Test rode a Harley today

[Coyote Chris]

Harleys are part of a cult. Period. Finito. Ever see a Harley rider wear proper Hi viz gear? One out of a thousand.
Here is the only Harley I have ever lusted for.

 

[Coyote Chris]

Couple on Harleys at Sturgis riding Custer State park...."Hey Honey, stop your Harley and go pet the baby bison....I will film you...What could possibly go wrong?"

 

[Lance]

I have had lots of what I would call hard core Harley riders wave at me. I mean the old grizzled ape hanger biker types.
I have noticed the weekend warrior types. Don’t wave I sure as hell don’t do it first
Even on my NT had a few HD riders give me the wave.
On one occasion going over North Cascade Highway, on my ST1100 had to get fuel old biker sitting on a wall his scoot in front of him sitting in the shade I fill up ride across the parking lot park next to him not a word or a look from him. Till I said man that’s a nice Panhead. Heck we sat and BS’ing till he finished his cigar. I guess he was surprised a Honda rider knew anything about a Harley.

 

[Rand soper]

When I was little, my grandpa had a Harley like this. This is not a picture of it, but it looked like this one. Very early '60's (maybe a '63?) Duo Glide with a tank shift and a Harley sidecar. On Saturdays I would ride my bicycle to his house and we would go for a ride. When he died, he left it to me, but as I was only 14 my uncle took it and sold it for a few hundred dollars.
I would love to have one like it.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Rand soper, I saw one very similar to that in Ridgeway, CO, three year ago. An old man was riding and a woman old enough to be his wife was the monkey.

 

[Bear]

I have a friend with a Mustang 6 Cyl engine. The thing goes like a bat out of hell. Of course, we don't believe in "stock"

 

[NewTo700V]

Don’t wave I sure as hell don’t do it first

I don't give out the wave first either. I may reply with a wave back. I don't want to be the catalyst for another rider taking their hand off the bars. I've seen enough riders give the wave at the dumbest times. Like on real twisty roads, mid corner. Or almost dump it mid intersection making a turn because they saw another motorcycle (me) waiting at the light.

 

[NewTo700V]

I'm sure I've been called a lot of unflattering names;

Definitely not something to worry about. You're not obligated to automatically be someone's pal just because of a shared mode of transportation. I've never had someone turn around and follow, or approach at a gas station because I didn't give the wave. In the highly unlikely scenario that ever happens, I'll calmly tell them they have bigger problems that I can't help them with, and suggest they seek guidance from a mental health professional.

The mentality of "everyone on a motorcycle must be my buddy" leads to other terrible riding etiquette. Like pulling up next to a random motorcycle in their lane at a stop light. Luckily this has happened only rarely. I'm not their riding buddy. We're not in parade formation. I don't know what the skill level is. Are you trying to beat me off the line only to wheelie and dump it in the same lane? Just stay away from my bike, please.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Yuppies with their full-bagger R1250s, going, fully loaded, for a Starbucks run.

I always wanted an R1250RT. If I had ever gotten one, it would have been the only motorcycle I would have owned. And if I went for a Starbucks run, I would have been "fully loaded" and wearing ATG.

Just an observation: That would not have made me a Yuppie!

 

[mikesim]

I'm told that BMW stands for Bring My Wallet!

Mike

 

[junglejim]

Of course most of us have seen the BMW tool kit on line. Consists of a credit card and a cell phone.

 

[RedLdr1]

Of course most of us have seen the BMW tool kit on line. Consists of a credit card and a cell phone.

A very high limit Platinum card is preferred. While I do still occasionally miss my 1996 R1100R I don't miss visiting BMW dealerships. They should at least offer you a cigarette with the Service Invoice! A close second was the Triumph dealership where I bought my Bonneville. Their costs were so inflated I thought I was paying in British Pounds with a really bad exchange rate.

 

[Lance]

I'm told that BMW stands for Bring My Wallet!

Mike

No it means BRING MORE WALLET

 

[NewTo700V]

Blasé Motorcyclist Wandering

 

[DirtFlier]

...OK, back to the original topic

It's a shame that H-D is postponing and most likely cancelling the Bronx because it's by far the best looking model of all their prototypes. Meanwhile they claim to be steaming all-ahead FULL with their Pan America ADV model which is just plain ugly.

Harley-Davidson Bronx streetfighter delayed until at least 2022, report says

Harley is delaying the Bronx to focus on its Pan America adventure touring motorcycle.

www.cnet.com

I read on a business page a week ago that H-D is considering closing its factory in India because sales have been poor. Perhaps being an American Icon these days is not what it was a few decades ago?

Coyote Chris - the opposed twin H-D military bike was only produced in small numbers while the normal V-twin models outstripped it by 30x-40x!

 

[mikesim]

While the MoCo hasn't come out and said so, I think that the Bronx is a dead issue. It has been removed from their website entirely. If it was still planned, it would have remained on the site as "coming soon". The Streets 500/750 were pretty much flops and from what I can gather the Livewire is selling in only miniscule numbers. Their new CEO really has zero experience in the powersports industry and thinks he can recreate the MoCo's business model by what he did with sportswear and athletic shoes.... ain't gonna happen. I thought that the "New Roads to Harley" as envisioned by former CEO Matt Levatich would have been an effective approach to modernity but either the board of directors got cold feet or they realized that HD did not have the fundage to see the plan thru to completion.

Mike

 

[NewTo700V]

I think the new CEO and the board know exactly what they're doing. They're just riding out what remains of the gravy train until liquidation.

 

[DirtFlier]

...many of the riders who made up "the gravy train" are now in assisted-living facilities or riding around in golf carts in FL! The whole American scene is now the new normal and going back to old sales concepts probably won't work.

At least to me, the New Roads to Harley concept had a better chance of success but it was going to cost lots of money and the H-D board have been skinflints when it comes to spending money. Maybe the Harley board needs to read the history and eventual demise of the British motorcycle industry?

 

[NewTo700V]

...many of the riders who made up "the gravy train" are now in assisted-living facilities or riding around in golf carts in FL!

Yeah, Harley knows that. The Tri-Glide is one of their best sellers. That's why with the announcement they're canceling future projects. I think they've decided to just milk the remainder of the boomer income and then liquidate. The name itself is still worth something. An investment group will step in to scoop up the carcass, even if just to license out the name.

 

[Warren]

There will probably continue to be a market for Harley Davidson motorcycles but they have to be satisfied that it will be much smaller market and they will most likely have to sell smaller less expensive versions of what they sell today. If they can become a profitable smaller company they might survive assuming the shareholders find that to be acceptable approach. Unfortunately for most US companies that are always looking to get bigger this might be a hard pill to swallow. As far as the Harley Pan American goes I think its the ugliest thing they have designed since the V-Rod. I think they will sell about as many as they are selling of the Live Wire