I worked at a Drive I theater back in the mid 60s. At first I was hired on as a ramp boy, thats the guy who walks around with a flash light and made sure no one was sneaking in in a trunk. I was also the one who was suppose to keep the heads of the young people up and visable at all times. Man as I remember some of those cars really got steamed up! Anyway, we would run all night movie marathons of the early biker flicks and I basically got hooked on Harleys then. I went into the Navy in 1967 and spent 4 years in the service and got out in 71. Just before I got out I saw the movie Easy Riders and wham! the desision was made. Been a great ride since.

 

if you really want the answer go test ride a harley then you will know .bottom line we cant tell you any better than the ride.

 

I'm not a "Harley Guy". I just own a Harley and like it. I have no brand loyalty whatsoever. I also own a European bike that will out-perform a Harley in any department you wish to dream up except noise. I really like both of them and life is good.

The Harley is great to putz around on and relax, the other bike is good to eat asphalt and straighten out curves when I'm in the adrenelin mode. Life is good.

 

The other rides may be nice but NOTHING says "stud" quite like a Harley.

 

First bike I bought was a HD Sportster, kept it for a year, traded it in on a Low Rider...Still miss the sporty. I figured if I am going to get a bike, go big and do it right.

 

Harley is the only bike I ever really wanted and the only one I'll probably ever own. As my son Ryan (9) put so eloquently, "If it's not a Harley, it's not a real motorcycle!"

 

Virago to Goldwing to Road King. It just seemed like the right thing to do if I wanted to ride again.

 

Good question, why Harley? I guess I haven't figured it out yet?

 

Not raise a fire storm but the "If you have ask comment" means this to me:


By the way, I didn't write the below:

"I love this particular cliché because it says so little by saying so much. What this means is that Harley owners don’t actually know why they are Harley owners, other than that is what other people do and all of those other people can’t be wrong, can they?

It’s a common reflex defense that basically says “I’m a Harley owner but don’t ask me to explain it to you because you just wouldn’t understand mainly because I don’t understand it either.” It’s lemming behavior at its finest."

Have to admit it has some valid points. Anyway.

 

I recognize some riders of any genre are lemmings. But the "if you have to ask" isn't due to a person not knowing the answer himself. At least not for me. It has to do with the way you were raised or your life experience. If the below statements apply to you then typically you don't have to ask, you know:

If you were raised that an American company is worth supporting.
If you were raised that steel is always better than plastic when it comes to craftmanship.
If you were raised that a 100+ year old company is probably doing something right.
If you were raised that the ability to fix something yourself is important.
If you have enough life experience to realize speed isn't the most important thing.
If you have enough life experience to spot a trend versus something that is going to stand the test of time.
If you have enough life experience to realize life isn't a competition.

If none of these statements fit, then you typically will ask and I will have to say "if you have to ask...then you wouldn't understand"

By the way. I did write the above statement instead of cutting and pasting someone else's words. Because that would be characteristic of a lemming wouldn't it?