What's the hang up with Harleys?

[Mike M in ohio]

     Okay, I just got to ask: Why the constant bash Harley hang-up?
     I have ridden four bike brands over thirty-eight years of riding. Harleys were always in the garage through much of it. Back in the early seventies, I mostly encountered Hondas and BMW's when out on the open roads, touring to scenic destinations. Yet, my first Electraglide still managed to travel 116,000 miles (with two rebuilds) before I sold it for nearly double it's original cost.
    In recent years, I've toured through Nova Scotia, Yellowstone and Florida, and I have to admit that Harley has secured a huge percentage of both the cruiser and touring market. During those rides, I estimate that Harleys represented some 80% of the touring rigs I encountered on the road.
    So, whether we like it or not: Harley has won the economic sales war for open road travel. And, it's largely because the Milwaukee Motor Company has always responded to the wants of their customers. The Electraglides have retained their dated style and unusual sound, because that's what the buyers wanted.
    I, personally Love my Interstate a tad more than my most recent Ultra. (which has 108,000 miles on the clock with NO rebuilds!) But, when times got tough, it was Honda who canceled the Hoot, and pulled their demo bikes from regional rallies...while Harley still pushed on.
    I am glad that, in my neck of the woods, the cruisers have such similar looks, that no one knows what type of bike is approaching, and therefore, everyone waves. I'm also glad to see Hondas, Yamahas and Harleys riding together...enjoying the roads and the treasures they reveal.
    Yet, since I joined this great site in December, I read a continuous offering of Harley bashes, jokes and derision. And....it occurs to me that the bikes we love were discontinued by Mother Honda, while the venerable Electraglide is still produced and mildly upgraded decade after decade. So, what is the REAL source of this H.D. ridicule? And shouldn't we be getting over it by now?
    Just a thought. I'm sure there'll be some follow-up discussions.....
                                                                     Mike in New York

[BudMan]

Harley makes nothing that I would ever trade my Valk for, and Honda has never made anything I would trade my Harley for.
Each of them bring something to my life that the other one simply cannot do. 

[Serk]

There's two types... Harley Owners and Harley Riders...

Harley Riders I have the same respect for as any other rider, I consider them my friends and brothers and sisters of the wind...

Harley Owners, however, I have no respect for... These are the ones that think that buying a Harley is buying a lifestyle, buying an attitude, buying them the right to look down on any "lesser" bikes... THOSE are the Harley owners I mock...

Pulling up at a light and having some snot nosed brat yell over at me to "Get a real bike". That's coming from a Harley Owner (Or even worse, a Harley T-Shirt Owner).

[Sodbuster]

There's two types... Harley Owners and Harley Riders...

Harley Riders I have the same respect for as any other rider, I consider them my friends and brothers and sisters of the wind...

Harley Owners, however, I have no respect for... These are the ones that think that buying a Harley is buying a lifestyle, buying an attitude, buying them the right to look down on any "lesser" bikes... THOSE are the Harley owners I mock...

Pulling up at a light and having some snot nosed brat yell over at me to "Get a real bike". That's coming from a Harley Owner (Or even worse, a Harley T-Shirt Owner).

Right On   

[HayHauler]

Got nothing against them...  matter of fact, 2 of my best friends ride them, Melvin and HotGlue.  Not a Harley owner amongst them.    Them thar's Harley Riders!

Hay 
Jimmyt

[Wingman]

Those of us that have nothing against HD, don't necessarily post about it. The only ones you see are those who do, for one reason or another; HD rider didn't wave, said something mean about the Valk and so on.

I'll ride anything on two wheels and can find something to like about every two wheeler ever built. If I had the space, funds and time, I would have them all!

As it is, I have and love my Valkyrie. I can only effectively care for one bike and since this one ain't wearing out, it is likely to be my bike of choice for a very long time! But I'm the only Valk rider I know around where I live, so I try to get along with the guys that made "other" choices... 

