Welcome.

 

Yes, it puts a smile on my face. Not sure what the secret sauce is, but it does. I find that my 92 FLSTC handles better for the way I ride than my other "better handling" bikes. It handles very smooth and "light" which is surprising for a heavy bike known for poor handling. It is very well balanced. Yes my Jap bikes can corner faster and more aggressively, but that is not the way I usually ride. The Harley corners smoothly and precisely at the speed i normally ride. It is fun to work on my skills for riding it well at sensible public road speeds.

Yes, even my 25 year old bike looks good. It is not pristine, but it has a rugged quality look. This is where HD has a tough line to walk. The quality fit and finish is expensive. The saddlebags on the new softails are no where near as high quality as the saddlebags on my 25 year old bike. They have cheap plastic clips under the decorative fake buckles and the leather is much thinner. I am not even sure it is real leather. I wonder where else they have cut corners. What are the bikes made today going to look like in 25 years?

I am considering a Road King for a bike that will be more comfortable for longer rides, but would a new one hit my buttons? I am considering finding one about the same age as my softail and learning to work on them myself.

But how do you make a bike that incorporates modern technology, is priced competitively for today's market but holds on to the quality fit and finish of the older bikes?

And is there another style of bike that could capture the secret HD sauce but not be a heavy V-Twin? Is it possible to make another style of bike that captures the essential qualities that separate HD from other brands.

I do not think it is marketing as some suggest. If fact, I think the marketing is off-putting to some. I have friends who are adamantly opposed to anything Harley, but I think they would enjoy the bikes if they gave them and honest chance. But they won't because of the image of the HD community.

 

IDK man. Have you looked at Craigslist lately? Maybe not alot of 50 year old Hondas but there are a ton of 70s and early 80s Metrics out there that have been restored. And theyre selling for good money too.

 

Increasingly,the Chinese....

 

Someone wants a HondaYamaKawaZuki, that's what they deserve and nothing more.

 

The hate is strong in this thread.

 

Give in to the dark side. Feel the hate flow through you!

 

I don't know... Seems it's a combination of things that separate Harley's from others. In my mind, the engine being primary in this regard. Single pin crank, timing, lack of counter balancers (exception softails), low end torque, the vibes/sound/feel, etc... It's almost like riding an old antique tractor motor on two wheels. Yet it still gets it done so well.

Harley's to me seem like the Goldilocks of motorcycles. Not too much or too little. Just the right combination of things that matter. They seem so very well suited for cruising American roads. They may not be the choice for racing/track days, but Harley's seem perfect for cruising back county roads, state highways, and interstates.

 

I like my Road King, but I also like my Suzuki motorsicles too.

I like the variety ...nothin' wrong with that.

 

NO other Motorcycle receives more thumbs up, star glazing, and orgasms, then our beloved Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Downside, the bean counters at the MoCo want to raise the prices, lower the quality and cheapin the parts.


Sad, but I wouldn't want any other brand motorcycle.




YB