It's a mailer. I'll see if I've still got it floating around. It says something about yadda yadda yadda we'll give you top dollar for your competetive bike on a trade, -- it seems worded at sportbike owners. Lemme see.
I've gotten those too. If it was truly a competitive trade in offer, I'd be able to ride out with a new Road King and about $30,000 in my pocket to make up for the lack of performance.
__________________ "Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it" ~ Ayn Rand
Judging by the pissed off looks on most Harley rider's faces riding a Harley must not be fun at all. I wonder if they have any clue that I'm smiling from ear to ear as I go by?
I'm not knocking Harley, I'm glad they are still in business. I wish an American company would make a decent sportbike or standard that I could spend my money on. I just don't want to buy into the idea that you have to look and act like a Billy Bad Ass to fit in with the crowd.
Dear people who are more concerned blasting other brands than just riding what they want to ride... Do we have insecurities that run so deep that we constantly must try and bash another brand?
Harley Guy did not wave...
Harley merketing is stupid...
Harleys are too expensive...
Waah.......
Dont ride one, dont buy one, dont pay attention to them.
Harley riders are motorcycle riders. Harley Davidson is the only successful American motorcycle company. Harley is the most recognized name of cruiser world wide.
If Harley goes away... so does their riders. Which consist of a lot of Lawyers and Politicians. Lose them from being in your corner and the rest of motorcyclist are potntially screwed.
What else 'American' is considered elite worldwide? (not ford or chevy) I know we have other stuff, but nothing comes to mind right now.
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Maybe I should start a thread about how Charlie Sheen and Micheal Jordan will never convince me to wear a haynes lay flat collar, cause I am too smart.....
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BTW, Lemonhead, this is actually not really pointed at you. It is the culmination of all the Harley BS over the years this board has.
I think the current Harley-Davidson story is similar in ways to to what has happened to GM and Chrysler: with all they once had going for them, why haven't they done a lot better? Why are they fluffing the pillows of their death beds as we watch? They have brought their illnesses upon themselves by lack of forward vision and corporate inertia.
The video ("Why Harleys Are Better") accompanying the current Harley-Davidson promotional scheme is a shocking example of this. A Harley-Davidson engineer states that each model they make is different from the other models they make, and so it will feel different to the rider. That's the pitch... a very weak message from a company seeking to attract customers from other brands.
And I like Harley-Davidsons even though I have no reason to own one. Motorcycling is a better sport if Harley-Davidson is a healthy company with impressive bikes to sell. Fans like me might get somewhat critical sometimes when we think H-D could be doing so much better than what we see right now.
I highly suggest Demo rides to everyone. Even if you don't plan on buying one, it is an interesting experience. I went to 3 demo rides last year and I believe I have ridden every Model except the Night Train.
Maybe I should start a thread about how Charlie Sheen and Micheal Jordan will never convince me to wear a haynes lay flat collar, cause I am too smart...
Eligible Trade-in Models:
Trade-in must be a two-wheel street legal motorcycle 150 cc or greater. The owner must have held the title and a valid registration on the competitive model prior to November 30, 2009. Harley-Davidson® and Buell® motorcycles are not eligible for trade-in.
Eligible Models to Purchase:
New, untitled, 2008MY, 2009MY, and 2010MY Harley-Davidson® motorcycles are eligible to be purchased. Buell® motorcycles and Police Fleet motorcycles are not eligible.
Judging by the pissed off looks on most Harley rider's faces riding a Harley must not be fun at all. I wonder if they have any clue that I'm smiling from ear to ear as I go by?
I'm not knocking Harley, I'm glad they are still in business. I wish an American company would make a decent sportbike or standard that I could spend my money on. I just don't want to buy into the idea that you have to look and act like a Billy Bad Ass to fit in with the crowd.
It is funny you mention that -
Last summer, I took a drive to Columbia with my family, and one of my goals was to take pictures of as many riders as I could.
Dozens and dozens of riders, tons of them - and you know what, most were on Harleys, no surprise there.
And when I was reviewing the pictures, the only people smiling were -
NOT RIDING HARLEY'S!
Go figure, I've got the pictures somewhere, not sure what the deal is.
I guess it could be the payments that tick off the owners, or the lack of power, or the ride quality, not sure what it is, maybe they are just trying to be "cool", who knows.
When speaking of a sport bike , one must rember, a Sportster is not a sport bike - it is a small displacment cruiser - and thats all it wil lever be - well , now anyway with HD killing Buell anyway - but ,then again, Buells were Buells , not sportsters - lol
__________________
" Any book is a childrens book , if the kid can read !"
