Harley Owners are Douchebags.

[Κracus]

I love riding motorbikes, all kinds of bikes. Hell I'd even consider a Harley if they weren't so overpriced. That said, I haven't really thought much about who rides what and why but today... I noticed something. Harley riders, are without a doubt the most douchey. The majority of them don't wave back, they always ride with their nose stuck up in the air with overly loud pipes that really serve no purpose other than deafening themselves and make babies cry. Why do they have to be such assholes? There was also a poll recently about Harley owners and apparently the majority of them are 50+ and when asked if they'd like Harley to build bikes aimed at a younger crowd, even though their big loud cruisers would still be available for purchase they said they wouldn't like that. Harley owners literally want the brand to die with them. If that's not some baby boomer bullshit I don't know what is. All I know is that I rode up to a bunch of guys on harley's recently and all of them were as stuck up as teenage girls trying to look cool. I get the impression these guys don't ride for fun, they ride because they think it makes them look cool.

[MKJ]

triggered

[YourGrandpa]

A lot of ignorant absolutes in that flurry of stupid...

I wave to every bike I see. I find it's the dipshits riding big Japanese cruisers and Euro inspired sports bikes with shorts, t-shits and flops that typically don't wave back. I also thought everyone knew loud pipes helped bikes to be heard when they might not be seen, as well as sounding bad ass.

I'm a member of several riding groups on social media. Almost every day someone locally is hosting a charity ride or event to raise money or awareness for an individual or organisation. I've attended several of these charity events. Every rider is welcomed and all types of bikes show up. But an overwhelming majority of the riders are on Harleys. Everyone in attendance has always been friendly and generous, not really playing into the "asshole" characterization.

I think cost better explains why Harley has predominantly older riders (although you can find something used priced competitively). Harley has a look that has been copied by nearly every manufacturer. People who like that look, buy those bikes. I'm not sure why those people would be in favor of possibly changing what they like or how not liking change equals wanting your preferred manufacturer to go out of business. More stupid logic I suppose... Nevertheless Harley does have work to do on their brand. They've certainly tried to add new models/styles in hopes of attracting different riders. They've also made changes to current models as well. And to be honest, I haven't liked much of what they've done so far. But I'd certainly welcome younger riders or solid new models.

The op's comments sound more like a jealous rant instead of a genuine critique...

[Κracus]

Face it man, Harley builds dinosaurs for dinosaurs and doesn't give a shit about it's employees or the clients that ride their bikes as long as they keep shelling out ludicrous amounts of money for technology created in the 1970's.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/harley-dav ... r-tax-cut/

That's harley in a nutshell. Begging for tax breaks and then screwing it's employees after it gets them. The people buying their bikes do so because of brand loyalty, not because of any kind of value or innovation.

[Eraser]

I also thought everyone knew loud pipes helped bikes to be heard when they might not be seen

Oh boy. Let me just say that you have been gravely misinformed.
As the saying goes: loud pipes DON'T save lives.

[Eraser]

Oh, and in case this thread grows out into a 15 page back and forth between kracus and Gramps, let me tell you how it's going to be:

Gramps will post a slew of anecdotal evidence, then telling others they need to provide proof to prove that his own claims are false, then disregards that proof entirely and reverts to the 'no u' posts Q3W is famous for.

[Κracus]

He is right about one thing though, Harley riders like to ride in groups. It's not often I'll see a solo rider on a harley.

[Transient]

I don't see many solo riders, but I've always seen riders waving back. And they don't seem like a snobbish bunch. I've met quite a few people who own Harleys, and while they tend toward the gruff and boisterous, they've also seemed polite and well-natured.

[YourGrandpa]

Oh boy. Let me just say that you have been gravely misinformed.
As the saying goes: loud pipes DON'T save lives.

It certainly saved a guys life that passed me the other day.

I passed a group of bikes on the highway that were going significantly slower than me as I was driving in the left hand lane. While driving in that lane I came up on the car in front of me. That car was also traveling faster than the bikes but slower than me. After following the car for a short distance it became clear he was not moving over to allow me to go by. It was then I decided to pass. Since we had been traveling down the left lane with no cars on our right, I began to move over without feeling i needed to look. Well just as I began to move over I heard the motorcycle zooming up. Lucky for the both of us I heard him coming as he blew past. Because I never expected that a single bike that was traveling in a group would have sped up and passed me. That day his pipes saved his life. If I had not heard him coming I would have clipped him (much like those idiots on crotch rockets who race past cars on the highway) at 90+ MPH and killed him deader than shit.

So... I guess you're wrong.

[YourGrandpa]

I solo ride most of the time and always wave to everyone on bikes, trikes and canams. AFAIC if you're in the wind you should be looking out for each other.

[YourGrandpa]

Face it man, Harley builds dinosaurs for dinosaurs.

So what's the logic here? You would be a dinosaur if you could afford a dinosaur?

[Κracus]

I just don't see how that's a sustainable business model. They're crying right now that they need tax cuts but they keep selling machines that have far outlived their design to people who are for a lack of better word a dying breed. Instead of innovating and being competitive they rely on brand loyalty as their saving grace without thinking of the consequences of neglecting the younger motorcycle crowd. Then they do astoundingly stupid shit like buy buell only to kill off the brand.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think all harley owners are douchebags, I just think a majority of them are. Especially towards other motorcyclists that aren't riding harley's.

edit: and no, I wouldn't buy a Harley. Especially after the shit they pulled in the article I linked.

