i catch alot of **** at my job for riding a sportbike, everyone there has either a harley or a chopper. they constantly call mine a "moped" and so on. but when the topic comes up and they start making fun of mine...i just begin the following arguement......

1. how much did you pay for YOURS? and how many problems have you had w/ it thus far?

2. how much was YOUR exhaust? (one guy payed $1,600 for his pipes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

3. how much can you do to YOUR bike w/o taking it to the almighty dealer?

4. what exactly can you do on YOUR bike besides cruise down the road and try not to fall asleep?

and here we go.................i spent $400 on my kickass two bros. exhaust, i get more compliments out of my bike then yours, people can tell my bike apart from other hondas/sportbikes, kids love MINE more hahaha , i can cruise down the road just like you........then hit a back road and lean the sucka over......and payed HOW MUCH less than you? i always tell them i get a HELL OF ALOT more out of my bike for what i spent on it, then they every will. they bought a name....thats basically it! all they care about is dumping money into chrome parts. and i always like to finish up my arguement to them w/ a nice little........"let me know how your skin feels, and your face, if you ever wreck it!!!!"

i always here the same dumbass statement from them "i'd rather ride a harley then push a honda", so i'd like to get thirdgenlxi's number, and tell them to give him a call!!!! chances are they havent done OVER 100K miles on their harley w/o any MAJOR maintinace!!!!!!

lmao, then they like to brag to me how much horsepower they have. and i always ask "and it weighs how much?!?!"............800lbs, haha. then they make fun of my 90hp 340 some odd lb bike. i just laugh and say "your 140hp motor isnt **** sitting on the weight of a damn near 18wheeler!!!"

i myself have nothing against harleys, i just stand up for my HOOOOOOOOOOONDA when they playfuly talk **** at work.

 

There is a Walmart sized Harley dealership in my town, and i keep seeing ppl on Buells.... I don't think they are going anywhere. Most of us would prob never buy one...

 

Sales will pick up, I expect...

 

The problem harley stock currently has is that many of their bikes are bought by wealthy people, but many more are just typical poor slobs (like me). I can buy a $8000 bike but harleys just ain't that cheap. Many people are facing mortgage problems due to the past interest rate rises (now they are falling) this created a 'sub-prime' mortgage issue. Since many poor slobs are losing their houses, many more poor slobs have to sell their bikes.

As far as harley trying to improve their technology, they won't/can't. The water cooled models don't sell, Buells are using Rotax twins and the air cooled motors won't survive future emissions and noise issues. harley can'y change because nobody wants them to. Jap bikes are always better with new technology, harleys are dinosaurs, and the harly people love dinisaurs, if that thing evolves it will die.

 

^+1.

Erik Buells genius with a proper Rotax powerplant? Finally a serious contender.

Just wish they would ditch that goofy brake set up. If it had that much advantage, all the GP bikes would have them.

 

I'm not saying I'm a fan, but not all of them are you grandpappy's Harley:

 

i posted these somewhere else but ill show em here too. 2 Harley's i actually liked this summer.





it's no CBR but it's better then an old style cruiser.

 

Water cooled Harleys don't sell, with Harley their only hope for the future lies in their past. But I like them, actually I kinda like the Victory 8ball more that the Harleys.

 

Good points Fish.

I agree that HD is afraid to make too many changes because it will upset their core customers. The V-Rod is a great looking bike and it should bewildly successful sales-wise yet most Harley riders give it the cold shoulder.

Conspiracy theory: I betHarley secretly wants emissions laws tightened so they have a built-in excuse to sell to their customers for finally updating their technology.

 

Yep, the V-Rod and the Night -Rod Special are badd a$$ bikes; bu there is no way in hell I'm paying that much of a premium just fora name. Plus my mother in law's friend had one, and it spontaneously combusted while it was in storage (ARMY deployed overseas)