| Author | Message | ||
     Firebolt020283 |
i think the nightsters look better than these things. | ||
| Hex |
I like the mirrors' position. I wonder how much tank clearance they have. I've played around with stock sporty mirrors and even used a bar-end on my '99. Every time I under-slung a bar-end, they've touched the tank. I wonder if an upgrade kit will be available, damn, now I'm going to have to see it in person.  | ||
| Hex |
Forward foot controls are dumb. | ||
| Midknyte |
They sure are leaning hard & heavy on the Sportster. How well does it sell against the other models? | ||
| Spatten1 |
They sure are leaning hard & heavy on the Sportster. How well does it sell against the other models? They are a relative bargain, in the HD world. Must be tough to find buyers for the $15k plus big-twin models right now. | ||
| Hex |
They sure are leaning hard & heavy on the Sportster. Odd, that's not where the profit is for HD, it's an intro bike, subsidized by the profits of the 'real' HD's. Don't forget if you ride a sportster, some FAG will tell you that it's a girl's bike. As if being a girl was a bad thing. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Couple things the Forty-Eight will have going for it over the nightster, in customer eyes: Black motor instead of gray Forward controls (nightsters with mids are CRAMPED) Those two things alone will help drive sales. To answer the question above...our region is doing best right now with the big ticket stuff - CVOs, the FLHTK Ultra Limited, touring bikes, limited colors/high option content bikes. I don't know if we're the anomaly - we probably are, being in the DC area and relatively recession-resistant - but XLs are not that strong at all right now. True, you can't beat the price point...but for a lot of people, the price point *is* overshadowed by the "girly bike" stigma. Be interesting to see how the new, blacked-out edition of the CVO Ultra does.... (Message edited by ratbuell on January 26, 2010) | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"Don't forget if you ride a sportster, some FAG will tell you that it's a girl's bike. As if being a girl was a bad thing." Absolutely right. Its not a "real Harley" unless you spend 25 grand on it. If the HD faithful had their wishes the only bikes HD would sell would be CVO Geezer Glides. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
Who can guess what the #1 product Harley sold in the 4th Quarter was??? | ||
| Hex |
Their collective souls? again? | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
nope....Extended warranties. | ||
| Hex |
I don't know why people don't learn to wrench on their own vehicles. The shop manuals are GREAT for both the Sportster and the Buell. You could buy all the tools necessary to do all services YOURSELF, for the cost of a factory tune-up. Are the bikes prone to that great of a failure rate that the average mechanic couldn't fix it? Lets see, every warranty service I have ever had done to either my Sportster or XB12R were rocker box base gasket services. Once the rocker box casting was warped "from factory." It had to be replaced. Are these bikes such crap that extend service is big seller? Sounds like an antiquated business plan to me. | ||
| Rkc00 |
Ratbeull, Next time I talk to JB I will see if he is interested. Last time I heard from him he was in Bora Bora surfing. he definitely knows how to have fun, market a product, and run an empire. Here is one of him having fun this summer:  Mike Long Island, NY 09 XB12X Red/Black 09 1125CR Black/White (Message edited by RKC00 on January 26, 2010) | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"I don't know why people don't learn to wrench on their own vehicles." If a $7000.00 Revolution or a $2500.00 tranny blows, who wants to fix it on their own dime? I'm of the same school as you though. I didn't buy the extended when I bought my VR, I'm lucky to be ok with tools and have friends at HD who can rebuild that stuff in a couple of hours if need be. | ||
| Hootowl |
"$2500.00 tranny blows" You can get those much cheaper if you hang out in the right bars. | ||
| Macbuell |
I give Harley 10 years before they are filing for bankruptcy. They simple have no idea how to change their focus and attract a younger audience. There are very few young riders looking to buy a Harley today and bikes like this won't real them in either. And once the older, more loyal Harley owners are out of the market, HD is in big trouble. | ||
| Hex |
I gave them much less time. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"You can get those much cheaper if you hang out in the right bars." The Trannies from Mexico blow quicker I hear | ||
| Hex |
Does the new sportster have the trany trap door? | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
yes, but I'm not sticking my tool in it. | ||
| Hex |
Better than the Buell in that regards. | ||
| Hootowl |
Hex, I think he was kidding. I'm pretty sure the Sportie from 2004 on do not have a trapdoor transmission. I could be wrong. It has been known to happen. From time to time. | ||
| Midknyte |
There are very few young riders looking to buy a Harley today and bikes like this won't real them in either. Yeah, but we all get old eventually. Maybe the replacement of the older ranks is sufficient to offset the fabled need for younger riders? | ||
| Ratbuell |
You ask about self-servicing...fact is, the demographic ISN'T the grizzled old biker anymore. It's orthodontists and lawyers and accountants. Given the mileage amounts on most bikes we see on trade or in for maintenance...these folks barely RIDE their motorcycles, much less want to wrench on 'em. If it ain't a detail brush or a bottle of spray wax.... | ||
| Percyco |
Mines better and I built it way before the Nightster, 91' 883 chain drive. My other girls bike is a 09 XB12ss...........freakin Fags!  | ||
| 86129squids |
That's purty slick there Percy! Looking forward to getting the Shovel and the CityX back on the road by the time warm weather hits... | ||
| Jayvee |
I like the '48 model, that big fat front tire. I'd change the pipes, put gas tank from a Sportster Custom model, and call it good. I really don't mind the 'parts bin engineering' it's not that the engineers are overpaid, they're trying to do more with less, that's all. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I'd buy the Percyco bike long before the 48. | ||
| Oddball |
Ratbuell, One comment my brother made when we were walking around your showroom was that there wasn't any CVO's. He's used to always seeing some down here. I like the '48. Also like the Iron, XR1200, Nightster, Wide Glide, Rocker and VRSCF but I wouldn't pay the msrp's on any of them. Harley wants an increase in their sales they should give their product line the Buell treatment. $5000 off all big twins/Vrods and $3000 off all sportster models.  | ||
| Brettx1 |
I still wouldn't buy one from the Mudda ship. |
