another ride on my motorcycle. Some of my friends, who truly know me, obliged by coming to my house and putting me on my bike. I wasn't afraid of dying, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to ride my motorcycle anymore.
I'm the skinny one toward the right side of the picture in full leathers.
I will ride any brand of motorized two wheeler. If one day, I go bust and all I can afford is a pink Chinese scooter with a milk crate strapped on the back; that is what I will ride. This definition is mine and mine alone; it's neither right or wrong. It's no better or more "authentic" than next guy or gal's version of being a rider.
That's the "lifestyle" I bought into.
I've been riding motorcycles since I was 10; that's 47 years at this point.
When I was 11, I started working for the sole purpose of paying for motorcycles, parts, gas and oil.
I had a motorcycle operators license before I had a license to drive a car. (I still have that paper license. They didn't even take your picture then.)
Any girl or woman who did not abide with my love of motorcycles and riding soon found themselves looking for a new companion.
All of my children took their first motorcycle ride sitting in front of me holding onto the tank (and yet none were killed or maimed).
I rode a Shovelhead at my job as a motor officer.
I have ridden all over the world as well as the North American continent and it still isn't enough. Every time I thumb the starter on one of my bikes and it fires, I get giddy as I did when I was a kid.
The Haul Road
I live in a 990 square foot house so I can pay cash for any motorcycle I want. My pickup has a rubber floor and roll up windows for the same reason.
In 2008 and 2009 I rode my motorcycle to cancer treatments and appointments.
In 2008, when I was not expected to survive, all I wanted was another ride on my motorcycle. Some of my friends, who truly know me, obliged by coming to my house and putting me on my bike. I wasn't afraid of dying, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to ride my motorcycle anymore.
I'm the skinny one toward the right side of the picture in full leathers.
I will ride any brand of motorized two wheeler. If one day, I go bust and all I can afford is a pink Chinese scooter with a milk crate strapped on the back; that is what I will ride. This definition is mine and mine alone; it's neither right or wrong. It's no better or more "authentic" than next guy or gal's version of being a rider.
That's the "lifestyle" I bought into.
Last edited by Campy Roadie; 11-27-2016 at 09:53 AM.
#2
11-24-2016, 11:55 AM
I dunno, as an outsider looking in, I recently bought my first Harley. My salesman sold me on the different features of the different models in my budget to help me find the bike that met my needs. Went on a test ride and I was hooked. Vintage rumble and gobs of torque converted me from my previous jap cruisers.
Lifestyle was never a consideration.
Just my experience.
Lifestyle was never a consideration.
Just my experience.
#3
11-24-2016, 12:06 PM
lifestyle /affinity is something other brands would love to have ( how many riders have a kawasaki tattoo?), and that extends from gibson guitar to Ford to tabasco.
H-D affinity is more organic having come up within the community of owners. Esp in the days when H-D's were not so popular ( AMF)
H-D tapped into this and had to reclaim the trademarks from common use.
and the motorclothes division usually accounts for 25 to 30% of gross sales.
as for image, until the Willie G collection, the only use of a skull type emblem was Rocky Mountain H-D who corporate fought with bitterly for years- the skull was scary and H-D didn;t want that image ...licensing with warner brothers gave us the tasmanian devil if you wanted scary.
tv shows like SOA, made "instant badasses"- and I see all kinds of back patches which didn;t exist a few years ago.
as an indy rider, I stay away from the clubs stuff and keep myself separated from that look.
Bartels H-D has even sold a number of SOA type bikes ( they supplied many bikes for the show)- for the instant badass.
the spectrum has room for all types of riders.
just about everyone gets a wave, not everyone gets engaged in conversation at the gas pump or the bar.
find your own road, I figure
Mike
H-D affinity is more organic having come up within the community of owners. Esp in the days when H-D's were not so popular ( AMF)
H-D tapped into this and had to reclaim the trademarks from common use.
and the motorclothes division usually accounts for 25 to 30% of gross sales.
as for image, until the Willie G collection, the only use of a skull type emblem was Rocky Mountain H-D who corporate fought with bitterly for years- the skull was scary and H-D didn;t want that image ...licensing with warner brothers gave us the tasmanian devil if you wanted scary.
tv shows like SOA, made "instant badasses"- and I see all kinds of back patches which didn;t exist a few years ago.
as an indy rider, I stay away from the clubs stuff and keep myself separated from that look.
Bartels H-D has even sold a number of SOA type bikes ( they supplied many bikes for the show)- for the instant badass.
the spectrum has room for all types of riders.
just about everyone gets a wave, not everyone gets engaged in conversation at the gas pump or the bar.
find your own road, I figure
Mike
Last edited by mkguitar; 11-24-2016 at 12:09 PM.
