The Problem Facing Harley-Davidson
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- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2024
- Harley-Davidson is the biggest name in motorcycles...but they've seen better days. This video discusses big problem they are facing.
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Harley Davidson probably makes more money off of their name and parts/servicing the bikes than actual sales of their bikes.
It is common in the automotive industry, and i will include motorbikes here, that the vehicle itself is often sold at a loss, while spare parts are where they "mine the gold" so to speak.
Maybe. But no point in "maybe's" and "probably's". If true then by nature or design, HD is manufacturing an inferior product for above average prices. And to address Berty's point as well, the motorcycle buying demographic expect absolute quality and reliabilty. Your statement is significant and needs a more in-depth investigation by (ahem, say) a prominent RUclipsr.
All companies do.
You're exactly right.
Yeah, harly Davidson clothes and accessories like wallets and lighters are a huge chunk of their income. Its retarded, but there are more harly davidson posers that just buy the clothes than people that actually buy their bikes. xD
Harley Davidson - Yesterday's technology at tomorrow's prices.
V M and overpriced and overslow.
@Roadster 1200 yeah the ducati panagalie v4 is expensive but the BEST
@Roadster 1200
H-D is definitely not the best in the market, with 20k for a cruiser, young people will definitely go to a Ninja, GSXR or a Yamaha R, more reliable and faster.
Obviously y’all don’t know what you are taking😂 don’t get mad just cause you broke
CONFURM
Oh i’m into motorcycles, just not $20-25k ones
clearly u dont need to spend that
Most Harley's are under 20k. Of all the bikes they offer(31), only 8 are over 20K list price.
Brandnew 3 month old 28k bike with 900 miles paid 18 k private....as long as you stay the hell out of dealerships and arent a little broke dick with no money.....there out there
RedneckSpaceMan dealers have too make a profit.......private sellers know they are going to loose....they usually go to the dealer to sell back and get offers of 50 % of what they paid....so its a great market for joe private with real green. Dealer will never come close to a private sale. But if you cant afford to pay cash and need a warraty...pay double or better.
Craigslist special
Harley crowd gatherings are like going to an AARP meeting.
That's funny...and sadly, true. I just turned 70, but I'm still rollin'
John Silver B o r i n g
Bruh
Its the same for the Hotrod Muscle car crowd too
John Silver: I understand where your coming from, at 68 I'm in that group but when was the last time you saw a 68 yr. old remove and break down and remount a rear tire without machinery on a FLHTCUI, granted I don't do that often but I do what I have to,and when you own several it is what it is! When I go to swap meets I don't see many young folks and now I am one of the " grey beards"but 35 years ago we were young and strong " the grass withers and the flower fades" but now wiser"but The Word of God abides forever"! I've had a GREAT RIDE through this life as I am serving a life sentence on planet Earth- - - - and No one gets out alive!Maranatha, Greetings from Tampa Florida 😎
I'm 19 and I wouldn't mind a Harley Davidson but their only problem is that they are so damn expensive compared to the competition then the dealers themselves are assholes to younger customers.
Sushi Moto dude few people start off on a new HD,.most people don't buy their first new one until they hit 30,if you want an HD there are plenty of bikes out there for 5 grand
The street and sportster are less expensive. Also, timing is a big thing for seasonal purchases. Go in and haggle when the dealership is starving for sales. And if the salesman is a douche-nozzle because you're young, say so on the way out...it's how they learn and weed out shoddy sales people.
buy a used one or build an old school chopper
Sushi Moto have you told your parents that you're gay yet
fuzzy wuzzy no, when should I tell them?
If they really want to sell more bikes they should lower their prices.
They are extremely over-priced.
If they lowered the price by 25% I bet they would sell 50% more bikes...
YA SMOKIN JOE.
Smokin' Joe that maybe to late for most of everybody
not only on the bikes, but on the parts as well.
couldn't of said it better, way over priced. and I'm a Harley owner for over 35 years.
I have owned 5 over the last 25 years. I cannot bring myself to buy a new one so I think I'm going to just buy a shovelhead motor, rebuild it, and then build my own chopper... May take a couple of years but should be able to pull this off for less than $10k
I think you forgot to mention the fact that there's also a learning aspect to driving a motorcycle, and most people who are starting out don't start out with a large heavy Harley.
It's true far more than we even realize. A lot of the trouble today can be traced to that import tax HD lobbied for on large displacement bikes. The Japanese were fine with that game, because the real growth in the industry at that time (and this remains true today) was in small displacement, specifically in offroad bikes, that HD was more than happy to cede to them. The Japanese didn't "invade" America. They had every dirt trail in America, and every dirt road in the developing world, served up to them on a silver platter. This is important, because this is where people first learn about motorcycling, typically with a two or four stroke dirtbike navigating trails, dunes, wooded areas and vast fields. America has a lot of them. But Americans have to go to the Japanese big four or European brands like Bultaco, Husqvarna, or KTM to get a machine for them.
Jason Pilula One doesn't ''Drive'' a motorcycle any more than one drives a horse.
Kawasaki EX-500 was a perfect first bike for me.
They last years, because their owners only take them out once a month.
😅
funny but he is right
I guess Harley will need to sell a lot of $40.00 t-shirts.
😂 you mean the Chinese made American flag t-shirt?
they are making considerably more profit on $40.00 t-shirts MADE IN CHINA.
I read somewhere that H-D does almost as well with their merchandising as actual motorcycle sales.
An educated consumer doesn't want to pay $40 for a $5 t-shirt!
@@ringaleavo luckily 40$ is just low enough for most people to buy on impulse when visiting a new location. With the different cities on the back they're often bought as collectibles. I work in a thrift store and we always have dozens in stock and hundreds more we passed on that were too new for our store.
Average wage 1970 $6186 USD
FX Superglide price 1970 $1900 USD
Representing 30.71% of annual income.
Average wage 2018 $56,516 USD
CVO Street Glide price 2018 $37,799 USD
Representing 66.84% of annual income..
They have more then doubled in price relative to income. I would say it’s less about lack of interest from the younger crowd and more to do with the inability to afford to buy one.
@Chadwicked B back when people made $20 per day, inflation was out of fucking sight, so that is not a good metric with interested rates under 4%, back then it was 15% interest
@@stevewyatt3339 I think a major point he is also saying is that it was realistic to save for one or if you did finance to pay off quickly. Also I doubt the average American could get less then 9% on a motorcycle today and more likely 12%.
So by a stock streetglide and save 10k
@@allenhelverson4083 or buy a better metric cruiser.
With the number of used Harleys on the market, often below $4k I'd say the price point is moot as the market for such bikes has imploded.
Had always wanted a HD. Around 1991in my mid 20's I finally had enough disposable income so I drove the 2hrs to the nearest dealership which had only a few used examples on the floor. I was smugly told I could put 25% down and there was a 2 year waiting list , BUT, I could get it in any color so long as it was black. I took my checkbook over to the Kawasaki shop and have never looked back!
lol, that's awesome. "as long as it was black" Yikes!
same reason i would never buy one.
The evo was hot
@@AudreysKitchen That's what she said.
Harley-Davidson the most efficient machine at converting fuel into noise, without the byproduct of horsepower...
Harley Headquarters 40 years ago: "Let's build an awesome bike that people can love!"
Harley Headquarters Today: "Let's design some bandanas, vests and wallets with chains.!"
That is the problem...
POPPASHANGO
Oh you're a riot, Alice!!!
Yup, a t-shirt company that incidentally makes motorcycles also..
well I remember 50 years ago. The "awesome"" bike they came up with was the Superglide. No technical improvements and quite possibly the ugliest bike ever made.
you were not clear.
"Lets sell stuff at 3000% profit made in Singapore, instead of insanely heavy shit that is taxed to the max
Riding gear for the dime store motorcycle cowboy... HD rider is just a wanna be rider who sells his bike after a year of weekend rides to the bar.
Harley should come up with a motorized wheelchair.
HaHaHaHa! The Harley Davidson MALL HOG!
Mall cop Harleys 😆
It would have to be V twin of course :)
$84,000 with the continued 26% mechanical failure within 4 years rate. I can see it
They have, the trikes I see all over the place now days.
Maybe something to do with the fact Harleys are ridiculously overpriced?
Jess Stuart nope?? My 2003 sportster 1200 was $1800... if that’s expensive, you shouldn’t be riding
Jess Stuart NOW your on it.... i have one...
But their not, Yamaha is commanding the same money for their top of the line road bikes. Also, Harleys hold their resale value alot better.
Austin M no.they dont. Lmfao. As soon as your entered into dmv..ur bike drops 2-4g's. And any "custom" or after market parts dont mean squat. No buyer gives 2fux about your style flash n fringe.
Chris Brown I said holds value better. All thing depreciate...
The Harley-Davidson engineering philosophy has always been, and remains: "If it breaks, make it bigger. If it sticks out, chrome it."
spoken by someone who has never owned or ridden one. sweet.
Beautiful...
Lmaooo so true
And....if it won't stop, drag your feet!
