How Do You Get 75 MPG?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,395
Likes: 25
From: St George, UT
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
Lots of 150cc scooter being sold here too. Especially among the young people though I have seen some senior citizens on them too. A guy at the p.d. where I volunteer got one and he says it does get 75 mpg.
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Let \\;gas drop $1 a gallon, and we'll be back to our ridiculously tricked out diesel 4x4s and giant SUV's.
 \\;
Let \\;gas drop $1 a gallon, and we'll be back to our ridiculously tricked out diesel 4x4s and giant SUV's.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6,913
Likes: 87
From:
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
It is hard right now to even find a scooter on the showroom floor around here. Adults are starting to use them to commute to work.
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As a kid in the 50s, I had a lot of good times on an old Cushman motor scooter. Pretty soon the imports came along and blew the Cushman away so it was time to move up to real motorcycles.
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As a kid in the 50s, I had a lot of good times on an old Cushman motor scooter. Pretty soon the imports came along and blew the Cushman away so it was time to move up to real motorcycles.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Lower Alabama
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
I disagree. \\; Trying to compete with the Japanese makes for the smaller bikes niche contributed to HD's problems in the 1970's. \\; \\;HD has a solid foothold for the cruisers and touring bikes, and they need to continue make sure these bikes are a quality product that will remain in demand. \\; And these larger bikes will remain in demand IF Harley improves the consistency of the quality of their dealerships. \\; Presently, they have some awful dealerships in terms of their service departments. \\; Some of them are really good (I found a good one in Pensacola, FL), but there are some that could literally turn me off to Harleys if they were the only ones around.
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ORIGINAL: ebeattie
Thats what I am not getting about H-D. Their entry level bike is a Sportster XL 883 Low, but thats still a heavyweight displacement (I believe that heavyweight bikes are considered anything above 600cc).
Id love to see Harley introduce a small line of basic starter cruiser style bikes. Create a new branding and have it built in the USA. One or two models, both with minimalist looks on a smaller scale than the Sporster with a new small displacement V-Twin. something that can be run on a highway for commuting to work, but have enough guts to be fun on America's backroads. Make it just small enough and plain enough that it makes the Sporster look like a massive upgrade if the riding bug bites hard and the ride wants to upgrade.
Kinda like how Gibson Guitars has Epiphone as their base brand, I think Harley-Davidson could definitely use one or two 500CC mini V-twin powered bikes for people that want an American cruiser, but dont want a heavyweight fullsize Harley-Davidson. The Buell Blast is WEAK effort for American entry level sportbikes, especially when you consider the new Ninja 250 smokes it in every catagory and has Ninja 600 styling, a paralell twin 250 and truw sportbike handling. Compare that to the Blasts 500cc single cylinder engine, UJM styling, cheap feel ect and take a wild guess what most entry level riders would pick! An attempt like that in the cruiser market would fail, even with the MoCo behind it.
Thats what I am not getting about H-D. Their entry level bike is a Sportster XL 883 Low, but thats still a heavyweight displacement (I believe that heavyweight bikes are considered anything above 600cc).
Id love to see Harley introduce a small line of basic starter cruiser style bikes. Create a new branding and have it built in the USA. One or two models, both with minimalist looks on a smaller scale than the Sporster with a new small displacement V-Twin. something that can be run on a highway for commuting to work, but have enough guts to be fun on America's backroads. Make it just small enough and plain enough that it makes the Sporster look like a massive upgrade if the riding bug bites hard and the ride wants to upgrade.
Kinda like how Gibson Guitars has Epiphone as their base brand, I think Harley-Davidson could definitely use one or two 500CC mini V-twin powered bikes for people that want an American cruiser, but dont want a heavyweight fullsize Harley-Davidson. The Buell Blast is WEAK effort for American entry level sportbikes, especially when you consider the new Ninja 250 smokes it in every catagory and has Ninja 600 styling, a paralell twin 250 and truw sportbike handling. Compare that to the Blasts 500cc single cylinder engine, UJM styling, cheap feel ect and take a wild guess what most entry level riders would pick! An attempt like that in the cruiser market would fail, even with the MoCo behind it.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 29,598
Likes: 19
From: Oregon
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
The problem is that there just isn't much profit in small bikes. American car makers are hurting right now because they can't sell many of the high profit suv's and pickups. There's not much profit in the small stuff people are buying right now.
So long as Harley can sell what it makes now at least it's highly profitable. They'd have to do the R&\\;D and come up with something to compete with the Kawasaki Ninja 250R and still make money.
BTW, +1 for the Ninja 250R. It gets great mileage and will keep up with traffic. It's a real motorcycle, too. I think it lists for just over $3k?
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http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...50r-75782.html \\;
So long as Harley can sell what it makes now at least it's highly profitable. They'd have to do the R&\\;D and come up with something to compete with the Kawasaki Ninja 250R and still make money.
BTW, +1 for the Ninja 250R. It gets great mileage and will keep up with traffic. It's a real motorcycle, too. I think it lists for just over $3k?