[YourGrandpa]

But you started out this thread by saying "Hell I'd even consider a Harley if they weren't so overpriced". Changing your mind because you just read an article doesn't dismiss the notion that you still liked Harley's design/style of motorcycle enough to buy one, if they weren't so expensive.

Harley has also recently changed the design of their engines and made suspension upgrades that they are implementing on most of their motorcycles. They have also released several new lines of motorcycles. So they're not exactly just sitting around watching the marketplace pass them by. Maybe you should have looked at the 2017 and 2018 models before you spoke.

[shaft]

lol Harley, the poster child for the GOP tax bill? Enjoy your trickle down...

[tweet]https://twitter.com/voxdotcom/status/998896270990282752[/tweet]

[Eraser]

Oh boy. Let me just say that you have been gravely misinformed.
As the saying goes: loud pipes DON'T save lives.

It certainly saved a guys life that passed me the other day.

blah blah blah

So... I guess you're wrong.

And there you have it.

Gramps will post a slew of anecdotal evidence [...]

[YourGrandpa]

Hmmm...

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2013/01/ ... ave-lives/

[Transient]

Harley has also recently changed the design of their engines and made suspension upgrades that they are implementing on most of their motorcycles. They have also released several new lines of motorcycles. So they're not exactly just sitting around watching the marketplace pass them by. Maybe you should have looked at the 2017 and 2018 models before you spoke.

IIRC they were working on a bike with an electric motor.

Edit: https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/31/1695 ... cycle-2019

[Scourge]

I love riding motorbikes, all kinds of bikes. Hell I'd even consider a Harley if they weren't so overpriced. That said, I haven't really thought much about who rides what and why but today... I noticed something. Harley riders, are without a doubt the most douchey. The majority of them don't wave back, they always ride with their nose stuck up in the air with overly loud pipes that really serve no purpose other than deafening themselves and make babies cry. Why do they have to be such assholes? There was also a poll recently about Harley owners and apparently the majority of them are 50+ and when asked if they'd like Harley to build bikes aimed at a younger crowd, even though their big loud cruisers would still be available for purchase they said they wouldn't like that. Harley owners literally want the brand to die with them. If that's not some baby boomer bullshit I don't know what is. All I know is that I rode up to a bunch of guys on harley's recently and all of them were as stuck up as teenage girls trying to look cool. I get the impression these guys don't ride for fun, they ride because they think it makes them look cool.

That may be true for some, but that's not what I've experienced (maybe the Harley riders are especially douchey in Canada). Not sure who they polled either, maybe 1%ers? Around here all riders pretty much wave to each other no matter what they're on. They also have been targeting the younger crowd with the Street line and eventually the electric model they are developing.

As for loudness, I'd say the percentage of loud bikes here is pretty evenly distributed between Harleys and sport bikes. They can be just as loud albeit at a higher pitch. And then there's also the pickups and hot rods that are just as loud and numerous. I'm not saying you're totally wrong, but there's more to it.

[Eraser]

Hmmm...

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2013/01/ ... ave-lives/

The article is about electric vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrian/motorcycle incidents are insignificant compared to multi-vehicle incidents with a motorcycle involved. Also, the concern about pedestrians not hearing EV's is primarily about the pedestrian's safety, not necessarily about the operator of the vehicle. I'm not even sure the author of the article realizes the included video is a joke.
More importantly, there's a difference between a no-sound EV being too quiet and a stock exhaust of a normal motorcycle being "too quiet". Removing the dB killer from your Akrapovic does nothing for safety.

So I'll just throw this link in here as well:
https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/s ... save-lives

[Κracus]

But you started out this thread by saying "Hell I'd even consider a Harley if they weren't so overpriced". Changing your mind because you just read an article doesn't dismiss the notion that you still liked Harley's design/style of motorcycle enough to buy one, if they weren't so expensive.

Harley has also recently changed the design of their engines and made suspension upgrades that they are implementing on most of their motorcycles. They have also released several new lines of motorcycles. So they're not exactly just sitting around watching the marketplace pass them by. Maybe you should have looked at the 2017 and 2018 models before you spoke.

Just cause I'd consider it doesn't mean I'd buy one. It just means I'd see what they have on offer to see if they could surprise me with something cool which I doubt they would. Maybe if they'd kept Buell alive.

[Lieutenant Dan]

Pre-evo Harleys capture my attention, not so much anything new. I'm slowly working on putting together a '71 Shovelhead basket case.

[Κracus]

I would like to retract my statement as I didn't word it properly. It isn't that all harley owners are douchebags and won't wave. It's that the people that don't wave back are always driving harley's. Some harley drivers wave.

[Eraser]

Love Harley or hate Harley, whatever, but this is one sweet looking bike (and yes I realise it looks particularly un-Harley but it is HD trying new things and I can only applaud that.

Streetfighter 975
[lvlshot]https://mcn-images.bauersecure.com/PageFiles/656295/1752x1168/Harley_Streetfighter.jpg?mode=max&quality=90&scale=down[/lvlshot]

[Captain]

Hey that doesn't look like a shitty apehanger for fatties that wear skull facemasks.

[Eraser]

lol, indeed.
And if that wasn't enough, they're actually releasing this as well. The Pan America 1250 adventure bike:

[lvlshot]https://mcn-images.bauersecure.com/PageFiles/656292/1752x1168/Harley_Pan_America.jpg?mode=max&quality=90&scale=down[/lvlshot]