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#4
11-24-2016, 12:18 PM
#5
11-24-2016, 12:22 PM
It's classic "brand marketing" and I think the MoCo are better at it than almost anybody. There are lots of brands out there that have followings, but HD creates a lifestyle that almost makes you feel like you're part of a community.
I like to think that I buy Harleys because I love to ride and I really like their bikes, which I do. But, if it wasn't for the added perk of feeling the image and lifestyle, I might be riding a Honda.
I like to think that I buy Harleys because I love to ride and I really like their bikes, which I do. But, if it wasn't for the added perk of feeling the image and lifestyle, I might be riding a Honda.
#6
11-24-2016, 01:16 PM
lifestyle /affinity is something other brands would love to have ( how many riders have a kawasaki tattoo?), and that extends from gibson guitar to Ford to tabasco.
H-D affinity is more organic having come up within the community of owners. Esp in the days when H-D's were not so popular ( AMF)
H-D tapped into this and had to reclaim the trademarks from common use.
and the motorclothes division usually accounts for 25 to 30% of gross sales.
as for image, until the Willie G collection, the only use of a skull type emblem was Rocky Mountain H-D who corporate fought with bitterly for years- the skull was scary and H-D didn;t want that image ...licensing with warner brothers gave us the tasmanian devil if you wanted scary.
tv shows like SOA, made "instant badasses"- and I see all kinds of back patches which didn;t exist a few years ago.
as an indy rider, I stay away from the clubs stuff and keep myself separated from that look.
Bartels H-D has even sold a number of SOA type bikes ( they supplied many bikes for the show)- for the instant badass.
the spectrum has room for all types of riders.
just about everyone gets a wave, not everyone gets engaged in conversation at the gas pump or the bar.
find your own road, I figure
Mike
H-D affinity is more organic having come up within the community of owners. Esp in the days when H-D's were not so popular ( AMF)
H-D tapped into this and had to reclaim the trademarks from common use.
and the motorclothes division usually accounts for 25 to 30% of gross sales.
as for image, until the Willie G collection, the only use of a skull type emblem was Rocky Mountain H-D who corporate fought with bitterly for years- the skull was scary and H-D didn;t want that image ...licensing with warner brothers gave us the tasmanian devil if you wanted scary.
tv shows like SOA, made "instant badasses"- and I see all kinds of back patches which didn;t exist a few years ago.
as an indy rider, I stay away from the clubs stuff and keep myself separated from that look.
Bartels H-D has even sold a number of SOA type bikes ( they supplied many bikes for the show)- for the instant badass.
the spectrum has room for all types of riders.
just about everyone gets a wave, not everyone gets engaged in conversation at the gas pump or the bar.
find your own road, I figure
Mike
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Fatman2 (12-18-2016)
#7
11-24-2016, 01:32 PM
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#8
11-24-2016, 01:36 PM
Road Master
If they were about motorcycles they would be building Hondas... They have, however, always been selling an image. An oldtimer I worked with in the mid 70's attempted to describe the dual nature between the image Indian fed into, and the more toughguy macho image HD guys... as he witnessed it in the 1930's and 40's - fella ran at el mirage and bonney, designed parts for the moon shots too... alas gone like the breezes...
The emphasis has changed from mainly building bikes and only flogging the style to a lesser degree to the opposite - selling image, fantasy, emotion with a motorcycle as the iconic prop.
This looks to some like a moral decay. If it is it's nobody's fault, just the course of history. I ought to say too that many bike-buyers buy the bike, not the flogged image... Me included. However the older bikes, evo engine being the last in the series, hold more esthetic appeal for me than the newer scooters. Maybe that's just my aged eye...
The emphasis has changed from mainly building bikes and only flogging the style to a lesser degree to the opposite - selling image, fantasy, emotion with a motorcycle as the iconic prop.
This looks to some like a moral decay. If it is it's nobody's fault, just the course of history. I ought to say too that many bike-buyers buy the bike, not the flogged image... Me included. However the older bikes, evo engine being the last in the series, hold more esthetic appeal for me than the newer scooters. Maybe that's just my aged eye...
Last edited by pie plate; 11-24-2016 at 01:40 PM.
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Viaqua (11-28-2016)
#10
11-24-2016, 03:10 PM
As a metric rider for years I thought I would never own a Harley (not a negative statement - just did not think I could afford one). We were at a Myrtle Beach bike week and my wife sat on an Ultra Classic. She was the one who pushed me into buying it.
Since then I have done much, much more riding, greatly enjoy the HOG chapter and new friends. I would say I got the bike first and the lifestyle later - could care less about a bad *** image.
Since then I have done much, much more riding, greatly enjoy the HOG chapter and new friends. I would say I got the bike first and the lifestyle later - could care less about a bad *** image.
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