| Author | Message | ||
     Nondual |
Started a new thread to prevent hijacking the one in the 1125R forum. So how about it? Why does anyone buy/ride Harley? Better, cheaper cruisers are available. | ||
| Dbird29 |
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| M1combat |
If I was in the market for a cruiser I wouldn't consider anything but a Harley. A few reasons for this are the after market (not the chrome stuff), the fact that the engine is very simple to work on and it's an American company. Parts are everywhere for the HD engine. You can make a VERY powerful HD cruiser and do it somewhat easily. I saw a bagger on a dyno at Daytona a couple years ago lay down nearly 250HP. I'm not saying it's easy to build 250HP, but 150 or so... The quality is good. They hold their value exceptionally well. They're better looking than the competition IMO. They sound better IMO. I think there are a lot of reasons that justify the cost. Power to weight ratio isn't one of them but I ride an XB 12... I'm OK with a lack of power. I could probably pass a lot of squids on a road king... That would be worth the price all by itself... | ||
| Danger_dave |
Define better - ones with more horsepower so they exceed the cruisers ground clearance? Street cred. That's cruiser currency and H-D owns the mint. 'Lifestyle' - I like bling in the right setting. Resale. Character. Sound. Heaps more. | ||
| Danger_dave |
We said the same things at the same time. *^%#@* you're smart M1. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
Harley-Davidson is AMERICAN made! enough said!!! | ||
| M1combat |
I just type faster... I was looking over your shoulder  . | ||
| Snail |
Braindead would be my guess. They're slow. They don't handle. They shake. They're expensive. Hell of a bike. | ||
| Unibear12r |
+1 the above. Or is it +4 or 5? Not sure of Dbirds comment.  I find the life stylers a bit funny most of the time but if they are enjoying themselves who cares? True Harley's stying has gotten a bit stale to me of late, but the "Metrics" still don't hack it as improved as they are. Knowing what a few guys I know with Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda cruisers have gone through, I wouldn't say that the other brands have any better quality. | ||
| Oldog |
Street cred. That's cruiser currency and H-D owns the mint. 'Lifestyle' - I like bling in the right setting. Resale. Character. Sound. }Braindead would be my guess. They're slow. They don't handle. They shake. They're expensive. $$$$$$$$$$$ prestiege I got the real deal not a pretender.. } | ||
| Nocompromise |
I agree with Dave and M1 for all the reasons they listed. Longevity is probably the main one. I know they might not be as reliable as a Honda, but your bike could still be looking great 30+ years from now. I never would've considered a cruiser, but my buddy has a sweet Road Glide that makes me think twice. Of course I payed under $4000 for my latest Buell, while a tricked out Road Glide would run me close to 10x that amount. People own Harleys for some of the same reasons that we own Buells. Many people would ask why not buy a Japanese sportbike instead of a Buell? They're cheaper, faster, more reliable, and hold their resale value better. There's something intangible and great about a thundering American V-twin engine...  If you want a relaxed cruiser instead of a hot rod, then I can easily understand why someone would want a Harley. They have the look, the sound, and the brand recognition. Let's face it - branding is a huge part of the reason consumers buy the majority of products. Anyone who says they are not guilty of this to some degree is deceiving themselves. That's why we're willing to pay a little more for a Rolex, Mercedes, etc... If Hyundai made a $500,000 sports car that was equally as fast and stylish as a similar cost Ferrari, would you buy it? As far as the complaints against Harleys, those are true of cruisers in general. If you're set on getting a cruiser then I can see many compelling arguments in favor of Harley. The prohibitive expense is one of the main detractors, yet that is also one of the things that make them more exclusive and increases the perceived value of the brand. In luxury goods, perception is reality when it comes to price. Products are literally worth what consumers are willing to pay. Snail - you mention that Harleys shake? LOL - I guarantee my S1 can outshake almost anything out there!  I never thought I would find myself playing the part of a Harley apologist (twice in one week no less!)... | ||
| Snail |
I think my S-3 has the record for shakes. It will shake itself backwards, on the sidestand. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
