Harley..Just buying the name?

[iwannadie]

someone should get an old shadow(or any cruiser) slap some harley emblems on it and see if anyone has a clue what kind of bike it really is. i bet the average starbucks harley rider would think it was in fact a harely just because of that emblem and congratulate you on your great harley. its like the kids putting BMW conversions on escorts and for the most part it looks enough like a BMW they can go around saying thats what it is and people dont know any better.

[Sev]

I'd like to point out that just about ANY V-twin that consistently does 90m/h is going to have a hell of a lot of vibration.

If you want to go that fast you should be looking for a standard or sport bike. Possibly a tourer.

[earwig]

A lot of people buy Harley's because they are "American Made" but I'd like someone do to some research and find out how many of their parts are from other countries; probably just as many as the import bikes. I think many people buy Harley's because of the name also, around here the biker mentality is: if you dont have a Harley you aren't a real biker.

[mustangski]

I asked the question before and I'll ask it again. Why does everybody get defensive every time somebody mentions the word Harley? Yes, there are people out there that ride harleys and only wave to other harleys. On the same line there are people out there that ride sport bikes that only wave to other sport bikes, so what makes these people different. I can't stand the type of people who look at me and figure because I ride a harley I won't wave or I must hate all sport bikes. The one person I ride with most rides a GSX-r 600, and if somebody doesn' t like it they can kiss my a**. I chose to buy the harley because when I sit on it and ride it I can't get the smile off of my face. I love everything about it, however my good friend rides a sport bike. Why does he choose a rocket over a cruiser? Because that is what he loves to ride. This kills me everytime I read one of these posts that mention one brand and all of a sudden people start talking badly about them.
Ride whatever excites you!!!!!!!

[old-n-slow]

someone should get an old shadow(or any cruiser) slap some harley emblems on it and see if anyone has a clue what kind of bike it really is.

Actually this is exactly why so many people riding Tokoyo tin such as v-stars, shadows and the like, remove the emblems from their bikes, They are hoping people will think it is a Harley Ha ha ha ha


Found this on a Harley board.

I was pondering on a nice litte 100 mile ride meeting Harley riders, Honda riders, a few Suzuki, Kaka waukees, etc. I wave at all two wheeled riders

There are so many who say Harley riders are rude. I think that's way off base, out of all who do not wave often, the little speed bikes (ya know the ones where the rider is hunched over the tank, looking like a monkey making love to a football) who are rude. Maybe it's their age...

[iwannadie]

I asked the question before and I'll ask it again. Why does everybody get defensive every time somebody mentions the word Harley? Yes, there are people out there that ride harleys and only wave to other harleys. On the same line there are people out there that ride sport bikes that only wave to other sport bikes, so what makes these people different. I can't stand the type of people who look at me and figure because I ride a harley I won't wave or I must hate all sport bikes. The one person I ride with most rides a GSX-r 600, and if somebody doesn' t like it they can kiss my a**. I chose to buy the harley because when I sit on it and ride it I can't get the smile off of my face. I love everything about it, however my good friend rides a sport bike. Why does he choose a rocket over a cruiser? Because that is what he loves to ride. This kills me everytime I read one of these posts that mention one brand and all of a sudden people start talking badly about them.
Ride whatever excites you!!!!!!!

why does the majority of harley riders constantly say 'if its not a harley its not worth riding'. in my exp, for every 100 harley riders with that attitude theres 1 that doesnt care what type of bike anyone else has. its all that snobby elitest attitude. like the people that ride the monster SUVs and run people off the rode and take up 4 parking spots because they have some pricey suv.

ive seen harley riders park across 2 spots in a busy lot just to be sure noone gets near their bike. when i do see that kind of thing happen(with any vehicle) i park my car as close as i can to theirs and watch as they try to negotiate around my car without hitting it lol.

ride whatever you want but dont come off with that 'my bike is the best' attitude. if everyone rode the few harley variations it would be a boring sight on the road.

[canuckerjay]

"There are so many who say Harley riders are rude. I think that's way off base, out of all who do not wave often, the little speed bikes (ya know the ones where the rider is hunched over the tank, looking like a monkey making love to a football) who are rude. Maybe it's their age... "


I don't know about this one; though it might vary from place to place, around Ontario and Quebec, there have been only 3 Harley riders who have ever waved back at me in ten years. They tend to (again, not all, that's for sure) not really want to talk bikes outside of that particular brand. I guess Harleys are like Jazz -- you either get it or you simply don't.

[DustyJacket]

My experience with Harley riders is that I have yet to have even one make a snide remark about my Buell Blast. (except for the H-D service writer at a dealership I'll never return to)

I've helped out at another dealership for several events run by HOG members, and if the subject ever came up, the response was always "It doesn't matter what you ride, as long as you ride."

Maybe it is because I don't cop an attitude and attack, or maybe because it is laid-back Missouri, or maybe just that we all act like people.

Maybe, you reap what you sow.....

[iwannadie]

maybe because buell is now owned by HD?

[old-n-slow]

"


I don't know about this one; though it might vary from place to place, around Ontario and Quebec, there have been only 3 Harley riders who have ever waved back at me in ten years.

With all the Vstar riders pulling the emblems off their bikes and the other harley knockoffs, Tell me, how do you tell if it really was a harley you just met when both you and he are traveling at a speed of over 100kph which makes for a combined speed in access of 200 kph. I simply don't have time (nor possibly the inclination) to bother to look that close. Let's face it, they even equip their bikes with windshields that look the same as those sold by Harley.........

I have to agree with the guy from the Harley board though. Invariably it will be the guy on the crotch rocket that won't wave. Most others usually will unless traffic circumstances dictate otherwise. I mean a guy sitting at a light with his hand on the clutch----- well you can't really expect him to wave.