What is Harley doing?

[Grreatdog]

Originally Posted by Tripped1

The Revolution weighs entirely too much and is physically to large to ever make a decent street fighter out of.

Look at the Super Duke, Street Fighter, Speed Triple ect they are trying to get around 400lbs dry...that Revo by itself is over 300lbs if memory servers and it TALL on top of that, so trying to get enough airbox would be a challenge ..at best.

Being physically too large was also pretty much my reaction when I sat on an XR1200 at the DC bike show. I have been toying with the idea of getting a big SM or street fighter type bike. So I thought I would see what's up with the XR because it looks good in pictures and some magazine tests have been OK. First, to me, the styling misses the mark when you see it up close and personal. It is trying too hard to be what it isn't.

But when I sat on it I was amazed at the size and weight of the thing. My opinion is that the bike is simply too collosal and too heavy to ever be anything more than a Sportster trying hard to look like a dirt tracker. It is too big in every dimension to ever really be a bike that you would play on. Even throwing a boat load of cash at it would only result in a huge bike that handles better than other huge bikes.

[Disco Stu]

I wonder why they don't make dirtbikes. It wouldn't conflict with their current street bike lineup and therefore wouldn't 'confuse' anyone, probably many of their existing customers would buy ones for themselves or their kids, and those young'ns might turn into Harley buyers when they grow up, instead of having 20 years of experience with Japanese manufactures.

[ph0rk]

Originally Posted by ganze

Funny thread. Harley has sold more bikes in the last decade than anyone else. They are more profitable than anyone else too....

So profitable they took bailout money?

Sorry, no, that is not a marker of success.

[Mollygrubber]

Originally Posted by Disco Stu

I wonder how much of the Buell failure was due to being sold in Harley dealerships. I'm not talking people that went looking for Buells and were dismissed by the salespeople, I'm talking people that decided to never go look at the Buell because they didn't want to go to a Harley dealership because that's where EVERY JACKASS IN THE WORLD went to buy his bikes.

^^^^^^^^^^^
That.
R.I.P Buell Motorcycles. Damn shame.

[USMCG_Spyder]

Originally Posted by CopaMundial

Culture... they're selling the culture, or the lifestyle if you will.

[tcourdin]

You HD haters kill me. Most of you have probably never ever ridden one. I was a HD hater and only rode sportbikes, mx and off road....until last year when I test rode a Fat Bob and bought one a week later! Mine stops well and goes pretty damn fast. It's comfortable and relaxing as hell to ride. I doubt I'll ever sell my HD, it's my favorite bike I've owned so far.

I will agree some HD shops suck. When I was shopping I'd say 5 of the 7 shops had an attitude and pissed me off, but the one I bought from was awesome.

[Animo]

Originally Posted by tcourdin

I will agree some HD shops suck. When I was shopping I'd say 5 of the 7 shops had an attitude and pissed me off, but the one I bought from was awesome.

Sounds like BMW, except for the last part...... Maybe all lifestyle motorcycle shops have attitudes and piss people off.

[Tripped1]

Originally Posted by tcourdin

You HD haters kill me. Most of you have probably never ever ridden one. I was a HD hater and only rode sportbikes, mx and off road....until last year when I test rode a Fat Bob and bought one a week later! Mine stops well and goes pretty damn fast. It's comfortable and relaxing as hell to ride. I doubt I'll ever sell my HD, it's my favorite bike I've owned so far.

I will agree some HD shops suck. When I was shopping I'd say 5 of the 7 shops had an attitude and pissed me off, but the one I bought from was awesome.

I've owned two Harleys actually....having to argue about weather or not they had chains (which they did) EVERY damn time I tried to get one from a dealer got old ....fast.

[tcourdin]

Originally Posted by Matteo2

Sounds like BMW, except for the last part...... Maybe all lifestyle motorcycle shops have attitudes and piss people off.

Yes I have talked to some uppity BMW dealers too that thought they were doing you a service just letting you in the door. Luckily our local BMW shop isnt like that, they are nice guys.

Heck even the Jap bike shops have attitudes now and young salesmen that know nothing about the bikes.

[USMCG_Spyder]

Originally Posted by tcourdin

Most of you have probably never ever ridden one.

I'm not a h8r but I don't like them and wouldn't buy one. I've ridden three ('08 Road King, '07 Geezer Glide and a '10 Bob of some sort, can't remember) and none of them did anything for me at all.

The RK was a gutless POS that didn't turn worth a shit, the GG was sorta OK for what it was made to do (although the touring options sucked) and the Bob was not horrible, just not for me - needs more ASS.

The best Harleys I've seen have all been modified after the sale to be what they are, and IMO if you have to pay that kind of money to modify a bike to the point where it meets your needs, well...

[tcourdin]

Originally Posted by Tripped1

I've owned two Harleys actually....having to argue about weather or not they had chains (which they did) EVERY damn time I tried to get one from a dealer got old ....fast.

Harleys never had chains.

[tcourdin]

Originally Posted by USMCG_Spyder

I'm not a h8r but I don't like them and wouldn't buy one. I've ridden three ('08 Road King, '07 Geezer Glide and a '10 Bob of some sort, can't remember) and none of them did anything for me at all.

The RK was a gutless POS that didn't turn worth a shit, the GG was sorta OK for what it was made to do (although the touring options sucked) and the Bob was not horrible, just not for me - needs more ASS.

The best Harleys I've seen have all been modified after the sale to be what they are, and IMO if you have to pay that kind of money to modify a bike to the point where it meets your needs, well...

What did you expect those big turd bikes you were riding to do..be sporty? "Pay that kind of money?" I paid 13k for my Fat Bob, thats less than a BMW...a KTM...and less than most Jap bikes. I dont get all the talk that Harleys are expensive.

[Disco Stu]

Originally Posted by tcourdin

You HD haters kill me. Most of you have probably never ever ridden one.

Some posters in here have no hate for H-D. Some of us would actually prefer to buy a US made motorbike and have the incredible dealer support that H-D offers. But the motor company doesn't make bikes for the way we want to ride. We can still comment on the motor company, can't we?

[tcourdin]

Originally Posted by Disco Stu

Some posters in here have no hate for H-D. Some of us would actually prefer to buy a US made motorbike and have the incredible dealer support that H-D offers. But the motor company doesn't make bikes for the way we want to ride. We can still comment on the motor company, can't we?

Nope. I make the rules in here. I dont see Harley going into the sportbike or dualsport line IMO. They do what they do and have been doing so for years. I never really got into the Buell thing. They really pushed them at our local dealership but never sold too many I dont think.

[wmfleet2]

plant here in york maybe short livedmmmthe place looks like a glost town