Harley Davidson - Why are they good bikes? - (Harley Rider's only)?

1) I'd be lying if I didn't say that I think they're the best looking and best-sounding bikes available. That's just an opinion though. I've always preferred a "lumpy" sounding engine to a smoother shreaking engine, though a sportbike can really sound good when it's being wound up as well. Still, I like the looks of a Harley best and it suits the way I ride. I started out on older UJMs and liked them a lot, so when I went looking for a newer bike, I wasn't out for a something that would let me ride like a squid.

Zip-splat bikes are fun on a track, but I have no desire to run 120 down the freeway and, frankly, a sportbike just isn't fun to ride slowly. Riding a sportbike at legal speeds in a sane and adult manner just doesn't get it done for me. There's no torque at low RPM and the bike is just wasted going 65-80 mph on the freeways. I'd rather have a cruiser since blasting by a mini-van at 100 mph on the freeway just isn't something I feel the need to do to "prove" myself.

2) If you take care of them, they are great. I have several friends with 100,000+ miles on their Harleys without problems. I've also heard of people who never bother to do any maintenance and have problems as soon as 10,000 miles. It all depends on how you treat the bike. As a general rule, Harley engines (and all cruiser-type engines, actually) are less highly-stressed than sportbike engines so they will tend to last longer, but that's not a knock on sportbikes. The more highly-tuned an engine is, the more fragile it will be; that's a general rule that applies to all engines.

3) Harleys are rather like Corvettes. They are a classic mid-life crisis type of vehicle. However, just like Corvettes, that doesn't mean that they lack positive virtues of their own. Still, there are a lot of people who buy a motorcycle (usually a Harley) as an "lifestyle accessory" rather than because they truly want a motorcycle. These are the sort of people who won't ride unless they are decked out in a Harley-branded jacket, Harley-branded do-rag, Harley-branded boots, etc, etc. They don't help the image of the brand.

As far as the unreliability comments, those come from a period of Harley history called the "AMF years" during which Harley-Davidson was owned by AMF (yes, the same company that makes bowling alley equipment). That was during the 1970s and was indeed a very low point for quality control. It was a bad period and a lot of bikes tended to leak fluids during that time. However, in 1981 Harley was bought back by several people inside the company and quality control made a sharp improvement. By the mid 1980s, Harley was back to producing good quality machines.

Handling complaints typically come from people who ride sportbikes. It's kind of like someone complaining that a muscle car doesn't handle as well as a Lotus Elise. The comment is technically true (the muscle car doesn't handle as well as the Elise), but it's ridiculous since no-one who wants an Elise would consider a muscle car and vice versa. Dismissing Harleys because they don't handle well is rather like dismissing sportbikes because they can't tow your boat. The bottom line is that Harleys are not sportbikes and are not intended to be. My Harley handles better than my old UJM standards and that's plenty enough to maintain super-legal speeds even through mountain curves in the Cascades.

4) I'm interested in the bike, what do I care about marketing?

5) Nope. If you like them, get them, if you don't like them, don't buy one. I looked at Triumphs (gorgeous bikes, love 'em), Moto Guzzis (gorgeous bikes, love 'em), Hondas (good-looking, but too much plastic on the cruisers, fantastic sportbikes), and several other brands; each has good and bad points. In the end, all I can really say is that I like my XL1200R a lot and it makes me smile every time I ride it. It works for me and that's all that matters.

While my Harley is not stock, any more. I have not souped, it up at all. I've own 3 Harley's and 4 Honda's in 34 years of riding. I now own, a 1995 road King with 187,000+ miles on it. This summer, is the first summer I've had any major problems with it. Total cost so far, $600.00. Other than that, no major fixes. Same, for the other 2 Harley's. No major fixes, I just out grew them. I can't say the same for the Honda's, only one was running when I sold it. Now for your questions.

1: I like my Harley, because it fits me the best. For someone my size, it handles, better than any other bike I've ridden. Also, yes it's true, that I ride a Harley because, I'm a patch holder. I often ride around clubs that frown, on rice. Growing up in the 60's, around bikers. Falling in love with a Harley, was to be expected. Only hippies and pansies, rode rice. Living 30 miles north of Milwaukee, riding anything else was unthinkable.

2: I don't know any bike, that can't run 15 or 20 years, with out some kind of repair. Depending on how you ride and how well, you maintain your bike. Is what makes, a bike seem more or less dependable. Other brands of bikes, break down as often as Harley's. But because of the AMF years and the crap they put out. You hear about Harley, break downs more often. A big knock on Harley, is upgrading. Harley's are made, to be customized. It's a big, money maker for them. Stock bikes, are made on the low end. So you will want to spend more money, on customizing your bike.

3: A stock Harley is a great bike. For some reason, some people think more is always better. Many, also think that if somethings not brand new, it's junk. Some Harley riders are, just old men trying to be cool. If you go to a Harley event, you will see more over 40's than not. A Harley cost to much, for most 20 somethings to buy. Plus times have changed, cheap sport bikes are toys. For the kids, to play with. A Harley, is not a toy.

4: Yes I do and I don't know.

5: I can give you no good reason, why anyone should buy a Harley. I also can give you no good reason, why you should not buy a Harley. Nor can anyone else, for that matter. But for me, I love everything about my Harley. The way it looks, the way it sounds, the way it feels as I ride it. I've ridden other bikes, even new Harley's, I don't like them, as much as I do my bike.

