[QUOTE=M Oclaf;21746874]With plenty to refute regarding Harley’s future. Much like times have changed, Harley has adapted well despite interwebs forum trolls. But where you are unequivocally wrong is Indian making it as anyone who knows anything, the current “Indian” is a Polaris product. It’s not a motorcycle manufacturer like Harley Davidson. It copies Harleys current look but will never surpass as there may not be an Evil Knievel to stroke a young kid’s fire, but it’s inherently American to want a Harley

I didn't and don't want to get into a Indian / Harley debate. But the statement above about Indian "copies Harleys current look" perhaps, but I recently had the thought after looking at the new 2024 CVO. Harley is now copying the look of the new Indian gas tank lines .... Polaris is an American company, I don't have a issue with a Harley / Indian world same as I live in a Chevy / Ford world...

Heaven forbid, IF anything ever did happen to Harley as a Company and we no longer had Harley, The Indian may start look a little better to many more people. All it would take would be higher ups at Harley making one big wrong decision and poof gone! Think Circuit City, Radio Shack, Yellow Trucking, Red Lobster! I respect any American made anything and wish them much success.

 

I don't care what the name is,or who copies who.

 

Remind me again which company imports a Chinese designed and Chinese built motorcycle with a Harley Davidson emblem on it for their riding classes?

By your logic Harley ceased to make motorcycles while owned by AMF. The level of irrational that some of you hit is really a sight to behold.

 

Interesting perspective, Harley is on its third owner. What I have said is, what can happen once can happen again.Look at firearms, they have been bought and sold so many times times in the last 150 years, but we still call S&W a S&W.

But why do I care what Indians back ground is? Do you like the bikes? Are they good bikes? My concern is long term I keep my stuff for years, but if you don't, then maybe you don't care. Polaris has been around a long time. No guarantee they keep the product line, just buell. No guarantee pan am while be around either.

In my rural parts of states, you don't have harley dealers, but you usually have power sports dealers

 

This is true. I have looked at the Indians and noticed the tank. I am old enough that I am not sure i would need to worry about a new bike if HD went under. There are enough 2000 mile garage queens and aftermarket to support it until I died, which cannot be said for Indian, were it to burn.

We still have a Red Lobster. Just saying...

 

I hold on to stuff, which is a concern too. I have a friend who just rides evos and shovels convinced they are the best. But the problem time takes a toll. Goofy stuff breaks. I have had the same hubris I am just going to fixing my high mileage bikes because I can.


Friends M8 just had lifter fail and take out everything. I know all the M8 riders love them, and I need to make the move at some point,but he is not the only buddy to have issues. But I guess we did with TC tensioners. We fixed the factory short comings, as we always do. They know we will keep buying them.


If harley did move off shore tommorrow I would go through the low miles bikes for a few years.

 

In my part of the country the number 1 thing killing motorcycle sales is ATVS mainly side by sides . They are huge here I've had several close friends quit riding to get side by sides . They have mud runs with them kinda like a rally maybe better . All the younger crowd is buying them all the metric dealers are packed with them having hardly no bikes just side by sides . I've been to a couple of their mud runs it was actually a lot of fun and there were several thousand people at both .

 

Sxs are big. Not sure replacing bikes. People selling bikes to buy them, would sold anyways

It does conflict somewhat with time. But I would say sxs are more family oriented. So either they are good husbands,or wife is making them.

I am going on sxs this weekend. But rode bikes all week.

Maybe limited money and can do with family drives some. But I think those guys would have sold anyways

 

No my friends who sold their bikes sold them to specifically buy ATVs I know others who have to . The local Honda , Kawasaki and Yamaha dealer is 90% ATV . There's also a large Polaris dealer locally that probably sells more ATVS than all the bike dealers here put together including Harley .

 

My point was, were they the type of people who were going to give up riding,no matter what. There are tons of people like that. They ride for awhile.

You can bring your kids sxs, so it is more family friendly. Wives like that. Men are better fathers now too.

But I think many of those people, would not have stuck with bikes anyways.

I like my toys,ATVs,sxs,sled, tractor, bikes. I am always going to have a bike,at least I hope.


Lots of people come and go from riding bikes

I am agreeing sxs are popular, as I said you can take kids with. bars around here are full of them