*yawn*
Well I read about half of that repetitive rant before my eyes glazed over. I have to assume that that is either a very OLD article (written in the days AMF owned Harley), or the writer is an ignorant fool who doesn't know what he's talking about.
Harleys don't leak oil anymore, and their quality and level of fit and finish rivals anything that Japan or Europe puts out. You don't have to
like chrome to recognize that it is GORGEOUS, well-made chrome.
The writer also didn't mention the new V-rod engine, which is a fine motor (of course, HD had to go to Porsche for that motor design
). Curse HD for not (yet) giving that motor to Eric Buell, but I predict it WILL happen soon.
As it is, I wouldn't mind owning any of the Revolution-powered HDs, and it'll be even more tempting once they finally wrap that motor up in a proper (sport or sport-touring) chassis.
The one thing the writer of that rant got right is that is IS all about image, but that isn't Harley's fault - they are just making what alot people want, as inexplicable as it may seem.
But HD riders don't have the poseur market cornered - lots of sportbike riders are every bit as much the image-obsessed poseur as any chap-clad badass biker wannabe on a HD.
Those of you that automatically assume HD riders are all just posers need to take a look at the Iron Butt Association's list of certified rides, compiled by bike:
Quote:
Ride Statistics by Motorcycle brand May 2005 (complied by Scott Leahy)
Harley-Davidson 6650
Honda 5917
BMW 4878
Yamaha 1491
Kawasaki 1472
Suzuki 655
Triumph 288
Moto Guzzi 119
Ducati 82
Victory 74
Buell 43
Aprilia 37
|
(partial list)
While you're at it, peruse the IBA list of certified rides and tell me how many of them were accomplished on sportbikes. Yeah, there are a few, but not many. IMO, getting an IBA-certified ride illustrates just as much passion for motorcycling as doing a track day, and these IBA guys and girls are every bit as much, if not MORESO, "real riders" as some dude on a race-replica dragging his knees for an hour or two.