[Valkflyer]

Harley does in fact make some beautiful machines; the craftsmanship and quality are really fantastic.  In reality I love the bikes, but then I find it hard not to like any fine motorcycle.  In addition, there are many fine people that ride Harleys; hell my brother and a number of my friends ride them.  My issue like some many others is about attitude and ignorance, it gets old, and who do these snots think they are?  Many of the Harley riders I attempt to talk with, pass, or attempt to just interact with come off like their god’s gift to motorcycling.  Now perhaps I’m being a little immature but if I get a little satisfaction from throwing out a few barbs at my brethren and they can’t take what they dish out, then they and whoever else can just blow it out their shorts.

[Ghost]

I just rode 1100 miles in three days on my Harley Ultra Classic, it's not a bad ride. It's no Valkyrie when it comes to power. it's very hot when you get stuck in traffic, but all in all the bike fits me very well. I have always defended Honda and still do, i don't care about all of the crap anymore. I just love to ride and thats what i am going to do.

[TearlessTom]

I have one of each in the garage. A Fatboy and a a Fatgirl.  Both are fun to ride, both have advantages over the other and draw back over the other.

Fom me and my Harley friends it just some friendly ribbing, nobody gets offended or upset. We all have a good laugh.

Tom

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Harley Vs. Honda	powered by Aeva

Feel better now ! 

[2 Many]

I agree 100%. The exact same crap goes on at the VTX site. 

[Jabba]

I mimic most everyone's posts here.  I have GOOD friends that ride HD.  I have also been the receiver of some VARY derisive comments from strangers or acquaintenances that, in their ignorance, belittle the Valk, or any other metric bike.  It's to those people I jab back.  Jabs at my friends are merely good natured banter, and I'd drive 2000 miles to rescue them if they needed it.  Heck, I jab my nephew ALL the time about his Busa. 

When I am challenged by a stranger... I tend to choose the fight response.  I am too fat to run.  So I tend to dog pile them logic.  My favorite lately is "If I wanted a vibrator, I would have borrowed my wife's."  And I most recently used that one to a guy riding a M109 Boulevard.  So I don't single out HD people.  I tend to jump on ANY sphincter.

Jabba

[JimL]

There's two types... Harley Owners and Harley Riders...

Harley Riders I have the same respect for as any other rider, I consider them my friends and brothers and sisters of the wind...

Harley Owners, however, I have no respect for... These are the ones that think that buying a Harley is buying a lifestyle, buying an attitude, buying them the right to look down on any "lesser" bikes... THOSE are the Harley owners I mock...

Pulling up at a light and having some snot nosed brat yell over at me to "Get a real bike". That's coming from a Harley Owner (Or even worse, a Harley T-Shirt Owner).

Damn it....I hate it when this happens!  Serk has stated my own personal position so well....that I can't possibly add to it......well, I could possibly add that Harley Davidson has possibly missed an opportunity.  They almost certainly could increase sales if they teamed up with urological surgeons across this country and offered a penile implant as an option.  "Harley Owners" (as opposed to Harley Riders) with all of their insecurities couldn't possibly pass one up........

[solo1]

I've been riding off and on since 1947.  Back then it was "Limey" bikes vs Harleys.  It's been going on a long time.  Most of it was in just plain fun.

Let's face it. Indian blew their wad with the infamous Warrior and Scout line of lookalike British motorcycles and went bankrupt. The only viable American motorcycle was Harley .  For us that preferred other types of motors, we had to go  Italian, or German.  And then came Honda.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why some Harley riders called Honda "Jap crap" etc, but left BMW alone. Both were our enemies in WWII.

Today, I agree 100% with the philosophy "It don't matter what you ride, it's that you ride"   Some Harley 'owners' think that "if you ain't ridin' a Harley, you ain't sh##'.  That's the ones that I have problems with.

I got to admit though that Honda is not the motorcycle company that it was.  They left us high and dry.  Harley has always been good at making what their customers wanted.

[fstsix]

Ya been to a HOG rally lately ?  and tried to go in on your Valkyrie? Now!! lets flip the coin! have you had any HOGS at our Valkyrie rally's.........Yes we have and NO! you cannot park inside a HOG rally with a Valk   So what is the real problem?

