H/D - What is the Deal?

[birdrunner]

the OP should look up any posts from Orson,  replace the words Gucci with HD, and he'll perhaps feel the fanatical following of the unwashed masses.  ( ).  An hey,  nobody parties like an CPA on an HOG.

Actually, they're not that overpriced anymore.   Check out pricing on any KTM, FJR, V-maz, or the new VFR.

[chornbe]

the OP should look up any posts from Orson,  replace the words Gucci with HD, and he'll perhaps feel the fanatical following of the unwashed masses.  ( ).  An hey,  nobody parties like an CPA on an HOG.

Actually, they're not that overpriced anymore.   Check out pricing on any KTM, FJR, V-maz, or the new VFR.

... or Star, or Victory, or Vulcans, or... and so on.

[atadaskew]

... or Star, or Victory, or Vulcans, or... and so on.

Last year Honda was trying to see how many suckers would pay $17K for their top spec VTX1800 cruiser.

Turns out not too many...

[MadMax96]

Last year Honda was trying to see how many suckers would pay $17K for their top spec VTX1800 cruiser.

Turns out not too many...

And their top spec VTX didn't have that much.  I know a guy who was considering one but also checked out a Street Glide.  Due to the time of year he purchased it he was able to get the HD with a nice discount - which put it at less than $2k difference.  Not a hard decision when you factor in resale value.

[Geoff]

Last year Honda was trying to see how many suckers would pay $17K for their top spec VTX1800 cruiser.

Turns out not too many...

Ditto for the 2009 Yamaha V-Max, priced $17 large. Who do these companies think they are, Harley-Davidson?  

[chornbe]

Ditto for the 2009 Yamaha V-Max, priced $17 large. Who do these companies think they are, Harley-Davidson?  

If you want a cruiser-styled bike and performance is the key, you can buy a Harley (between $13k - $18k for the Dyna frames) and drop another $3k - $6k on big build kits for it, or you can drop $17+k for the Max and eat every Harley's lunch ever built (except for full-on drag racing monsters).

And you can also take serious turns, buy good tires and stop with the best of them.

Look, I love me some Harleys, and a well-fitted Dyna is a serious contender when it comes to making you smile and kicking some butt unexpectedly, but the 'Max will just destroy anything Harley puts out in every fashion (for the intended use).

I wouldn't buy one for touring, but for just ripping around, looking cool and doing some reasonable short-duration trips, the 'Max isn't a bad contender - IF... IF... you want a real fire breathing monster.

The "IF" there is the real consideration...

[Bikenut]

I get why people like Harleys.  ...............................

This is what I DON'T GET -> it's some (most?) of the Harley owners I see.  Do they really need to wear Harley branded shirts/boots/gloves/belts/sweatshirts/socks and even the occasional helmet?  Many of these are guys are really into supporting this American brand - and that's fine with me.  BUT when they buy all that [overpriced] crap don't they notice almost none of it's actually made here?  

I'm not bad mouthing the HD company - more power to them.  Obviously marketing genius at work here.  Slap your name on ANYTHING and some schlub WILL buy it even if they don't own a bike.  Give me 1% of the money made on just their stickers and I could probably retire next month.

The guys riding HD bikes who wear all the apparel look like rolling billboards.  A friend of mine really wants an EG Ultra - I hope he's able to afford it in the next year or so.  I asked him - "you aren't going to buy all that other HD crap too are you??"  He laughed and gave me an honest "no way."  We'll see.......

To this day the ONLY thing I own with "Harley Davidson" on it is a motorcycle. But I did just buy my wife a nice fleece jacket for Christmas.

.....Fleece, now there's the pun of the day.  HD =  hunnerd dolla

[mugwump58]

I'll admit to looking at Nodaclu and 883's bikes and going hmmm.... but then I'm looking at a K75 on the internet as well

[chornbe]

I'll admit to looking at Nodaclu and 883's bikes and going hmmm.... but then I'm looking at a K75 on the internet as well

Not to sound like a broken record... ok, wtf... entirely to sound like a broken record   ... This is THE most fun bike I've ever owned. It love this thing!

