Why do so many people love Harley Davidson's?

To me they just seem like old expensive antiques. They still use early 20th century technology. This is the 21st century Harley, wake up and get with the times.

I don't know, I guess I'd rather spend more time riding and less time in the shop. I also would rather pay for the bike, not for the name.

I know the Harley bandwagon people will grill me, it's ok though.

Some on them sound pretty good, I have to give you that one. But you are paying for the and the status.

I used to own a HD, I got tired of it breaking down and leaving me stranded, and leaking oil all over my garage floor.
People buy HD to impress everybody else.
The true motorcycle riders buy a bike to please themselves, for the enjoyment to ride.
People that own a HD don't really love riding, feeling the open air in their face, the freedom of riding, the only reason they own one is to try to impress everybody and show it off.
This is a prov-en fact, I can back that up when you go to any bikers meet, all of the guys that own HD's will park their bikes up close to the entrance and stand with their bike and watch other people walking by looking at their bikes.
I own a bike to impress me, not to impress others, I don't care what my bike looks like, or what brand it is, I want my bike to perform and be comfortable the way I want it.
HD guys will suffer with lack-luster performance, an uncomfortable riding position just so they think they can impress someone else just by what the bike looks and sounds like.

For men it's power between their legs and for women again it's the power between their thighs.

i dont know i dont like them

No ones forcing you to buy it.

It is like a statement of your value of bikes, plus a something that is of big value to those that like motorbikes.

It is just driving something made of solid gold to them.
Like the capital of all motorbikes.

CREED

style, sound, status

Why do you dislike them?

Is it because you have ridden them?
Is it because you have owned one?
Is it because you are following the sheep you run with and are echoing what they are saying?

Just because you don't see 21st century technology does not mean that today's Harley doesn't have any. Please do some research or maybe even go ride one then tell us your opinion please.

I'm not a bandwagon guy. I go my own way.
When I'm not on my Harley, I'm on my Honda.
Don't knock tried and proven methods. The motorcycle is still doing the exact same job of carrying a person on 2 wheels.
21st century tech isn't all it's cracked up to be. Not only does it break as often, it can't be fixed and must be replaced instead of repaired. That said, I wish my Harley wasn't as modern as it is. Black boxes and sequential port injection... Never needed a computer to set up any vehicle before.....electronics has it's downside as well as it's upside.
As far as riding instead of being in the shop... how often is your's in? Mine goes in for tires. Because I don't like doing it the hard way anymore.
Speaking of riding, the first time I fired up the new HD there was something different. The feel, for lack of a better word. Barely touching the throttle instead of twisting it just to get moving. The clutch that was lighter and smoother than any other I had before (that was a surprise). The feeling of being on the back of a living, breathing animal.

As far as the price goes, it's not nearly as bad as everyone says it is. Go price some of the larger cycles by the other brands. All the big ones are close, some even more than HD. Yes, you can talk about the others, but, realize that it is a different machine. Yes, you can get a smaller Honda for less, but it's not a straight comparison.

Personally, I think it's because of how successful Harley has been in the marketing area. Harley has done to cruiser style motorcycles what Apple did with the iPod and MP3 players.

They have made it so that people associate all cruisers with Harleys. This is an excellent marketing strategy.

I even have to admit, before I started riding a motorcycle, every cruiser was a Harley, every touring bike (you don't see many Sportbike Touring Bikes) was a Goldwing and every sportbike was a Kawasaki Ninja or a Suzuki ZZR or GXR.

Now, I happen to have a specific reason why I dislike Harleys. It's because when people want a motorcycle, most of them (or at least the BAMBI's) go straight to the Harley's because that's all that they know.

This is what irritates me. Because they don't do any research or look at any other options, they automatically go straight to the Harley dealership, and then since that's their first bike, they have a strong loyalty to the bike, the brand and everything that encompasses it. And we all know how hard it is to change our habits. Once we are loyal to something, it is very hard to stray away from it.

