I know why my Harley riding is on the decline, its freakin cold outside...

 

Spring is coming

 

Drinking a beer and smoking while running a 4 speed is a talent? Been doing it for years but never looked at it as a talent lol. Have driven a lot of standards over the years but the last thing I would want in my new Chevy pick-up would be a stick. Now my 69 firebird (Muncie 4 speed) I would have no other way. And by the way 9 out of 10 times the auto is gonna be quicker in the quarter mile.

 

I wish you were right but I’m gonna disagree!!


As I look out my window

 

It's not a talent, it was an example that you can drive a shift and do other things. A lot of people seem to complain that you can't be on your phone or drink your Starbucks while driving a shift.

I would love to be able to buy a modern truck with a standard. Probably the reason I'll never buy a new car is because they don't have that option and the only cars that do are entry level gas savers which I'm not interested in.

I'm aware that automatics have surpassed manuals as far as speed goes but I'm not interested in that. I'm not into racing.

 

Harley Davidson needs to eliminate so many V-twin models and engineer, design, and produce street bikes that are competitive in terms of speed, appearance and price of their Japanese competitors. The Detroit Big 3 had the same myopic vision of their cars when the Japanese invasion began.
I love my Harley, but my first bike was a Honda. Why? Size, looks, and price. As a young, new rider, I didn't have the confidence I could ride a big Harley.
HD needs to get off their pedestal, come down and face reality.
Oh, and put Dave Kindig in charge of paint color - really!!!.

 

Seriously?

And alienate the people that buy Harleys now?

People don't buy Harley for performance...or if they do, they made a bad call. People buy a Harley because it's a Harley. 115 years of good marketing and brand loyalty will do that.

If you want to buy a Honda, buy a Honda. It's a different bike, different ride, different look, different everything. We don't need more Hondas.

As a Harley rider, I can tell you right now...I don't want anything besides a V-Twin, I don't want radiators, I don't want Bluetooth, cup holders, navigation, heated grips, or even fuel injection. If I wanted any of that lame ****, I'd buy a car or a Goldwing.

 

^^^^ I dunno how fast do you want to go? Both my H-D 's go fast enough to kill me.

 

No, no! Don't get me wrong...I'm saying keep those V-Twin icons that are best sellers. But, I don't know, wasn't it like 11 new models introduced this year?
Every model with unique parts = cost.

In order to stay in business and earn a new customer loyalty among the young, I'm saying produce the kind of bike that can not just compete with, but slam the competition in terms of quality, performance and price. That will require a new engine, and a whole different look.

I'll probably never buy a Sportster, Fat Boy or Road Glide, but that won't keep me from buying a new Electra Glide; uhm, with heated grips!

 

I don't think all the blame can be placed at the feet of H-D MoCo. I do think part of it is just situational in terms of aging demographics and a generation or two behind which just have less interest in big road bikes....especially classic stylings. I don't see a lot of 25 year olds hanging out at motorcycle dealerships the way I did back in the '70s - '90s. I also happen to be a serious hunter and that sport is showing definite signs of aging and losing some of its appeal to younger adults. The country is culturally different than it was back when H-D rebuilt the brand and began their march to the top of motorcycle dominance.


It worries me to think H-D could decide to completely refocus the lineup and try to find that magical youth-attracting formula. Many aging entities have tried that and ended up alienating their core customers to the point of hurting business long-term. Just look at NASCAR which has made a devoted effort to attract the younger audience, but has alienated much of their base and now can't even fill up the stands at Bristol or Daytona. The very thing which made NASCAR phenomenally popular was lost when they went young, glamorous, techie, and changed the rules to produce a false sense of racing excitement. Their identity got confused. Their core group lost interest. The youth movement didn't prevail and now they are losing drivers, money, sponsors and fans.


Somehow H-D needs to learn something from the GM model. Don't be so arrogant as to think you can tell people what they want. Figure it out and give people what they want today...while simultaneously designing and planning for the decades ahead. Use technology but only to enhance the experience. Motorcycle riding is going to change or die I think. Bikes will become more futuristic including Harleys. Keeping it fun is perhaps top of the priority list.