My soap box rant

[Tigg]

On my soap box:

With the introduction of the Rocker and the Crossbones there have been lots of opinions some constructive and some not.First off as I see it the MOCO seems to be doing everything it can to inadvertently destroy or at the very least cheapen the "Mystique " of Harley Davidson. With their "boutique" style clothing shops . It's like walking into an abercrombie an Fitch anymore with the HD dressed mannequins all decked out from head to toe with every piece on them with a prominent logo ,and everything else imaginable from darts to Christmas Cards. It's becoming less and less about motorcycles and more and more about brand name Harley Davidson. But I have to stand behind the MOCO when they introduce new models.Not every model appeals to every rider but at the very least this is a step in the right direction.Too often HD motorcycles are seen as "old guy bikes". Well guess what guys ,as much as we want to we are not going to live forever . I think it is a move in the right direction to introduce models and target market them as long as you don't loose your heritage in the process. I think the new models introduced are still unmistakably Harleys .Let's all do what we can to help educate and encourage the next generation of American Iron riders.We dont want to be an exclusive but an inclusive club. If we don't capture the youth market we will die off like the dinosaur and our youth will all be riding metric cruisers and crotch rockets.
I will get off my soap box now

 

[Davidw2415]

Well said!

 

[glider]

Still don't like the new models

 

[HarleyHarry]

The big expensive Harley's have never been affordable for the young biker, have they?
It never stopped the older one's from buying a Harley after first having a metric. What has changed?
And Tigg.... you're right. We will not be around forever but, the young ones will get old too and when they do they will want and can afford a real Harley.

 

[Agro]

Still don't like the new models

I am with you Glider.

 

[dllowrider]

A younger guy that I work with was on his way to buy a Honda after work a couple of weeks ago. We convinced him to at least test drive a H D or two and check them out. I always stick to, "The ride says it all." He drove home a 08 Fat Boy last Saturday! He's been riding his whole life and had no idea.

 

[Stormrider51]

That Harley shield and bar logo has seen a lot of changes over the years. Some, like the Aeromacchi bikes, didn't sell and were dropped. As someone noted in this thread, we vote with our wallets. But let me see if I can make sense of what I want to say about the Rocker and such.

Harley saw the invasion of the Brit bikes. Harley survived. Then came the Jap bikes. Again, Harley survived. After a lot of ups and downs, mostly downs sometimes, they became the #1 selling motorcycle in the USA. Stop and think about what a feat that really was. Harley did two things. They made the bikes better and they set up a marketing program that is awesome. Sure, they've got a copyright on even the sound of the V-twin and they sell everything from t-shirts to beer glasses in the dealerships. I say more power to them. I can't afford to buy a new bike every time I go to a dealership but I sure can buy a t-shirt and anything I buy helps Harley stay in business. All that stuff also gives me an excuse to stop in and drool over the new bikes and I don't have to walk away empty-handed.

Name a Jap motorcycle company that doesn't have a model or models that look a lot lIke a Harley. But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this ain't it. The Japs just know what sells. They have their crotch rockets to appeal to one market segment and they want to get a part of the segment who like the Harley look. I suspect that with the Rocker the MOCO is trying for a part of the Jap market. Again, I say more power to them. Just because you and I don't like the look of the Rocker doesn't mean that others won't and those others are exactly the point. It's called expanding the market share. It's not like they were dropping the Electra Glide to produce the Rocker.

One last thought. Take a look at the motor vehicle market in the United States. Everywhere you look is a foreign-made car or truck. Not motorcycles. Harley stands alone as the leader in motorcycle sales in this country. I like it that there is at least one American leader. If buying a t-shirt or a set of beer glasses will help keep the MOCO in first place, I'm there.

Storm

 

[Tigg]

Thanks for your input guys .Just curious to see if others think the same way as I do or if I am way off base. I have a few more topics to "rant" about when I get time.

 

[Davidw2415]

Ditto that, G., although that crossbones could grow on me. I guess 'm just a sucker for a bobber. I can absolutely NOT get along with that rocker monstrosity. It just looks too suzuki to me, I don't know......On a related note, I would like to know who sets the prices for parts and what guidelines do they use? I needed some little gaskets / O-rings /rubber bands to go between the lens and housing of my turn signals. Am I off in the head or is $5.00 A PIECE just a little bit ridiculous? Next time I'll go to Ace Hardware and get them for the normal price of .30cents. If they are trying to perpetuate the "H-D stands for Hundred Dollars" saying, that is a fine way to do it! I don't know if the prices change much from dealer to dealer but I bought them at Daytona Harley Davidson. The same one where that stupid Geico lizard hangs out with Rossmeier.

I guess whoever decided to charge 5 bucks for a 30 cent O-ring might be the same $&#^&$# that decided to charge 19 bucks for 3 bucks worth of touch-up paint :bigsmiley31:

 

[Davidw2415]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit, David, and he's probably yucking it up all the way to the bank.THAT is why folks like J&P, Fog Hollow, V-Twin Mfg., Jammer, and God knows how many others are in business because the dealers' prices are just plain insane. Isn't $239.00 for a drive belt just a bit ridiculous? A turn signal module the size of a matchbox for $149.00? Voltage regulator for a shade over $100.00? I need some of those little plastic clips that slide on to those little metal buttons under the rear fender and hold the turn signal and taillight wiring. I'm afraid to see how much they want to rape my billfold for those!! It's the same everywhere, I guess. Try buying everyday parts from the Chevy dealer versus Advance Auto parts and see how bad you get raped!

I know I'll probably ruffle some feathers for this, but I came very close to buying a Honda Aero instead of a Harley and everytime I have to pay these insane prices to add something to my bike I kind of wish I would have. I had to pay close to $70 for my service manual one of my freinds got one for his Aero for less then half of that. Buy then he drools over my Fatboy every time he sees it.