I swear my first Harley (46 61 cu in) the front brake was the equivalent of window dressing!
I don't understand why more people don't buy Harley. They offer so much to the customer. You can buy a cruiser, a large cruiser, a different cruiser, and if you don't like cruisers, you can always pick up a cruiser.
Roy Batty the price. I'm looking for my first motorcycle I went to harley davidson and saw the iron 1200. I'm 6'5 so the 883 was kind of uncomfortable. The iron 1200 down here in south Florida is about 12k-13 and after the dealer fees it's going to be around 15k to walk out the door with it. Now while I'm able to finance it, the Yamaha mt 07 is much more comfortable a lot faster even though I dont truly care for speed, more torque I believe, and almost half the price. It's a naked bike so I hear its a lot less in maintenance. The iron 1200 being so expensive and then I still have to move the pegs forward (they quoted me 800 to move the controls forward) because I'm bigger than the normal person. It's just too much to attract a newer ride I believe. Its twice the price of other bikes and probably not twice the bike. I'd hate spend all that on a bike and then drop it.
Sportster is a girls bike. Lol
Because some of us are smart enough to realise they are glorified sofas with wheels compared to real bikes from Japan. Horrible reliability, maintenance costs, association with racist criminal bike gangs etc.
Lol
Did anyone who responded to this actually read Roy Batty's comment beyond the first sentence?
Overpriced.
The image is fading.
Harley gear is make in China.
yep simple explanation. and I'm a Harley guy but not afraid at all to hate on them. after all iv owned everything.
Fool!!!!
@Joseph Marton India makes Royal Enfield 🤦♀️
When I was younger I remember riding on the back of my grandpa’s Harley, great memories. Unfortunately his health has declined too much to ride anymore. Still I can remember the first time I ever rode on one, felt like flying...you’re so close to everything, the wind, the trees, the road. I wish more people could experience that feeling
I think you've completely missed the mark in this one. Inferior products, overpricing, and the uncanny inability to advance technologically are their greatest drawbacks.
Another noob who doesn’t know what he is talking about
@@Iniquityslasher prove me wrong with facts instead of your worthless opinion.
@@Iniquityslasher Prove him wrong, idiot. Or are you just a troll?
slomofo Yes, but you have to admit you cannot beat that ''Locomotive on two wheels" sound.....'Chug, chug'
@@blackholeentry3489 My dad had a Harley when I was growing up (and he still does) and I love that sound, people like me don't need convincing but younger people that didn't grow up with that don't see it that way, they aren't fond of Harley because of that "locomotive" sound and old school looks, they see it as something that should be in the museum beside a steam locomotive. HD needs to figure out a balancing act where they don't throw away their customer base and have something for new people that are fond of that classic Harley while also having something that will attract the new generations.
Well I'm 45 years old and owned a harley since I was 16. I have bought over the years new bikes and rebuilt older. My fav is the EVO engine. Which means I will not be buying anymore
new Harley's. The wife and I raised 3 girls. None of which cares anything about riding much less buying a new harley. So when I die Harley within my family will be dead also.
Solution: never die
I bought my first motorcycle when I was 16 in 1956. By the time I was 28, I had ridden four different Harleys a total of 140,000 miles, my last one being a Sportster. I convinced myself I was raising two sons and should start acting more responsible, so in 1968, sold my last Harley and quit riding. In 1972, my ex Brother in Law rode into my yard on a brand new Honda 750. Of course, I was aware of Hondas, but had paid scant attention to them. Long story short, I took it for a ride and suddenly I was back riding again.
I had just made an expensive move to Oregon for job that didn't work out, so I couldn't afford much, but bought a Honda 350 twin just to have something to ride back and forth to work. Soon, I moved up to a Honda 750 and rode it for years. Then a couple of Yamaha XS 1100's.
My brother made me an offer on his Honda Gold Wing, I flew up to northern Idaho, bought it and rode it home. This served me well for many years, but I eventually began to tire of riding a two wheel truck, so down sized a bit to the Honda XS 1100 and have been riding a pair of them since 1996. Six years ago, I rode my 2002 XS 1100 all around the country on a 16K trek with Key West, FL my first destination and can now say I've been in all 50 states. I am now 78 and still riding and as soon as the rain backs off, I plan on riding to Northern ID to visit my brother, then diagonal down to Pikes Peak and on down to Roswell, NM to visit the UFO museum there and then back to my home in central CA. I know I'm going to have to give it up eventually, but just not quite ready yet.
why?, are you poor?
@@stevewyatt3339 I don't understand your comment. I'm going to be 79 this year....can't ride forever! BHE
a sportster (and I had the best ever sportster) is a BUZZ BOMB and way too slow for modern traffic, a Suzuki Burgman will clean it's clock in a race. The rpm is way too high at speed, because it is a cheap bike, Why would a real biker not get an FXR or an 80 of some sort, if you like those shit bikes?
@@stevewyatt3339 It's been almost 50 years since I've owned ANY Harley, although I've swapped off with friends and rode theirs's mainly because they wanted to ride my ST 1100. I even once rode a new V-Rod. NO Harley I have ever ridden has impressed me since switching to Honda. No crotch rocket has ever appealed to me as I do not like a crouched riding position and even modified my ST 11 for a more upright riding position. And, there is more to riding than drag racing from stoplight to stoplight. (although I do love top fuel drag racing)
I am now nearing 79, am taking one last 5000 mile trip in two months, then seriously thinking about giving it up. In June, flying to Argentina to view a total solar eclipse, my tenth, and the other true love in my life. BHE
Oh, yeah...keep a sharp eye out for low flying UFOs.
@@blackholeentry3489 FZ-1 is similar to your ST1300 riding position. ST is #1 cop bike for a reason, it is best bike period, but big time money, an R6 is still under $10k
HD's are great looking bikes, but expensive to purchase. Not too many young guys have north of $20k to pay for a bike.
Bernard Bober exactly. My favorite harley davidson based on looks is the 18 fat Bob. I dont wanna invest 18k in my first bike. I'm pretty sure its gonna get dinged up. I'd hate to damage that bike.
I agree. I started at 19 with a 350 Honda. Great starter bike and I upgraded to a 400 later. My best bike was a 700 Virago which was next. It had straight pipes and my girlfriend thought it was a Harley.
State farm and the other "old fart" insurance companies will not insure riders under 30yrs old, even though that company policy is implemented with absurd premiums, not rules or statute
they are way too delicate. A drop can be $2000 repair easy. Bikers drop bikes, all the time
paid close to 30 for my roadglide and it was a total pos. i traded a bought and paid for bike towards it and completely lost everything in the deal. It blew the tranny in the first month, factory took all summer to fix, got it back lights didnt work , they screwed the electrical
up fixing the tranny ??? got it back the motor sounded funny took it in they insisted it was my imagination. A month later my motor had catastrophic failure. The scum at the dealer did zero absolutely zero.
95 Road King who looks the same as a 2015 Road King they just don't change but the price keeps going up for the same bike
Norm Ogard....So, do you make the same wages you did 20 years ago?
One huge problem I see:
A few months ago I was having my oil changed at my favorite VW mechanic. They had a copy of one of the Harley magazines sitting there, so I read it. The magazine has a tech advice column. Twenty years ago, those columns told you how to fix things on your bike. Now it's all "take it to the dealer." One of the biggest reasons guys bought Harleys in the first place is they were easy to fix with tools anyone should have. Now you can't fix one at all unless you've got a computer and the Snap-On Guy's number on speed dial. If you MUST have a computer and you MUST have a ton of specialty tools you MAY as well pick a more reliable species of bike from the get.
That's all new bikes
Harley has perfected the engineering feat of producing excessive noise without the benefit of horsepower
Cute!
Forgot the point of having a motorcycle is all speed and horsepower. Go race your rice burner red light to red light
Cam Leborgne
You forget that Harley and Indian started out as race bikes. Google is your new friend. Now, go do some research.
stan broniszewski
I have. It's called 'rusted parts'.
I HAD A 2004 KAWASKI 500 2 STROKE DIRT BIKE THAT HAD MORE HORSEPOWER THAN THAT SHEEEET, AND WEIGHED IN AT 230LBS U DA...……..@@camleborgne6121
Did you know that harley davidsons are the fastest way to convert petrol to noise without the side effect of horsepower.
The more you know....
Will Sherriff that gave me a hearty chuckle haha
Will Sherriff yeah....and the video hasn't even touched on the fact that Harley's have consistently, over the passed 100+ years, been the most poorly designed and engineered bikes in the world.
Barnacle Pete - That's because Harley allows marketing to dictate to engineering. I like to think Harley has (at least) some brilliant engineers who manage to keep an antiquated design alive because that's all marketing thinks they can sell.
Will Sherriff I guess you don't know much. From the dealer floor they're as quiet as a mouse, it's the aftermarket that makes them loud. Oh, just for your info, aftermarket sells to Japanese as well.
barnacle pete not according to consumers reports. I guess your word means more?
