Harley bashing
"Moderator"
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,640
Likes: 952
From: San Tan Valley, Arizona
RE: Harley bashing
I have ridden bikes my whole life. Dirt bikes before I was able to drive on the road and metrics before I was able to buy a Harley. Ever since I was 15 I wanted a Harley more than anything. I loved the way they sounded, the way they looked. I loved the history and the fact that it was an American legend. The shaking and the vibration and the mistique. I loved everything about Harleys. I have had a lot of metric bikes over the years and they were nice bikes. The whole time I had them I wished they were a Harley. When I met my wife she was very surprised when i told her I wanted to sell my bikes (I had two at the time) and buy a boat. She asked if I was sure and I said yes. They are not what I really want and I don't want to ride anymore until I get the bike I have been wanting my whole life. I sold the bike and it took me over 5 years of not riding until I got my Harley. Now I know I will never be without a Harley. I never bash other brands. It is all a personal choice but I don't want to hear anyone tell me what I should be riding. I rode the others and gave them a fair shake. It just isn't for me. I look at it this way. 99% of all the metric people bashing Harleys have never owned one. 99% of all Harley guys have had metric bikes and decided they wanted a Harley instead. Like I said I never bash other bikes. I don't think they make a POS bike nowadays. They are all good. just not for me but if I decided to bash them at least it would be an informed opinion and not just frothing at the mouth.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 0
From: pinchatooly
RE: Harley bashing
I think they're tring to justify not buying the Harley they really wanted in the first place.
"Moderator"
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,640
Likes: 952
From: San Tan Valley, Arizona
RE: Harley bashing
ORIGINAL: 06train
YEP...Two friends have honda's and tell me my harley is over priced and they bought two bikes for what I paid for one...And I reply with ,,,, and my overpriced harley will be wort two times what your two hondas will in a yera...
I think they're tring to justify not buying the Harley they really wanted in the first place.
And probably last longer too.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Harley bashing
Well let's see....big v-twins in the metrics START at 1600cc.......and most have 1800, 1900 or even the 125 cu in Vulcan 2000. And thenthere's HD who'sBIG announcement was that the anemic1450cc engines are now going to bereplaced with the1600. WOW. Then there's my buddy who's sunkan additional $4kinto his '06 Street Bob to get it up to 1600cc......
Bashing? How can you not make fun of people who pay $20K for a bike that rides worse, sounds wimpier, and hasNO BALLScompared to its Metric counterpart that cost $10K less? It's too easy not to ignore.......especially when they're delusional enough tothink a V2K owner or the like really wanted a little baby Harley instead in his heart of hearts....LOL. Oh yeah......I forgot it's a Harley.....that makes all the difference. Whatever helps you sleep at night.
Bashing? How can you not make fun of people who pay $20K for a bike that rides worse, sounds wimpier, and hasNO BALLScompared to its Metric counterpart that cost $10K less? It's too easy not to ignore.......especially when they're delusional enough tothink a V2K owner or the like really wanted a little baby Harley instead in his heart of hearts....LOL. Oh yeah......I forgot it's a Harley.....that makes all the difference. Whatever helps you sleep at night.
Advanced
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
RE: Harley bashing
at least in my case you're incorrect. i like my harley. however, like my first one, five visits for the same oil leak. i am tired of revisiting the dealership to get things right. is it the dealership? is it the bike? both, a yes. i'd keep my bike if it were less of a hassle. soon i will approach the honda/hd dealer in michigan city, indiana to trade a superglide for a honda 919. i need reliability and worry-free riding. character be damned. i ride too much and all year 'round to worry about constantly revisiting the damn shop. i am the master, not the other way around. harleys are not altars, they're just motorcycles.
in europe,the land where motorcycles are used in all weather and in all conditions, they ride mostly jap bikes. read RIDE magazine and see what real biking is all about. guys who discuss bikes, their attributes, their weak spots, their reliability, prices, depriciation, etc.they are fast and fun and economical transportation. yet those guys remain enthusiasts. loud pipes and freak wear to them are, "that route 66 thing". pretty silly, if you think about it.
now proceed with the "******" rhetoric.
in europe,the land where motorcycles are used in all weather and in all conditions, they ride mostly jap bikes. read RIDE magazine and see what real biking is all about. guys who discuss bikes, their attributes, their weak spots, their reliability, prices, depriciation, etc.they are fast and fun and economical transportation. yet those guys remain enthusiasts. loud pipes and freak wear to them are, "that route 66 thing". pretty silly, if you think about it.
now proceed with the "******" rhetoric.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 1
From: Rockies
RE: Harley bashing
skater... You've revealed yourself to be biased, and it shows in your uninformed post.
