finally went and saw em
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 214
Likes: 33
From: Colorado
Thats why I specifically stated the FLSS and not just the FLS...
But you must not be a person who pays attention to detail. The '18 FLS sits higher, its missing the headlight shroud for example....
But you must not be a person who pays attention to detail. The '18 FLS sits higher, its missing the headlight shroud for example....
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6,322
Likes: 2,500
From: Tennessee
What makes you think that just because we don't like this new direction that Harley has taken, that we are part of the "instant gratification mentality"?
I have probably built more bikes than you have ridden over the last 5 decades and I'm just not impressed with these new bikes.
I'm hoping that Harley will come back with something interesting in the future, but I'm not holding my breath.
I think Harley is attempting to go after a market that doesn't exist with these new bikes and that it won't be long before they feel it where it counts.....The bottom line.
Harley got cocky in the 90's and the early 2000's and made the dealers invest a ton of money in boutique shops that also sold motorcycles.
Now the market has made the inevitable correction and the "Harley Boom" has come to an end.
If they wish to survive in the decades to come they will have to deal with the soft market conditions that they themselves created.
I hope they sell enough of this uninspiring line of motorcycles to survive.....We'll see.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 214
Likes: 33
From: Colorado
I think you hit a very GOOD point;
"I think Harley is attempting to go after a market that doesn't exist".
While I'll admit over the years I'd wonder why Harley couldn't make a better handling/"suspended" bike. I meant that as in keeping the same look, sound, and feel(engine). Not a whole new (modernized) looking bike as well...
While I think the new bikes look okay and having nothing against them, they aren't something I'd be shopping for. And what has been said about millennials and the younger less affluent or even financially stable riders still holds true...
"I think Harley is attempting to go after a market that doesn't exist".
While I'll admit over the years I'd wonder why Harley couldn't make a better handling/"suspended" bike. I meant that as in keeping the same look, sound, and feel(engine). Not a whole new (modernized) looking bike as well...
While I think the new bikes look okay and having nothing against them, they aren't something I'd be shopping for. And what has been said about millennials and the younger less affluent or even financially stable riders still holds true...
What makes you think that just because we don't like this new direction that Harley has taken, that we are part of the "instant gratification mentality"?
I have probably built more bikes than you have ridden over the last 5 decades and I'm just not impressed with these new bikes.
I'm hoping that Harley will come back with something interesting in the future, but I'm not holding my breath.
I think Harley is attempting to go after a market that doesn't exist with these new bikes and that it won't be long before they feel it where it counts.....The bottom line.
Harley got cocky in the 90's and the early 2000's and made the dealers invest a ton of money in boutique shops that also sold motorcycles.
Now the market has made the inevitable correction and the "Harley Boom" has come to an end.
If they wish to survive in the decades to come they will have to deal with the soft market conditions that they themselves created.
I hope they sell enough of this uninspiring line of motorcycles to survive.....We'll see.
I have probably built more bikes than you have ridden over the last 5 decades and I'm just not impressed with these new bikes.
I'm hoping that Harley will come back with something interesting in the future, but I'm not holding my breath.
I think Harley is attempting to go after a market that doesn't exist with these new bikes and that it won't be long before they feel it where it counts.....The bottom line.
Harley got cocky in the 90's and the early 2000's and made the dealers invest a ton of money in boutique shops that also sold motorcycles.
Now the market has made the inevitable correction and the "Harley Boom" has come to an end.
If they wish to survive in the decades to come they will have to deal with the soft market conditions that they themselves created.
I hope they sell enough of this uninspiring line of motorcycles to survive.....We'll see.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 17,625
Likes: 1,665
From: Blairsville GA
I'm confident a return to rigid frames, spring forks and rocker clutches is right around the corner. While we're at it, magnetos for Sporty's sounds like a great idea. Get rid of the electric leg. That allows too many feather merchants to ride our bikes. In other words, any technical advance that I don't personally endorse means Harley is going after a market that doesn't exist and will lead to their downfall.
Gotta love the nouveau traditionalists that tell the world from a Twin Cam perch how Harley's have lost touch with their roots.
Gotta love the nouveau traditionalists that tell the world from a Twin Cam perch how Harley's have lost touch with their roots.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,862
Likes: 17,918
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
How many threads exist in the Softail section complaining about heat from the oil tank? The motor company listened and fixed that. How many threads are about getting the rear suspension of a Softail to perform better? How many threads are in the Dyna section about handling abnormalities and various modifications to help with that? How many threads about improving front suspension performance? How many people have been asking for weight reduction? I can go on and on but the point is they gave people what they were asking for. That means some people will be happy with the changes and some people won't. It is impossible to satisfy everyone. That's why there is more model differentiation than in the past. The idea is try to offer enough of a difference between models that a potential buyer can find at least one model that appeals to them.
There is no reason why any of these bikes can't be modified to anyone's liking. Long ago a young man put a Sportster front end on a big twin chassis. We all know how that turned out.
For those of you into art, the best sculptures start with a chunk of rock and remove the parts that do not look like the subject he has in mind.
I'm content with my current bike, but like to look and stay informed about new stuff.
Ride what makes you happy instead of spending your life in butt hurt madness measuring each other's dicks to determine who's a real biker. I am on here a lot lately as I struggle to get healthy enough to ride again. I've got a bag of medicine that's probably worth more than my bike is, but I am slowly getting better.
There is no reason why any of these bikes can't be modified to anyone's liking. Long ago a young man put a Sportster front end on a big twin chassis. We all know how that turned out.