Let's see, a bike that weighs over 600lbs, slow, maintenance extensive, overpriced, can't lean, guzzles fuel, tops out at 130, etc. Vs, 430lb, 50-100 more horsepower, double the torque, can drag knee, good fuel mileage, easy to maintain, tops out at 165+, and is up to $10,000 dollars less expensive. Hard choice.
Only juvenile mall ninjas think they need to go faster than 130 mph on a public road.
My cvo 110 will give sport bikes a run for their money
@@K1ngP3tty that will be the day when i ride a crotch rocket cant be comfortable and you guys look like your fuckin a football
while the speedo may indicate 130, over 110 or so is impossible on a stock harley of any sort
@@K1ngP3tty no production harley can top 160 mph.
I think the Harley culture itself is to blame. It's not very welcoming, it's all gatekeepers.. That's why I bought a Honda.
not to mention their bikes are loud and obnoxious kinda like the people riding them
@@MrWassup45 well I ride a straight piped Shadow 750 so I guess I'm in that club too.
@@katebeckinsnail910 do u ride thru residential areas daily?
@@MrWassup45 yeah I live in a residential area, mainly old white people, so a lot of them ride loud cruisers. Usually only the really young kids have anything but cruisers in my area.
@@katebeckinsnail910 well if its common in your area its whatever for most people i guess, i personally hate it since one of my neighbors whos older and retired has to go riding on his loud fucking HD at 6 am every day
Why finance a 20K$ new bike when you can craigslist one that is fairly new for a 1/3rd of the price. There are tons of bikes out there that people want to dump. like you said at first, luxury items go when you need some quick cash. Plus HD wants to charge 480$ for an oil change?!?!
If you're buying any motorcycle, you should be changing your own oil anyways.
I'm not sure Harley riders can even bend down to change oil anymore.
+mystic1754
people like you are exactly why people dont like harleys anymore. your not badass. you never were. you just bought the same thing people who are better than you bought and hoped it made you just as good as them.
NoFace
Take that money and buy a small plane and get a license.
It's cheaper.
NoFace that's not true. I'm impressed by the level of keyboard warrior he is
59 yrs old, riding over 11 years. I like Harley, I wanted one, but ended up with a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 classic. $3800.00. I just can't justify nearly 15,000 for the Harley I liked.
Prices for used Harley's are finally coming down. I had to buy a Yamaha once but finally got back to a Harley. Harley is king if you want to cruise.
James Kaufman 40 years ago I raced Harleys. Sprints and XR's. When Willie G. dropped racing and forced Dick O'Brian into retirement the Company gave up on the performance customer and the newer riders. They will survive this slowdown because there will always be riders that want to be seen on a Harley more than they want to go far or fast or get there first.
Harley might not survive this one. Millenials that buy bikes often want a practical bike that doesn't cost a fortune, hence why those weird, quirky but super practical Hondas are selling like hotcakes, and Harley sales are in slow decline as their customer base dies off.
If you look at the prices for a 3 year old Road King, you'll see that they are going for almost what it sold for new. They really hold their value. My brother just passed away in a car accident, and I am charged with selling his Honda CX700. He paid $12,000 for it three years ago. It only has 300 miles, and the best offer so far has been less that half of that.
harris3693 If that's the first thing you plan to buy when you get a job millinials have gotten poorer educations than I thought
I can’t stand that Harley gear made in china. High price, cheap shit quality. No thanks‼️
$100 for a hoodie made in China is BS. If it were made in Milwaukee that would be a different story.
Gypsyfirefly That’s bullshit you have no idea as to what the fuck your talking about. Stupid people like you give strong companies a bad name
@@dikkiwaynepearson7869 Umm, he is right on dickie.
Everybody's gotta bitch, just ride what you enjoy people.
Came here to say THIS! Doesn't matter what you ride - just get out and put some km's / miles behind you.
Niko Makras so true. I like big sofas like harleys, I like rice rockets and I like over powered adventure bikes even though I wouldnt dare taking one off road. I like two stroke dirt bikes but I also like big bmw tourers... I just like motorcycles.
1950's Technology at 2017 prices! Why would the tech generation want one.
Spot on!
Web Gem The price of a bike is the price of a Full sized sedan
Harley are now one of the very few bike manufactures to make all their bikes fuel injected... So not really behind anyone else in terms of tech. If I wanted Bluetooth and a computer on the road, I would drive my car.
FXD Tyler how many 18yr old would say the same thing? they want the tech, and they want the coolness. two things harley is slipping with.
I get what you're saying, but all other bike manufactures have all the hi-tech USB ports and Bluetooth and whatever else. Harleys are raw bikes and that's how they should stay. I just want to get on and ride. I don't want to fuck around with a computer making sure the bike is in the right setting for what im doing. Harleys will happily bob around the city, doing wheelies and burnouts and then travel across the county without changing the bike in anyway. There aren't many manufactures out there these days sticking to that tradition of having a raw bike.
I ride a Kawasaki...... it cost me $1500 less than a similar Harley. I just summed up the problem with Harley in a hell of alot less time than you took. The basic issue is people don't have the money to spend when they are younger on expensive Harleys and when they get older they are now wiser about how they spend their money. Harley captured a larger market share back when there were fewer competitors, but now there are many choices and more people are choosing more bang for the buck.
I bought my kawaski Vulcan 650 for 1500 was on sale for 5,000 traded in my quad that I don't ride anymore to get it to 1500 and bam brand new bike for just over 1000 dollars it's a sport cruiser and is faster then Harley's and I love it
mark maj your argument is weak. Thats all YOU found. You prob coulda got a better Harley than w u paid for same price. Ppl do find THE DEAL . all the time. And obviously your not a Harley guy. You opted out for a rice burner made out of chinese plastic. CarryOn .sadshit.
ATVoffroad i encourage you to ride 120-200mph ALL THE TIME.👍 btw..a cheap harley can do 120no problem. More than fast enough. But..we buy em to ride. Not to run to get smokes.
Mark makes an excellent point. It's value for money, and it's been decades since HD was even close. Once the Japanese manufacturers moved out of the small bike category and competed directly with large dressers of their own- all HD had left was nostalgia. That's also why their dealerships became 80% tank tops and t-shirts. Because the BIKE isn't the reason the HD brand exists any more. The bike has become far more of an accessory than having matching leather bandana and logo'd underwear.
mark maj just imagine the scale of competition coming from Japan, India and China, cheaper motorcycles with an acceptable speed rate and good design.
I own a Harley Softail Deluxe.
I just purchased a new Honda.
I'm selling the Harley.
The Honda is so far superior in so many ways.
Yeah....I would say that Harleys are overrated.
anything is superior to Harley softail. they are for posers, not riders.
It's all good. You do you. I'm sure with those Boston intersections, cornering is a big concern, and I know what you mean about the cornering on the VTX. My old man had the VTX...the 1800cc version with the fuel injection. That VTX's wheelbase was just loooong, and the twin was so big it would beat you to a pulp if you didn't downshift it at low RPM. Dad used to take my Valk (still have it) out every once in awhile and say how much easier the Valk was to corner. But that VTX was a great bike on the highway though. I never got blown around, not one inch, by trucks, or high winds, or anything when I was on Bubba (my nickname for the VTX because of the sound it made). Different strokes (and bores). It makes the world interesting.
Harley finds it self in the same position Cadillac was in. A loyal following that was dying off. Cadillac has to reinvent itself to compete with Audi and BMW. Triumph has modem bikes as well as classic bikes that’s likely the path Harley needs to take .
Nope, gotta go back to it's roots. Why compete? Cadillac tried and failed/flopped, big time. The reality is there are less Harley customers than in the past, adapt or die. The new "little" bikes have also flopped.
www.google.ch/search?q=harley+davidson+naked+bike&rlz=1CAASUL_enCH795CH795&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjhjauC1LXdAhXOh6YKHYBbDtUQsAR6BAgFEAE&biw=1536&bih=727#imgrc=XXz9uuA_Uu8TFM: well its not a daytona but still....
Harley had Buel which was great but then they canned Buel which was dumb. What Harley should do now is release a fast street tracker based on their XR750. Indian is releasing a street tracker and it's fucking sick. The sportster is a perfectly adequate and modern bike but Harley neglects it in favor of fat touring bikes for retards.
They need to try and advertise more to the younger generation (Through TV, FILM, RADIO, RUclips ADS, GOOGLE ADS, Bing, MAGAZINES, BILLBOARDS!) they also need to do more modern bikes yes I know they do the V-Rod (which is great BTW!) but that is 1 bike they need to do more modern/futuristic style bikes like all Electric and Hybrid Bikes & Trikes!
Ya good idea. Make futuristic style bikes like Victory (out of business) and hybrid/electric bikes (that no one buys). Trikes... well Harley is pretty much the only major manufacturer that sells trikes. No one likes trikes. All the engineering on all their bikes is "modern." It's not the same harley as 1968... I don't know why people keep saying this shit. What do you want them to do? Make a crotch rocket like everyone else? No one is buying those either.
