Harley-Davidson dumps Buell

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

Every maker has a V-Twin now, not a novelty anymore.

That's why I ride Triumph! They have NEVER folded to the norm. Case in point, the 2010 Triumph Thunderbird. 1600cc, liquid cooled, 6-speed, belt drive, PARALLEL TWIN!!

Triumph Motorcycles - Thunderbird

Or, Triumph Rocket III. 2300cc, liquid cooled, 5-speed, shaft drive, INLINE TRIPLE!!!

Triumph Motorcycles - Rocket III Roadster

 

[Nick Name]

There's a little old saying: If want to you needlessly fast, buy a jap bike. If you want to pick up chicks, buy a Harley. Who's the sausage now?

That would depend on how you define "chicks"

 

[nick name]

There's a little old saying: If want to you needlessly fast, buy a jap bike. If you want to pick up chicks, buy a Harley. Who's the sausage now?

I was afraid you were going there. You've opened the barn door now.

Question 1: How has the Harley thing worked out for you personally?

Question B: What brands of bikes have you ridden?

Extra credit: Which sounds more like the fart cars you so detest: A "splattering whoopie-cushion" H-D or the "baritone horn playing high C" four cylinder?

And as for the vacuum cleaner thing, I suppose we need to put 4500 rpm chips in all the cars since you don't seem to like the sound of high rpms.

And finally, I don't think it's ever been possible to be needlessly fast.

 

[.]

That would depend on how you define "chicks"

Ain't that the truth! I'd rather have some hot 20 or 30-somethings on the back than some 40 0r 50 year old women covered in tats that look like they've been rode hard and put away wet a few dozen too many times.

 

[Butch]

Ok; So how many of you Bike Experts actually own a motorcycle?
I see, Justin Calkins, Georginna Sams and myself.

And yes it is a Harley. Over the last 35 yrs. of riding, the last 3 bikes have been Harleys after 4 Metrics

 

[riceburner]

I have a 32 year old street bike that I ride every day, push rods and all.
Top end has never been off, sounds like a sewing machine and is a great ride.
Love them BMW's, (I have owned all other makes).

Harley's deal with the Buell was kind of like the strategy for the VROD, knowing the buying public was getting older they needed product that the younger, more savvy consumer will want to buy. It had to be less like their Grandpa's Harley and more like their own. Buell and VROD both fill that bill, now just the VROD.

Times are tough in the motorcycle industry, but, Harley is still outselling everybody else. Problem I can foresee is keeping the billion dollar dealerships open on just T shirt sales.

 

[.]

Ok; So how many of you Bike Experts actually own a motorcycle?
I see, Justin Calkins, Georginna Sams and myself.

Not at the moment, but started riding sportbikes back in 1991. I even managed to eventually make a little GSX-R 750 air/oil cooled engine go into the low 9.70's on motor only and a street tire. I built the engine and did the tuning. Is that good enough?

 

[G'ginna]

There's a little old saying: If want to you needlessly fast, buy a jap bike. If you want to pick up chicks, buy a Harley. Who's the sausage now?

Samuel, there is no such thing as needlessly fast. The coolest bike never picked me up, but it's owner did... it was a 1946 Indian Chief that my friend had rebuilt himself and then used as his daily driver ~ and he worked at the local Harley dealership. There was nothing cooler on the place on any given day. I am not being biased here because he was my friend, it's just a fact. Ducati is not a Japanese bike and it also a cool ride. Like anything, the bike might draw looks, but it isn't the bike that gets the chics. HD made a couple really big, basic business mistakes and they are paying a price for it. Will they survive? Maybe. Maybe not. Sure, they are cool bikes and they have been fun as well, but the world is full of bike builders that are willing to put together something unique and not charge you the earth for the name.

 

[Bill]

>>>"Oh please. At least Harley's and Buell's don't sound like a vacuum cleaner like the rice burners."

Oh please, at least the Jap bikes don't have to have a handicap the size of Mt. Everest to be competitive in Pro Stock Bike.

Do you realize that the antiquated "engineering" (if you want to call it that) that makes that "wonderful sound," results in a power output per-cubic inch, that is SO POOR, that the weight differential that NHRA piles on the Japs to keep them from running roughshod over the Hardly's is on the order of 33-percent????