1

Okay, Bart, I normally pass by your daily rants but I'm going to speak up today. I have 2 Harleys and a Ninja 600. The Springer is stock, the VRod has a big bore kit (but I sort of damaged the bottom end so it's in pieces right now) and the Ninja hasn't been street legal for years since I made it into a track-day bike. Riding a sport bike is not easier than riding a Harley, that's why they're called cruisers. A sport bike riding position is similar to an Olympic sprinter about to tackle the high hurdles, and a cruiser riding position is like sitting in your recliner watching TV. Neither HD rider was afraid of riding your bike, they just didn't want some low-budget, no skill, wannabee poker runner throwing his leg over their machine. I wouldn't let you sit on one of my bikes, much less ride it. And it wouldn't matter what you offered me to ride. Basically, it's like you're trying to do a wife swap and my wife is gorgeous and yours looks like.......well, we can't assume that you can get a girl, but if you could, she'd probably be an ugly bit--.

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Harley Davidson - Why are they good bikes? - (Harley Rider's only)?

This is to Harley Davidson riders, because If you have not had one yourself then you are unable to have an opinion on them other than what you SEE, so don't reply.

I'm 20 years old and plan to buy a Harley Davidson one day. I want to cruise long distance and enjoy the feeling of...

Harley's are like a Colt 1911 pistol- expensive, classic, well-made, reliable and begging to be customized. I had four Harley's and have about 40,000 miles under the saddle. I rode one to work 150 miles each day and I never had a problem. The new bikes are highly and tightly engineered, no leaks or worries. Brand new Harley's are expensive, so think about a good used bike with low mileage. Re-sale of Harley's is greater than any other model.

Johann, I snipped this, because it is so true, if I infringe, let me know and I'll delete it~~~~

As far as the unreliability comments, those come from a period of Harley history called the "AMF years" during which Harley-Davidson was owned by AMF (yes, the same company that makes bowling alley equipment). That was during the 1970s and was indeed a very low point for quality control. It was a bad period and a lot of bikes tended to leak fluids during that time. However, in 1981 Harley was bought back by several people inside the company and quality control made a sharp improvement. By the mid 1980s, Harley was back to producing good quality machines.

I've ridden many harley's

No i'm not going to give you my comments

But you can read my previous answers if you're that interested

I will tell you Yes they do sell Harley Davidsons in the UK

there are over 20 retailers in the UK selling brand new bikes

and there are over 200 selling secondhand

if you are in the south near to southampton

visit Dock Gate 20 at Dock gate 20 southampton port on any given saturday,

http://www.harleycustom.co.uk/L2-Harley_Davidson_M...

The fact that you only want Harley riders to answer spells out the fact that you want a biased opinion. Therefore, I didn't read the rest that you wrote because you're going to choose the best answer based upon what you want to hear.

(I no longer ride Harley's but did so for 10 years).

additional information;

"The reason I want Harley riders to answer is beacuse they have first-hand experience! If you haven't been on one then how can you possibly know??"

There is a difference between having experience with a Harley, and being a Harley rider. Your question implied that you only want an answer from a current rider or a Harley advocate. I've owned two Harley's several years ago, but I'm not a Harley rider. So, I'll go ahead and answer your questions;

1. Different people have different reasons. Some like the look. Some like the sound. For others, the riding position is perfect. Some like them simply because they're from an American company, while others buy them to fit in with their friends. Everyone has their own reason.

2. Typically, Harleys are very unreliable, that is of course when compared to their Japanese counterparts. You could have one for 15-20 years without repairs or upgrades, but it's very highly unlikely... for most bikes, but especially a Harley. The Sportsters tend to be a bit more reliable than the big twins.

3. This is silly and really, who cares?

4. I don't know if they're in the UK. But the thing you have to remember is that Harley's are very expensive. Marketing to a young crowd is not as effective simply because they typically have less money to spend.

5. Defend or promote? How about honesty? They are overpriced, underpowered, unreliable machines. Of course the exception is the Sportster 883 (still overpriced) but considering their price, fuel injection, and virtual lack of maintenance (you don't have to set valves or mess with a chain), they are a good value when compared to competing Japanese cruisers.

OK - I work for a company that builds custom Harleys, modifies Harley, services Harleys, repairs Harleys and supplies aftermarket parts for Harleys.

I get to ride almost every model of Harley and also Harley-based custom bikes, too. I get to meet hundreds of Harley owners every month and I listen to their honest opinions about the bikes they ride.. I'd say that makes me well qualified to answer your questions.

1) Many Harley technicians are pretty scathing about the bikes. After all, they have to work on them, so they get to see the same old problems, over and over again.

Most owners know they will have to spend a shed-load of money to make their bike do what it should have done, when Harley built it in the first place. They just accept that as part of H-D ownership. They buy them for the name on the tank - no other reason.

2) Compared to all other modern bikes, Harleys are genuinely pretty poor for reliability.

For example, I know of three people, in three different locations across the U.K. who all bought CVO Ultras in 2008. Every one had the same component failures and breakdowns, all at less than 5,000 miles. Pretty lousy for bikes costing £25,000, don't you think?

H-D chrome and paintwork is notoriously bad, even today. Take a look at any two year old H-D and you'll see what I mean.

3) They do handle like pigs, when compared to anything else on the road (except the V-Rod, which rides superbly). The 'old man' thing is because most young people don't have £10,000 or £20,000 to chuck at a bike. And if they did, they'd buy a sports-bike, because they want to ride fast.

4) Harley's have never been marketed at young riders.

Three years ago, H-D changed their service interval from 2,500 miles, to 5,000 miles. This was because the average H-D owner rides just 2,500 miles a year. H-D has saved millions by only doing 1 service per bike under warranty, rather than 2.

5) Ride one and this question will be answered.

It's worth knowing that last week, Harley-Davidson posted an 80% fall in sales over the last 12 months. That's bad, even during a recession.

Like I said, my job involves working with Harleys and riding Harleys, all day, every day.

That's why I own a Victory Kingpin - an American made bike that not only looks good, but goes, handles and stops extremely well too (and is also, utterly reliable...).