I read a Q&A in the back of motorcycle magazine a few years ago. Guy writes in and asks if ape-hangers would look cool on his Harley.

The answer was something like:

"Dude, if you were a geek in high school your probably still a geek by the fact you actually wrote in to this column to ask what's cool. I'd sell your bike now and stop embarrassing yourself as soon as you can."

 

Two problems. First, is, you can't predict cool; that sort of thing is only obvious in retrospect. All you can do is design the best of something. Second and more important issue is profit.

The challenge is designing to a price point and still being able to make money without outsourcing manufacturing. BMW struggles with it, I see they are reaching down into the $9000 range but they aren't competing with the Japanese bikes yet. I don't ever see Harley making money in the $5000 range ever. And I imagine it would be really tricky to recoup the R&D they would have to put into a killer $8000 bike.

I think it boils down to a question if HD wants to update the Sportster platform or not. And decide whether to change the name; I dunno how "race bike" got turned into "beginner bike" or "girl bike" but it is what it is. Might help if we stopped calling it that disparagingly, might also help if MoCo got the idea out of its head that totally screwing up the suspension turns a vintage race bike into something a millennial (let alone a woman) would drool over. Frame and suspension is probably not the deal-killer, but what about an engine? That's a big chunk of R&D and investment in manufacturing infrastructure. Note HD only has one engine for most of its line, there's a reason for that. Do you outsource the engine, like BMW did for its F650 back in the day? Or invest in one you intend to market way down at the bottom of your range, as Indian did?

The comment about thumpers is intriguing, wonder what a Milwaukee 4 would be like... Disagree re: multi's. Too complex, not enough torque. Ducati's light twins are cool, so are Triumph's, ours should be too. Don't try to beat Suzuki at its own game.

I think opportunity is calling. Multi's are out, nakeds are in. Dirt tracking is in. Dual sport is in. An updated Sportster that's not as heavy, not as top-heavy and can be outfitted with a decent suspension might gain traction, so to speak. Just call it the "XR" and be done with it. I keep looking at the old F650 thumper, good bike that can do offroad (not well) but can be lowered and do pavement duty quite well and women (actual women, not the ones in our imagination) love it. Or the Bonnies, which look like vintage racers, but don't run or handle like them. Just a question if the MoCo can make money on it.

Electric bikes? Where's our expertise? How does that leverage the HD brand image? Cmon.

 

Two cups of coffee in the morning and a massive dump nets me 35lbs of weight savings.

 

How do you wear a helmet with a man-bun?