harley davidson is a legend...a lot of us grew up watching our dads ride one...or saw the movies where the totaly badass guy rode one...we wanted one...we had to wait until we were 40 to be able to afford cause every other @ssclown wanted one too  ...i prefer the older harleys and the older harley people to the new breed of...ahem....american chopper watching people...if i could afford it id have a harley cruiser...a duc or aprilla an RD400 a buell and a few others...i just love bikes...harleys arent just bikes....they are part of the american lifestyle...thanx angels,bandidtos,sons of hawaii, billy jack,easy rider, ect...... | ||
| Nondual |
So it's just nostalgia and image? Like I figured... | ||
| Gregtonn |
ND, Which non HD cruiser is better? Can you give four reasons why you believe this? How many mid to late '90s non HD cruisers have you seen still on the road? The only Gold Wings I would consider cruisers were the first couple or years. After that they became two wheeled Winnebagos. By the way I've never owned an HD or any other "cruiser". I would just like to know why you think HDs inferior to other cruisers. G. | ||
| Andrejs2112 |
Riding a metric cruiser that looks like a Harley is like wearing a fake leather jacket. IMHO. | ||
| Court |
Words get warped, skewed to suit conversations and context. If you want to see inside a true motorcyclists heart. . . . look in the bathroom. Mine has a great big Harley-Davidson catalog stuffed twinxt the guitar magazines . . . The bathroom never lies. I miss my FLHTCU/I | ||
| Edger |
Because they're FUN! | ||
| Cyclonemick |
That's pretty funny Court! I have a whole stack of American Iron and even a few Guitar mag's in my bathroom. (Wife thinks it looks trashy). To my defense they are on a shelf! | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
Right now I have the touratech catalog and buell service and parts manual, and the last issue of rider on the back of the john. Guilty as charged I guess. | ||
| Bads1 |
150 hp would not be cheap and the motor would be quirky to some point. Better off buying a crate motor if you want good warranty and reliability. | ||
| Danger_dave |
>>look in the bathroom. << Doh! 3 far side annuals and a book on design. Betcha I have the most motorcycle-centric office of anyone though. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
>>look in the bathroom. << Fuell Fasttrax rule book Playboy | ||
| Rainman |
A year's worth of Cycle World, the 2007 Buell bike catalog, the 2006 Buell bike catalog, the 2005 Triumph catalog and the 2008 H-D plus various books on Taoist philosophy. Bathroom time is reading time. Oh sure, I get Playboy now and then, but only for the pictures. | ||
| Coal400 |
The only paper in my bathroom is the kind I use to wipe my a$$ (my wife owns the interior, and I own the garage) I love HD's for the same reasons I dig old cars and old tunes. They are from a time when things were unrefined, and offer a simplicity that does not seem to exist anywhere else today. -The sound can't be beat -I like the vibes, more feedback/stimulus -Very simple to work on, easy maintenance -Heavy and stable on the highway As for why I don't own one... -They cost a lot. -I have got way too many ongoing projects to restore/build one. -The country roads around my house are becoming part of suburbia, and there are IMO better machines for suburban/urban traffic -I would be less likely to wear the type of gear that I would on a Buell | ||
| New12r |
Well I have rode Harleys and a couple of the Jap versions. Harley will get my money if I buy a cruiser. My brother just bought a V-Star... Lemme tell ya, CHEAP is the best way to describe it, and dont get me started on the WAYYYY underpowered 1100cc engine it has. | ||
| Snail |
Coal4 beat me to it, Court, toilet paper is easier on the hems. than slick mag. paper. Yamaha Roadstar would be my choice. | ||
| Swordsman |
If I bought a cruiser, it'd without a doubt be a Harley. Maybe a Victory... I've discovered a patriotic streak as of late that rules out foreign makes. If the Jap bikes had managed to create their own look, instead of copying American designs, I might think differently. But essentially, any "cruiser" is based on a HD, right? I'd rather buy the real thing than a copy, no matter how many improvements the Japs might have made over the original. I don't like copycats. And yes, I know that the Japanese companies have cruiser models that don't look at all like a Harley, but those are rare, and I do actually like THOSE. Just my personal opinion of course, and I'm sure lots will disagree. ~SM | ||
| Smadd |
"So it's just nostalgia and image?" You're only reading what you want to hear. How did you miss the many references to good/better quality, holding value, parts to keep it running/looking good, easy to work on, etc.... ?? And what's wrong with adding some "nostalgia and image" to the mix? | ||
| Court |
>>>Betcha I have the most motorcycle-centric office of anyone though. I'd take that bet. |
