All the sh!t talk about Harley Davidison

[Beauregard]

I don't own a Harley. I have never ridden a Harley. I wear bandanas from time to time. I wear jeans and white t-shirts. I ride in groups, I rev my engine in front of the coffee shop because I love the echo of the V twin off the big glass windows and rattling coffee cups. If you don't like the street noise, kiss my ass and go inside.

Old school bikers wouldn't use the word "pussified".

Chocked full of WIN.

Gotta say, I see myself on a HD when the kids are off to college and I'm retired and cruising the awesome scenery of our states...

You and me my friend.

 

[JakesKTM]

Old school bikers wouldn't use the word "pussified".

Your attempt to dismiss an argument based on a generalized application of logic has no place on BARF

 

[ST Guy]

Performance vs pricepoint is terrible. Other than that I'd ride one nowadays. I'm more open to the thought of cruisers, Harley or Star, although it would have to be my second or even 3rd bike. Cruisers are novelty items for the most part. Aside from the baggers who ride cross country, they are mostly just recreational toys. That's why they are purposely built as antiquated as they are. It's just cool to have one and ride it around now and again. I think it's perfectly ok to criticize harleys whether you are teasing or really hating on them. It's understandable. Then again if you think they are god's gift to man you are delusional.

I think if you own/ride/love/hate/want or you have any thought whatsoever about Harleys, you should be realistic and realize what they are.
Antiquated
overpriced
fun to ride

I have to admit is was fun to ride. But not for the right reasons. I was laughing my ass off at the whole rediculousness of the thing. I'm sure that would wear thin in short order, though.

 

[Wack]

"I'm sure that would wear thin in short order, though. "

I have 35,000 miles on my Deuce. Did Tahoe last weekend and the Laughlin River Run in April like I have every year since 2003. I admit the HD would not be my first pick if I could only own 1 bike.

One reason to do the River Run.

 

[9rPilot]

Ahhh the ever popular HD thread... It really comes down to ride what you enjoy. I've got a diverse garage with Ducs, KTMs, Yams, and an HD. Each one is fun in its own way and excellent for a given application. I just got back from a 4000 mile 6 day jaunt thru CA,AZ,NM,CO,UT,NV,CA on the HD ultra. It was super comfortable and just perfect for a long ride where the goal was to relax and enjoy the scenic wonder of the geography. I ended up pulling a 1000+ mile day on Day 2 due to a reroute around a massive sandstorm that closed I40 East of Flagstaff and the need to meet riding buddies in Los Alamos NM before they continued on. Pulled the unintended Iron Butt 1K then slept 2 hours and rode another 500+ miles for an unintended 1.5K in 36 hours. I've done the 1Ks on a Duc and on a KTM (glutton for punishment) but the Ultra was a piece of cake. Heck, we even ended up riding the Ultras up the Moki Dugway in Utah (a few miles of dirt/gravel switchbacks up a 10+% grade from the desert floor to the top of a ridgeline - more suited for the KTM ADV...). I bought the Ultra so my wife and I would have a LD touring platform in addition to our Ducs and Dualsports. So far, it has filled that role very well. To each his own I guess. (BTW - I do get a lot of strange looks when riding the Ultra wearing either A* leathers or Aerostich and my Arai XD helmet...)

 

[ThinkFast]

A group of bikers were sitting around the campfire up in the Sierras after a long day's ride. Sipping on some brews the inevitable BSing session commences, with the Yamaha rider leading things off.

"I was ripping up Skyline one afternoon when I came flying around right hander and there was like thirty spandex-clad bicyclists in a group spread across the entire lane, with a bunch of cars coming the other way. I got on the front brakes hard, rear end up in the air and did a stoppie from about 85 mph. Hauled the thing down to a crawl about 20 feet before asspacking the back of the group - they never even knew I was there."

The others all nod - whoa - awesome dude. Then the Red Rider pipes up about how he and his CBR were out scratching on Mines one day, when three deer jumped out of nowhere and launched across the entire road. He swerved right, front tire got into the gravel, and as he started to lowside he just dug in his knee slider and held the thing up until he'd slid past the deer, crossed up. Kept on the gas, picked the bike up and off he goes.

No Sh*t everyone says. Wow! Very cool.

On and on they went, each one more outrageous than the next.

The Harley guy in his chaps and bandana (wearing a fringed jacket) just stood there listening, stirring the coals with his penis.

 

[scalveg]

Hey hey hey now, let's all try to get along.

At least there's one thing that we can *all* agree sucks:

 

[Beauregard]

Hey hey hey now, let's all try to get along.

At least there's one thing that we can *all* agree sucks:

So you've ridden one?

For what they are the Spyder is fun. Can-Am gave me one for a weekend for a review I was writing, try as I might I could not kill it and provided I pretended I was on a snow mobile I had a great time... plus they do great burnouts.

But they are not a motorcycle.

 

[jlhopwo]

[shittalk]

Harley Davidson will never see a dime of my money.

[/shittalk]

 

[Wack]

"For what they are the Spyder is fun."

I'm starting to see a lot of people on trikes that are having a good time who probably are not up to riding on 2 wheels anymore. If adding a third wheel at some point extends the window for a few more years they should go for it.

 

[I'm OaklandLion]

riding thru Rockridge, 7pm tonite, Harley dude, apehangers, sets off car alarms

that's a dickhead move

I'm trying to eat my dinner, I don't need to hear the rumble - shit is annoying.

 

[Kornholio]

Rockridge?

 

[Squidly McSmearstain]

Rockridge?

Splendid, splendid.

 

[Squidly McSmearstain]

Like many others here I've experienced the "Harleys are the only REAL motorcycles" attitude. I've gotten the, "Why don't you ride a Harley?" question. I've even been on the end of a "You're just not man enough to ride a Harley Davidson" accusation.