I think you missed the number 1 reason HD (and other) motorcycle companies are not appealing to the younger generation. The freedom you feel on a motorcycle out on the "open road" is the greatest thrill for a rider. Our modern day roads are no longer "open", they are interstate or urban traffic light ridden mazes. I don't like that kind of riding and can't blame anyone else who doesn't. The days of the open road, even country roads is nearly over, never to return.
If you want open roads you have to leave the city. You may not get curves, depending on where you live, but those open country roads are still there.
Carl McCoy you must live in the city, every outside of metro Atlanta in Georgia is the middle of nowhere (as for the rest of the south)
Yeah, I have to travel an hour to get to the "open roads" and of course an hour through stop and go traffic home. 2 hrs of not so enjoyable time to get to how ever many hours of really good riding time.
Basically I need all day to get my fun. Didn't used to be that way. Kind of funny, I used to be willing to commute an hour to and from work, now no way. I "commute" to good riding territory now, but don't have as much time to do so because of the commute. When I get past the work phase of life, I will move to more rural for sure, If it is still there.
ALSO, the majority of people live in urban, city places (that is why they are urban) and as such the majority of people have to commute to open roads. In other words, the majority of people are not candidates for riding cruisers. Cities and urban sprawl is taking over.
Take a Harley for a test ride. When the excitement of the noise wears off, your left with a underpowered hard to stop, shinny look at me mobile. Not worth the price tag.
marko308 the Vrod. but it's the fastest Harley bit still slow compared to some of the other bikes. and Harley doing away with the Vrod
took my first ride on a Harley in the 60s. Still riding them and excitement still there
What? They got rid of the VRod? I loved the VRod. That's the 1 I want. Meh perhaps it wasn't roary enough for people. Cause that's the thing about Harly. That Roar. Could you pop a weely with a VRod? Or was it still too heavy?
Hamit Campos 700 lbs and like almost 9ft long. It's Vtwin so with after market exhaust it roars, crackles and pops. It's also the fastest bike ever made stock. maintenance cost is super low, li le nothing ever goes wrong with them. ppl speculate Porsche didn't renew contract with Harley on the Vrod.
Daniel Udovenko dude what are you on? Its nowhere the fastest bike stock at any point in time. Ever.
PRICE is the #1 reason, requires a ‘certain’ mechanical ability on average and the change in demograhics (as was stated) with the younger generation. ALL this applies
they're to expensive to attract a younger crowd i'm 22 and love the 48 and 883 two of there smallest bikes cost 8 - 10k that's a huge investment compared to 4k for a yamaha r3
Life on the Low true I'm 20 but my dream bike is an Indian scout
current driver v star 650
Life on the Low get one used,usually they go and change the pipes and put the money in it then you go buy it for 3000 and then small touches you want,I got mine in parts at an extremely young age and put parts together
Life on the Low exactly how I feel man. that's why I went for a Honda haha
got my first bike when i was 18 2012 HD iron 883 as my own graduation present worked three jobs to afford it, had it for nearly 5 1/2 years then traded it in for a 2017 HD lowrider S a 19,000 bike , age isnt a issue its more of how much effort you put into yourself to make those goals and dreams, i also used to own a 06' kawasaki zx10r , and i still prefer a cruiser over a sportbike a lot more comfortable for long trips. so dont let age throw you back, its more of an excuse than anything, i even own a old 68 plymouth as a project car and put thousands of dollars into the build dont let anyone tell you age is a problem of owning something you would love to have in your life. push hard enough and you will get there! guaranteed! P.S. im 23 now ;)
Life on the Low r3 handles better and higher top speed for when your gf txts you to say home alone.
#1 problem - $$$$$
I think most bikers would applaud a considerable price increase as long
as the quality is kept or increased, like Chrysler did w/the hemi
Hellcat, or Demon, same as modern Vette or Mustang. Get it together and
build the dream worth owning Harley!!! And the public will gladly buy
your bikes even at a hefty sticker price.
I don't understand this claim of HD being expensive...? I mean sure if you want to get a CVO...but that's not the only model they produce. The sportsters are great bikes in the same price range as other brands for a similar style. I paid more for my Triumph Bobber than I paid for my Harley, for example.
The problem with Harley Davidson is that it is the best 1933 technology money can buy.
107 CU aka 1700 cc Harley Fat Boy $18k 1800 cc Yamaha Raider $15.2k. Thats why they're considered more expensive. Triumph and Ducati are probably the only ones more or as expensive as Harley.
I'm a millennial and enjoy riding bikes. Have been looking at HD's, and the only one that catches my eye is the Fat Bob. I'm not loyal to a brand, so I'm going to move on. It's simply too much money for what it is, IMO.
I'm not buying a Harley because it's an old guy's bike. They think offering sportsters is the solution, but the problem is the old guys who haven't died yet give shit to the new guys for buying a "girls bike". HD thinks they can appeal to both customer bases simultaneously, but so far it hasn't happened, and I'm not even sure it's possible until all the angry old crusties die off.
Ben Dover soo true , i live in phoenix az , and lots of old heads call my bike "womens bike" but seriously ?? cbr600rr is a womens bike ?? lmao ok
george castro they are saying that because the Harley riders have no other way to insult you. They know their bikes are over weight garbage.
Ben Dover LOL sometimes a company's biggest obstacle is their existing customers. At this point they should spin off a new brand that is for a younger crowd.
Texting and smart phones is killing motorcycles. I love my motorcycle but its scary as shit to ride when other people are texting in their car.
Wayne Smith good for you. Try harder.
I have a 2000 BMW R1150GS, 2000 Honda ST1100, and a 2007 Harley Super Glide. The Honda and the BMW are far better bikes at whatever test you want to put them to.
Harley needs to stop coasting on its name and build a better product. I doubt I'll own another Harley for this very reason...i get more for less from other companies.
Harley is just way off with their prices. The Kawi Vulcan comes in 650, 900, 1700 and is cheaper with better tech. For a little extra speed and sleek look you have the Suzuki boulevard. If you want CC then the Triumph rocket with 2200+. Star Venture and Honda Goldwing for $25000 that compete with $40000 Harley.
Harley's are an american icon. They are expensive though. When I was 18 I bought a 71, CB750 it was three years old and a wreck. I rebuilt it, put 50,000 Miles on it and sold it for 2nd year tuition. Now 45 years later I ride a 1979 yamaha XS1100, cost me $700.00 It will outperform most harleys (11.7 - 1/4 mile). Harleys are $23,000+ new and even used still too expensive for me and without the performance. I'm just one guy who loves motorcycles but can't justify the price of a Harley.
BECAUSE THEY ARE JUNK IN COMPARISON
It appears the younger generation is on to HD's overpriced con game. They also seem to reject the Harley image, they know clowns when they see them.
Stu glenn You might want to watch your big mouth . A lot of m.cs ride only Harley davidson . Their not the kind of people you want mad at you .
@@bradhardy2629 apparently they're also not the type of people that can type a coherent sentence
@@snapcountersteer duhhh okay lol .
Brad Hardy bahaha ok boomer.
Brad Hardy oooooh we’re shaking in our boots
I remember there was a bike drive by in my town and it was all old people, someone standing by me said it was because only the retired are the only people who can afford it. I looked into getting a motorcycle but on my income it's really not feasible. Surely if young people used to drive them then they used to be cheaper
Young people are priced out of buying them. They would need to price drop 80 percent to capture them. In 30 years say Adios Harley.
Not likely. Young people buy used or another brand. If they grow financially, they'll buy what they like. Besides, a Street or Sportster is comparable to other brands of bikes from a cost perspective. A premium brand doesn't need to water down their premium product to satisfy the income constraints of people not in the premium market.
Young people have less earning power than their parents due to graduating into a recession and a "recovered economy" that has 40% of college grads taking jobs with no degree required. Earning power has been set back a decade by failed recovery policies. Very few can buy what they want.
While that may be true. It isn't likely to support the assertion that HD will be gone in 30 years. Many first time buyers are in their 30's. That's hardly young when taking the number of cars or other motorcycles younger riders will have had an opportunity to buy. They are still posting growth and have expanded their model lines. The entire industry is going to have to change. Even Victory, with their well priced models could not stay in the game.
I say in about 20 years they will go bankrupt, and beg the Fed gov. for a bailout
David Geldberg Not even.
My brother used to work at a hotel that hosted an annual HOG Rally and those bikers were the kindest and most hilarious guests they had.
As long as everyone around them is white
...And republican
The butthurt that emits from you...precious
@@SSchithFoo ...and straight.
Harleys are not my favorite bike. But it is true, the Harley owners do far more charitable rides and community activities than any other motorcycle group in my area. So Thank You to them.
The problem is HD comes down to cost. They are just too damn expensive. And made in the USA is a lie. most of the HD parts today are made in China.
Mike Simpson I haven't fully researched this, but my understanding is that Harley no longer sports a "Made in USA" tag. Anyone know if this is true?
