GeoffXR200R wrote:And I agree, they cost a lot, and in some cases can have a hard time staying together. But performance? Road King's perform well.
Don't worry bout misreading the post...tis fine I do it too.
But to your quote...Road King's perform well. I agree...They perform well for a $11,000 bike. But as someone else said, if you spend $20,000 on a bike you should get what you pay for. If you can pay 9 grand for an under 10 second bike...you should certainly be able to get a 20 grand bike under 13 seconds in the quarter mile.
If Harley's were only moderately priced Higher, like 1 or 2 grand it wouldn't really matter...but when you spend an extra 8 grand for something that can't compete with a bike almost half the price (with similair weight) I don't see how you can really think you didn't get shafted.
On another note...you ever wonder why people aren't around ragging on Victories? Their similarly priced and American Made. Why don't people complain about Triumphs or Hondas? I think its because people don't get razzed for not riding a certain brand. I've never pulled up to a Victory or a triumph at a stop light and had a snotty comment uttered.
Now that is not a coment on the Harley bike itself, but at least a good portion of Harley owners (I believe still the minority though). Its the Yuppies that have never owned a bike, don't know squat about them, but know they "have to have a Harley" and carry that attitude over for everyone to see on the road.
And what gets me is that Harley (the company) eats this up. They love it. In fact, they will raise the price another 1 or 2 grand just because of they know the yuppies will pay it so they can feel superior.
I wish Harley would take a step back and look at the entirity of the Motorcycling world and focus on building bikes...not dreams, not shirts, not even coffee mugs. I wish they would quit marking up bikes well over MSRP because they know the Yuppies will still pay.
They make a fine bike that is much nicer than any you could get 20 years ago. And if the attitude was never there, my sentiments would end at that. But when people get razzed for not owning a Harley when Harley has no TANGIBLE qualities that make it a better bike...it just makes me frustrated. ANd I'm sure thats what a lot of people feel, as evident by the plethora of these kind of posts.
But the stupid thing is...our getting frustrated only serves to make the divide larger.
The Harley guy snubs the Honda guy.
The Honda guy gets frustrated and attacks the Harley guys quality of bike.
The Harley guy gets nervous and reacts by snubbing the Honda Guy more and then retreating to his Harley buddies to re-inforce his bigotry.
This only makes the Honda Guy more frustrated, and leads to generalizations about all Harley Riders.
Its a stupid cycle that will just keep continuing until everyone on two wheels is regarded as equal at the stop light.
And I fear this will not happen until Harley (the company) decides to promote an equality between all bikers image (as the others big manufacturers do). But if they do that, then they can't continue charging 8 grand more than they should, in this society the All mighty $ sign rules.
So I guess until that happens, or Harley riders stop thinking their shiat don't stink, the cycle will continue.
I'm sure I'll be still reading these posts 15 years from now...and I doubt much will change by then.
One more thing...I want to try and promote to everyone the concept of separating theory (which we are ALL discussing in this thread) vs. the actual physical reality. I can have all the bigotry in the world against Harley's here, but when I pass them on the street, I always wave if they wave back or not (Funny to see them try to take back their wave once they realize I'm not on a Harley 'Cruiser'). I always start polite conversation at the stop lights or gas stations, usually starting off with a compliment of their Harley.
Think whatever you want about Harley's and Harley riders, but drop any and all attitudes when you throw your leg over your motorcycle.
Thats what riding is for...leaving all the Shiat behind. And if other riders can't do that, then you know where their sentiments lay, you know that they are...not true bikers, but merely Biker wannabee's who would pay anything to buy their dream instead of living it themselves.
Mike 
