Why All The Hatred ?
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,216
Likes: 79
Market research said buyers want fake parts on their bikes?
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 497
Everyone harped on HD for having old technology, that the only thing new this year will be a new shade of black, etc etc. So Harley finally brings massive updates, new suspension that I'm guessing will be an improvement over both the old dyna and softail suspensions, and everyone is pissed that they changed the bikes! Can't have it both ways.
I read a Revzilla article this morning that I think put it well. The Dyna and Softail are both dead. It's just that Harley screwed up and didn't come up with a new name for the line so the softail name lives on. The Revzilla writer said that he was overall very impressed by the 2018's when he got to ride them both from power and handling.
I read a Revzilla article this morning that I think put it well. The Dyna and Softail are both dead. It's just that Harley screwed up and didn't come up with a new name for the line so the softail name lives on. The Revzilla writer said that he was overall very impressed by the 2018's when he got to ride them both from power and handling.
A.) I wanted new models. And by new models I mean a scrambler, a dual sport, a sport and/or sport-tourer. "New models"! Meaning all new machines that are affordable and fun to ride. Bikes that break the stigma and spark interest in new/young riders as well as us older crowd. Not a bunch of Softail looking contraptions. To the Millennials these bikes look like a bunch of Harley wanna be BS that they already want little to nothing to do with. Sure they're revamped and maybe appealing to some, but as soon as they get a face full of "H-D sticker shock" they'll be running to brand X to get a bike that's affordable and in many cases better performing and funner to ride.
B.) The one line-up of bikes H-D carried that was appealing to an enormous group of faithful/loyal customers, as well as the masses of younger riders over the passed few years, is now dead. Killed off for a new softail frame that costs thousands more. The faithful/loyal crowd? We're ****in pissed!! As for the younger riders? These "kids" aren't stupid and they sure as **** ain't rich. No different than we were 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago.
C.) What is appealing about a bike that essentially looks like a cloned Harley, costs way too much money, and more than likely doesn't perform much better than a 2015 Street Bob or certainly not the competition?
Yeah, I'm not happy with Harley right now.
I couldn't disagree more with the Revzilla writer's spin in that article. IMO these bikes are the next generation of Softails. Plain and simple. It is blatantly obvious that the designers/engineers set out to keep the Softail aesthetics. Look at the Deluxe, Slim, and Breakout. They don't look much different from previous year models at a distance. As for the others, it could be argued that they are "new" models. However, the simple fact they are built on a Softail platform discredits it IMO. That and they're fugly as ****.
Last edited by YammyDrummer; Aug 24, 2017 at 11:07 PM.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,646
Likes: 40
From: Midtown Tulsa
Ahem
I still hate the way the 2018 Heritage Classic looks. However, the 2018 Deluxe, except for the turn signals. looks pretty good with a windshield and passenger seat. I'm open to buying a 2018 Deluxe, especially from all the good reviews I've read today from people who have actually had *** time in the seat.
I just wish adjusting the rear shock preload did not require removing the seat and had a twist **** like some of the other new Softails. Still a LOT easier than on my 2017 Slim, However!
I'm actually liking the 2018 Low Rider too. Sure, it's not a Dyna Low Rider, but it's starting to look really good to me the more I look at it. However, I wish it still had dual disks up front.
The 2018 Slim looks great to me...even the pipes. But then again, I kinda like the Indian Scout's pipes too.
I'm gonna try and see them in the next few day and see how they look in person.
If after riding them I'm as impressed as some of the moto-journalist are with the '18 models, I'll be the first to eat crow.
However, I still don't care for the '18 Fat Bob, Fat Boy, and Street Bob.
There's something about the Street Bob in particular that looks very "off" to me.
Also, does anyone know if the Jiffy Stands on the '18 Softails lock into place?
YES, just like always
The picture in the Revzilla review of the 2018 aluminum parts that replace the 2017 steel parts show the old and new Jiffy Stands and they look totally different.
https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...ine-kills-dyna
From the above review: "Harley-Davidson had a little show-and-tell session for us to show us how and where they stripped weight. On the left are two fender struts. The old ones are steel, but the new ones are aluminum. Next to those are some handlebars — same deal, steel was replaced by aluminum. Ditto for the triple trees and jiffy stands you can see there, as well."
I just wish adjusting the rear shock preload did not require removing the seat and had a twist **** like some of the other new Softails. Still a LOT easier than on my 2017 Slim, However!
