Local dealer had the demo truck in this weekend.

Brought my daughter over to the dealership because she has been wanting to take a Street 750 for a ride ever since riding a Street 500 in an intermediate riders class a couple months ago. I've been wanting to ride a Street Rod ever since they came out, I don't want to buy one or take a brand new one out for a ride, but I really want to see what they are like.

Well you guessed it, get to the dealership at 0930 Sunday morning just as they are opening up for the demo rides, get signed in, and not a single Harley Street in the demo fleet. How can you send a demo truck out without a single bike from one of your product lines?

The way Harley (and their dealerships) market the Street just reminds me of the Buell and the V-Rod getting the red headed step child treatment.

On a good note, she took a Iron 1200 and a Softail Slim out for a ride. She really liked the handling of the Softail Slim, but didn't like the drag bars on it. I tried to get her to take the Heritage Classic for a ride, but it had the bigger wider seat which made it harder for her little legs to reach the ground. Had a good morning out riding motorcycles with my daughter.

I tried out the Heritage Classic 107, the Sport Glide 107 , The Road King Special 114, the Road Glide Ultra 114 and the Tri Glide 114. I was really impressed with the Heritage, I would say it was the most comfortable bike I rode all day. The Sport Glide was meh, which is sad because I thought I would like it. The Road King Special with the 114 was a lot of fun, I only got the boards to scrape once on the ride. But I think it's way to much money for what it is. I wish they offered the 114 in the standard Road King. I had ridden the Electra Glide Ultra Classic before, but I liked the Road Glide much better. The Tri Glide was a big surprise, I had a lot of fun on it. It's not like riding a motorcycle, but it's fun in it's own way. I'f buy a Tri Glide if that's what it took to get my wife riding as a passenger.

All in all, if I was looking for a new bike, and my wife still wouldn't ride with me, I'd probably get the Heritage Classic 114.

 

It is hard to figure what Harley's thinking some times. I remember a Street on a demo truck a year or two back, but I'll admit no one was riding it. Maybe they figured they weren't giving enough rides on it to justify the space in the truck.

You should also ask your dealer. Our local dealer has several demo bikes that you can test ride any time. I don't know if a Street is on their list, but you never know.

 

I've been really tempted to throw a leg over the Road King Special lately and give it a shot. But every time I hop on my LRS, that temptation goes away.

 

It was well into the 90's on Sunday, and all those new bikes were scorching my legs, I hopped back on my old Sportster and decided I didn't need to go in debt for that.

 

And what happens after you test ride them from the local dealer? When I went to a dealer with the truck I got to try out different Harleys, ask questions, and never got a follow up sales pitch call or pushy salesman trying despirately trying to make a sale. I liked the Softail Deluxe, but was also curious about the Heritage. They didn't have a Softail Heritage though, just the deluxe. The dealer didn't have one either. When I went to a semi local dealer for a bike event. I thought what the hell, different dealer, so I asked if they had a Heritage in stock. I didn't want to even ride it, I just wanted to check out the handlebars, because due to a physical disability I can't ride one with high rise handlebars anymore, and from the picture they looked high. Although they didn't have one in stock, the dealer found one in the lot, a customer one, so I at least got to look at the bars. He asked for my phone number, in case he got any in, and although I did give him my number, I told him that I didn't want to buy right now, just curious about the Heritage, that I had more LD riding to do with my Ultra before I change motorcycles. I told him when I was ready to hang up LD riding I'd call him. He said he wouldn't call me, but that turned out not to be true. Not only did he call and text, some other salesman who took over for him called me also.

 

This past weekend the dealer out my way arranged to have a demo truck in town as well. Not sure what that costs the local dealer, but I'm sure they pay for it. We hadn't had the demo truck in town for several years. I got to ride two motorcycles I wasn't familiar with, for fun. A Heritage and a Road Glide. I'm not ready to buy anything and I made that clear, but what fun. I'm getting a little older, now what was I bitchin' and whinin' about? I forgot.

 

I was thinking of heading out Manasty myself Sat, but it was damn hot & humid and did not feel like baking, sucks that your daughter did not get to ride what she wanted.

rk classic.

 

I liked the Demo truck.
The bikes were so-so, but that truck rides nice. The people running it are a little hyper though.

 

I have a question: do your local dealers have demo bikes of their own? I ask this because my selling dealer has nearly every model available as a demo, so one could come in any time and ride one. My salesman and I have a good relationship, and he's always offering to let me take something out for a ride knowing full well that I love my bike and there is no chance in hell that I would be interested in buying one. Just curious.

 

Our local HD dealer REFUSES to bring in the demo truck. Says he stocks at least 1 of everything (which is true) and will let you take them out anytime. But when you are not ready to buy, just wanting to see how another bike feels I don't like that option. All of that leading up to a couple of years ago I see where a dealer about 95 miles away is bring in the truck on a Thursday. I take off work ride over with the goal of riding the Heritage Classic, Road King, and a Road Glide. Guess what was not on the truck? Yep none of the above. They had 8 different sportsters, a couple of the street 500 / 750, a few street glides. It seamed like their target market was smaller bikes I'm guessing trying to bring in new riders.