I ask out of curiosity, Walter. Thanks.

 

My first long trip this year provided a good example of how much riding is now being done on H-Ds.

I go to Vegas to visit my son then Laughlin for the annual River Run and have done this for the past 11 years.

This year I went I-80 west to I-35 south and I-40 west to Nevada. I saw more motorcycles on the road than any past year. There was easily beyond 90% H-Ds.

The other thing that I saw was the motorhome RV crowd was out in dramatically more numbers than I have seen since the mid 2000's.

I think the long recession in the Obama years is ended and folks are making more $ and spending it. Thank you Pres. Trump!

I vote H-D every year since I left metrics at age 65. I vote 1 to 4 new bikes each model year. Yahoo!!!!!

 

I have owned everything from mini-bikes, dirt bikes. enduro's, crotch rocket's, standard Honda's, Yamaha's and Harley Davidson's (including a Low Rider S).

I have said for several years it appears that Harley Davidson has some corporate accounting/design group making decisions these day's.

They need to bring in a group of "real" motorcycle riders to do the research and help design what the old and young motorcycle riders these day's want to purchase. I could in 2 months time (with a new design group) come up with several new motorcycles that would stay true to the Harley Davidson heritage and yet bring in 1000's of new motorcycle buyer's.

 

"They need to bring in a group of "real" motorcycle riders to do the research and help design what the old and young motorcycle riders these day's want to purchase. "

Cobra - Apparently You never read up on how H-D developed the new line of Softails. They had a focus group of 1,000 US and European riders input things that they would want in a new machine. H-D then set the top 10 for inclusion into the new line.

Is that "real" enough for you? By the way just what is a "real" motorcycle rider?????? I have be riding over 62 years and have no idea what that means. To me a motorcycle rider is one who rides a motorcycle. Nothing more nothing less.

 

I never said they have not made a good motorcycle in years. There are several people on this forum (including myself) that have said it was a huge mistake to end the Dyna lines.

I and other riders for several years have said they have odd color and design changes on several motorcycle's.

They went from a small front tire on the Sportsters to a too large front tire in my and others opinion.

My Low Rider S for example, I looked on the Harley Davidson website for wheel choices and they didn't even have matching front and back wheels. You can't sell what you don't have.


I went with a friend of mine to a dealership to look at a Breakout as a travel motorcycle for me. I am looking for a motorcycle that is comfortable and fast.

My friend and the salesman agreed with me that the front end
feels way too heavy.

 

Didn't read through all 40 pages of this thread yet, so I apologize if any of this has been repeated. Most have an issue with quality and performance, my brother and most of my friends (all in our early to late 20's but have been riding since 16 or so) ride European bikes. (although we pretty much all started with Japanese bikes) My brother has a Ducati, not far from the price of a Harley, however for that price you get Brembo brakes front (dual) and rear, Ohlin's suspension, and a V-twin that puts out over 150hp, and it handles the corners like beast. All right off of the showroom floor. Why pay the same money for a bike with weak brakes, poor suspension, and an under powered v twin, and doesn't corner as well. You have to throw serious money at a Harley to get close to that type of performance. Its the same reason the rest of the guys ride BMW's and KTM's. Unless Harley starts putting premium parts and performance along with their premium price its not going to change IMO.

 

t-shirts and doo-rags

 

Having grown up in Bethlehem PA, I am a little more skeptical. We used to say the same thing about the Steel Company. Even in bad years, that place was a cash cow. But a few down years in a row, and a poorly managed (i.e., unfunded) pension fund, and next thing you know...

 

They don't post numbers but their biggest gains were with the slingshot and Indians. Slingshots doubled sales over 2016 and Indians up by 17%.

Dropping Victory killed their overall percentages.

 

So you are a 'motorcycle rider' rather then a Harley aficionado? Some of us are, and those that aren't can't understand the difference?