[Jack]

My wife told me I am worse than any Harley rider with my Valk.  I've run across more snooty GoldWingers than I have HD.  I see the banter as good-hearted for the most part and deviously enjoy it when somebody takes offense.  It makes my day.

[Kymbo]

My two loves

[MP]

Well, last year at Inzane in CO, two HD owners parked their bikes, walked by our Valks on the ride to the Mountain top, and one said, and the other agreed with him,

" I would not own a piece of Jap c**p like this!"

MP

[Mickey Runie]

I've never had a group of "Jap Crap" riders come up behind me at a light, verbally abuse me and my rider, verbally bash the bike I was riding, proceed to pass dangerously close to me on the right, then lock up the brakes while instructing me on what to go buy next time.

I've never had a "Jap Crap" owner pass in the opposite direction while giving me the middle finger salute.

I, too, have friends that choose to ride Harleys.    It's ALWAYS one of them that calls to the gathering place to inform the rest of us they were unable to get their bike to start up that day and will be missing our ride while the Harley dealership sends their trailer service over to pick up the DOA bike.   

I will occasionally bash Harleys because the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees me the right to do so.  Other than that, I have no excuses to do it.   Guilty as charged.    I'm sorry if it offends some of you.

[big turkey]

Mike from NY, I noticed that too.

But when you have a good product, like the Valkyrie, people tend to want to tout there choice

of ride as the best.

This is a Valkyrie board and they talk about the Honda's they ride and praise.

The most well balanced here on this site ride a plethora of bikes.

LIKE ME.

Not one specifically better in their eyes.

But the Harley bashing will go on forever here, just don't pay any attention to it.

I ride a FLHT, a Interstate, A Mean Streak that by the way sounds better than My Harley,

and a KLR that makes no noise at all.

Big AL

[big turkey]

Mickey Rune.

Personally I would have shot those basterds that harassed you.

Thank you for not killing them.

But they would not be so lucky next time if it is me.

Would not shoot them, but they would know they had been in a fight.

Sounds like a couple of no brainers to me.

Rock on Brother.

Big AL

[QOTFU]

Harley makes nothing that I would ever trade my Valk for, and Honda has never made anything I would trade my Harley for.
Each of them bring something to my life that the other one simply cannot do. 

My sentiments exactly! I woudn't get rid of either!

[big turkey]

Kymbo , do you see a lot of the Valkyries down Under?

Like your choice of colors(BLACK) because they always are ahead in a race.

Fast Black I mean.

Thanks for contributing to the Harley Discussion.

In a good way.

Big Al

This Aussie Band is the one I love the Best in the World.

Be sure to watch the end.

AC/DC Shot Down in Flames	powered by Aeva

[Kaiser]

Mike,

Thanks so much for this post.  I almost posted the exact same question a week or so ago.

I owned a Harley ('02 Night Train) and traded it in for the I/S...so I feel entitled to vent a little here with my "educated" opinion.

Sometimes this site reminds me of Middle School with the "us" versus "them" mentality.  Grow up already.  Before too long, it will digress to "my daddy can beat up your daddy."  How come we don't bash other brands?  The arguments I've seen posted against Harley's could be applied to other brands as well.

- They are too expensive.  Really?!  Ever tried buying a Ducatti?  Or a BMW?  Or a GOLDWING for that matter?  Talk about $$$.  A new GW costs just as much (if not more) than a new Ultra.

- They are unreliable.  Really?!  One look at our very own Tech Board could potentially scare away anyone considering owning a Valk.  All bikes have their issues.  (Although from personal experience I will admit that dependability-wise, Harley makes an inferior product when compared to most metric bikes).

- People who ride them have an attitude.  Really?!  And Valk owners don't?  I'm sure all of us can come up with a list of other Valk owners that have given us attitude.

And the list goes on and on...

I agree with the previous comments - if I had the money, I'd have one of every bike ever.  I could care less what you ride.  And I also agree that those that bash Harley usually speak louder than those that don't.  Sometimes in good fun...sometimes not.

Thanks again, Mike, for the reminder to man up, shut up, and ride.

