I have seen several custom bikes being built. I question the construction. I don't think anything is built as good as a Harley. What do you think?

 

Yer kiddin', right? Some of 'em may not be built as well as an HD, but others are built way better.

I kept a Sporty on the road for several years band-aiding MoCo screw-ups. Then the chassis was stolen, and I had to build it from the ground up. Had the engine completely gone through, along with the tranny, too. Finally had a reliable bike.

I'll take an S&S motor over an HD motor, given the chance.

Any bike is only as good as the sum of its components, along with the capabilities of its builder.

 

"Any bike is only as good as the sum of its components, along with the capabilities of its builder"

great quote poco.....well said.

 

I agree with the latter 2 post. It's an opinion, and everyone has one, not saying yours is incorrect...... still an Opinion though.

 

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pococj is right IMO

 

This always makes me laugh,I have been building Harleys over 35 yrs.Some of the products being built today are way over built compared to Harley Davidson,but they have to be to support the Horse power thay have to endure.Two of the last bikes I have put together should never wear out,it truly amazes me what these motors and transmissions are being made out of,6060T billett aluminum.It cannot get better than that.My opinion also.

 

funnny,,,,, the 1 big $$ custom around here falls apart every weekend run!!!

 

You know and I know that is the way it is.I have ridden Harleys all my riding life.There will never be another brand for me.BUT!!! that is a big word.They all break down,after all they are amachine.A machine is only as good ,and reliable as the person who assembles it.Even with the best assembers they will still break down.Given that fact,I never put down any machine.Customs or otherwize.

 

Custom bikes have the reputation for having great parts assembled badly.
Harleys have the reputation of using good parts assembled pretty well. IMHO.
Thing to think about is, customs are purpose built to do one job. Harleys are platforms and designed to service at many jobs.
There are like8 or 9different configurations of touring bikes alone. All pretty much interchangeable. Customs don't do that.
There is a lot of work that goes into engineering something generic (a platform) that can be turned into several different models and do all of them well.
From an engineering stand point alone that puts Harleys in my book as the winner.

Another observation:
Harley puts out like 430,000 bike a year now. Every rally I see maybe one or two on the side of the road.
Customs, maybe 25,000 bikes a year. And I see 10 of those on the side of the road at Daytona alone.

So yeah the customs may have the better motors, etc etc. But they don't have the R&D and testing that other manfacturers have, are not as flexable and tend to be assembled poorly. And that is why I see many of them on the side of the road.

My 2 cents. Probably all BS, but hey I'm contributing.....

lp