Yes, this attitude sours me on the brand. The unbelievable ignorance displayed by the Harley crowd (riders and non-riders alike) is off-putting at the least and fucking irritating at the worst.

As a result, my Harley hate has very little to do with the bikes themselves; rather the attitude and idiocy of the sheeple who claim Harley superiority. If anyone has the slightest inclination to view a motorcycle as a performance vehicle, the whole Harley facade is ridiculous.

For me personally, I would never buy a HD product. Perhaps my attitude will change as I get older? For now, I don't care for the VOCAL MINORITY of the people who ride / love the brand and the ridiculous image that Harley continues to portray. I want a motorcycle. I don't want a piece of costume jewelery or a fashion accessory or an imaginary image so I don't want a Harley Davidson. Yes, Harley Davidson makes motorcycles, but the price (which has NOTHING to do with monetary considerations) is too high.

Just for the record......I don't own a Ducati or a liter bike from the Big 4 for the same reason. While the Harley crowd takes the attitude to insanely high levels, the attitude displayed by the Ducatisti and the squid patrol leave a sour taste in my mouth as well. Bench racing liter bike riders with no skills make me laugh in a sad way. In general, Hayabusa riders have simply become a punchline to a sad joke. Twenty something 600 riders with Icon vests and sneakers are simply pathetic and adding speakers and neon only make it worse.

Yes, I am a crotchety old man.

Signed,

The Highwayman II

 

[rydmohr]

At a bar...... once upon a time. Couple of barfly's walk up and start a conversation.


One says "what kind of bike you riding"

Me "today im on an a Yamaha"

Second one says "we like Harleys" :|

Me "cool"

First chick says "yea, we are not R6 chicks"

Me "I'm not on an R6 but it's a really awsome bike"

First chick again "we only ride on the back of Harley's"

Me, a little annoyed by now "cool".
Walks away thinking "you bitches weren't getting a ride anyway"

 

[Tommy K]

I think HD's are coo but just not for me yet lol

 

[nazgulnarsil]

At a bar...... once upon a time. Couple of barfly's walk up and start a conversation.


One says "what kind of bike you riding"

Me "today im on an a Yamaha"

Second one says "we like Harleys" :|

Me "cool"

First chick says "yea, we are not R6 chicks"

Me "I'm not on an R6 but it's a really awsome bike"

First chick again "we only ride on the back of Harley's"

Me, a little annoyed by now "cool".
Walks away thinking "you bitches weren't getting a ride anyway"

you should have said it out loud. they were interested and just shit testing you.

 

[benjamac]

Have you ever actually ridden one?

It's true, Harley uses 1930's technology. In a world full of amazing fuel injected suicide machines producing more horsepower that any but the most skilled ever tap into, HD is still using a motor that's basically two cylinders out of a rotary airplane motor that produces about a third of the horsepower that smaller modern motors do. Talking shit about that is like complaining that Coka-Cola sucks because they still use a recipe that works.

Do you have experience with their customer service?

HD stands behind what they sell you. I have three friends who will never ever buy a Ducati again because of how badly they were treated by the company after they bought a bike new that cost more than the spendiest HD bagger only to have it break, one of them within 260 miles. Unless you have ever actually talked to HD's customer service reps maybe STFU.

Harley Davidsons cost so much....

Yes, thy cost a bunch, it's a business and they're here to make money. If you're seriously worried about what they cost because you want one, talk to Teddy here on The BARF, he sells them and I'm willing to bet he can hook you up with a deal. Seriously.

The HD culture and it's people are a joke.

Okay, you got me on this one. I love my big twin push-rod motor driven chopper but I cringe when some dude gets off his Softail, adjusts his bandanna, and wants to talk bikes with me. But, I have to give HD credit for marketing their product in a way to birth such a rabid following. Steve Jobs has the only other company I know of that has created such brand loyalty.

Harley riders are so slow!

So what. Go around them.
And until you've coaxed a Dyna through Hwy 9 at ludicrous-speed you really don't have a leg to stand on here. It's fun as hell.

In summation:

Do yourself a favor and go to one of the myriad of dealerships that rent HD's and take one out for a day. It probably won't be your cup of tea, but at least then you'll have first-hand experience.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance — that principle is contempt prior to investigation."

Herbert Spencer

Seriously? you really think that none of us have ridden Harleys? for me, the big thing is that most (really, almost all) Harley's dont do what i like a motorcycle to do- stop, go and turn. obviously that is a humorously simplistic way to put it, but if i want to cruise slowly down the road and have people look at me, i will buy a fancy convertible.

Additionally, as some here have said, the lifestyle/ image/ pirate garb is beyond silly, it's embarrassingly shameful, a well-accepted way for old people to wear costumes. please, there are few bad-asses that ride cruisers, and while my patch-wearing 1% ers are welcome to share a seat at the bar with me and talk over a beer, i think that they are mostly as embarrassed over the retired dentist/ CPA's riding around in leather vests as I am.

Go ride a harley. when you are done and want to go for an exciting ride, jump on ANYTHING but a cruiser- the only excitement a cruiser will give you is when you are trying to get it to ride well.

 

[ThinkFast]

Go ride a harley. when you are done and want to go for an exciting ride, jump on ANYTHING but a cruiser- the only excitement a cruiser will give you is when you are trying to get it to ride well.

Well tell you what, Sport. Why don't you go borrow a bagger and meet me at Smith Ranch Park & Ride next week (avoid the weekends - too much traffic), and I'll show you exciting without going over the posted speed limit.

 

[Moto4Fun]

Pirates are cool!