"But none of that sounds like fun."

You said it, Maverick. Kids suck the life outta you. No thanks.

 

Since it was designed by AMF, I'd say yeah, it's old and dated.

 

Nada.

 

Quoted for truth.

Of course

You know Ducati is releasing a V4 superbike this year...

 

Who'da thunk Ducati was part Audi, Lamborghini and Volkswagon?

"Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is an Italian company that designs and manufactures motorcycles. Headquartered in Bologna, Italy, Ducati is owned by German automotive manufacturer Audi through its Italian subsidiary Lamborghini, which is all owned by the Volkswagen Group"

 

The only option for the MoCo is to turn to 'liquid cooled engines'. Exhaust gases are than within the limits for NOx. And that is exactly what the regulations for emissions to the air will require. No V-4 or V-6 air-cooled as they can no longer meet the EPA regulations.

 

I'll tip my hand here. I doubt if I would buy one. I've already owned a liquid cooled V-4 (88 VMax) as well as three different Goldwings. They were all very nice bikes (smoother, quieter and more powerful than any Harley) but I still like my Harley better than any of them. One reason the Harley appeals to me is it's simplicity. I don't want a radiator and water pump or all the other technical gadgetry that goes along with a sophisticated bike like a Goldwing. Plus, I actually like the sound and the vibration of a Harley and, mine is powerful enough as is to get me in more trouble than I need to be in. So, no, I would not buy one. And I doubt very many other people would either which leaves HD in a dilemma. How do they keep sales up when they run out of customers like me who still appreciate the old school Harley vibe? I have no problem whatsoever buying another Honda or Yamaha if smooth, quiet and powerful are my top priorities.

 

Some of you guys sound as if you think Harley really had much of a choice in this. It didn't.

Honestly, I believe that even though Harley knows it has to evolve or die, the company would continue to produce huge, heavy, loud bikes which pollute like a truck if it had a choice to do so. If it had any choice at all, the moco would just choose to ignore reality and keep on keeping on. But it doesn't have that choice because federal and state regulations have finally caught up and put a stop to it.

Harley doesn't really want to change in order to attract new buyers, that's just the situation the company finds itself in. And since it is being forced to change its whole design mentality, whether it wants to or not, that's the catalyst which is driving the effort to attract a different demographic.

Harley knows its own fan base better than anyone. And the people running the show know that since they're being forced to modernize the bikes by various governments, this will definitely alienate the diehard old-school faithful. So they've got to do something. If they can no longer produce the old-school bikes, what is the company supposed to do, just roll over and die?

Harley is really doing the only thing here which it can do -- attempt to modernize, but do it in such a way that the bikes still look similar to the old designs.

A lot of people seem to think that they've failed on that count. That you can't really modernize the traditional Harley lineup and bring it into the modern age without destroying the appeal of those designs. And that may be so. It could be that no matter how hard Harley works to refine these new designs, people will still say they look more like a Japanese copy of a Harley than a real Harley. And if that proves to be true and they're rejected by the marketplace, then as I see it that only leaves Harley with one option: abandon the traditional look and embrace the future. Meaning Harley would be free to design whatever it wanted without being wedded to any particular look.

If it comes to that, could Haley even do it? Does it have the engineering and design talent to create new bikes which incorporate modern features, while simultaneously developing a completely new signature style? Could it actually compete head to head with other manufacturers without relying on the nostalgia card which it has used as a crutch for decades? Without the inherent advantage of a slavishly loyal fan base, does it have a vision which will carry it into 2020 and beyond? At present, I doubt it.

Right now Harley is trying to have it both ways. It's trying to modernize without actually modernizing. And the end result is a bunch of new designs which look a bit confused, where Harley has one foot on each side of the fence.

 

I remember the stories and pictures of the Nova Project way back whenever. I thought it was interesting but I had no desire to own one.

My love with Harley's was rooted in the old styles and simplistic mechanics of them. I liked the fact they were simple to work on like my 9N Ford tractor or my Farmall Cub. If I wanted the latest tech I would buy a Honda and a Kubota tractor. I realize not everyone feels the same but my feelings remain unchanged.

 

I would so buy a v4 Harley but it has to be liquid cooled with at least 100 hp and 120 tq at the rear wheel. I wanted a modern bagger for my wife and I next bike and this year that's exactly what we got. Harley has made some much needed improvements but hasn't come close to what I have. As far as functionality our new bagger comes the closest to perfection of any bike we have ever owned and we have owned a lot of bikes.

If Harley continues to improve and think outside the box I am sure I will be considering a Harley for my next bike. Cheers