2017 Street Glide compliance sticker has two logos - Union Made in USA and United Steelworkers.
Thanks for the clarification
Louise Sochacki so I guess the frame is made in the USA? last I had read , 85-90% of the parts on harley are not made un the USA. and union assembly workers have driven up the cost considerably
Harley Davidson make the engine, frame, steel bodywork, paint, assembly and finishing in the USA. Other components are made by specialist companies, like brakes and hydraulic clutch by Brembo, Italy; suspension by Showa, Japan; alloy wheels by Castalloy, Australia, etc.
Last time I was at a Harley dealership, I saw a couple of electric motorcycles there. I think that's a cool idea, and something that might help get young, urban-dwelling folks interested in motorcycles, too.
You also have to remember that, at least for my generation, want either dirt bikes because of how fun they are or street bikes that go way faster than Harley's
Also dirt biking is getting way more popular than street riding is because street riding is very dangerous
Well I started riding dirt bikes at twelve and moved up to street bikes later at about sixteen.
Yup
Seth Hamilton Yup.
Harley put their name on dirt bikes (afaik one was a ccm-Armstrong for the military and the other an Aemacci)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_MT350E
www.adbranch.com/harley-davidson-magazine-ads-from-1970s/harley-davidson_sprint_sx350_1972/
My guess: those were to expensive to compete with the Japanese and their constant development; on the other hand dirt bikes may water the prestige of the brand
"Harleys are known for being large and powerful". I thought they were known for being unreliable and overpriced. And who really wants to drive an ancient OHV large-displacement V-Twin whose primary mission is to shake itself apart? Those bikes are for people who believe in the brand, while the actual product is zero percent compelling to the unconverted (like 45).
There is new motor out Milwaukee 8. Not much vibration.
Powerful????? a 1690 cc Harley makes 56 hp my Yamaha 1290 cc makes 145hp!
MrJimmy1437 yep!! Even my 05 Kawasaki 636 makes 115hp.
Horace Hogsnort a sportbike can be geared for torque also. The fact that a 599cc inline 4 can produce more power overall than a 1700 v-twin just proves it's outdated inefficiency. I'm pretty sure if a sport bike had a 1700cc inline 4, it would be crazy. Well over 200 hp and twice that for torque.
Horace Hogsnort torque only matters if your are towing something like a huge trailer or heavy load. HP is the ultimate measure of performance. So unless you plan on towing a trailer with your Harley, torque is a useless stat.
I agree with 60 % of your video the other 40% here goes. I've ridden motorcycles for over 40 years ,all Japanese , all reliable!. When I turned the big 50 I bought myself a 2016 street glide special, when the bike had 1500 miles the right saddlebag fell off and two of my friends riding behind me almost got hurt (UNACCEPTABLE) . In other words in over 105 years building bikes they haven't figured out how to secure a bag !!!.
After a dispute they agreed to replace bag. It's been three weeks and no bag yet !
This is how you lose business!
oh no a bag fell off, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. secure the fucking bag yourself dipshit, not rocket science. the left saddlebag still hanging on so i'm quite positive they know how to secure bags, your left one is proof. quit bitching about little things, that's honestly nowhere near a big deal. how many harley riders out here and their bags have never came off LMFAO you sound like a tool. you're were just one of the unlucky ones, shit happens. my friends R1 shitted on him the first week he bought it, doesn't mean everybody's R1 is shit. and that's much worse than a fucking saddlebag falling off, what kind of petty bullshit is that. chill out gramps, take your vitamins, and ride on. lol
Terc your not alone! Had my dyna in and out of the shop for electrical issues. two years solid and can't get them to buy it back. I'm 24 and will never buy another Harley.
Terc dude u think harley cares about u no harley has endless amounts off money and they dont give a shit about one guy leaving secure ur bags urself before u ride it isnt there problem or do u want a guy to come to ur house everytime ur ride to come and secure ur shit no fuck off its ur fault and ur problem not theirs
Nick Nieberg part of the Harley experience I guess hahaha
Hey dick lips:
Google HD Whatever- glide bag fell off. Than be prepared for several hours of reading.
Its so bad that owners have had to come up with their own systems for securing their saddlebags.
Nice quality and engineering , Harley.
How about the cam chain guides that grenade at 28000 miles?
Next time know what you are talking about before you run your mouth and call people names, fan boy.
I have a 1985 Honda V65 Magna. It runs circles around modern Harley Davidsons!
You should be proud
I also have a 1985 Honda V65 Magna! It's my first bike, and holy hell do I love it. 600lbs, 1100cc engine that gave 116HP new. It's a monster of a bike and I love every aspect of it... except that damn exhaust collector, what a pain in the ass hahaha
Put ten grand grand with your title and ill own your ass at the end of a quarter mile,daily rider
Ahhh, the BIG Magna! Almost got one myself. Hard to find one in good shape. Legend has it that it was so dang powerful at the crank, it shredded straight through second gear. Has a lot of features that were ahead of its time, like the battery gauge.
I owned a stable of motorcycles for years. Harley’s, other U.S. v-twins even Boss Hosses. Sold them all in the course of a couple of years. Too many texting drivers and other assorted distracted drivers have made riding too risky for me.
Yes. Self-driving cars will save your soul. Your body not so much. Just ask the woman who was walking across the street in Tempe. Oh wait, you can't because the car ran over her and she is now dead. Who didn't see this coming? Well, I guess she didn't.
literally one person has been killed so far from self-driving cars, that's nothing compared to 3,287 people killed every day by human drivers, it's easy to see that self-driving cars are immediately safer than humans. this is something that happens whenever something new comes out, we watch until it fucks up and than make a shitstorm even though something that's been around a long time is 100000x more deadly.
After 30 years a Harley rider I bought a Gold wing. At almost 60, my wife and I wanted comfort and the ability to listen to the sounds around us (or tunes) as opposed to the pipes. We don't care about status anymore and really like the wing. Don't' get me wrong we loved the Harley at the time, but I guess you could say we graduated.
Ace Burns I love Goldwings
Valiant Videos - There's no graduating from a Harley Davidson? You've never heard of Arlen Ness, Billy Lane or any other custom bike builder.
i would say you grew up
All my Gold Wing friends always say, " once you ride a Gold Wing, you won't want to ride any other bike".
I have ridden several Wings....and they are right. Still have my Vstar 1100, but a Wing is in my future.
Who else is going on a company man watching spree
I started with watching airplane videos when his Pan Am video came up. Now I'm in too deep . .
Me.
me
Matthias McCune me
Japanese manufactures sell quality bikes for half the price
the reason I will never own a Honda is because I once owned a Honda. EVERY one of my Harley's has been more reliable.
Eh depths on the bike
I love my Yamahas. I own 3 of them. Great cheap well made bikes.
@@evilsideracing you fool !!!!
subvet657 The most reliable thing on earth is Honda.
Not many young folks are interested in motorcycles these days, not here in the US at least. I'm soon 65, commute almost every day on my motorcycle, don't see many bikes. Harley are super$$$$$, very heavy, loud, not very fast, why would any young person want to spend $20k or more for such a thing? Yeah I think they'll be going downhill fast.!!! Today's young people are all into tech, don't have good jobs, and don't care about motorcycles. A lot of them ride scooters.
You're basically buying a brand new antique motorcycle.
Your a real ass wipe. you don't know what the fuck your talking about. what makes it an antique? what, cause it's a V-twin What? It's definitely not an antique. but it is their stupid assed best they can do. far from antique, just no reliability.
Well said. Under-powered, over priced & unsafe compared to other bikes. I did consider one; did the research. Asked the company some questions in EMail & they did not even bother to reply.
ANTIQUE = BADASS
Heavy, loud, slow, obsolete tech, overrated and overpriced.. Youre just buying the name and the "heritage"..........
@@MikeMiller-fc2cc But that is how everyone who knows anything about bikes, but isn't a HD owner already, sees them, so that is the very cornerstone of HD's marketing problem.
Pfft, 50 years driving bikes (45 legally) and I have NEVER had any inclination to a Harley. They're slow, they don't handle, the cornering clearance is tragic and they are silly overpriced. I think these issues might have more to do with it.
I tried a sporter years ago it steared like a,tank,low tech crap
@@nor4277 I rode my friend's 883 back in the 90's. It was a good 1960's era $1,800 bike. Too bad it was a 1994 model that he paid about $6,000 for. Parts did literally fall off.
Started riding late twenties in 1982 just prior to the 750cc embargo/tariff applied to the imports. Sat on a new idling 883 at a dealership about that time....couldn't afford one at all...got a 1976 Suzuki GT500 never once looked again at those gaudy chrome encrusted things. More Suzukis and a Kawasaki since...I'm sixty-two & I guess I fall outside the demographic "norm" ...won't ever ride such overweight beasts...looking at a 1995 Honda CB1000 these days...a "standard" style, 100HP worth, & about $4K to buy, value, style, engineering...something HD has none of...
i started riding in the early 70's. just bought a clean road king for 3 thousand. used harley's are getting cheaper all the time, stop looking at new bikes and check out craigslist, many can be had for under 5 thousand.
