What is it with (some) Harley guys? Do they you need to put other brands or smaller bikes down so they can feel better about their own choice?
best selling motorcycle company in the usa
- Thread starter frozenpoet
- Start date
What is it with (some) Harley guys? Do they you need to put other brands or smaller bikes down so they can feel better about their own choice?
The Harley guys were I work don't poke fun at my NCX. When we started doing some rides together, they found out their 20-30k bikes couldn't stay with the NC in the curves and they couldn't leave me anywhere else. Invite your supervisor for a lunch ride and show him that your $7000 NCX is far superior in the curves and fuel mileage.
You will need to take it easy so he can stay in the road. The last ride I was with a HD Street Glide, he crossed the yellow line over 50 times on a 300 mile day ride.
You will need to take it easy so he can stay in the road. The last ride I was with a HD Street Glide, he crossed the yellow line over 50 times on a 300 mile day ride.
silverhound
New Member
Yes, there are without question "some" who do it for that exact reason. Thankfully not all are like that. It used to bother me when I was younger, now I don't really give it a second thought. The one's that bothered me the most were the people who made comments who didn't even ride or own a bike but perhaps owned an HD T-shirt or decal.
frozenpoet
Site Supporter
My favorites are the ones that own a 5 year old Harley with 2k miles on the clock that talk smack about how good their bike is.
silverhound
New Member
...Or their Harley's on a trailer being towed by a Nissan Pathfinder who preach to you to "Buy American".
Where I work, we have a Harley rider that owns a 3-5 year old bike. I bet he doesn't have 3500 miles on it. I overheard him say, "if it doesn't say HD on the side, I wont own it"
He doesn't have any clout where I work.
I will acknowledge the street glide owner though. He is the only rider that shows up in temps below 20 degrees F. Much lower than that, My bike is the only one there.
Now, if I didn't have heated gear, I wouldn't be there.
He doesn't have any clout where I work.
I will acknowledge the street glide owner though. He is the only rider that shows up in temps below 20 degrees F. Much lower than that, My bike is the only one there.
Now, if I didn't have heated gear, I wouldn't be there.
n30r3l0ad3d
New Member
Most of the guys that ride their bikes into work are HD riders, and a few of them have called my bike a "scooter" as well as a "glorified moped". I just laugh at them. As I said in another post awhile back, a HD rider at work gave me grief for my old stock CB750 not starting on a really cold evening. He started his right up, cracked a joke about my bike, then rev'd his cold motor up and spun a bearing around inside his engine.
It is what it is.
It is what it is.
Mike Cash
New Member
It's very nice living in a place where the people don't rag each other over their choice of motorcycle.
frozenpoet
Site Supporter
I'm all for some good natured ribbing, see it all the time other than bikes. Ford/chevy, Toyota/Honda, Microsoft/soney. It's the ones that take it too far/personal that I don't like.
anglachel
Member
My only experience with a HD on the road with me was in heavy stop and go traffic... I was able to keep rolling, engine idling occasionally pulling the clutch in... meanwhile he was going from 1-2 car lengths behind me to right next to me, then stop wait until he was back 1-2 car lengths back and repeat... Don't know if he just couldn't bring himself to idle along pulling the clutch a little to slow down, or if his bike just couldn't manage to go that slow.
Of course if you really want to make the HD guys feel bad, make sure you stop with them at the gas station when they put twice as much gas as you do.
dduelin
Site Supporter
HD has painted themselves into a market corner. Their buyers as a group are getting older and will age out of riding and younger buyers are not able to afford what is considered a "real motorcycle". The group that aspires to own a Harley is extremely conservative with styling & engine architecture and HD has to adhere to a narrow description of what fits the description of a "real motorcycle" or else alienate the core group. Water cooling and higher revving better performing engine designs do not appeal to the traditional buyer, nor does chassis and suspension changes that would help the bikes handle better. Instead, HD has to hide improvements behind the traditional look. Harleys are quite competent motorcycles judged against market competitors in their segment and many of these buyers don't really want or need more performance. The problem is that air cooled engines are increasingly unable to meet sound and emission requirements hence the release of the Mount Rushmore bikes that are partially water cooled. The radiators are hidden in lower fairings on the most expensive models but they won't be able to hide them as water cooling is forced onto other models. I'm afraid the new small displacement Harley's will have a very tough row to hoe with USA buyers. If new buyers are not brought into dealers they may see USA market share continue to erode. On the other hand they are increasing apparel and window sticker sales as well as export sales and their stock seems to do pretty good.
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silverhound
New Member
Just for fun (and because I'm having a slow day) I made the following chart to illustrate Harley vs. Honda motorcycle sales worldwide. I think it kinda puts things in perspective. This is from their actual sales data reported for 2013.
This is from their actual sales data reported for 2013.
dduelin
Site Supporter
The pie would be different if just bikes over 750 cc were considered. HD doesn't make any of these under their roof and Honda sells a shed load of 250 cc or less scooters and motorbikes.
Still, I get your overall drift. Honda is the 800 lb gorilla and makes and sells the most machines by a long chalk.
Still, I get your overall drift. Honda is the 800 lb gorilla and makes and sells the most machines by a long chalk.
silverhound
New Member
LOL yeah, lot's of things could skew the numbers but you're right...I was just trying to show that HD isn't the industry "giant" that some imagine it is...in their minds. They probably outsell Honda in T-Shirt sales by a large margin though.
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Fuzzy
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Of course Honda doesn't have to make as many big bikes becasue the ones they do make last.
The Wall Street Journal article I referenced divided big bikes at 600 cc and Harley has 55% of that market in U.S. but U.S. is the lions share of the Harley market and small potatoes for anyone else in the business.
The Wall Street Journal article I referenced divided big bikes at 600 cc and Harley has 55% of that market in U.S. but U.S. is the lions share of the Harley market and small potatoes for anyone else in the business.
