Harley-Davidson's going down the crapper

I've been ridinig for approximately 35 years and had numerous bikes. One of which was a Harley. I won't own another Harley. What I've noticed is if a person likes to ride often (i.e., ride more on your motorcycle than you do on four wheels), the person will own anything but a Harley.

There is indeed more to riding than horsepower. Suspension, enginieering, reliability, handling, maintenance intervals, braking, safety and virtually anything else attached to motorcycling are all better addressed through almost every other motorcycle company in the world than Harley except one-- nostalgia. Only perhaps Indian has that emotional, long-term attachment, but not as widespread, as Harley-Davidison. Those long term potential consumers are dying off.

As I tell many folks who ask, "Why don't you ride Harley?"

"Look, a Harley is good for what it is. A recreational vehicle only you take out when you have time and the weather is nice to enjoy your experience, like a 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air. And like a 1955 Bel-Air, it doesn't hold a candle to any new vehicle on the road except in a nostalgic, emotional way. But if you have to drive often, or depend upon it at all, and wish to remain safe while having a better experience and greater ability, you drive and ride something else."

So they are building ANOTHER factory overseas. THEY DON'T HAVE EVEN 1 HERE NOW! Harleys haven't been built in USA in 30 years, only assembled here at your local Dealership from foreign made parts. Last one I bought in 1999, the ONLY PARTS ON IT THAT WERE MADEE IN USA WAS THE CARB.

Harley hasn't been an American company for sometime. They ARE NOT made, manufactured, or built in the US of A.

HD bikes these days are nothing more than a pallet of Mexicoon/Chinaman Parts slapped together in back of your local dealer by your local mechanic.

Motorcycles are a thing of the past. The baby-boomers are the ones that kept them around for nostalgia of the 1950's "bad boy" image.


Motorcycles are overpriced pieces of shit. If you want to instantly die or be a permanent vegetable from an accident that you would have survived in if you were in a car, then a motorcycle is what you want.

Lets all be honest, there is nothing cool about a motorcycle. The only people riding them are losers.

whats old is new give it time,these millennials will grow up some time.to hell with online dating buy a harley

whats old is new give it time,these millennials will grow up some time.to hell with online dating buy a harley

Motorcycles are a thing of the past. The baby-boomers are the ones that kept them around for nostalgia of the 1950's "bad boy" image.


Motorcycles are overpriced pieces of shit. If you want to instantly die or be a permanent vegetable from an accident that you would have survived in if you were in a car, then a motorcycle is what you want.

Lets all be honest, there is nothing cool about a motorcycle. The only people riding them are losers.

I've been ridinig for approximately 35 years and had numerous bikes. One of which was a Harley. I won't own another Harley. What I've noticed is if a person likes to ride often (i.e., ride more on your motorcycle than you do on four wheels), the person will own anything but a Harley.

There is indeed more to riding than horsepower. Suspension, enginieering, reliability, handling, maintenance intervals, braking, safety and virtually anything else attached to motorcycling are all better addressed through almost every other motorcycle company in the world than Harley except one-- nostalgia. Only perhaps Indian has that emotional, long-term attachment, but not as widespread, as Harley-Davidison. Those long term potential consumers are dying off.

As I tell many folks who ask, "Why don't you ride Harley?"

"Look, a Harley is good for what it is. A recreational vehicle only you take out when you have time and the weather is nice to enjoy your experience, like a 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air. And like a 1955 Bel-Air, it doesn't hold a candle to any new vehicle on the road except in a nostalgic, emotional way. But if you have to drive often, or depend upon it at all, and wish to remain safe while having a better experience and greater ability, you drive and ride something else."

Bikes are great and there are tons of folks buying them. I dont ride to be cool i ride because I love being out in the world and hearing and seeing everything.

Id rather be on my q5 year old yamaha than a brand new hardly davidson

29 and bought my first nighttrain after years of riding my dads Fat Boy. Big difference but wanted something smaller than the beasts that Fat boys are.

Harley just loud and stupid now. As are the riders in their stupid marketing jackets.

How gay

It is people who have changed, it's not a lot to do with the bikes, It's not all about what you think is best, or is best for that matter.. It's about class.

Hmm, maybe for some it's about their idea of class. Harley does have the best marketing of any motorcycle company out there. So, if that image appeals to you, I could see it, but why? It's a fantasy. An emotional appeal to something that doesn't exist except for the 90 second slot on television or in some people's mind.

And honestly, most Harley rider's aren't classy. It's upper middle class people trying to be cool on the weekends or bike night if the weather isn't too bad because they never actually were when younger, or it's hardcore old school Harley riders because that's all they know and it makes them feel secure in a world that's always changing. A very small segment are true outlaw bikers that are simply criminals that need to be imprisoned. However, non of those three exude "class".

What? I personally engineered manufacturing processes for many of their transmission components at their power train plant in Wisconsin. That plant has been in existence for some 50 years.

Cool story though, bro.

Bikes are great and there are tons of folks buying them. I dont ride to be cool i ride because I love being out in the world and hearing and seeing everything.

Id rather be on my q5 year old yamaha than a brand new hardly davidson