I'm actually liking the 2018 Low Rider too. Sure, it's not a Dyna Low Rider, but it's starting to look really good to me the more I look at it. However, I wish it still had dual disks up front.
The 2018 Slim looks great to me...even the pipes. But then again, I kinda like the Indian Scout's pipes too.
I'm gonna try and see them in the next few day and see how they look in person.
If after riding them I'm as impressed as some of the moto-journalist are with the '18 models, I'll be the first to eat crow.
However, I still don't care for the '18 Fat Bob, Fat Boy, and Street Bob.
There's something about the Street Bob in particular that looks very "off" to me.
Also, does anyone know if the Jiffy Stands on the '18 Softails lock into place?
YES, just like always
The picture in the Revzilla review of the 2018 aluminum parts that replace the 2017 steel parts show the old and new Jiffy Stands and they look totally different.
https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...ine-kills-dyna
From the above review: "Harley-Davidson had a little show-and-tell session for us to show us how and where they stripped weight. On the left are two fender struts. The old ones are steel, but the new ones are aluminum. Next to those are some handlebars — same deal, steel was replaced by aluminum. Ditto for the triple trees and jiffy stands you can see there, as well."
See above
Sounds like the old guys who haven't been buying HD in the past 15 years are on here telling why their Evo blah de blah is still the greatest. Geez, go back to the Evo section and lick your own self inflicted wounds.
Last edited by frontiercat; Aug 24, 2017 at 11:29 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 169
Likes: 27
From: the wild west
For me, I'm 100% pissed. Why? Because of the direction they went.
A.) I wanted new models. And by new models I mean a scrambler, a dual sport, a sport and/or sport-tourer. "New models"! Meaning all new machines that are affordable and fun to ride. Bikes that break the stigma and spark interest in new/young riders as well as us older crowd. Not a bunch of Softail looking contraptions. To the Millennials these bikes look like a bunch of Harley wanna be BS that they already want little to nothing to do with. Sure they're revamped and maybe appealing to some, but as soon as they get a face full of "H-D sticker shock" they'll be running to brand X to get a bike that's affordable and in many cases better performing and funner to ride.
A.) I wanted new models. And by new models I mean a scrambler, a dual sport, a sport and/or sport-tourer. "New models"! Meaning all new machines that are affordable and fun to ride. Bikes that break the stigma and spark interest in new/young riders as well as us older crowd. Not a bunch of Softail looking contraptions. To the Millennials these bikes look like a bunch of Harley wanna be BS that they already want little to nothing to do with. Sure they're revamped and maybe appealing to some, but as soon as they get a face full of "H-D sticker shock" they'll be running to brand X to get a bike that's affordable and in many cases better performing and funner to ride.
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; Aug 27, 2017 at 12:47 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 276
Likes: 147
From: Alabama
2015 Sportster Custom
2015 Sportster Forty-Eight
2017 Softail Slim
WTH can I say....I like black on some bikes (Slim) and chrome on others (Heritage). I hate the way the '18 Heritage Classic looks. However, the '18 Deluxe with a windshield, passenger seat, and some saddlebags that don't look like so cheap will be a damn nice ride!
Last edited by Timbo64; Aug 25, 2017 at 02:45 AM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,922
Likes: 589
From: Running with the gators
No hate here, just do not like the new bikes. And they are too rich for my income.
As for the iPhone crowd, they are more interested in things that make them feel good about the planet and safe from getting their feelings hurt. lol
I just had a thought, will HOG meetings be held at Panera Bread soon with Livewires plugged in out front? lol
Oh well, so hatred no, just not doing it for me.
As for the iPhone crowd, they are more interested in things that make them feel good about the planet and safe from getting their feelings hurt. lol
I just had a thought, will HOG meetings be held at Panera Bread soon with Livewires plugged in out front? lol
Oh well, so hatred no, just not doing it for me.
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Joe Kucinski
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 429
From: E-town, Alberta
Love everything but the lack of chrome. Funny all the people hating on the headlight and exhaust on the fat bob, wounder how many of them still have the factory headlight and exhaust on their bike
Styling is all subjective. But my own opinion is Harley is still not doing what it will take to attract the younger crowd they covet and need to survive in the future--offer higher performance bikes that compete with the competition price-wise. Harley is still too cost-prohibitive for most of this demographic. Just offering a new chassis, digital speedos, and LED lighting is not going to do this.