Harley Davidson boots are junk
#91
11-10-2016 | 02:40 PM
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 37
Likes: 3
From: Hutto, TX
I've been wearing Made in America Redwing steel toe pull ons everyday for work for the last 15 years. Been riding in them too. Super comfortable, after break-in, and long lasting. My girlfriends uncle works at the Wolverine factory in Michigan. I know for a fact that they make some of the HD boots, but not all of them. I'm getting a pair from him soon as a gift so I can report back on what I got and how well they're made. For what it's worth he said if they're made at the wolverine factory, they're good boots. Others, not so much.
#93
11-11-2016 | 03:38 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 11,630
Likes: 985
From: NC
#94
11-12-2016 | 01:02 PM
my daughter got a pair of H-D boots coming up on 3 Christmases ago now. Literally wore them to school every day (didn't matter if she got there on the back of the bike, in the car or on the bus!) and it was a real fight to get her to *ever* polish them. It's only this month that the zipper has started to come away and one of the soles has given up. Sadly they don't seem to sell that particular boot any more, and most of the alternatives seem pretty "fashion forward" as opposed to robust. So, off to find something else I guess. I don't mind paying a bit of a premium for quality stuff, especially if it's made in the US, but paying premium for something that doesn't last... not good for the HD reputation and loyalty
Totally unrelated, last time I was in China I got myself an HD leather jacket apparently from the same factory the ones we get here comes from. Cost me 1/5th of the price, and even my local dealer can't work out if it's a knock-off
Totally unrelated, last time I was in China I got myself an HD leather jacket apparently from the same factory the ones we get here comes from. Cost me 1/5th of the price, and even my local dealer can't work out if it's a knock-off
#95
Today | 01:47 PM
Stage II
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Agreed!
My OL bought a pair of Harley Davidson ladies' riding boots from the local HD dealer about two years ago. They get about a half a day of use every week or fortnight, max. Within a few months, the sole fell right off of one boot.
Got it repaired at a mall shoe repair place as it was quick and cheap and the dealership was too far away at the time. But the now the sole fell off again, and took it to an old time boot repair guy who really knows his stuff and does good work.
"Harley Davidson boots are junk" were the first words he said. "Not worth you paying me to fix them." He then proceeded to show us how the whole sole material is disintegrating because it is made of some cheap-*** junk kind of rubber. And the upper is no better.
"And the Harley shop guys know their boots are junk," he goes on. "Because they are always bringing customers' boots in here for me to glue back together". I guess the glued soles, like ours, hang togehter long enough for the customer not to expect any further warranty etc.
Disappointing as the boots were not cheap to buy. We only got them because she should try them on at the dealer and they fit real nice. But quality wise, they certainly don't compare well with my regular Carolina boots that last me 10 to 20 years.
Anyone else found this with HD boots?
Got it repaired at a mall shoe repair place as it was quick and cheap and the dealership was too far away at the time. But the now the sole fell off again, and took it to an old time boot repair guy who really knows his stuff and does good work.
"Harley Davidson boots are junk" were the first words he said. "Not worth you paying me to fix them." He then proceeded to show us how the whole sole material is disintegrating because it is made of some cheap-*** junk kind of rubber. And the upper is no better.
"And the Harley shop guys know their boots are junk," he goes on. "Because they are always bringing customers' boots in here for me to glue back together". I guess the glued soles, like ours, hang togehter long enough for the customer not to expect any further warranty etc.
Disappointing as the boots were not cheap to buy. We only got them because she should try them on at the dealer and they fit real nice. But quality wise, they certainly don't compare well with my regular Carolina boots that last me 10 to 20 years.
Anyone else found this with HD boots?
First week: holes in Harley logo. Straight through to foot. Punctured foot. 10 weeks later I am throwing these in the trash. Not only do the cracks go straight through to my feet, but huge amounts of pain. I haven't had any $100 boots be this crappy 2 months in to ownership. I'm a math teacher. I'm not making serious demands of these boots. Wimpy wimpy wimpy.
#97
Today | 03:04 PM
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 803
Likes: 561
From: Ohio
First week: holes in Harley logo. Straight through to foot. Punctured foot. 10 weeks later I am throwing these in the trash. Not only do the cracks go straight through to my feet, but huge amounts of pain. I haven't had any $100 boots be this crappy 2 months in to ownership. I'm a math teacher. I'm not making serious demands of these boots. Wimpy wimpy wimpy.
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#98
Today | 03:52 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 9,211
Likes: 3,473
From: Michigan
I guess (like boots) we're all different and we wear (and wear out) out boots in different conditions and even by the way we walk.
Usually I'm harder on the heels than I am the soles of my boots and I wear my "everyday boots" all year long with the only exception of when I'm wearing my sneakers in the warmer months when I'm not riding OR when I'm wearing other boots for fancier occasions.
I'm currently on my second pair of H-D "Hustin" boots and I'm close to 10 years with them with only ONE pair of new heels being installed.
They still look good and I use Doc Bailey's maybe once per season and a occasional coat of Kiwi paste wax to held add some moisture protection and I do "touch up" with a shoe brush and paper towels to maintain them.
They now have more of a "shine" than they did when they were new and I occasionally even get some comments about them!
I like them so much (with the inside-the-calf zipper) that I ordered a "back up" pair a couple of years ago and they're still NIB for when I decide that I need them, which will likely be THE last pair of riding boots that I will eve need.
Usually I'm harder on the heels than I am the soles of my boots and I wear my "everyday boots" all year long with the only exception of when I'm wearing my sneakers in the warmer months when I'm not riding OR when I'm wearing other boots for fancier occasions.
I'm currently on my second pair of H-D "Hustin" boots and I'm close to 10 years with them with only ONE pair of new heels being installed.
They still look good and I use Doc Bailey's maybe once per season and a occasional coat of Kiwi paste wax to held add some moisture protection and I do "touch up" with a shoe brush and paper towels to maintain them.
They now have more of a "shine" than they did when they were new and I occasionally even get some comments about them!
I like them so much (with the inside-the-calf zipper) that I ordered a "back up" pair a couple of years ago and they're still NIB for when I decide that I need them, which will likely be THE last pair of riding boots that I will eve need.
#99
Today | 03:59 PM
Stage II
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
