How can Harley Davidson appeal to younger riders? + Poll.

[Ender EnZed]

He's the worst troller on here. As in worst at it.

I will squeeze you later. I think I might have to go ride an XR1200 first. They've been giving me uncomfortable sensations that just might
equate with riding a Harley. That'd be freaky.


Don't make me ride a real Harley though. I don't where they go or what they do.

[bosslady]

Is the GN250 just an entry bike then? (I have always thought of them as cruisers in my mind)

To me, a cruiser is when you have your feet out the front of ya. I consider my bike a "tourer". Not saying it's a very good one though!

[Big Dave]

To me, a cruiser is when you have your feet out the front of ya. I consider my bike a "tourer". Not saying it's a very good one though!

In the industry a GN250 is rated as a commuter. IMO you could call it a 'standard' appropriately too.

[Crasherfromwayback]

The V-Rod engine is a modern engine design with, I beleive 125 hp in the Night Train. It revs decently and sounds proper without the obnoxious old school fart most harleys make. It would have made more sense for Buell to use than pushrod clunkers that redlined at 5500rpm.

I rode a friends 883 Sporty that was highly modified with a very worked engine at 1200cc and I honestly couldn't find a good word to say about it and my stock '95 900SS was quicker.

In a Street Tripple like frame - so a Buell with better ergonomics and brakes - a 125hp twin that liked a few revs would be sublime

LIke BD says...it's way too big and heavy mate. Also...HD are dropping the V-Rod family very shortly. The engine is also very *dirty*, and they struggle to get it through all of the emssion laws compared to the pushrod engine.

And I must say...your mates 1200cc sporty must be a dud if it wouldn't see off your 900SS. And decently tuned hot rodded 1200 would suck it's mirrors off on the way past you.

[scumdog]

Why I ride a Harley?

In no particular order and off the cuff:

a) cos I wanted one back in the 60's when I couldn't afford one.
b) they look like a bike should (in my eyes)
c) they are relatively easy to work on
d) can carry a decent amount of gear
e) are thrifty on gas
f) are torquey enough that frequent gear changing isn't needed
g) are reliable as any other brand - better than some.
h) need little maintenance
i) they seem to piss-off a lot of people

Age? - well past 50....

[ducatilover]

The voice of experience might be about to fall from great height and explode. Or not. I can't tell.

I don't fall, I gracefully depart the bike

^ The voice of experience.

As I said, it's completely subjective.
You might find a turbo fatkingdroadbob fun, I don't.

[Subike]

Um Guys Harley Davidson did try and enter the market with a model that could have taken on the Jap invasion, back when the invasion commenced The Harley Davidson V4 Nova.
Read here why it didnt go into production, even after road testing etc......

http://thekneeslider.com/harley-davidson-v4-nova/

http://www.bikerenews.com/AntiqueBikes/CodeNameNova.htm

So here are the answers from the source for a lot of the questions asked in this thread.
Not the possibility could be, may be, might be, answers form peoples imaginations

[Subike]

But then we have the , "What about a LAMS approved HD ?""

Well What do you know!!!!!!

http://www.newbikesinfo.com/motorcyc...rley-davidson/

Stranger things have been known to happen

[wysper]

You've ridden a shit tonne of bikes; care to hazard a guess as to the differences in lap times of an average skilled, confident going fast rider on a XR1200, V-Rod, Bandit 1200, VTR1000 at, say, Manfield?

This assumes that the only relevant and important information about a bike is how fast it goes in comparison to other bikes.

Not all riders care who is fastest.
Or which bike is fastest.
Or who can get their knee down.
Or who can go 2.8 times the legal speed limit.

Believe it or not, there are some people who just like to ride.

They don't care if they can't out run you at the lights or out corner you in the twisties. Because their pleasure is derived from the ride itself.

As scummy said, one of the reasons he has a Harley is it is what a motorcycle should look like in his mind.

My 883 is like that for me - it screams motorcycle when I look at it in the garage or parked up at work. I enjoy riding it.

And for me that is the end of it.

Different bikes for different folks and different rides for different situations.

[Big Dave]

I don't.

Only because you haven't.

Game set match. Next.

[awayatc]

what to do to attract younger people to Harleys...?

just wait till they get a bit older....


a lot of bikes are way better bikes then I am a rider.....
only matter of time before I would find myself outperformed and outmanouvered (painfull at least)
My Harley and I are well matched,
I am up to it, and it is up to me.
I like that, and get enough thrills out of it.
Managed to grow older disrespectfully,
probably be able to grow even older still.
Good enough for me,
get a grin every time I start my tractor
every single time....

[HornetBoy]

I'm 23 and I've owned an old 92' 1200 Sporty ever since I got my full licence at about 19,mainly because I inherited it from my father . I thought it was a great bike , I've owned multiple jap bikes at the same time and always held onto it,really enjoyed the sound and ride style.

I think HD appeals to young riders in the same way that V8's appeal to young cage drivers , its just something that you either inherently love or you don't.Some go for the Subaru or evo and others go to the old Ford or Holden . The second hand market for HD bikes just doesn't seem to be as populated with cheaper/woirking bikes as with the Jap market aswell IMO.

[ducatilover]

Only because you haven't.

Game set match. Next.

No, Dave.
I said, it's subjective and nothing in the Harley range appeals to me, modified or not with the one exception of the XR (which is based purely on the looks)
We all find different bikes fun, you may very much enjoy a turbo big block Harley. I won't, it holds nothing at all that interests me at all.
It's what gives us such a great range of bikes on the market.

Fun is subjective.


edit for lulz:
I'll probably end up being a knowing-better than others Harley owner when I'm old, just because irony is good.

[Big Dave]

Maybe you should buy a SAAB 900.

[ducatilover]

I prefer my Volvo 850 GLT, in beige.