@@murph55 I check in on Craigslist at least once a day. I've noticed the price of used HD's are falling, especially the customized & clone models.
One thing the narrator did not mention is the tremendous used market for Harleys. Its dwarfs the new bike market.
Old Harley riders heading for retirement homes or deceased estate sales probably account for quite a few of them.
Bought my Harley used. Most fun I have had in 40 years. Paid $6000 for a 1999 Low Rider with 8500 miles on it in 2016. Will buy my next Harley used also.
Newer Harleys do not leak, maintenance is about the same as my 2004 Subaru Outback, vibration levels are low, best mileage was 42 MPG.
Now the bad.
Handling is slow; this is not a crotch rocket.
Durn thing weighs too much.
The inherent design of the Low Rider gives you no extra space to pack things. Very few makers of saddlebags will make a set of bags that give you room like a ........say Softail set of bags.
You must research the bikes to find the right fit for what you want. This is why there is such a glut of low mileage Harleys on the market. That and the first time you make too sharp a turn in a parking lot.
BANG!
Now you have to pick that beast up.
All Harleys are basically cruiser bikes. If you want to go fast,............buy Japanese or European. If you want to set back in the rocking chair and watch the scenery go by and feel good about your bike, buy a Harley. People will ALWAYS come up and oogle it and ask all kind of questions.
The cruiser market is in the same place the car market was.Back in the day import cars were cheap but viewed as low standard and inferior to American vehicles...nobody view them as a threat.Then the big three got complacent and stopped innovating making crap lemons while charging top dollar.Then imports quietly crept up improving,quality,power,looks,and reliability and surpassed them.Then American cars were viewed as inferior.They are making a comeback slowly.
I see Harley Davidson going throught the exact same thing.These import cruisers are serious contenders.HD still has the name but consumers are getting smarter.And other import brands catch loyal customers a lot younger by naked bikes,sportbikes,starter bikes,sumos,groms ect.
The exact demographics HD does not appeal to anymore.
I buy American vehicles to support americans, this why there is no industry left in america
Julian Crooks I did buy one An EBR 1190rx made in Wisconsin.They went under meanwhile Harley is trying to buy Ducati...smh
Actually there's more manufacturing than you think. We're very close to a record high. However, you don't need as many people to produce, when productivity goes up need for employees goes down.
Domestics autos have not improved at all. Still dumbshit problems . I work on them every day.
Julian Crooks where is your American car built? I buy American built cars as well they are Japanese. All about resale and reliability!
They need to make a true entry level affordable model. If Harley were to make something Honda did with their Rebel 300 remake for 2017, but made it more sporty, it could potentially grasp a new young audience. The Street 500 is just too intimidating of an entry model for a new rider, not just because of it's power and weight, but it's price. They're asking Italian Sportsbike money right now.
If Harley Davidson really wants to get some exposure they need to build a bike for MotoGP and compete on an international level, if they can win world championships against the best of the best the motorcycle world has to offer it'll give their bikes a more sporting image that can be backed up with some serious results and they'll get those customers who currently ride japanese sport bikes coming in to buy theirs.
Doing that would give them an excuse to build smaller sport bikes that would be a better fit for entry level riders/buyers because they'd have to compete in the junior formulae (GP125/GP250/GP500) in order to compete in MotoGP.
I thought the Street 500 had a seat height that was too high for a new rider.
Remember Buell ??
mike anderson I fucking loved Buell. Harley needs to bring that shit back, but with more entry level friendly level models.
mooosse g The reason Harleys are so expensive is because dumb fucks will pay that much.
All that noise without the side-effect of horsepower.
@@opiumtrail7032 yeah yeah.ive got a 1995 1200 and a 2002 cbr 600.totally different things and both fun.the harley'll leave the cbr standing at legal speeds.i know its twice the size,but very old tech,one carb,pushrods etc.its also twice as heavy.its just fun.easy to work on to.changing a plug on a cbr is a nightmare.its basically a classic bike and pretty nippy for something from the 50s
It's not about power. It's about a lifestyle and what the customer wants
@@opiumtrail7032 speak for yourself.
they have huge torque, which is why they can smoke most sport bikes off the line
modern 114" is no noise maker, but in the old days you were right on the money. A modern harley will waste a hayabusa off the line, so they apply a lot of torque in a hurry, and it is easy enough for most riders to perfect the launch move , which is a recipe for a very scab-filled backside on a sportbike
Super Expensive for what you get - my 2003 V-Rod was 18k, I bought it used for 11k, sold it 3 months later after I realized its brakes were shit, and it handled like a brick
In the '70s Harley was going bankrupt, being crushed by the import of Honda Gold Wing 1000s and other large Japanese cycles that were well engineered and thousands of dollars cheaper. Harley got a big bailout and tariffs were also raised on the imports. Without those, Harley would've been dead 40 years ago. Just a piece of history for you all.
wheren't they owned by a company also known for making... bowling balls of all things?
THERE WAS NO "BAILOUT"......HD never asked for, nor received any government money... Just a piece of history for you all.
BEAR really go ask Warren Buffet
The truth is if it wasn't for AMF harley would have died long ago , AMF kept the company a float !!!!!!!!!!!!
@@xler8226 that maybe so but it took Harley many years to regain what they once stood for and to regain customer trust. Those AMF branded bikes were of erratic quality and prone to failures.
If you've seen the South Park episode "The F Word" you'd know why Harley-Davidson isn't popular anymore
YES! I was looking for this comment! Best South Park episode of all time! My uncle rides a Harley and I make fun of him. They're all checking you out they must think you're pretty cool!"
@@chrizizdaman My best friend could not wait to show me this episode(he thinks I am nuts for riding a bike at all.) I had to remind him that if he wants to make fun of me he needs to get his facts straight. I ride a 1997 Honda valkyrie not a HD and it sounds like a Porsche not a HD. Overall I liked the episode but I like almost every SP episode.
I ride a Harley and a Goldwing. Saying Harley isn't popular (in US) is like saying the earth is flat. If I see fifty bikes come the opposite way 40 are Harleys. What imaginary reality do you live in?
The problem with Harley is the same problem with the country music industry and Hollywood. They've lost touch with their clientele.
i agree except for country music. as a musician myself i hate today's country, but they are catering to the current clientele. real country wouldn't sell today. harley and hollywood are dying while country music sales are still dominate. sad but true
Steve Slater How is Hollywood dying? It is more popular now than it has ever been. Hollywood has managed to attract the international market.
Actually,your both completely misinformed. Come back to reality.
Eventually they sell them. Lot of leftovers sit on the floor around here. Some get transferred. Ford sells every vehicle eventually as well. They're still junk
Al-Fatih The Great are you that clueless? You gonna tell me Hillary is president next?
HD thinks they're apple. they think they can overcharge because they're a fashion statement, and that only works as long as you can convince the market that your brand is the height of fashion.
If I ever buy a Harley, It'll probably be a used bike from a private seller. I've been into our local Harley Shop with the intentions of trading in my bike and getting a new Harley. The sales guy acted like I was a complete idiot for coming in on a Honda. The Honda was a shadow 750, my first bike. I bought a super cheap bike to learn on so that if I crashed it, I wouldn't be out a lot of money. Makes perfect sense to me but the guy had nothing good to say about me or my bike. Treated me like absolute trash, I left and explained to the manager that I was not happy with the service before walking out the door. I returned again and dealt with a second salesman who also acted like I was stupid for not starting with a Harley. Ultimately, this led to me going down the street and picking up a Yamaha. I refuse to buy a motorcycle from someone who belittles me merely for riding the wrong brand of motorcycle. On the up side, Harley's actions saved me enough money that I got the Yamaha and was able to keep the Honda. Still have less money in the two bikes than I would have in a single Harley. Thank you Harley-Davidson for saving me some money.
Know the feeling...
The RUclipsr "OpenRoader" made a video about the same experience in a HD shop. He went and bought an Indian Scout - no regrets.
Why in the HELL did Harley-Davidson not hang onto Buell Motorcycles. Buell had the Pulse of the younger Generations and was gaining a real foothold in the Younger market place. Which as these Young People got older and more affluent, would have bought Harley's...
Well said I was more into buell then harley
@@alanbstard4 they could have developed it further.
Agreed! Biggest shoot in the foot, ever.
Yes a great chassis which needed a decent engine , but when it happened it was all 'too late' .
You nailed it !!! I miss Buel
I was next to a young guy in traffic yesterday watching his Harley 883 front wheel shake when he came to a stop...lately I've seen plenty of young guys riding Harley's. I was never really into bikes but I suddenly want one of those HD softails.
I have a bunch of Japanese bikes, including vintage and modern sport bikes. I recently added a Buell and a Sportster Roadster and I have to say I like those both very much. I do my own wrenching and with no valves to adjust, chains to lube, sprockets to replace, or radiators to adjust, my riding to wrenching ratio is excellent. Those bikes to me are like a 60's muscle car vs a sport bike which is like a super-car.
