What do you really think of Harley?

I love Harleys - I love the look, especially the sound, the power BUT I own a Yamaha 650 V Star and I love it more !!! It cost me $4300. This past week I've been riding in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming and keeping up with all the Harleys. I can have 4 or 5 of these before I've spent what it takes to own one Harley. I rest my case.

i don't have the time or the inclination to get all waxing philosophical. Bottom line: I like them and they've always been good to me. Mine doesn't leak or lose parts, and I have never had to push any bike anywhere. Choosing to ride a HD is my right. Nobody, but NOBODY tells me what I can like and dislike. I don't dislike foreign bikes, I simply choose not to ride one. Refusing to kneel at the altar of supposed unlimited performance and power doesn't make me stupid, or lacking any sense whatsoever. You'll never see my bike do 150mph 'cause I don't need to. And neither do you, but its your right to. You have never needed my permission, just don't go crying about the consequences. You take your cutting edge technology and go your way. I'll wave at ya when I pass you in the ditch either with a broken bike/body, or with a state trooper. OK? have a nice day. btw: I couldn't care less about some ignorant @$$ed image; me and my bike are ugly and we like it that way.

John D from above is ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT. THE MAIN REASON for HD selling their bikes in the manner that they do (average powered), is beacause it allows THE OWNER to customize it TO HIS PREFERENCE!!! The average HD rider is 30-65 years old, and wants his bike his way, not the way the factory wants him to have a bike. They want the low rpm torque an HD puts out, not the high rpm horsepower, if they want more power from it, it is easily done, it is pricey I damit, but easy. I personally have built numerous HD and S&S engine that produce 150+ HP / 175+ FT/LBS of Torque without the use of nitrous, turbos or superchargers, and the engines do hold up. They want the bike to look the way they want it to look and don't mind buying accessories to do that. If they wanted a bike that looks exactly the same as 500,000 other bikes on the road, that's what they would buy. As far as HD's leaking and having emgine problems....ALL bikes, cars, big rigs, tractors, aircraft, boats, etc....ANYTHING WITH AN ENGINE will at some point leak and breakdown....but if you PROPERLY maintain it regularly and fix something that goes wrong WHEN IT HAPPENS, instead of just letting it go until it falls apart or siezes up, an HD will last a very long time, they are designed from the factory for longevity, not high performance. Besides all that.....what holds it's value more....an HD or a Japanese Import......HD BY FAR.......how many 50 year old Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis, and Kawasakis do you see on the road.....NONE, that's because of #1 the idot owner was either STUNTING AND SHOWING OFF AND TOTALLED $10,000 worth of plastic...or #2 they don't last that long, once the engine goes, it's not worth fixing....you just throw it away and buy a new one. Comparing HD's to Japanese Imports is like comparing a Dodge Truck with Cummins Turbo Diesel to a Lamborghini OR HD = Zippo Lighter JAP = Bic Lighter.......... But that's just my opinion

Bart, I disagree with your, "The only reason people buy and own Harley's is for a show off bike." statement. It's very apparent you don't do any long haul riding because some of the ugliest, dirtiest, rattiest looking bikes on the road are super high mileage Harleys and BMWs (usually boxer twins). Their owners run the wheels off of them and polishing them up is usually pretty far down on the list of priorities. I agree that many people DO buy Harleys strictly for show and for them, a 50 mile ride is a "long haul". However, I've seen plenty of big bore V twin Japanese cruisers with owners who do the exact same thing. In fact, more often than not the HD show bike riders used to ride Jap bikes before they traded up to HD. And they certainly didn't ride the Jap bikes any more than their Harley. A fellow I work with has a sharp looking 2003 Sportster. Last year he rode it to work a couple of times and hasn't ridden it once this year. I asked him why and the answer was, "It's in the back of the shop and the battery is probably dead". Unfortunately, that answer is all too common for many riders of ALL brands. The husband of a woman I work with has a 800cc Vulcan cruiser and believe it or not, after owning it for three years, last summer he ACTUALLY rode it outside of the county to where his wife and I work, a distance of 18 miles! Wow! Now that's a ride! Incidently, the statement that Harleys produce less power than other Japanese V twins is WRONG! Check out the dyno reports for the Kawasaki 1,600 cc Vulcan. That big guy produces less hp and torque than the HD 1,320 cc engine. Not just a couple of hp, but actually quite a bit. If you don't believe me, just look up the Rider magazine test from somewhere around last winter. And the old "out perform" retoric is getting rather old. Performance isn't everything. If it really is, then why are there so many hunters using black powder rifles? Don't the idiots realize that even a cheap a$$ed cartridge rifle has more power, accuracy and convience than the old powder, ball, wadding and ramrod foolishness? Just like HD riders, they do it because that's what they like it. Can't you just accept the fact that not everyone wants or likes what you want and like?

i hate harlys

I think your correct! Overpriced and people just buy them to "fit in." You can buy a Yamaha 650 V Star Classic that looks similar to a Fatboy for about $6,000 less than the Fatboy.

Personally, all you say is probably correct. Yes Harleys are underpowered(easy fix) and the trinkets cost alot(so go aftermarket such as Custom Chrome, Kur. and the rest). I feel that everyone is entiteled to their opinions, and this is yours. Mine is, I loved my Springer(shoulda kept her), and my Ultra Classic, both bikes saw lots of highways and byways. Do Harleys break down, it a machine, all machines tend to break at some point in their lives. I do know that the 'mystic' as you called it is real. True Harley owners believe in the right to live free of chains and the like(not drive chains). If you want a reliable Harley, change your fluids regularly, turn a wrench and keep after them and they are no different than any other cycle. Now, to answer your question with a question, if Harleys are so bad, why is it almost every other manufacturer likes to copy or complre their crusers to them? You want a screamer, go by yourself a crotch rocket, and burn some rice young man. But as for me, I will continue to ride Harleys for as long as I can ride, good Lord willing! BTY I think the saying goes fool me once shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Now go put some water in your radiator, your brain must be overheating.

Ninebadthings said it best: "worship performance" The anti-Harley people worship performance. Nothing else matters. Harley Davidson riders realize the there is more to motorcycling than maximum performance. The machine is old school. Motorcycles, other than Harley Davidson, have come a long way since 1980. The motorcycle death rate, per accident, has tripled since 1980. Performance carries a price. One not everyone is willing to pay.

The only reason people buy and own Harley's is for a show off bike, they don't buy and own them for the enjoyment and the passion of riding one, they don't buy one for the performance, for the long distance ride, for the mountain, twisty road ride, they just own it as a prestige self confidence booster to say "I'm better cause I own a Harley" You don't fit that category, you love riding a motorcycle, you love that feel of quick acceleration, and open performance where you have unlimited power. The Yamaha Star line of motorcycles are superior in every way, they offer motorcycles that are better than any Harley, they have a V twin with true performance, balance, and no vibration all at a much lower price and more reliable Note: I bet anybody that "John D" is afraid to ride his HD more than 3 miles from home in fear of it breaking down and pushing it home.