I own a harley and I love the ride as much as everyone else here. I often read
that non harley bikes have no soul. What does that exactly really mean?
I would be interested to hear form different folks what that means
to each one of you.

I can say that my harley is more fun than non harley bikes, sounds great, ride great and looks beautiful. So I want to understand better the has soul part.

 

Well, for me it means it's a machine with a personality: it vibrates, is a bit of rolling nostalgia because of the company's age, and has remained relatively unchanged in terms of basic engine design for around 100 years. It sounds, looks and feels like a motorcycle should: rumbles, shakes, etc.

I can't put my finger on it and that's probably why someone came up with the saying: "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand."

 

Couldn't say it any better

 

Every Harley rider customizes his bike to his own standards and his own taste.

 

+1......... Thought of that saying when I read the thread title

 

If you have to ask....................

 

I thought of that popular saying as well. This post is about explaining
what something means and if you try to explain it with another phrase that is not clear and that it does not explain anything then it decives the purpose of my question.

 

The first part of sargek's post explains it, but I'll add to it.
It shakes, rattles, you can feel the sound of the pipes through the bike and that makes it feel alive or with a soul.

How's that?

 

I'll tell you what I think and if you don't understand it, I won't explain.
I've had several Harleys, some have soul some don't. Souls are reserved for living things. My new RK doesn't have any soul yet, I've only got about 22,000 on her and she hasn't really become "alive" yet. Now my '79 shovel, she's got soul. She's put up with me, both good and bad for many years and several hundred thousand miles. We ride together , we sleep together, we've seen great times, we've seen real bad times. I **** her off and beleive me, she has pissed me off. I've become more attached to that particular motorcycle than I am with most people I know. There was a period of time when I stood to lose my house, I could have sold her and bailed out, but no, I would have left that house and rode away on her. She is part of my family, plain and simple, we'll be together as long as we both are still alive, hell, even when she dies she can be repaired.

 

Scratt, I liked your explanation specially "it makes it feel alive"