Motorcycles use to be cheap simple transportation. Overproduction and overpriced is what is killing harley. They should have have remained a small niche company. Now Harleys are a dime a dozen. And they are one of the most uncomfortable bikes to ride. They should have come out with another design similar to the old Vincent motorcycles. Instead they just kept making them bigger and klunkier, and more expensive. Good way to run a company into the ground.
Spartaeus
Bigger and Klunkier like your bitch, eh mate?
Hamburgers used to be cheap and simple too. Overproduced and under flavored but you still buy them.
Ralph Goober brand loyalty is what we want. Ppl buy other brands of bikes and still customize them to look like a Harley. No Lil buddy that’s a Honda buy a Harley.
mph, remembered back in 1962, the Sportster sold new for $1,600.
That South Park episode ruined there image lol
that has always been their image as displayed in south park, other people just don't like it
MrSquaky loved that south park episode cause it let the Harley riders know what everyone else thinks
Nah they were already perceived that way. I do get a nice run on joke out of it though.
MrSquaky COME ON GUYS WE HAVE TO MAKE MORE NOISE
VRUUUMMMMM VRUM VRUM
3:10 The motorcycle enthusiast doesn't really care about fuel efficiency. The bigger problem is the shift in bike culture. Back in the old days, people wanted big fast straight line speed motorcycles and Harley was quick to offer those. Nowadays we want nimble higher tech monsters like GSXR's and R1's and dirtbikes and dual sports . The old generation grew up on war bikes, but the new generation grew up on MotoGP and MotoX.
Then why is it most of the biker guys I'm around always recommend Japanese sport bikes to start on? People daily tf out of them too and mod them to hell and back and they still take a pounding. I'm Indian (moved to the US but it's still there), we ACTUALLY use bikes every damn day, and everyone either rides Japanese or Indian brands, so much for "cheaply made" if it can withstand India's trash roads. I respect tf out of all older models (old school is best always, I owned an AE86 until recently)
It seems I exaggerated a bit but I was basically getting at harley's main audience is not in the market as much, and literally every biker I talk to is a sport bike/standard rider and I don't know many bobber or cruiser rider and the ones I do usually mainly ride a sport bike
"Back in the old days, people wanted big fast straight line speed motorcycles and Harley was quick to offer those." Except they really DIDN'T offer them. They offered torquey cruisers. The British invasion got US riders interested in handling. The Japanese got Americans interested in reliability over REBUILDABILITY which are very different things. Serious HP arrived with the transverse Japanese fours.
Bring back the old days of biking
Harley's problem is that Japanese bike are better all around; and cheaper. Road Star forever.
What's a road star?
I will still be riding my Softail when that Road Star is rusting in the weeds.... 10 years from now, I can rebuild my motor, while that Road Star, you will be lucky to find a wheel bearing for it. I also find it funny, they modeled their bike after the Road King, and called it a Road Star, but the older you bike gets, the harder it becomes to find parts. If I had a 38 Knuckle head, (and I wish I did have one) you could find any part you need for it...
Their cheapest new bike is just a few grand under a brand new, cheap *car*. That's a _huge_ issue that they need to fix.
what some of the bikes arent that expensive, the large ones are expensive but the roadsters/sportsters costs like 10 grand
I think the death of the middle class is the primary culprit
hard to buy a bike when you can barely afford a small house and you are still paying off all that college debt.
Doug T So do you think tuition should be free?
No.
I bought my first motorcycle which is a Harley Davidson iron 883 January 2018 when I was 64 years old never rode a motorcycle in my life got my license put 2600 miles on it in 11 months and loving it
Chicago Chi I’m taking riding lessons this month and looking at bikes. I really want my first bike to be a Harley Breakout.
Harley's are fucking annoying, pisses me tf off everytime they come down my street and destroy my ear drums.
Sounds a lot better than the crying baby a sports bike makes. shit annoys me way more than a deep growl of an exhaust. And before anyone starts. No I don't ride a Harley I ride a Victory.
welp you can buy a v-twin outside of the American market, only problem is that Harley doesn't like it when the Japanese make a V-Twin bike better than them
The REAL PROBLEM is in their quality. I purchased a brand new 2016 HD XL1200CX Roadster, and at 1,748 miles, a bolt came off inside the rocker and caused significant damage to the interior of the engine. This was my first Harley, but the experience has been so bad, it will also be my last.
As a 25 year old motorcyclist, I believe I have a bit of perspective. The reason I don't ride a Harley has nothing to do with power, efficiency, technology, are really anything else mentioned in this video. I don't ride a Harley because I simply don't like them. Others in my age group don't like them either. That sounds a little silly, but generally we 20-somethings are not interested in a big, loud, slow, mostly Chinese motorcycle. While many Japanese motorcycles also have Chinese parts as well, Harley touts "American Heritage" more than anything in any of their marketing. Sorry, but we're not stupid. They say American Heritage because they can't say made in USA because not enough of the parts are. I'd sooner buy a Japanese bike assuming it has some Chinese parts on it and is priced as such instead of purchasing a motorcycle for a company that so desperately tries to convince people it's American when we all know it really isn't. Harley's simply are not cool anymore. For most my age, they're just loud, boring, and annoying when they go by. (and generally riden exclusively by our grandfathers and the mid-life crisis croud) I honestly don't think they'll recover. They've relied far too much on the aging customer base(many who are in or were recently in their high earning years) who can afford their high prices. They'll keep riding that horse until they go the way of Victory. Perhaps Polaris will buy them at some point.
Sincere question: What is your opinion of the younger riders (Unknown Industries, Lee Stuart, etc) who are stunting Harley Dynas and FXRs? Does this make a Harley more attractive to riders under 35?
mchristr it makes the guys look cool doing that stuff on a heavy ass bike but sport bikes are just all round better cheaper faster more suitable better braking everything
I won't say your stupid but your young. Harley's only have 17 parts made by foreign companies. The motors are make in Milwaukee by highly skilled machinists. The fiberglass parts and assembly of the leathers on the bike are made in Tomahawk WI.,
walleye364 when you put your instead of you're
Thats what happens when you have a phone and small buttons.
Harley makes the new Geezer Glide!
Harley's customer base is aging out. They don't appeal to Millennials.
for Harley to be a future company they need to get over their brand snobbishness. I tried to buy a tire for my Victory motorcycle at a Harley shop and they could not sell me a tire because I had a" non- branded" product. What a crock. I take my bike to a shop that services Victory, Harley, Suzuki, Honda Kawasaki, Yamaha and have spent thousands on tires, tune ups and accessories.
They are not married to any one brand. They will find themselves without a customer base if they continue their current path and not let their dealers have other products or work on other brands.
I'm 68 years old, been riding for 51 years, and riding my 13th bike. Sold my 2005 HD Soft Tail Deluxe and bought a 2015 Indian Roadmaster. With out a doubt the most amazing bike I've ever been on. The Indian dealer treats me like a King. I get 15% off anything I buy for life. Hell they sent me a $50 desk clock shaped like a Indian gas tank just because I bought there produce, then a month later they also send me an Indian belt buckle. Harley never sent me shit. Don't get me wrong I loved my Deluxe but this Indian is amazing.
Um Yea Victory is stopping production of their models.
That is retarded. That is like going to a GM dealer to buy Mopar performance parts for a Challenger. What did you expect?
Something from a Non-American. Here in Europe, we have 3 levels of motorbike licences. They restrict you to a certain amount of maximum power a bike can have. The 3 levels are A1, A2, A with A1 being 125cc bikes at max and A being a licence for all bikes.
The thing is, the A1 is possible to get in the age of 16. A2 is 18 years. Should you want a Harley, however, you are required to get an A licence. This is possible at the age of 24 OR if you had the A2 level for at least 2 years. So - if you decide to move into A territory, it's likely you owned an A2 and even an A1 bike before, for years. These technically could not be Harley's. In Europe, you just never get to drive a Harley because withing the possible 4-6 years before the Harley, you've got to know brands like KTM, Yamaha, Honda... You're not used to a Harley. A Harley would be a downgrade, not as agile, not as fast, not as advanced technically. It just isn't worth considering. Chances are high you bought a used machine for 2000 bucks when you were younger - how are you supposed to want to buy a Harley if it costs you 15000 in used condition. There's no reason, no predetermination, no unique selling point, that could get a European on a Harley.
Some harleys you can get on an A2 restricted, still damn expensive however.
Lennart G.
Don’t feel bad that Harleys are hard to obtain in Europe due to licensing requirements. You’re not missing a thing. It’s actually a good thing. They’re all show and no go... it’s lipstick on a pig, I mean hog.
I have had dozens of motorcycles since the late 60s. I have over 700,000 miles of street riding. I have ridden/ tested every type of Harley there is. I’ve tried to like them, but I just don’t get it. Instead I have owned machines like BMW K 1200 LT, two Yamaha ventures, 4 moto Guzzi’s, and dozens of others like FJ 1200, secs 600, & 550, RZ350, CB 750, XV 920 RH, Kawasaki Z1, Kawasaki 350, 400, 500 triples, Yamaha RD’s, Bridgestone 350, Kawasaki a7
,a1, Kawasaki KLR650, CX 500, Pacific coast,(The Pacific coast actually is the most useful motorcycle I have ever owned)
I’m not even including the dozens of off-road vehicles, road race vehicles, trials bikes, like beta, gas gas, and fantic.