</end rant>

[hubcapsc]

So, what is the REAL source of this H.D. ridicule?
                                                                     Mike in New York

My opinion is that most of us don't actually hate Harleys, (some do, but I think most don't). Valkyries
are pretty unusual, and we're the clique that rides them. Harley's are another, much larger,
sometimes marketing-driven, clique, and the whole boutique-leather-wearing Wild Hogs mystique
is hard to resist poking (good natured) fun at.

And shouldn't we be getting over it by now?

I think my Harley was awesome, but I... got over it when I saw Frank Smoak's valkyrie.



I got a pizza last night and there were two Harley's just like mine in the parking lot.
Next to a Dusenberg that looked as good as this one:



-Mike "not trying to change the subject, never saw a car like that before, WOW"

[Robert]

Honda dont only make motorcycles therefore will bail if the market gets soft. Harley has only one way to go. The reason the Valk is such a awesome bike is one man inside Honda had a vision bucked the corp and had the power to do so and made a bike that like Harley was fashioned on a passion. MY son sells Harley's and my son in law rides them and when I bought my Valk my decision was I didn't want the leaks,  and the vibration and I wasn't to sure of the service record so Valk was my choice and still would be today. I have yet one Harley rider diss my bike in fact I was at dinner one night and my bike was parked by the door to the restaurant. I came out to find 12 guys dressed in Harley attire around my bike and I didn't know what to expect. Well after a few seconds one guy said clear the way for him to get on and then I realized that each one was just standing there admiring the bike. So I sat there and we talked a bit and I pulled out. You get some that dont wave and some are just well jerks, welcome to life. You will find them small people in most cases buying the dream and not have a real clue to what a real ride is all about. Thats what I like about this board in general real people real rides good people and just great listening to different rides and ideas.

[R J]

Got nothing against them...  matter of fact, 2 of my best friends ride them, Melvin and HotGlue.  Not a Harley owner amongst them.    Them thar's Harley Riders!

Hay 
Jimmyt

Don't forget PIBIT..............

[R J]

Ya been to a HOG rally lately ?  and tried to go in on your Valkyrie? Now!! lets flip the coin! have you had any HOGS at our Valkyrie rally's.........Yes we have and NO! you cannot park inside a HOG rally with a Valk   So what is the real problem?

WHOA, you are spreading bad stuff here.

I ride a Valk and carry a HOG membership card for my antique.

I park inside of HOG Rallies........     They stop me, I show my card and they let me enter....   First time it happened was in Milwaukee at one of their birthday's.  I'd ridden up with 14 Harley's from here.  One of them was a fairly good sized dealer here.    They told me I couldn't come in, he was already in, he came back, asked what the problem was, they told him Jap Crap wasn't allowed, he said OK, we will all leave and tomorrow morning you have 9 transports to pick up all my machines and about 2 large semi's to pick up parts and another trailer for clothing.

I will close the dealership......

I got in shortly after that, and parked right in the middle of my group.   They built a wagon train circle around the Valk.......  It sure did draw a crowd.  Even Willie G, came and looked it over.

[JimL]

Just to be clear I have never ever denigrated anyone for the brand of bike they ride...that would be absolutely foolish for so many reasons.  I have lots of friends that ride HD's, BMW's, Ducati, Aprilia's, etc.  Friends of mine may even jokingly throw out the term "rice burner" when I am around, but since I know them I know that they are joking and not attacking me or my bike.  When a total stranger does this as the scenario MP just mentioned, that is a completely different matter.

Possibly I am just naive or just don't get out as much...but I don't hear many stories of metric bike owners going out and making these ridiculous comments about HD's (however I am sure there are some).  Like everyone else here, I enjoy reading about and looking at many different motorcycles...I can't help but feel that some of this trash talk which some of the less educated "Harley Owners" engage in, is brought on by the HD marketing folks.  HD marketing in my opinion have excessively pushed the "riding an American legend" theme, coupled with "you get what you pay for" mantra...while laughing all the way to the bank.

I like Harley Davidson motorcycles...if I had 30K on me this past weekend I would have left Boswells here in Nashville with a beautiful Electra Glide I was drooling over.

What makes me sick, are the losers (referred here as "Harley Owners") that have such low self esteem that they feel the only way to build themselves up is to try to bring other down.....classic "posers".

