I totally agree. That's why I stop way short of bowing and scraping to Willie G. Some say he usurped the culture and commercialized it. I can't deny that. Definitely a double edged sword, but my way of thinking is this:
I'm glad the company survived and nothing says I have to play along with the pirate custom party and 30 mph foot-draggers. I happily do my own thing.

 

does this mean there will be no FRSTXLDM Super Wide Low Midnight Cruise Glide?

 

Thank all of you who stayed loyal (not me) and supported Harley during the AMF years that allowed Willie to appeal to a different market and reach retirement.

 

Kick back and enjoy.......THANKS

 

As long as men ride 2 wheeled iron machines HD will prevail! The MOCO is not going to change their styling anytime soon they are for the most part smart enough not to mess with whats been working all these years. There have been a few styling and new model misses and they such as the Rocker C and Cross Bones were discontinued pretty quick! I did like the Cross Bones but what a silly name.

 

I wish Willie a happy healthy retirement. I believe through his hard work and commitment we as a Harley community have been rewarded with a lifetime of beautiful machines.

 

Like him or hate him, it's sad to see the history of the name leave. Personally, I appreciate how the MoCo has kept to traditional designs all these years. Yes, they could have been a little more aggresive with new styles (to suit some of the younger generation) while still keeping the traditional designs, but, marketing is a bitch, and I'm sure it's pretty difficult to try to remain profitable yet stay true to your roots. Look at music - how many awsome musicians have "sold out" over the years to become more commercialized.

I'm sure the upcoming years will see some significant changes in design, and I hope they try to remain true to the brand - look at the Jeep products - sometimes they rock, and sometimes they suck (does anyone remember the Wrangler's with the square headlights????????). Jeeps are sort of like Harley's - they inspire a feeling of historical tradition and pride over the years, and even though they sometimes aren't the most mechanically sound or practical vehicles, they still attract a special kind of customer. What I know is eventually, everything comes back full circle, and what was once considered "old" becomes cool again, and what is "new" becomes played out. After all these years, we still have the iconic Jeep, circular headlights, removable doors and top, and everything else that makes it a classic.

So, I take pride in knowing it is not the MoCo that makes a Harley such an iconic part of Americana, but us riders who put our own personal stamps on our Harley's and ride them with that special "feeling" I can't quite put into words. I'm happy I recently traded in for my new Fat Boy Lo, and if big design changes are coming, I'll simlpy ride it out over the next however many years, and I'll still have that feeling of riding a piece of American history - no regrets at all!

 

I don't know how I missed this article until now. As usual, nice article, Schu.

 

the article was put up today, they just linked it to this thread.

thanks

 

Willie G. has even been young, as we've been:



Thanks to him for having been there.