In other words, I’ve had a lot of motorcycles . But every time I test rode a Harley, I just could not pull the trigger and buy it. It was too heavy, too shaky, too uncomfortable, too expensive, and just a disappointment..
You can’t get an honest answer from a hog rider about whether or not to buy one because, he’s in the choir, he would look foolish to speak badly about something he spent way too much money on. So they’re not gonna tell you straight up what it is like to own one.
I think the way that Europe has degrees of licensing in minimum time requirements on certain size motorcycles is the way to go. When I go to motorcycle gathering nights here in the USA, I make it a point to look at the front brake pads on some of these hog riders machines. As unbelievable as it sounds, many of them don’t even use their front brakes. If they had to take a training course and go through different levels to graduate up to larger machines. They would’ve learned that in the beginning.
I have worked in motorcycle shops for many years part time. I saw a Many buyers of new motorcycles never even make it out of the parking lot without crashing their brand new motorcycles. It’s a shame that someone can walk into a dealership here in the USA with no experience at all and buy a motorcycle of any size. We don’t even have to check to see if they actually have a motorcycle drivers license. And to top it off, in my state, Pennsylvania, you don’t have to wear a helmet . Sad but true.
So tell your friends that are envious of Harley riders over there in Europe that they’re really not missing anything at all. It’s an illusion created by Harley Davidson. Very successful at that.
Harley was actually going down for the count in the early 1980s when they hired a businessman to run the company. His name was von Bealls. He went to Ronald Reagan and convinced him to put a tariff on Japanese motorcycles of 45%. That one act, burst the bubble of inexpensive motorcycles forever here in the United States. That was in 1984.. I was a salesman at the time, a 750 Honda that sold for 2999 immediately went to over $4700. The show rooms were deserted. I actually quit my part-time job as a salesman for four years because nobody was buying. Harley said they needed a reprieve so they could take time to invest and upgrade to their product. Which they never did. They bought a golf cart company instead, and motorcycle prices have never come down since then. Every motorcyclist in the United States is still paying inflated prices for motorcycles because of that single act by Harley Davidson. Harley didn’t lower his prices. They promoted sayings with helmet stickers that said things like, friends don’t let friends ride rice burners, or, two atomic bombs were not enough.
Rather than merge and attempt to make motorcycling and motorcyclists come together, Harley actually promoted taking sides/dividing the motorcycle public. And it has been divided ever since..
Now Harley is paying the price for that public relations campaign of dividing the motorcycle public. Sales are plummeting, and there is no next generation of Harley riders.
You have absurd laws with a bunch of liberal fuck bags, with no guns......................there is no worse place to live except the giant toilet known as the middle east
luckily, no shit policies here for bikes
Interesting.
Harleys have a NASTY reputation for being UNRELIABLE! Every single person I know that has a Harley, spends more time taking it to the shop than they do riding.The parts for them are extremely expensive too. While I am on the subject of price, Harleys are INSANELY over priced! Your average younger person now wants something that just works. Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha know that. That's why they sell tons and tons of bikes. They are constantly cramming the latest tech into their bikes, and again, at a fraction of the price of a Harley.
ya, ironically the same simple standards that made Harleys popular decades ago "a cheap, dependable bike that works" are the standards that apply to pretty much every motorcycle manufacturer except Harley these days.
Jeremy H. The old joke was work on your Harley,Monday-Friday so you could ride it on Saturday.
my CBR600rr is a dream. cornering feels like butter, there is just no comparison for having lightness and agility on a motorcycle not to mention inline engines have a broader power range hitting higher speeds quick raises the hairs on your neck
I've been told that the company is like Microsoft nowadays, they really despise their customers, they have no relation at all to the old family owned company, its just a money making machine that will take its dough and invest in something else when demand dies. Thats pretty much why they go on making the same old thing time after time. Oh yeah they change the colour...
Jay Pay a right. a bikes a bike, it's not the little features that make a bike it's the riding that makes it any good. I like my CBR because it goes and it goes good I feel like it's an extension of myself on the road, probably becomes the style is derived straight out of MotoGP.
Over priced. heavy. slow. living on there past reputation. Vast Harley income comes from merchandice. Thay will have to adapt to the modem market to compete .Thay are not the top icon any more in the motorcycle world.
You forgot not reliable. Sounds and looks...only two reasons people buy one.
They're fast enough to kill you.
@@arithia5874 so is my honda 125
I like how my friend put it:
Street Bikes attract the younger women.
Harley's, the older ones.
When i was 40, I rode to Myrtle Beach from Pittsburgh for Bike Week. I had a 22 year old, hot waitress slip me her phone number so I could take her for a, uh....ride. On our way home, we stopped for the night at a hotel in West Virgina. We struck up conversation with a couple of early 30's from Ontario Canada at the bar. Dinner, a few drinks, a short ride and we were in my room. Sorry. you know not what you speak of because none of that shit happened to me while riding my Hondas.
he he. that's very true. i was on a brand new harley once riding with a buddy on a brand new r1. at a stop light a hot young thing yelled nice bike. as i turned to look and say thanks i quickly noticed she wasn't talking to me.
If you ride you'd know that motorcycles only attract other men.
Harley’s are street bikes...
I like to ride both!
Good video as a former Harley rider and being 25 so part of the younger crowd I find the power to be the main trouble it's redline is only 5k and I was always bouncing off it. And the vrod is not the option we want it's so uncomfortable and that fat rear tire is stupid. I went with the Indian scout has the style and look I wanted with all the things a modern machine should have.
That Scout is a nice bike. I'd love to take an Indian for a ride now that I've given the Milwaukee 8 a crack and see how they compare.
Did anyone else notice that the typical '50s Harley rider on the right (also the before in the before and after) was sitting on a TRIUMPH? I'd know that triangular crankcase and those upright cylinders anywhere, even in an old grainy photo like that. Triumph always made the best motorcycles, Harleys are overpriced, overloud, overweight, overdressed and underpowered (despite large displacement engines they just don't produce the horsepower and torque).
Well pric aside, not all riders want to carry the Harley “stigma” (dirty biker outlaw). Also, they’re not reliable. Lots of riders don’t care about looking “cool” to others, they just want a good bike
👍😊👍
From reading the comments below, it's clear that Harleys are still pieces of shit when it comes to reliability. Part of that is baked in to the pushrod V twin powerplant which is a technology that dates all the way back to 1889. Remember how shitty computers were in 1989? well, add another 100 years to that, and you'll understand the difference between riding a 2018 Harley and a 2018 Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Suzuki.
Baby Boomer geezers ride them for nostalgia. My generation's motorcycle nostalgia centers on old Japaneese bikes, not Harleys.
Harley will always occupy a niche market as long as they stay true to their loud, shitty, skull rattling, ill-handling death-trap roots. But if they try to compete on performance or quality they are fucked.
Can you do a video on Blackberry please
Hydratz thats a great idea
I was thinking about that. I'll look into it.
Company Man can you do a video on JC penny and I really like your videos I hope you do really well on RUclips I'm going to show your videos to my frenids
Company Man Yay
yes , and do a video on where rotary phones went? i'll be sitting on my ass waiting to be entertained.
A young person cant spend the price of a new Night Rod or the like. Harley's are expensive, They need to improve some tech of the bikes and make them more accessible.
this is how they lost the legacy angle, right? We agree Harley is bought because it's name recognition. Well, I remember in the 70's dad and his construction worker tough guy buddies all rode. When 1980s rolled around and I was old enough to drive, getting a Harley was out of the question. Way too expensive. But that broke the chain of recognition. 90's teens cant afford them. So 2000's teens would have maybe wanted one if older brother had one, but older brother didn't own one, again, too expensive, 2010 teens look at one and have no personal connection, no older brother, no uncle, maybe grandpa rode one, and so all they see is a loud expensive machine. Name recognition lost.
You hit the nail on the head with 'maybe Grandpa rode one'
one visit to any other dealership and you think ,WTF,those Harley dealers are selling outrageously overpriced antiques.I went to a Harley dealer and then walked into a Yamaha dealer to get some innertubes.Look at aYAMAHA fz09 next to any Harley and it is an absolute bargain let alone 10 times more thrills than any Harley.Just saying.
The reason I have never owned a Harley, and I don’t want one, is I don’t like them. To me, they’re like a 1950’s 6 cylinder ford pickup truck compared with a new Silverado or Ford F1 50 or ram hemi pick up truck of today. But, imagine paying double for a 1950s reissue pick up truck,Just as they made them with a six cylinder one barrel carburetor and no air conditioning.. but beautiful paint jobs, and loud mufflers.
I'll take one. Just add disk brakes, fuel injection, computer, 4 valve with 2 spark plug heads, keyless entry and a lot of other stuff. And the look of a '52 Chevy.