I'm 57 been riding since 17 and owned only Jap bikes until I got my 17 Road King this year. I agree the dealership has fluff I dont need ( like getting my photo taken while ringing an overhead bell when I picked up the bike, REALLY!?) and more clothes than I will ever consider buying. But, not everyone is like me who, just wants to negotiate the best deal I can, pick up the bike and ride. No group rides, no HOG membership, no kumbaya. But there are TONS of those people that really do enjoy the camaraderie, friendships and time they spend kicking around the dealership. And HD has always been about community and providing an experience for their loyal customers. A very cool thing IMO. Most dealerships do a lot for the local community where they exist. heck, my dealership has a pet adoption place come in every once in a while and take over the pre owned bike area so they can adopt out animals. Really cool. Chili cook offs, and all kinds of good stuff that dont care to be bothered with.But again, I'm not everyone and by the numbers, you eventually will put money in the register doing this type of stuff ( which address the concern for overhead) My background is that I was an engine builder for 30 years, so the M8 impresses me because HD has kept the bike old school, yet, delivered a really capable package and it's why I chose 2017 to buy one. As for the cost of a t-shirt. Heck, a Led Zep T shirt made of good material with a quality silk screen print will run you close to 30 bucks. https://www.ae.com/women-aeo-led-zep...yABEgKPLvD_BwE

 

OP~ Welcome to the site!

 

OP - Welcome, to the forum AND to the HD world. It's interesting to see an outsiders viewpoint, as it's been many years since some of our viewpoints were as an "outsider".

I believe you'll find - as most of us have - that much of what you perceive of the HD owner's gathering at the dealership events is just an initial perception. MOST of the folks at those events are not "lifestyle" guys, but are closer to you than you think. Most just love to ride. Many are brand-loyal, but that loyalty probably stems from having had more than one HD and fallen in love with each one. Many love to ride in groups, many will not.

Anyway - welcome!

 

deleted: wound up on wrong thread after hitting submit

 

I just bought my first Harley this summer. The dealership I bought it from is a large dealership with lots of employees. Didn’t bother me a bit. Was probably one of the better large purchase experiences I’ve had. I bought my black leather pirate coat that day not to conform or fit in. I bought it because it fit and I liked it. Plus it was on sale. Anytime I have been to the dealership the other “bikers” have always been friendly and actually outgoing. I usually go after work so I’m not all decked out in my pirate gear. The OP evidently has had a different experience but so far my “Harley experience “ has been enjoyable.

 

"kids" are still buying motorcycles. You see them on the road in every small town and big city across the US. What they're not buying is Harley Davidsons

HDMC is a marketing company. If we're all being honest, just about every major brand makes a better bike than Harley, the difference is the marketing. They sell "nostalgia", they sell the "outlaw image", "badassity", "the open road", "sticking it to the man". And they market that to 35 (and up) white men, typically married, with 2.5 kids and an office job. There's some cross over to other demographics, and not all of us here fit that market, but that's who HDMC is selling to. They want the guy that buys a new bike every 4-5 years, wears all the t-shirts, hats, and buys all the bolt on chrome **** that costs pennies to make in China and is sold for a HD (Hundred Dollars), ideally they pay the service department to put that same cheap chrome **** on their bike.

look at these people....
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...eadership.html

which one of them can bring the next few generations of riders on a Harley? Right now it falls on a 48 year that came from the food industry (cliff bars/plum organics/campbell soup). He's new to HD this year, lets see if can bring some of his "punk rock" past to the marketing team

I'm a 51 year old guy, with 2 teen aged daughters and manage a group of guys, 1/2 of them millennials. Even I can see that the marketing is all wrong. EVEN if the motor company didn't change 1 thing about their currently bike line up, proper marketing would bring new riders to the fold.

And then, if they wanted to do something CRAZY, they could build an actual bike that 18-35's would want to own, and could afford to buy

 

"better" is subjective. I prefer the Harley because the percentage of metal parts on my bike is very high. I like that over-built mentality and have no problem paying for what I think is better. No other bike is going to produce the sound a Harley makes which is another one of those better things that appeals to me which has nothing to do with marketing, its two things I can touch, hear and feel.

 

So... I’m a finance guy early 40’s on my 10th Harley (road glide). I wear a full modular shoei, don’t own HD gear and wear safety gear when I ride. Clean cut, no body art. I agree that I don’t and never have shared interest with most HD riders at events. I’m a technology guy but very mechanically inclined also and do all my work on bikes. Point is I’d have more in common with BMW riders but don’t like the feel of those bikes, love my v-twin hd’s. I’ve tried BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki and keep coming back. Now... the v-rod did not do well for many reasons, that seating position is a killer. The sportster I’ve had 4 and it’s a great platform. Finally the Street is a piece of crap sorry to anyone who likes the model but it’s an overpriced Honda rebel, the suspension and fit and finish is terrible. My point is that it’s not that we as Harley customers of old, know what the feel of a Harley should be at the core and when they move away from that even with open mind , I can’t say anything positive about a street other than ok to use for rider intro courses.

Im optimistic on the new « custom » and « street fighter » models though and anxiously hope they are successes
anyways great first post that made me think over my own status as a HD rider

 

Do guys that old really fall into all the image stuff though? Will a dude who wore non-"biker" clothes all his life just switch his image at that age because he bought a Harley-Davidson? Seems like a teenager thing. When I bought my bike I almost cringed when the salesman said he was going to give me a t-shirt. But it was just a plain black t-shirt with Harley Davidson on the front & the dealership's name on the back so I was ok with it.

 

Is English your first language?