I don't think Harley needs to do anything different. Sooner or later, all those youngsters will be oldsters and smarten up. Endless supply for H-D in the future. They just need to be patient and not get greedy. If they do get greedy, they're liable to screw something up.

 

Exactly this. I myself fall into this catagory, and now I'm seeing lots of "little brothers" of friends now hitting maturity, and being able to recognize the difference between chrome plated or painted plastic, and chrome plated steel. Plus a solid resale value that will hold for years.

 

been a swing in that area for the last couple of years...but they seemed to have kicked it up a notch this year

 

It looks like maybe MOCO has finally figured it out (hopefully not to late) that you have to plant it, fertilize it in order to watch it grow before the customer base "of which I am one" ends up sitting around the fireplace, warming our asses in front of the fire at the nursing home talking about the good ol days and pushing our rolling chairs around, tossing mardi gras beads at the old gals yelling "show us your ****". Remember, nothing remains the same and just because you don't want it to change doesn't mean the younger generation won't make it better, "Have faith" one day it will be their Harley Generation.

 

Hopefully after I'm dead.

 

I disagree. They need to update their bikes. HD looks and sounds great, but they seriously underperform off the showroom floor. Brembos with anti-lock breaks ought to be standard on every bike for the price they charge. They ought to get out of the stone-age with materials (that doesn't mean going to cheap plastic, there are a lot of good modern materials out there...or even aluminum...), and they need to stop selling engine that are making only 50% of their potential.

I've gone the opposite way of most my age, I started in love with Harleys (had an Ironhead I restored,and moved my way forward from there). It was about the look sound and feel. But then I made the mistake of riding a liter bike, and I was hooked, then I started riding all kinds of bikes... and I realized how sad the HD performance was (and noticed that the Ironhead performed as well as anything currently on the showroom floor).

Now I'm on the Night Rod, and I love it, but it doesn't capture the classic HD look and sound (and it wasn't meant to).

But I think the Iron and the XR1200 are steps in the right direction: better performing sportsters. Instead of constantly creating a mish-mash of random parts for "new" bikes, HD needs to put some thought into performance. Seriously.

There is another thread going on what's the difference between a Softail and a Dyna? We have a thread on this, but the real answer is "not much", at least not much if you come from outside the HD world, they both have the same underpowered engine, pushing similar tin-cans at speeds that would put any mini-van to shame...

I think it's interesting that Truimph is an old, Iron-Horse, classic company... but they make both nostolgic cruisers, power-cruisers and sportsbikes. HD essentially has three models (engine platforms) dressed up differently.

 

I keep hearing that arguement. My question is ... Who do you think determines what the going price should be? ... and Who determines WHAT is too much?

The reality is ... they charge what the market will bare...Just a simple fundamental of economics. Technically, WE (the puchasing public) collectively are the ones that determine pricing.

 

Herr Monk, why the hell do you have a Harley? If they aren't good enough for you, get something else. Nobody's gonna care.

 

No, Harley doesn't need to do any of that. People will buy it because they want to cruise around on an American classic cruiser. If they want performance, they'll get a performance motorcycle. When they've healed, they'll take life a lot easier and cruise around on something that hasn't really needed to change all that much in their history. Plus, if they took all the fun out of upgrading and wrenching on one's own bike, people would bitch about that.

You ride a Vrod because you want one thing, prefer another, and can't make up your mind so you settled on "middle of the road".

 

Now, I for one, disagree with YOUR comments.

Of all the choices we have to spend our play time ... Speaking for myself, of course ... I choose Harley's over all else. Why? Because ... I like'em ... Everything about 'em. Don't find them "Underpowered" ... at all. As a matter of fact, I don't care much for sport bikes, or ones that are all powered up and supped to the nuts ... never did .. THAT is MY personal choice.

Doesn't mean they don't go like snot ... I just don't care for them...Doesn't even mean I think Harleys are superior to everything else on the market. The simple fact is ... Harley is what I not only choose to spend my time and money on ... but it has become a passion ... it has affected my way of life...in a possitive way.

As a matter of fact, our Harley's often "out perform" the other bikes we travel with. (I ride a Fat Boy and Hubby rides a Street Glide)...Both of our bikes have better gas mileage and less mechanical difficulties on the road...If that's what is meant by 'performance'. They fire up on the first attempt, run very smoothly, and are as dependable as can be ... at least so far. My bike is an 2002 ... and completely stock. I have only had 'er in the shop to replace a small fuel hose (inside the gas tank, that had a small hole)...other than that, not even a 'hic-up". She purrs like a kitten ... a really BIG kitten! She has been good to me, and I have ridden her coast to coast in both Canada and the U.S. and as far south as Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

I'm not sure where you were going with your comments ... They were argumentative and insulting to put it plainly. I just don't think you 'get' what Harley Davidson means to the majority of members here. Have you ever heard the expression ... "If I have to explain .... yada yada yada"

I'm sure you know the rest.