[atadaskew]

Not to sound like a broken record...

 

[Playinthestreet]

I'll admit to looking at Nodaclu and 883's bikes and going hmmm.... but then I'm looking at a K75 on the internet as well

I had a pretty nice example of an 88 K-75S a couple of years ago.  Was a decent bike, served me well, but didn't "call" to me from the garage.  I haven't started my Tiger since I brought the bagger home on 11/6.

[mugwump58]

So are those Givi brackets or home-made? Sadly HB doesn't seem to make racks for HD. Can I run my electric vest and gloves?  I feel the tug of the dark side..... Of course it could just be cause it's winter, almost. Lots of HD's on craigslist, none of the other bikes I'd like to consider. Everything else is very low volume around here, you'll never see a VFR on craigslist here, or a V Strom or.....

[Geoff]

If you want a cruiser-styled bike and performance is the key, you can buy a Harley (between $13k - $18k for the Dyna frames) and drop another $3k - $6k on big build kits for it, or you can drop $17+k for the Max and eat every Harley's lunch ever built (except for full-on drag racing monsters).

With all due respect, nobody buys a Harley on the merits of its quarter-mile time or its ability to carve corners. If they did, Harley wouldn't be the largest manufacturer of cruisers in the world by market share. Comparisons to bikes like the V-Max, B-King and other power cruisers are futile.  

[atadaskew]

With all due respect, nobody buys a Harley on the merits of its quarter-mile time or its ability to carve corners. If they did, Harley wouldn't be the largest manufacturer of cruisers in the world by market share. Comparisons to bikes like the V-Max, B-King and other power cruisers are futile.  

Cruising along at 60mph on a country back road with my sweetie holding on, just soaking it in, I couldn't care less if some other bike made 100hp more...

[chornbe]

With all due respect, nobody buys a Harley on the merits of its quarter-mile time or its ability to carve corners. If they did, Harley wouldn't be the largest manufacturer of cruisers in the world by market share. Comparisons to bikes like the V-Max, B-King and other power cruisers are futile.  

I'm not disagreeing... I'm simply responding to the notion of going fast for "big" money. I'm saying if you want to go fast, and you're spending ~$18k, a Max is a better choice than a Harley. LOTS of Harley buyers spend $XX on the bike and drop another $10k on them for go-fast parts. Makes zero sense to me *IF* their goal is to make a fire breathing go-fast bike.

The Max (and B-King, etc) do it all right out of the box, better (and ultimately cheaper) than you could ever do on a Harley.

[Geoff]

I'm not disagreeing... I'm simply responding to the notion of going fast for "big" money. I'm saying if you want to go fast, and you're spending ~$18k, a Max is a better choice than a Harley. LOTS of Harley buyers spend $XX on the bike and drop another $10k on them for go-fast parts. Makes zero sense to me *IF* their goal is to make a fire breathing go-fast bike.

The Max (and B-King, etc) do it all right out of the box, better (and ultimately cheaper) than you could ever do on a Harley.

Harley riders aim to be fast among themselves, not other marques no matter how much cheaper or faster they might be.  

[chornbe]

Exclusionist fuggers! BAN 'EM ALL!  

[Geoff]

Exclusionist fuggers! BAN 'EM ALL!  

Yeah, HD riders know their limits, so they keep to themselves to avoid embarassment. Some have moved to the V-Rod. It's no match for the V-Max, but it's faster than a TC96.

Here's the rub...If you see the HD faithful at a drag strip, they'll all cheer for the Vance & Hines V-Rod pro stock bike. On the other hand, they'll largely ignore the bike at retail, claiming it's not a "real" Harley.  

[chornbe]

I own a Harley.
I thank the stars every day I'm not a "Harley Guy". (c) (r) (tm)

[falconati]

Sounds like you're hoping for a Harley shirt under the tree this year, and are in denial.