The new bikes seem to have attracted a lot of new riders to HD I think , there's a lot of first time HD owners posting.And yea by the way it's way awesome to see new blood on HD's dudes and doodettes.
So maybe the new styles have been effective in that demographic of the new to HD buyer. I get that there's many of us out there who will buy nothing else , so it's not us die hard owners that HD had to win over, we're a money for old rope sorta thing anyways.
I know bike sales are down globally but maybe HD hit one out of the park with these new Softails?
Any new owners have a comment on their decision to purchase a new HD ?
Any owners returning to HD have a comment ?

 

I bought a 2018 Low Rider last fall. It was the first HD that I thought I had to have new since I bought a 1983 XLX61 Iron head when I was in my early twenties. In 1990 I bought a 1951 pan and still own it. For years most Harleys kind of left me cold. I migrated to Italian bikes and even an S&S powered early Confederate among other odds and ends. I think the new Softails are a cut above the previous HD models that they replace. These M8 motors in the new sportier frame just flat out run down the road and corner and brake. I never ever considered buying a twin cam but the M8 Softail ​​​​​changed my mind about HD.
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Having been riding for 20+ years, I bought my first Harley a couple of years back - a 2015 Softail Slim (the grey bike in my avatar)

I've come from BMWs, Buells, KTMs, Yamahas, Suzukis... etc.

I LOVED the Slim, but as I was still doing the occasional commute to into London for work the Slim wasn't really practical - plus the weather here is 90% rubbish, so in anything approaching wet weather, the bike just got covered in crap... as did I - so I eventually sold it.

My circumstances have changed a bit in that I rarely need to 'commute' and really my bike is now more for local trips and fun, but I still wanted an amount of practicality.

For me, the new Heritage fits the bill. As nice as the new chassis, power, shock and other mechanical updates may be, for me what sold it was the updated styling. I was NEVER interested in the old HC - too much chrome, studs and leather for me. However, the new 'blacked out' post-war vibe on the new HC won me over. If I take the screen off (which I do) then the bike looks almost exactly like the bike I was trying to turn my Slim into - full fenders, saddle bags and a retro vibe.

I've not even got 500m on it yet, but I can tell I already love it.

 

Im 56 now and live in the UK. my first Harley was a 2015 iron,i bought from new after a 12 year break from biking following a bad accident.
Ive loved the whole Harley ethos and have just purchased a 2018 Fatboy and love it.To be honest I was planning to buy next year but with the Trump/euro debacle I wanted to make sure mine was American made. Just got 400 miles on it now but I think me and the Fatboy are going to get along just fine...

 

2018 Breakout 114 owner here, and this is my first Harley. Originally wanted the Low Rider S, but i have carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists and couldn't deal with the vibrations. These new M8's are much smoother, they still vibrate at low rpm's, but they don't send my hands numb in minutes. I don't think i'd ever have been able to own a Harley if it wasn't for the M8.
The ride quality is great, and the handling is much better than i expected for a bike of this type, a huge improvement over the earlier model. Even stock, the engine has more grunt than i'll ever really need, though i am planning on going stage 3 at some point. I find i really have to watch my speedo, it's far too easy to end up at illegal speeds without realizing, but every twist of the throttle is grin inducing.

The only thing that bugs me is the lack of aftermarket options, hopefully that will improve over the next few years.

 

You are correct. The new Softail design and the M8 is why I bought a new one. I have owned five HD bikes prior. I traded a Honda for the new HD.
Matt Laidlaw has great videos and he had a lot to do with selling this new machine to me.

 

I've been on the fence about buying a Harley for a long time. I have to admit that the new styles and changes probably help to some degree to push me over to the buy side of the fence. So far, I love it. I have a 2018 two-tone red Fatboy 114.

 

The Fat Bob is the third bike and Harley I've owned since 2012. I loved my Roadster and had HD not come out with the Softail Fat Bob I would not have traded the Roadster at all so I can say they sure attracted me to the new bikes. I'm 32 now and I love all bikes but Harley's have always had a special place in my heart and now my driveway. I guess the Terminator influenced my attraction to the brand quite a bit...

 

I came from the Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki side. When I was younger I bought into the whole "Harley's are slow, bloated, overpriced and unreliable" mantra that dominates the rice rider's mentality. When I got back into riding after a break, I intended to get another Honda, but the Street 750 was new, liquid cooled, inexpensive, light -- basically everything the Japanese bikes were supposed to be, but from the iconic brand, so... Why not? It was a fun little bike but I outgrew it in a couple of months, even though I kept it for a couple of years. I decided I wanted something bigger, more comfortable, more powerful. I was dead set on getting the BMW K1600B. But I read a review on the new Fat Bob, where they said it was the most fun bike to ride they had ever ridden (with no need to use the familiar "for a Harley" disclaimer!) So I thought "what the hell, I'll just go look at it." I was hooked. I could not look away from it. Made an offer on it that night, we reached a deal a couple days later.

I still intended to add that K1600B, but after 5,000 miles and adding a Sundowner and a windscreen and fangs, I'm finding the Fat Bob plenty comfortable. I love it to death. I have already spent more on accessories and upgrades for this bike than I spent to buy that Street 750.

I've never been one to give a flying fig about brand loyalty, but I would always rather buy American whenever possible. And I'm stoked that I just so happened to get such a fun bike from that iconic American brand.

 

It is good that HD is attracting new riders. Hopefully they stick around and dont get burned by failures and bad treatment from dealerships