This is why I personally dislike Harleys. It's because people who want a cruiser but don't want to research alternatives just go get a Harley, because it's all they know. I really get irritated when people ask me if my bike is a Harley. Just because it is a cruiser does not mean that it is a Harley.

Now don't get me wrong. I personally do not like Harleys myself, and will never ever get one myself (at least I don't believe I will, I shouldn't say "never"), but I ride with people who love their Harleys, and some of their bikes look cool. I do not know if they break down a lot. All the rides we've gone on together, they've never broken down. I just wish people would research.

And while my goal is to stay strictly Yamaha, and I have even less intention of getting a Harley, I do have to say, the V-Rod looks pretty damn good.

Let me ask you this, why do some people love Rolex watches? They use antiquated Swiss technology, are gaudy and extremely overpriced. Don't those people know they could buy a $3 watch at Wal Mart that would keep time for them just as accurately?

I'm sure you can't answer that question any better than you can answer your own question. If you still can't figure out why, let me put it this way. Why do some guys dig fat chicks? Because that's what appeals to them, nothing more, nothing less. Chicks, bikes, watches, it doesn't matter.

Undeniable craftsmanship and quality!! You get what you pay for with HD! Don't buy one if you don't like them, it's a free country.

Like everything with an engine, depending on how you care for it depends greatly on how it will run. When you can put on 1000's of miles each year as myself & fellow riders of HD do, clearly they are superiorly built MC's.

I own a Suzuki sportbike and a Harley Sportster, and yes the Suzuki is fast, reliable and better handling, there is an attraction to that Harley that cannot be explained. First thing that comes to mind? That SHAKE! It starts in the engine and vibrates through the frame up to the seat and into the front end and handlebars. LOVE IT> The sound: SO DEEP and thumping like one of those boombox stereos...THE LOOK = Big spoked front wheel, rounded lush fenders, the sweet shape of the countoured gas tank...the beautiful paint, and CHROME>>>>> I love chrome..it's shiny.
Like I said though, the sportbikes are awesome performers and reliability can't be beat, but I must also have my Harley...

To equate Harley as using 20th century technology its totally wrong. Harley has its V-Rod which uses a water cooled engine and it is much more of a radical engine that Harley has ever made, have you ever heard of Buell? Well Buell has been using Harley's air cooled engine since it's inception in the mid to late 80's, But this year Buell is using its own water cooled engine that is on par with Ducati and guess who owns Buell? Thats right Harley. It is safe to say that Harley builds cruisers as well as sport bikes (Buell)

Harley is best at what it does and what it does is mass produce quality cruisers. Now I am not a fan of cruisers but every time I see a person riding a pseudo cruiser (Japanese) they get no respect from me

The biggest thing that you purchase from Harley that you can not purchase from any other Motorcycle manufacture is THE HARLEY IMAGE. You can be a wall street geek that got his *** kicked in high school but once you put your leather jacket on and ride your Hog you is BAD ***.

Now Harley is finally putting out a quality product but in no way can it compete with the Japanese, Italian and German motorcycles of today but remember when it comes to Harleys it is ALL IN THE IMAGE.

Marketing and herd mentality. No one ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the average American. A lesson the French owned HD look to have learned well.

Mark....Yamaha's smaller bike yzf-r6 600cc 110hp 1/4 10.68 $9k Your embarrassingly under-preforming V-rod is $18k, a Harley's Buell line is just as over priced and under preforming. You better stick with the 'you wouldn't understand' thing and stay as far away from numbers and logical lines of thinking as possible.

It's made in America.

Mostly owned by wannabe trihards with too much money. Sound like sludge pumps. Listen to a Ducati and you hear technology & quality.

why do so many people like ford,chevy,or dodge? Nike or Reeboke? Answer this and you answer your own question.