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http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...50r-75782.html \\;
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
Nothing wrong with riding a scooter.Years ago I restored a Vespa for a friend and had it a month.When he came to pick it up he would not sell it to me.Enjoy \\;
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,575
Likes: 4
From: Norfolk, VA
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
You gotta do what you can to economically survive.....Last summer I got a Civic for in town and to/from work. I was hounded by co-workers for driving a "bitch" car...Today nearly everyone at work drives a "bitch" car....Guess who got the last laugh?
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
ORIGINAL: Swamp Tiger
I disagree. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Trying to compete with the Japanese makes for the smaller bikes niche contributed to HD's problems in the 1970's. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\ \;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;HD has a solid foothold for the cruisers and touring bikes, and they need to continue make sure these bikes are a quality product that will remain in demand. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; And these larger bikes will remain in demand IF Harley improves the consistency of the quality of their dealerships. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Presently, they have some awful dealerships in terms of their service departments. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Some of them are really good (I found a good one in Pensacola, FL), but there are some that could literally turn me off to Harleys if they were the only ones around.
 \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;
 \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;
 \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;
I disagree. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Trying to compete with the Japanese makes for the smaller bikes niche contributed to HD's problems in the 1970's. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\ \;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;HD has a solid foothold for the cruisers and touring bikes, and they need to continue make sure these bikes are a quality product that will remain in demand. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; And these larger bikes will remain in demand IF Harley improves the consistency of the quality of their dealerships. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Presently, they have some awful dealerships in terms of their service departments. \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Some of them are really good (I found a good one in Pensacola, FL), but there are some that could literally turn me off to Harleys if they were the only ones around.
 \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;
 \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;
 \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;
ORIGINAL: ebeattie
Thats what I am not getting about H-D. Their entry level bike is a Sportster XL 883 Low, but thats still a heavyweight displacement (I believe that heavyweight bikes are considered anything above 600cc).
Id love to see Harley introduce a small line of basic starter cruiser style bikes. Create a new branding and have it built in the USA. One or two models, both with minimalist looks on a smaller scale than the Sporster with a new small displacement V-Twin. something that can be run on a highway for commuting to work, but have enough guts to be fun on America's backroads. Make it just small enough and plain enough that it makes the Sporster look like a massive upgrade if the riding bug bites hard and the ride wants to upgrade.
Kinda like how Gibson Guitars has Epiphone as their base brand, I think Harley-Davidson could definitely use one or two 500CC mini V-twin powered bikes for people that want an American cruiser, but dont want a heavyweight fullsize Harley-Davidson. The Buell Blast is WEAK effort for American entry level sportbikes, especially when you consider the new Ninja 250 smokes it in every catagory and has Ninja 600 styling, a paralell twin 250 and truw sportbike handling. Compare that to the Blasts 500cc single cylinder engine, UJM styling, cheap feel ect and take a wild guess what most entry level riders would pick! An attempt like that in the cruiser market would fail, even with the MoCo behind it.
Thats what I am not getting about H-D. Their entry level bike is a Sportster XL 883 Low, but thats still a heavyweight displacement (I believe that heavyweight bikes are considered anything above 600cc).
Id love to see Harley introduce a small line of basic starter cruiser style bikes. Create a new branding and have it built in the USA. One or two models, both with minimalist looks on a smaller scale than the Sporster with a new small displacement V-Twin. something that can be run on a highway for commuting to work, but have enough guts to be fun on America's backroads. Make it just small enough and plain enough that it makes the Sporster look like a massive upgrade if the riding bug bites hard and the ride wants to upgrade.
Kinda like how Gibson Guitars has Epiphone as their base brand, I think Harley-Davidson could definitely use one or two 500CC mini V-twin powered bikes for people that want an American cruiser, but dont want a heavyweight fullsize Harley-Davidson. The Buell Blast is WEAK effort for American entry level sportbikes, especially when you consider the new Ninja 250 smokes it in every catagory and has Ninja 600 styling, a paralell twin 250 and truw sportbike handling. Compare that to the Blasts 500cc single cylinder engine, UJM styling, cheap feel ect and take a wild guess what most entry level riders would pick! An attempt like that in the cruiser market would fail, even with the MoCo behind it.
 \\;\\\\\\;
As a pre-teen and teenager, I had several Aermacchi Harley-Davidsons in the 70's. \\;\\\\\\;A 65cc, 125cc, 175cc, and 250cc. \\;\\\\\\;These bikes were well built, had more steel on them than the Japs (fenders, side tins, etc), and cc for cc, would smoke anything they came up against. \\;\\\\\\; In fact, the only bike, of similar displacement, that ever outran my 175 was a H-D 250. \\;\\\\\\;Guess what my next bike was?
 \\;\\\\\\;And my 250 would outrun my brothers 350 Sprint up to 75 mph. \\;\\\\\\;
I'd love to see H-D come up with some more bikes in the 250cc to 650cc range. Especially some dual sport bikes. I don't care if they're V-twins or singles.
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Joe Kucinski
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 891
Likes: 1
From:
RE: How Do You Get 75 MPG?
Every bike has it's place. Scooters are more dangerous, but they can really shine in an urban setting. I helped my brother buy a Honda 49cc Metro. It's not my cup of tea, but it is near perfect for the low speed, urban area where he rides.