THIRTY-THREE PERCENT!!!


Are we throwing out the baby with the wash, here, by "honoring" an engine that was the next invention after the wheel, because some folks think "it SOUNDS good???"

Potato, potato. potato, potato, potato, potato, potato, potato, potato...

Jeesh....

 

[elvis]

Ok; So how many of you Bike Experts actually own a motorcycle?
I see, Justin Calkins, Georginna Sams and myself.

And yes it is a Harley. Over the last 35 yrs. of riding, the last 3 bikes have been Harleys after 4 Metrics

I currently own 18. My newest is a little Honda CT110 that I brought out of mothballs. The majority of what I have are 2 stroke triple Kawasaki's. I've worked at a motorcycle dealership (my parents) since I was 5 (1975). I know a little about bikes.

 

[elvis]

There's a little old saying: If want to you needlessly fast, buy a jap bike. If you want to pick up chicks, buy a Harley. Who's the sausage now?

You still are. Especially after the YouTube videos.

 

[Jenn]

There's a little old saying: If want to you needlessly fast, buy a jap bike. If you want to pick up chicks, buy a Harley. Who's the sausage now?

Needlessly fast? WTH is needlessly fast?! I had my Ninja opened up to over 100 mph and still wanted a little bit more.

Comfort, to which i find more important to riding than brand, is key. I've never felt especially comfortable on the Harley's because of the center of gravity which requires me to use more upper body than lower body. When my upper body is far weaker. Once you get on the road it's fine, but it makes maneuvering through parking lots and such scary. Granted, I've only riding Harleys three times and can't even tell you the model. One I rode because the guy who bought it didn't know how to ride it and needed it home. So my brother volunteered me to do it just to make the guy feel like a pansy.

 

[nick name]

Ok; So how many of you Bike Experts actually own a motorcycle?
I see, Justin Calkins, Georginna Sams and myself.

And yes it is a Harley. Over the last 35 yrs. of riding, the last 3 bikes have been Harleys after 4 Metrics

Right now I'm down to just my old reliable, a 1985 Suzuki GS1150ES. For car people, it would be the equivalent of a 70 SS454 LS6 Chevelle. Big, comfortable, a little porky but still very fast.

My Hayabusa was the most incredible vehicle I've ever owned.

 

[G'ginna]

One I rode because the guy who bought it didn't know how to ride it and needed it home. So my brother volunteered me to do it just to make the guy feel like a pansy.

I think I adore your brother!

 

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

I have an '05 Triumph Speedmaster 900 and an '83 Yamaha TT600 dirt bike. My riding buddy has a '74 Kawi Z1 900 and is buidling a "77 1000. Our other buddy got a VRod that his girl friend bought and he has a Suzuki TL 1000.

The Z1 is STUPID FAST for the understated handling and the TL is just DUMB FAST!!!

I have ALWAYS done things differnet. I love it when people stare at my bike, because no one was them.

 

[.]

the TL is just DUMB FAST!!!

A buddy of mine had a TL 1000 S and I got to ride it several times. I'd never been a fan of v-twins until I rode that thing. It handled great and had a ton of torque down low which made it a real fun wheelie machine. I thought it was actually more fun to ride than the racier R version.

I think it was Jay that mentioned several years ago that if Suzuki had been allowed to campaign a v-twin in Pro Stock Motorcycle that they would have handed Harley their butts. I believe it too.

 

[riceburner]

When ever we drive anywhere, across country or across state I always try and keep track of the vehicles that seem to be broken down on the side of the road.

The overwhelming number of side of the road vehicles (cant say if they were all broken down or not) have been Dodges and Harleys.

 

[Bill]

Funny; I did the same thing on a 4,500-mile "driving" vacation in 1993, and the overwhelming "leader" in instances of broken-down cars was Mercedes.

No kidding... followed by Chevy trucks and Ford trucks, in that order.

 

[Butch]

When ever I see a biker along the side of the road. I stop or slow for them and 90 percent of the time. They are taking a break or have a tire problem. I do this while I'm riding my bike or in a car. The brand of bike has no effect on my stopping to help.

 

[rollemup]

.....I'm far from being an expert but I sure do love riding my 2008 Harley Davidson Crossbones