Rides worse? I'm trying to remember the last review where H-D didn't outhandle the ponderous and bloated metric competition. Reviewers can't stand the barge like size of these metrics like the Vulcan. H-D Fatboy was just named Cycle World's Cruiser of the Year.
Sounds wimpier? If you think the harsh blatty note of metrics is finer, you're in very, very small company.
No *****? You don't understand cruising. What's far more important is how a cruiser delivers the experience below 100mph, not how much faster than 120mph it can go. If anyone is taking a bike above 100mph on public roads with traffic, they're stupid. Oh sure, I could do that on my Duc or MV, but it is best for the track.
$20K? You've broadstroked (Never impressive) all H-D's into this price bracket. Most aren't there. Good friend of mine just bought a Dyna Super Glide Custom for $14K. He could have bought a $13K VTX, or one of the pricier touring metrics.
Help me for a second... How many metric cruisers have six speeds? Or offer ABS in '08? What metric cruisers offer the fit / finish of H-D? Which ones offer more chrome instead of plastic?Or the customization options of H-D? Do you even know what matters to the cruising segment of motorcycling? Well, we already know the answer to the last question.
If you want to offer a post with value, be more objective and less subjective. Be more equipped and informed. Show some appreciation for the diversity of the sport. That not everyone rides like you, thinks like you, looks like you... and be thankful for it. You've dug yourself a hole and didn't score any points at all.
Rides worse? I'm trying to remember the last review where H-D didn't outhandle the ponderous and bloated metric competition. Reviewers can't stand the barge like size of these metrics like the Vulcan. H-D Fatboy was just named Cycle World's Cruiser of the Year.
Sounds wimpier? If you think the harsh blatty note of metrics is finer, you're in very, very small company.
No *****? You don't understand cruising. What's far more important is how a cruiser delivers the experience below 100mph, not how much faster than 120mph it can go. If anyone is taking a bike above 100mph on public roads with traffic, they're stupid. Oh sure, I could do that on my Duc or MV, but it is best for the track.
$20K? You've broadstroked (Never impressive) all H-D's into this price bracket. Most aren't there. Good friend of mine just bought a Dyna Super Glide Custom for $14K. He could have bought a $13K VTX, or one of the pricier touring metrics.
Help me for a second... How many metric cruisers have six speeds? Or offer ABS in '08? What metric cruisers offer the fit / finish of H-D? Which ones offer more chrome instead of plastic?Or the customization options of H-D? Do you even know what matters to the cruising segment of motorcycling? Well, we already know the answer to the last question.
If you want to offer a post with value, be more objective and less subjective. Be more equipped and informed. Show some appreciation for the diversity of the sport. That not everyone rides like you, thinks like you, looks like you... and be thankful for it. You've dug yourself a hole and didn't score any points at all.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Harley bashing
ORIGINAL: Pure
I've been hopping around loads of cruiser forums as I slowly take my time trying to find the right bike for myself... It seems to me that theres equal amounts of bashing on all sites whether they are harley or metric... The one difference that stands out to me so far is that the metric "side" slags the actual bike and the company that makes it "its too expensive for what it is", "old age technology", etc... The Harley side slags the actual rider "they are just jealous", "they wish they could afford something like my Harley", etc. Its almost like with the Harley side it ain't about the bike but more about the guy riding. So much so that I'm always seeing things like grouping whose a real biker and whos a rich urban and all that on this site. On the metric sites I can't really say I've run into much of that. I think its 6 of one and half a dozen of the other... all as bad as each other, and at the end of the day it doesn't really matter.
Just an observation and I don't claim to have seen it all.
I've been hopping around loads of cruiser forums as I slowly take my time trying to find the right bike for myself... It seems to me that theres equal amounts of bashing on all sites whether they are harley or metric... The one difference that stands out to me so far is that the metric "side" slags the actual bike and the company that makes it "its too expensive for what it is", "old age technology", etc... The Harley side slags the actual rider "they are just jealous", "they wish they could afford something like my Harley", etc. Its almost like with the Harley side it ain't about the bike but more about the guy riding. So much so that I'm always seeing things like grouping whose a real biker and whos a rich urban and all that on this site. On the metric sites I can't really say I've run into much of that. I think its 6 of one and half a dozen of the other... all as bad as each other, and at the end of the day it doesn't really matter.
Just an observation and I don't claim to have seen it all.
Some folks do settle for a smaller metric for economic reasons and they may be the jealous ones. Everybody else I know that rides metric just prefers their metric over a Harley. I know some of you Harley guys just can't get your minds around that concept, but that's the way it really is for most of us.
Harley's are not junk at all. They're excellent motorcycles that don't deserve to be labled with outdated stereotypes about leaking oil, mechanical problems, bad brakes, etc. Well, maybe the brakes part is accurate. Just kidding. Relax.
