“Wish it was a...” Harley Davidson
#1
“Wish it was a...” Harley Davidson
Just a topic for discussion, but why are there so many HD knock off bikes, and so many owners of them who deny up and down that their bikes are an obvious copycat?
I own an Iron 883, and have seen and heard so much about the Yamaha Star Bolt, that I think I know more about that thing than I do my own ride! Of course there are many, MANY other knockoffs of other Harley models that I can’t think of(feel free to mention them!), but this is the one I hear the most.
Its always some story about how the Japanese make “better” more reliable products and that Harley is stuck in the past, but if that’s the case, why are they so hellbent on copying something they consider outdated?!
All I see are repli-cycles, covered in plastic and zip ties, cheaply tossed together to try to outsell HD at their own game.
Maybe Im ranting, and probably so, but has anybody else gotten as annoyed as I have with this crap? I mean if they wanted the Harley, why not just get a Harley?!
I own an Iron 883, and have seen and heard so much about the Yamaha Star Bolt, that I think I know more about that thing than I do my own ride! Of course there are many, MANY other knockoffs of other Harley models that I can’t think of(feel free to mention them!), but this is the one I hear the most.
Its always some story about how the Japanese make “better” more reliable products and that Harley is stuck in the past, but if that’s the case, why are they so hellbent on copying something they consider outdated?!
All I see are repli-cycles, covered in plastic and zip ties, cheaply tossed together to try to outsell HD at their own game.
Maybe Im ranting, and probably so, but has anybody else gotten as annoyed as I have with this crap? I mean if they wanted the Harley, why not just get a Harley?!
#2
#4
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Marion NC / Lake Norman NC / Panama City Fla
Posts: 11,201
Received 32,874 Likes
on
7,720 Posts
My first street bike was a 1999 Honda Shadow VT1100 C3 Aero. It was definitely a Heritage knock off, right down to the single pin crank. The only difference was that it was also water cooled. Harley actually tried to sue Honda over this motor claiming Honda's single pin motor sounded too much like their motors. Harley lost the suit but slow sales was really the demise of this bike in 2004.
I liked the bike ok but between it being under-powered, bad fuel mileage, plastic chrome parts and it was unreliable as it had left me stranded 3 times in the two years I owned it, I bought a 96 Fatboy and sold the Honda and have never looked back. As far as Jap bikes being more reliable I have a different story, I have owned three different Harleys, a Evo, a TC, and now an M8 and have only one issue with the Evo when the plastic fuel nipple to the carb broke. I replaced it with a brass one and no problem since. I think Harley makes a good product for what I want in a bike.
.
I liked the bike ok but between it being under-powered, bad fuel mileage, plastic chrome parts and it was unreliable as it had left me stranded 3 times in the two years I owned it, I bought a 96 Fatboy and sold the Honda and have never looked back. As far as Jap bikes being more reliable I have a different story, I have owned three different Harleys, a Evo, a TC, and now an M8 and have only one issue with the Evo when the plastic fuel nipple to the carb broke. I replaced it with a brass one and no problem since. I think Harley makes a good product for what I want in a bike.
.
#6
The following 2 users liked this post by XL1982:
Dirty Harry (01-16-2019),
GREENOHAWK69 (01-17-2019)
#7
I don't really care what other folks own. If you show up at my house and want to go for a putt, I'll go along. When you start knocking my choice, we'll part company. Simple as that. We've known for a long time the imports focused on designing their products to look more like Milwaukee Iron. What a compliment to us that ride Harleys. They are putting folks in the wind who might not be able to swing the cost of a Harley. And putting people to work in the process.
Trending Topics
#8
#10