I tell people in Business, I love to ride my motorcycle. They always ask, what kind do you have. I respond "I have a Harley quickly followed by quotation mark finger motions "But I'm not a HARLEY HARLEY Rider! I'm a motorcyclist that loves Harley's" Odd we try to run from the image the MOCO promotes.

Dont take this wrong. I have been riding for a long time. I know and am good friends with some Hard Core Bikers. I'm talking never seen them in anything but a MOCO Dealer shirt and a bandanna, inked up from head to toe. One of my good friends is even inked all over his face (Strange thing there is, he is one of the nicest guys I know) that book does not match the cover--at all. So if I see these guys out and about , always say hey. But that is not nor has it ever been me. That is just not my style. Oh I have HD leathers and chaps and alot a other stuff do not get me wrong. But everything I ever bought MOCO clothes wise was because it enhances my ride. I bought it more for the function then the flair is what I guess I'm trying to say here.

 

if I want to enjoy a dirt/gravel/blacktop I would probably prefer the klr650

if I want to go round the world not sure of where I am going to run into might do a bmw

if I want to do 170+ out in Kansas maybe a ducati or triumph

if I want to completely enjoy my ride its a Harley

no they can't do everything, but what they do, the road, they do better

I must say I hate it on dirt and gravel, ultra and short legs aren't good on gravel

 

So, lets see if I got this right, we now have the Non Harley Rider Harley Riders. Maybe someone can come up with a snappy acronym so we can start making fun of them too.

 

I'm with you all the way. I was on an airline flight once, and the guy that sat down next to me was covered in ink, and a ponytail. We nodded, and turned back to our newspapers. Once we'd been in the air for a while (yes, this actually happens!), a flight attendant got on the speaker and said there was a medical emergency, and if anyone was a physician could they please come forward. The guy looked at me, rolled his eyes, said "excuse me", and got up. After he came back we gave each other another look, he grinned and said: "ER trauma surgeon".

I've been around the block a few times and I'll tell you with utter sincerity, some of the most reprehensible puddles of **** I've ever known wore $5,000 suits, and some of the sweetest, kindest people I've ever known couldn't make it through a metal detector naked. What's on the outside never matters.

I think I'll just stick with real biker, because that's what I am, real. And I ride.

 

To be honest I don't know what's in store for Harley in the future. My hunch is they're reacting very conservatively to their sales slump and will rebound somewhat to their biggest emphasis being increasing their advertising budget, with R&D getting a boost as well.
I'm not a fan of Polaris but I have to believe they will continue developing and improving their Indian and Victory products while also coming out with more modern design, higher performing motorcycles as well. In a way, given Polaros' ATV/UTV line, its a wonder they don't yet offer off road, dual sport, or adventure motorcycles? Or with Indian's heritage maybe an in-line 4 cylinder Indian? We all like our traditional Harleys and I hope they can keep improving them as they go but someone at Harley Davidson better look at the types of other motorcycles being sold and start genuinely focusing on broadening the product line.

 

I think a big part of the lack of customers I see in the local dealers is... the number of local dealers. If I google Harley Dealers and my zip code, there are 9 of them. The farthest is 81 miles away. Now I'm not going to swing by there to pick up a quart of oil, but I sure would if I'm looking for a deal on a $30,000 bike. The customer base is spread too thin, and it shows.

FWIW... If I google Chevy dealers in my area there are 6.

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Here's what I know. 113 yrs & they are still here.

 

Most young guys aren't full of cash and want speed. Harley has to offer sport bikes with fairings to compete with the cheaper Japanese motorcycles so they build brand loyalty.

 

Harley may never dab into sports bike world. Honestly that would be a hard nut to crack with the big four having been in the sports bike game for years. To me, the Harley street line is strictly designed to attract the younger (less heeled) riders. The street line REALLY reminds me of a metric. The street line seems to be selling overseas but I do not see them making a dent here. there are a LOT better bikes in that size range with a lot more tech that will attract a younger riders.

 

I hear what you're saying but I certainly hope Harley doesn't have the attitude it would be a hard nut to crack with the big four having been in the sports bike game for years.
Harley needs to get off their *** and compete! 20 years ago who would have thought small European manufacturers such as Ducati and BMW would catch up and actually overtake in some cases the Japanese big four at their own game, sport bikes? And little KTM leads them in high end off road bikes.