Hopefully you ride your Harley just because you really like it as a motorcycle. You're kidding yourself if you think it's going to somehow change your life or if it somehow 'completes' you. It's just a motorcycle. A very cool motorcycle with a long history, but still just a motorcycle. If you really just want to be in the wind almost anything bigger than a Vespa will work fine.
Before anybody goes reading between the lines let me reiterate: I like Harleys. They're excellent motorcycles. Their poor mechanical reputation is undeserved. I also like metrics. They're excellent motorcycles. The reputation of their riders is undeserved.
Edited for spelling
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Harley bashing
ORIGINAL: sfarson
skater... You've revealed yourself to be biased, and it shows in your uninformed post.
Rides worse? I'm trying to remember the last review where H-D didn't outhandle the ponderous and bloated metric competition. Reviewers can't stand the barge like size of these metrics like the Vulcan. H-D Fatboy was just named Cycle World's Cruiser of the Year.
Sounds wimpier? If you think the harsh blatty note of metrics is finer, you're in very, very small company.
No *****? You don't understand cruising. What's far more important is how a cruiser delivers the experience below 100mph, not how much faster than 120mph it can go. If anyone is taking a bike above 100mph on public roads with traffic, they're stupid. Oh sure, I could do that on my Duc or MV, but it is best for the track.
$20K? You've broadstroked (Never impressive) all H-D's into this price bracket. Most aren't there. Good friend of mine just bought a Dyna Super Glide Custom for $14K. He could have bought a $13K VTX, or one of the pricier touring metrics.
Help me for a second... How many metric cruisers have six speeds? Or offer ABS in '08? What metric cruisers offer the fit / finish of H-D? Which ones offer more chrome instead of plastic?Or the customization options of H-D? Do you even know what matters to the cruising segment of motorcycling? Well, we already know the answer to the last question.
If you want to offer a post with value, be more objective and less subjective. Be more equipped and informed. Show some appreciation for the diversity of the sport. That not everyone rides like you, thinks like you, looks like you... and be thankful for it. You've dug yourself a hole and didn't score any points at all.
skater... You've revealed yourself to be biased, and it shows in your uninformed post.
Rides worse? I'm trying to remember the last review where H-D didn't outhandle the ponderous and bloated metric competition. Reviewers can't stand the barge like size of these metrics like the Vulcan. H-D Fatboy was just named Cycle World's Cruiser of the Year.
Sounds wimpier? If you think the harsh blatty note of metrics is finer, you're in very, very small company.
No *****? You don't understand cruising. What's far more important is how a cruiser delivers the experience below 100mph, not how much faster than 120mph it can go. If anyone is taking a bike above 100mph on public roads with traffic, they're stupid. Oh sure, I could do that on my Duc or MV, but it is best for the track.
$20K? You've broadstroked (Never impressive) all H-D's into this price bracket. Most aren't there. Good friend of mine just bought a Dyna Super Glide Custom for $14K. He could have bought a $13K VTX, or one of the pricier touring metrics.
Help me for a second... How many metric cruisers have six speeds? Or offer ABS in '08? What metric cruisers offer the fit / finish of H-D? Which ones offer more chrome instead of plastic?Or the customization options of H-D? Do you even know what matters to the cruising segment of motorcycling? Well, we already know the answer to the last question.
If you want to offer a post with value, be more objective and less subjective. Be more equipped and informed. Show some appreciation for the diversity of the sport. That not everyone rides like you, thinks like you, looks like you... and be thankful for it. You've dug yourself a hole and didn't score any points at all.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,331
Likes: 56
From: north of Daytona
RE: Harley bashing
Try to talk about a Ford on a Chevy site.....Talk about a Toyota on a Honda site......
you are going to get 'smack' on any site if you try to be different.
Just look at this site here......countless posts about what is a "Girls" bike.
I owned a Sportster, and I figured that if 883 CC couldn't get my A$$
around I may have more to deal with.
I also own a Honda Goldwing.....and now a fatboy. I will ride what I want.
You ride what you want. I am not going to convince anyone my bike is better
or my TV is better. What I have is mine. I chose it over all others.
One thing I can't choose is my family and who I am.......I CAN choose my friends,
and I don't choose friends for what they ride.
you are going to get 'smack' on any site if you try to be different.
Just look at this site here......countless posts about what is a "Girls" bike.
I owned a Sportster, and I figured that if 883 CC couldn't get my A$$
around I may have more to deal with.
I also own a Honda Goldwing.....and now a fatboy. I will ride what I want.
You ride what you want. I am not going to convince anyone my bike is better
or my TV is better. What I have is mine. I chose it over all others.
One thing I can't choose is my family and who I am.......I CAN choose my friends,
and I don't choose friends for what they ride.
