Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

^^I've actually always dug the adventure bikes. But they're just too portly for tight east coast NC woods, what little we can still access anyway. I've actually been eyeballing a plated KTM 300XC two smoke as my next bike. But I think moving out of this podunk shit hole is going to win the financial argument before a new bike does.

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

I do seem to notice that those who are younger and do ride tend to go to what they can afford and is fast for the price point, then seen plenty of comments about the Harley Cosplayers that seem to muddy the image of those who ride them, plus the prickish attitude these "younger" rider have encountered at the dealers that sell the things on top of it will push away a couple generations of riders, let alone products that are stale and expensive.

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

I for one hope that Harley succeeds on there endeavor to keep younger people interested. So far I think they have done fairly well with their line of smaller water cooled bikes for younger folks,or for folks that want to get into the brand without spending a small fortune like me (44) to keep an interest in their line. I do have one of their water cooled bikes and yes it cost more than a metric bike of the same cc and type,but why not? You say I'm biased toward Harley?,no because I like all makes and types and have owned Jap bikes. So many think that all people that owns or rides a Harley is a stuck up grizzly unfriendly a-hole,I beg to differ. I do however agree if you ride anything but a cruiser,you're not gonna get a wave of confirmation for being a fellow rider,but then again I have also seen a plenty of metric cruiser riders keep looking down the road and not waving back at me because I was on a crotch-rocket. And what's up with the thinking that Harley's are slow? So on that note,I hope that Harley stays in business for years to come because I don't want the only choice for American iron to be Indian.

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

I have ridden a bike for 40+ years, in 2007 I decided I had to see what the hype was with a Harley so I bought a Softtail Classic. All I can say it was like riding a bad handling wood stove, it was gone for 2008. Can not imagine Harley will do a good job with a electric, if it is good they didn't make it.

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

I'll be the first to admit i bought into the hype of modern Harley's. Had the bikes, different attitude when i was ridding them and the all important clothes. I was never an A-Hole, Harley fanatic, group rides, bar hopping, Sturgis and my Harley is better than anything else out there though. That's just not me as a person but Harley did make a few bucks of me that's for sure. Felt good at the time but i grew up i guess.


Ive said it here before. I could give a rats set of balls what you ride. If your having fun on 50cc or a 1200lb Bagger it makes no difference to me. I enjoy every bike out there even if it's a moped. If you ride and your not having fun as the #1 priority then get a different bike or move to something else.


I personally wave to every person on 2 or 3 wheels expect if i am in a turn. I can ride at speed one handed in most of not all turn but i have no clue if you can or not so you only get a wave on a straight. Wave at me or not at me makes no difference in my ride day.


My Softail handled very well for what it was. A softail. I ruined a $1000 set of D&D pipes by dragging them through the mountain roads. I did not waste that $1000 as i always had a grin doing it. Going in thinking your going to drag a knee is foolish. Thinking a softail is going to corner, ride or have the power of a Sport bike with the same CC motor is foolish. Harley's are what they are and though expensive i had no issues with mine because i knew what they were and rode them accordingly.



Would i own another Harley with the current line they have? No way even though i make twice what i did when i had them.


If Harley is truly trying to "Change" and go for the younger market then the LiveWire and the Street Fighter is there best chance. The Live Wire will compete with the Energica line and the Street Fighter will be in the company of the Ducati, Triumph MV Agusta, Aprilia MT09 etc. Arena of those Gladiators. Good luck but IMO By the looks of the Street Fighter they are not messing around. It truly looks like they grabbed some "Outside" designers and engineers for the new models. Weight and Power will be the first hurdle then handling. I rode a V-Rod years ago and i am not the most experienced street ride but Fawk did that have some power for the era. Should have been since it was a Porsche motor. If Harley bumps that power and put's it in a good chassis with good brakes etc it will be a contender for sure. Not V-Maxx power but for the chassis and design it was very good. I was lucky to ride a V65 Magna and an 86' V-Maxx. Power levels of that kind shouldn't be allowed in that type of motorcycle design but GD was it ok to admit you needed to change your Brown Stain choney's.



Harley should employ someone like Rossi, Stoner or the like and make them "Stig" like for the initial press release / launch. The Naysayers, horrible brand biased bike reviewers of today will STFU and actually give any new Harley a fair chance. When and if they do something like that the marketing and sales will be easy. I hope but doubt that will happen due to Harley's 50+ years of marketing to 1 or 2 types of buyers. It should be the type of bike you want because it is really good but have no idea what it is because there is no badge on it. The salesman slaps the HD badge on it and you throw away all the BS you heard or read about and say where do i sign because it is that good.


Good Luck HD. The more choices the better IMO.

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RS3iB47nQ6E" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

The future is coming. You can either embrace it or get ran over by it.

That's because you've not spent the majority of your life in a building at a sit-down job, wearing a suit, trading your soul for enough upward mobility to keep the Joneses in the rear view mirror.

Most of the people I know that own a Harley fit that description. Conversely, most of the people I know that actually enjoy riding neither fit that description nor own a Harley.

Post retirement biking is definitely a lifestyle and an industry.

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

Meh, Im happy with my high pay and early retirement <3

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

As long as we're taking shots at Harley, lets talk for a minute about how they neglected and then killed Buell. These were cool bikes with a lot of unique engineering. Maybe Buell could have kept Harley out of the situation they're in now. I've never ridden one, but the XB is one of my all-time favorites. So quirky.

http://databikes.com/imgs/a/c/o/i/x/...2009_1_lgw.jpg

http://databikes.com/imgs/a/c/o/i/x/...2009_5_lgw.jpg

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

I just came back to this thread to mention Buell - an XB in fact! "thumbsup"

This is my 2007 XB12SCg. At its heart it is a Harley Sportster. It's a torque lump of a motor in a fantastic chassis with many innovations. Erik Buell is an innovator and a lot of his ideas were taken by Harley and used on their other motorcycles. Other manufacturers borrowed Erik's ideas as well. One of Harley's dumbest decisions was letting Erik go. He could have lead that business into the future. Erik isn't a great businessman, as his past failures have shown, but he's a hell of an engineer and he's not a quitter.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1727/...b54d46aa_b.jpg

I bought my Buell brand new at a Harley dealership. "Real" Harley guys won't acknowledge it as a Harley. The ****ers won't even wave to you on the road. Another example of Harley riders being asshats.

I don't care what you ride. If you ride I like that. Anything with wheels and an engine is fun.

It's about time Harley introduces new models. The new models will be very important. They'll be a sign of their answer to Indian and also a signal of things to come in the future.

I, for one, have absolutely no interest in electric vehicles. Electric isn't sustainable. There's a lot of pollution in the manufacturing and charging of batteries. Plus, we are mining for elements to put in batteries. Once that supply has dried up we'll be in the same predicament that we are in with oil - hoping the supply never runs out.

Re: Harley equals ELECTRIC ??
 

I had a Buell XB, not super fast but lots of torque. My wife's first bike was a Blast, she still has it for her short distance rides.