If you have to ask you don't even understand.Its a real motorcycle feels real rides real i have rode lots of metric bikes But have always wanted a Harley and i got won its the best motorcycle ever made very easy to get parts for unlike metric bikes parts become Na. Why should Harley Davidson change anything its work of a long time. And to be honest with you were do you get off saying Harley's brake down not once have i or my friends had any problems with our HD. You just jealous you don't have one!

There is a 21th century Harley. It's called a VRod.
125HP from 1250cc. It runs 11s, try THAT on a VTX.

First off dude, you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. I have owned almost every type of bike there is including a Harley. I have no idea what they were like years ago but current models are just as reliable as anything else. Of course the only people that dispute this are people like you that have never owned one, but seem to be self proclaimed exerts on the matter. As far as the technology thing, that is what sets them apart and one of the reasons people like them. They are not a cookie cutter image of every other bike out there like most Jap bikes. The real question is not why do so many people love them, but rather why does it bother people like you that others do love them.

HI

ITS AMERICAN MADE...GREAT REASON TO OWN ONE.

ITS TOP OF THE LINE ( NOT THE ONLY TOP OF THE LINE)

GREAT MACHINE...UP TO DATE TECHNOLOGY

I HAVE A 1999 1200 SPORTSTER LOVE IT, HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE SHOP EXCEPT FOR ROUTINE MAINTENCE.

I LIKE TOP OF THE LINE EVERYTHING...YOU DO...ONLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, IT IS A TRUEISM.

MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND BY TAKING A TEST DRIVE...YOU WILL UNDERSTAND ONLY AFTER THAT.

Honestly, HDs are no better than 1/2 the stuff out there, but also no worse. Most people get them because it's what works for them, or like some of my friends, because it has the Harley name or logo on it. Don't get me wrong. I love the Harley look and the ride, but I love my Boulevard also, and if you place mine side by side with a Heritage Classic, unless you zero in on the logo, people can't tell the difference. You pay mostly for the name and logo. One thing my friend found, after his buddies were telling him all this about 'they retain their value', etc, is they don't, really. He was going to trade his in for a new Road King and was only going to get 10k of the 20k his bike cost him from it...same as if I went to trade mine in, I would get 4500 of the 9k I paid for my Suzuki..it's still 1/2 the value lost, but he started out paying a buttload more for his, so it looks like more value saved.
So, they are good bikes, great rides, but no better or worse than anything else out there. You pay a high price for the name and logo. To me, they'd be worth it if they finally get water cooling other than the night train.

have you seen many sixties and seventies Hondas, Kawas, or Yammies on the road??????????
NEXT QUESTION??????????
What do you ride?

the same reason the more than 80 year old colt 1911 is so popular.
the 1911 is another design that everyone makes copy's of today. just like Harley's.
actually they both require LESS routine maintenance than newer designs.
the human body hasn't changed in 100,000 years once you design something that conforms to it any change is superfluous.

I personally don't get it either, and have to agree with everything you stated.

I think many of the Hardly guys think that owning a Hardly makes them tough guys, like Hardly commercials want them to believe. In the factory that I work for there is one guy, a registered sex offender by the way, who limps around all day always complaining of some ache and pain only to magically get better and walk like a "pit bull" when he throws on his Hardly jacket and goes out to his bike on his way to go hang out with the other little boy touchers I guess.

the best way to find out is to try one and find out. is all this information you have personal info? or what everyone else is saying around you?

I agree that too many people buy harleys for the image or to show off to others, which is not good for the people who buy them for their own reasons. I owned a honda sportsbike for 9 years, and i enjoyed it, but sold it a year ago because of lack of use. It was great at first, but wasnt nearly as enjoyable with a passenger, and soon became outdated and lost a lot of value- this is the real problem with jap bikes, as they are constantly outdated by newer technologies (or colours!). I want a harley for the sound, the feel, and the big grin i cant get off my face every time i have ridden one. Plus, they can handle a passenger so much easier with all that torque. Different bikes make you feel different to ride, and i wanna cruise the roads, not set fire to them, which is why i want a harley.

harleys are junk. they are over priced air compressors.