Harley isn’t a lifestyle. It’s a brand and make of motorcycle. Not sure how buying a Harley as opposed to a Honda or Moto Guzzi means you’re buying into a lifestyle. Lifestyles are defined by how one lives, not by the vehicle one owns or chooses to buy. The rebel outlaw lifestyle image harley pushes is all corporate marketing fluff. It’s just a bike, not a merit badge of some kind.

I didn’t say they had to get rid of the V-Twin across all product lines, I suggested they come out with a line without a V-Twin. Big difference there.

What is the majority conclusion that comes up in every single thread like this? People wanting higher performing stock engines! Create a few models without a V-Twin, yet with something that still has some vintage vibe to it with modern day performance. I’m sure the aftermarket can make those same engines bark something fierce if sound is all you’re concerned with, or just keep buying the V-Twins.

Ducati has been looking for a buyer. There was a rumor last year that HD was considering a merger. On the face of it, this would be a logical move as it would allow HD to circumvent a lot of R&D in the high performance engine department. Harley's issue isn't their existing designs. It is lack of appeal to a diverse market. Choices are good. Harley has always been a one-trick pony. I like classic v-twins. I don't need or want high performance and prefer classic styling and mellow cruising and touring. There is something out there for everyone and Harley really needs to expand their portfolio significantly for the future. Whether something like this could happen is open to debate but it would be better than trying to reinvent the wheel. There would be a lot of possibilities for growth with such an event.


You're missing the point. Its not about the brand or style of bike. When people in the general public equate 'cool' with motorcycles, it is almost always the bikes themselves that gets the label rather than the rider. The rider is just seen as some anonymous accessory to the bike, not the other away around. Whether someone hates or loves motorcycles, their view of coolness likely has nothing at all to do with the rider. It is for this reason that someone using a motorcycle to convey an image or come across in a certain way is a case of looking for love in all the wrong places. Nobody cares you are riding a bike and will judge you based on how you act, not what you are riding. Respect is something earned, not purchased. Doesn't matter if you are doing wheelies through an intersection on a sportbike or blasting the **** out of your exhaust for no reason, if you act like a douche while riding, most people will see you as a douche.