[MP]

OK Rj.  But, you had a HOG card, meaning you have to own a Harley, right?  We do not require HD riders to own a Valk to bring their harley to our get togethers.

Also, sounds like it almost took an act of Congress to get in?  If you hadn't had a large HD dealership, and others, including Willie G himself there, you would have been booted out?  Right?  Even with your HOG card?

MP

[Big Rig]

I mostly doit because it is sooo darn easy! And a lot of fun...

thick skin is in...if you don't have it, pack up and go home.

I wave to everyone, if they don't wave back...who cares...

if the dis my ride, who cares...they can do it again when they catch up.

Most HD RIDERS like my valk the ones that don't who cares?

I love my valk and bought it because it does not look like EVERY other bike out there...

That is me...thick skinned and loving every bantering oportunity that comes along.

Life is short, have fun...and by all means...

Ride what you want.

Ride Safe

[hubcapsc]

I wave to everyone, if they don't wave back...

... then they're not having near as much fun as you are!

-Mike

[Black Dog]

I posted, a few weeks ago, about being invited to a party that just happened to be at a pretty cool Biker Bar.  There was a sea of HD's, and the bar was packed with both 'HD riders' and 'HD Owners'...  I can't help but be a bit nervous when my Black Beast is left alone in a lot like that, so I was keeping an eye on her.

No issues, and most everyone there was just enjoying the band, and a few beers...  When it was time for me to roll, there were about eight guys standing around my lady (three of them wearing 'Milwaukee Outlaws' colors)...  I sort of excused my way to the Valk, and when one of the guys started asking about her, I knew it was 'all good', as they were really interested in her.  Comments like 'That's a lotta engine', and 'bet that's all day smooth', were bantered about...  I took the opprutunity to show 'em the 'nickle trick', and they all got a big kick outta that...  All in all, they were just brothers in the wind, and gave the Phat Girl, her props.

I've heard the 'Jap Crap' and 'get a real bike' comments, and maybe being 6'2" and 275 lbs has something to do with it, but any really stupid comments, seem to come from the 'owners', while the 'riders' are more interested in seeing how she rolls 

Black Dog

[valkmc]

I've never had a group of "Jap Crap" riders come up behind me at a light, verbally abuse me and my rider, verbally bash the bike I was riding, proceed to pass dangerously close to me on the right, then lock up the brakes while instructing me on what to go buy next time.

I've never had a "Jap Crap" owner pass in the opposite direction while giving me the middle finger salute.

I, too, have friends that choose to ride Harleys.    It's ALWAYS one of them that calls to the gathering place to inform the rest of us they were unable to get their bike to start up that day and will be missing our ride while the Harley dealership sends their trailer service over to pick up the DOA bike.   

I will occasionally bash Harleys because the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees me the right to do so.  Other than that, I have no excuses to do it.   Guilty as charged.    I'm sorry if it offends some of you.

I agree, great example last night on the way home from a local bike night. My girl rode her own to the event for the first time, she has taken the MSF course and we are gradually riding in traffic more and more. We were on a two lane country rode making a left hand turn. Here comes a big ole Harley, I checked my rear mirrors as we were coming to a stop and realized he was coming in hot so I pulled right behind her bike so he would have to hit me first. He went by us on the right in the same lane at about 50. My instinct were to run him down and kick his arse, but that would have left the wife by herself. This has happened to me twice since she started riding, both times by Harley Baggers.

I also have owned Harleys and never fit the biker mold, some of my best friends growing up were hard core bikers but most of them did not care when I showed up for rides on bikes other than Harleys, like most here the ribbing is mostly friendly.

[Tx Bohemian]

    ...while the venerable Electraglide is still produced and mildly upgraded decade after decade.
                                                                     Mike in New York

Does this include a mildly upgraded price decade after decade??

I liked the video/commercial someone posted a couple of days ago stating about the Springer suspension "1940 technology at 2010 prices."

Ya been to a HOG rally lately ?

Why would you want to??

Good God, with the attitude the Harley owners have it's gotta be TERRIBLE there!!