Mitch Hedburg
Good post Bloaker, although you'd have to admit that there is some truth to the Harley stereotype.
Generally the dislike, as I understand it, between HD and other riders are that quite a few Harley riders don't buy a motorcycle for the love of motorcycling, but an attitude or lifestyle. There is definately a significant poser factor to quite a few of HD owners. Heck, I just have to ride past the local restaurant and pub strip to see HD's almost parked right up the damn bar counter, just to make sure everyone sees them roll up, and don't forget the obligatory revving of the motor when rolling up to park or starting up to take off.
I do recognise that there are a lot of HD owners that are good riders and are "geniune" rather than posers.
I do not like the Harley brand and I am not ashamed to say it. I think the stereotype surrounding Harley is true more often than not. What is the problem with bashing a company that competes with another we like? If I think that the Detroit Lions suck and can't run the football, I'm going to say it because I'm a Colts fan. I think Harley's suck, are underpowered, overweight pigs and the owners spend thousands of dollars on apparel but never ride their bikes more than 1000 miles a year. I bash Hardly because they epitomize almost everything wrong with motorcycling and if you don't like it then ignore threads like this one.
__________________
In 1915 T. Roosevelt said, in a speech to the KofC, "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. "
Good post Bloaker, although you'd have to admit that there is some truth to the Harley stereotype.
Generally the dislike, as I understand it, between HD and other riders are that quite a few Harley riders don't buy a motorcycle for the love of motorcycling, but an attitude or lifestyle. There is definately a significant poser factor to quite a few of HD owners. Heck, I just have to ride past the local restaurant and pub strip to see HD's almost parked right up the damn bar counter, just to make sure everyone sees them roll up, and don't forget the obligatory revving of the motor when rolling up to park or starting up to take off.
I do recognise that there are a lot of HD owners that are good riders and are "geniune" rather than posers.
Lol you all have to watch this episode of Southpark
Don't know what it is called but very funny.
Harley makes some great bikes if your objective is to ride slowly and in comfort. One of my coworkers has 78,000 on his and it is going strong (how many of us have a bike we bought new that has 78k miles on it?). However, for me, I enjoy riding bikes fast, and haven't found a Harley I enjoy. Also, the Harley riders (newer versions) sure have hurt the image with regards to riders (aka posers).
Harley makes some great bikes if your objective is to ride slowly and in comfort. One of my coworkers has 78,000 on his and it is going strong (how many of us have a bike we bought new that has 78k miles on it?). However, for me, I enjoy riding bikes fast, and haven't found a Harley I enjoy. Also, the Harley riders (newer versions) sure have hurt the image with regards to riders (aka posers).
FOR sure.... was at the rock store the other weekend and 99.9% of the harley riders were the exactly the stereotype harley rider.... we all were having a nice lunch at the rock store and the harley guys decided to leave. You had the full tatted up dudes trying to look bad ass go over to their bikes and turn them on. Next thing you know you have loud ass radios going then the turning over of their bikes... then you literally could not talk to a person 3 ft away as they sat there with their bikes idling gettin stuff together... then the obligatory rev the motor get on, rev some more then take off.... then peace again. I could not help but laugh my ass off when i saw one dude with some huge ape hanger bars that had a tassel, the lil leather streamer, off the side of his handle bar that literally came to within 4 inches of the ground. I mean come on man you look and sound like a complete idiot, get a freakin life!
That south park episode is so freakin true its not even funny (well its utterly hilarious but you know what i mean)
What I don't understand... why are they called Harleys. There were 3 Davidsons and only 1 Harley. What a crock. Those Davidsons should rise up.
BTW this one time I rode my friends Harley Fat Boy around. It was a nice ride, good and comfy and made a lot of noise, but everyone looked at me like I had a visible herpes infection as i rode around. Not the best feeling in the world.
__________________ "Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it" ~ Ayn Rand
This is true, they go crazy for them over there in Japan, old Chevy's too. My uncle is a motorcycle mechanic in Japan and he's got quite a few Harley's. He used to race sport bikes and motorcross too, but he still loves the Harley's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bloaker
...Harley is the most recognized name of cruiser world wide.
What else 'American' is considered elite worldwide? (not ford or chevy) I know we have other stuff, but nothing comes to mind right now...
__________________
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." ~Robert A. Heinlein
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