Two Best Reasons to Buy a Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidsons remain popular year after year, and the reasons why may be a bit of a surprise to seasoned riders.
We’re on something like year 10 of industry pundits and talking heads on cable news declaring Harley-Davidson to be dead or dying. However, the popularity of motorcycling has exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic and Harley-Davidson, in particular, is wooing more and more customers.
This video from YouTuber Old Not Dead attempts to explain the phenomenon. Not only does he have a cool username, he’s also got a simple theory about why Harley-Davidson remain popular.
He’s boiled it down to two points (or three, if you really want to nitpick). The first point (or two) is the sound and the vibration. The unique characteristics of a Harley-Davidson V-twin engine produce uneven exhaust pulses, which are largely responsible for the classic Harley sound, as well as the vibration we’re all familiar with.
The Sound and the Fury
To many, that is simply what a motorcycle should sound and feel like. The sound is unmistakable. In fact, many film sound libraries use a Harley-Davidson exhaust note as a “stock” motorcycle sound. Pay close attention to the movies you watch. Hollywood editors will often dub in a Harley sound so that it sounds “right” – even if the bike on screen is a Yamaha or Moto Guzzi.
As for the vibration, to many, it makes the bike feel more “alive.” We haven’t ever thought of it that way, but we can see where he’s coming from. We always thought our bikes had soul anyways.
His second major point revolves around torque. Harley engines are designed in such a way as to produce a lot of low-end grunt. This can inspire confidence in riders new and old alike. Sure, we may love the occasional blast on a high-revving crotch rocket – but for cruising, nothing beats the smooth, off-the-line torque a Harley-Davidson engine produces.
These reasons weren’t what we expected to hear when we clicked on the video. However, when we think back to how we fell in love with motorcycling – and Harley-Davidsons in particular – the sound and feel had a lot to do with it. Maybe this Old Not Dead guy’s on to something after all.
Photos: Harley-Davidson
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