I agree too with the posts here, the riders/owners.  I ride with a couple of guys that have Harleys one is a rider, has a good looking Duece but the other is something else.  He had a $22K Heritage and traded it in on a $30K something, Garmin and all.  (got $14K for his 2 yr old Heritage trade-in!!  wonder what happened to the "investment" therory??) When it's just me and him it's all good but get around another HD guy, rider or owner, this buddy starts the "when you gonna get a real bike" attitude.  We don't ride together much.

Personally I think HD is a good bike, I just can't get past the prices.

[Mickey Runie]

Mickey Rune.
Personally I would have shot those basterds that harassed you.
Thank you for not killing them.
But they would not be so lucky next time if it is me.
Would not shoot them, but they would know they had been in a fight.
Sounds like a couple of no brainers to me.
Rock on Brother.
Big AL

I did not carry back then.  Those HD riders were all wearing Hell's Angels jackets traveling through Kansas en mass on their way to Sturgis that year.  Curiously enough, their leader (a guy speaking through a scarf covered tracheotomy) was interviewed that day by a local tv station and asked about the gangs' reputation.  His response: "we are misunderstood.  We don't start trouble.  But make no mistake, if given trouble, we will return the trouble - in spades....yadda, yadda, yadda...".   The wife and I had a good laugh over that one seeing as how our only transgression was to be riding past when they were trying to exit the McDonalds restaurant and forcing them to wait til I passed.

I had absolutely no trouble getting my 1979 XS1100 Yamaha out in front of all of them, and with 30 miles of open highway, with very little traffic that evening, simply outdistanced them.
 
Big Al, you right there, are a perfect example that not all HD riders are the same.   You got my full support in your upcoming campaign for Pres.   

[big turkey]

What makes me sick, are the losers (referred here as "Harley Owners") that have such low self esteem that they feel the only way to build themselves up is to try to bring other down.....classic "posers

Quote from a earlier post.

Now is that what the Valk guys are doing.

Tearing down the Hog guys to make themselves to feel superior.

It seems that way.

I am thinking about a car tire now, to make the non car tire guys jealous.

See how that works.

Big Al

[JimL]

What makes me sick, are the losers (referred here as "Harley Owners") that have such low self esteem that they feel the only way to build themselves up is to try to bring other down.....classic "posers

Quote from a earlier post.

Now is that what the Valk guys are doing.

Tearing down the Hog guys to make themselves to feel superior.

It seems that way.

I am thinking about a car tire now, to make the non car tire guys jealous.

See how that works.

Big Al

Big Al, I can assure you that is not what I am doing.  I have never said anything negative about someone elses ride, however I have said many negative things about those that engage in the trash talk.

As I stated earlier I like HD motorcycles, and if I could afford one right now (and had a bigger garage), I would probably own an Electra Glide or V-Rod.

Furthermore Al....I would never make fun of a bike that someone as big as you rides....no matter what I thought about it!!

[big turkey]

Personally had a run in with the Black Pistons.

I was Drinking,,,, Duh.

Jack Black and Coffee at 12 in the pm , Mid day.

They called me a loud mouth, well they are right there but I don/t have to take it.

Challenged Three of them to a Brawl and they had to call the Boss(PRESIDENT OF THE OUTLAWS)

to decide if they could take me on.

i would have beat the living crap out of those three and they know it.

I said well that's what I figured, CS and all.


They later ambushed me at a local watering hole, lured there by one of there whores under the

auspices of a good band was showing up.

Twenty of them and I have a good friend as witness and they had one of the little fellows a prospect,

hit me in the jaw to draw some blood.

I got up and walked outside to arm myself and guess what for one hour none of the bikers

cameout side to talk to me.

Then we left .

Bunch of CS Bas.

That is the kind you met up with Mickey.

Cowards all.

Big AL

[big turkey]

Did mot mean to imply you would Jim L..

Just used what you had stated to show it's a two way street.

And to make the guy aware that started this post we are a bunch of funloving ole Coot's(SORRY COOT) that can get along with anyone aywhere.

You are a good one Jim, i like you.

Nough Said Right.

Big Al