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Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:05 AM
  #31  
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British made junk. Then, Germans made junk. Then, Japanese made junk. Now the Indians and Chinese make junk. Looks like a pattern to me. I suggest that you not worry about Japanese competition for Harley. HD has a lot bigger asian competition problems to worry about.
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:06 AM
  #32  
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Default Made in Japan

Originally Posted by MidnitEvil
Odd form of respect - not calling bikes designed & made in Japan "Jap Bikes". Seems it would be more respectful to give credit where credit is due.
It is easier to type Jap than Japanese but we don't try to shorten American with something that might be taken as offensive. I have owned more Japanese bikes than Harley's, all I could afford for years. My old KZ 1000 was a bike I never had to apoogize for. I started buying Harleys when I was older and had the income commesurate with affording one. The particular Japanese bikes that I would buy, Royal Stars and such have become almost expensive as Harleys. That is where the Japanese have let some of the other countries get into their market in other countries. They started to price their self out of the market.

The competition form the japanese has never been any thing but a good thing for the Harley owner. Competition forces Harley to keep their standards up. The Japanese bikes that looks like Harley but are water cooled, "keeping it hid and the lines clean" have the new Catalytic Converters on them and run good right out of the box and run cool.

This will force Harley to do the same because with the 2010 models all the all the Harley's from now on will have the catalytic converter in the head pipe. If you can hide the water cooling in such a fashon it don't stick out like a sore thumb, even the hard cored air cooled will buy if they have no other choice, and you wont! The last round of EPA Standards are killing Harley so this time around Harley will be playing catch up with the Metrics.

Japan copy's some Harleys as for as the look, Harley will copy the Japanese as far as the technology sometimes. The English and European bikes keep Japan honest, they have competition also in other countries.

I will only buy a Harley, built by American workers. At the point in my life where I can do that. I owned some crappy metrics, but I owned a few Harley could not touch. Competition is good for the Harley buyer!
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:09 AM
  #33  
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when did the Germans make junk?
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:15 AM
  #34  
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coupe55
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Default Made in Germany

Originally Posted by schumacher
when did the Germans make junk?

The term made in Germany and Junk were never synonymous! I am glad someone else picked up on that!

This kind of buzz about the quality of your manufactured goods is something we have lost over the years!
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:21 AM
  #35  
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there are large numbers of harley and metrics in our area.
the local victory dealer and triumph dealer are also rolling quite few bikes,so you can see any number of different makes on a given day.
leftcoast carl.
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:27 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by schumacher
when did the Germans make junk?

..final drive failure in BMWs is almost synonymous with it's name..
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:53 AM
  #37  
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around here there is a good mix.alot of hd but just as many metrics.we even have a dealer in town.as a matter of fact the metric dealer just went under,had all four brands.i will say though that the sport bikes are all but gone,dont see them that often any more.doesnt really matter to me,we all just want to ride.
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 11:58 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by magnum629c
I dont care what I see I got the bike they I want to ride ...just asking a point
Are you riding with blinders now that you moved up from your Honda 600 VLX last year? Did it bother you when they called it a "Jap" bike? jus wondern'
 
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Old Jan 10, 2010 | 12:05 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by klap
..final drive failure in BMWs is almost synonymous with it's name..
And, wouldn't that be analogous to the famous Harley oil leaks.
 
Old Jan 10, 2010 | 12:11 PM
  #40  
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Around here it kind of depends on where you ride. I live in Delaware, but also ride in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

When I ride in Maryland I see Harleys 10 to 1 verses metrics. I believe it is due to a great dealer we have Chesapeake Harley out in Darlington, MD.

When I ride in Pennsylvania and Delaware I see a higher number of metric bikes, but still there are quite a few Harleys.

There are 5-6 other guys I ride with and they all ride metrics. I am the first one to switch to a Harley, but don't plan any changes my riding buddies.

Friends are far more important to me than brands.
 



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