For those of you into art, the best sculptures start with a chunk of rock and remove the parts that do not look like the subject he has in mind.
I'm content with my current bike, but like to look and stay informed about new stuff.
Ride what makes you happy instead of spending your life in butt hurt madness measuring each other's dicks to determine who's a real biker. I am on here a lot lately as I struggle to get healthy enough to ride again. I've got a bag of medicine that's probably worth more than my bike is, but I am slowly getting better.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 27,233
Likes: 31,631
From: Florida
I'm confident a return to rigid frames, spring forks and rocker clutches is right around the corner. While we're at it, magnetos for Sporty's sounds like a great idea. Get rid of the electric leg. That allows too many feather merchants to ride our bikes. In other words, any technical advance that I don't personally endorse means Harley is going after a market that doesn't exist and will lead to their downfall.
Gotta love the nouveau traditionalists that tell the world from a Twin Cam perch how Harley's have lost touch with their roots.
Gotta love the nouveau traditionalists that tell the world from a Twin Cam perch how Harley's have lost touch with their roots.
You're putting words our there that none of us have said. I've said numerous times, that the change was necessary and I hope they sell a million of them. I also know, they won't sell it to me. There's more than enough used bikes to keep me entertained. If you like em, more power to ya
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,584
Likes: 918
From: coast to coast
What makes you think that just because we don't like this new direction that Harley has taken, that we are part of the "instant gratification mentality"?
I have probably built more bikes than you have ridden over the last 5 decades and I'm just not impressed with these new bikes.
I'm hoping that Harley will come back with something interesting in the future, but I'm not holding my breath.
I think Harley is attempting to go after a market that doesn't exist with these new bikes and that it won't be long before they feel it where it counts.....The bottom line.
Harley got cocky in the 90's and the early 2000's and made the dealers invest a ton of money in boutique shops that also sold motorcycles.
Now the market has made the inevitable correction and the "Harley Boom" has come to an end.
If they wish to survive in the decades to come they will have to deal with the soft market conditions that they themselves created.
I hope they sell enough of this uninspiring line of motorcycles to survive.....We'll see.
I have probably built more bikes than you have ridden over the last 5 decades and I'm just not impressed with these new bikes.
I'm hoping that Harley will come back with something interesting in the future, but I'm not holding my breath.
I think Harley is attempting to go after a market that doesn't exist with these new bikes and that it won't be long before they feel it where it counts.....The bottom line.
Harley got cocky in the 90's and the early 2000's and made the dealers invest a ton of money in boutique shops that also sold motorcycles.
Now the market has made the inevitable correction and the "Harley Boom" has come to an end.
If they wish to survive in the decades to come they will have to deal with the soft market conditions that they themselves created.
I hope they sell enough of this uninspiring line of motorcycles to survive.....We'll see.
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 134
Likes: 12
From: Texas
How many threads exist in the Softail section complaining about heat from the oil tank? The motor company listened and fixed that. How many threads are about getting the rear suspension of a Softail to perform better? How many threads are in the Dyna section about handling abnormalities and various modifications to help with that? How many threads about improving front suspension performance? How many people have been asking for weight reduction? I can go on and on but the point is they gave people what they were asking for. That means some people will be happy with the changes and some people won't. It is impossible to satisfy everyone. That's why there is more model differentiation than in the past. The idea is try to offer enough of a difference between models that a potential buyer can find at least one model that appeals to them.
There is no reason why any of these bikes can't be modified to anyone's liking. Long ago a young man put a Sportster front end on a big twin chassis. We all know how that turned out.
For those of you into art, the best sculptures start with a chunk of rock and remove the parts that do not look like the subject he has in mind.
I'm content with my current bike, but like to look and stay informed about new stuff.
Ride what makes you happy instead of spending your life in butt hurt madness measuring each other's dicks to determine who's a real biker. I am on here a lot lately as I struggle to get healthy enough to ride again. I've got a bag of medicine that's probably worth more than my bike is, but I am slowly getting better.
There is no reason why any of these bikes can't be modified to anyone's liking. Long ago a young man put a Sportster front end on a big twin chassis. We all know how that turned out.
For those of you into art, the best sculptures start with a chunk of rock and remove the parts that do not look like the subject he has in mind.
I'm content with my current bike, but like to look and stay informed about new stuff.
Ride what makes you happy instead of spending your life in butt hurt madness measuring each other's dicks to determine who's a real biker. I am on here a lot lately as I struggle to get healthy enough to ride again. I've got a bag of medicine that's probably worth more than my bike is, but I am slowly getting better.
The new Softails are hideous, to say the least. They're already being called Honda Davidson around here. Let's not even mention the issues they're already having with the M8 engines. Typical Harley fashion.
Rest assured, they didn't do any of this because they were listening to US.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,862
Likes: 17,918
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Originally Posted by Jimmy55TX
Your entire post is lame. You talk like Harley has done US a favor. I could care less about what someone else likes, buys or rides. But to sit here and say Harley has done us all a favor is ridiculous. The only thing anyone at Harley cares about is what the bean counters say.....period.
The new Softails are hideous, to say the least. They're already being called Honda Davidson around here. Let's not even mention the issues they're already having with the M8 engines. Typical Harley fashion.
Rest assured, they didn't do any of this because they were listening to US.
The new Softails are hideous, to say the least. They're already being called Honda Davidson around here. Let's not even mention the issues they're already having with the M8 engines. Typical Harley fashion.
Rest assured, they didn't do any of this because they were listening to US.
