Here is something the Harley haters hate to hear:
1. Harley outsells the company that makes their bike by 90% percent or so and the model that they bought, Harley outsells it by even more.
A. For every 10 motorcycles Yamaha sells, Harley sells 50
B. For every 10 motorcycles Kawaski sells Harley sells 50
c. For every 10 motorcycles Honda sells, Harley sells 50
D. For every 4 motorcycles Indian/Victory/Polaris COMBINED sell, Harley sells 50
E. For every 4 motorcycles BMW sells Harley sells 50
F. Now combine all other makers not mentioned here and for every 10 motorcycles ALL other brands sold together, Harley sells 50.
Bottom line, Harley sells approx 50% (or slightly more) of all motorcycles sold in the USA over 600cc then all others combined.
Here is just one of many source
It drives the Harley haters and bashers crazy. But lets face it, people hate what they dont own, way more so then if the product cost more then they want to spend.
So there will always be people like grampi and jaraxel or whatever bashing something they dont own OR people in these forums.
You will ALWAYS see metric owners like that in forums. Rarely do you see Harley owners behave this way.
PLEASE! Metric owners do not take offense, I am talking a small minority, heck I owed two metrics.
ANYONE who believe their bike does not have some kind of design compromise, no matter the brand is a crack head.
EVERY product we buy has a compromise, its up to the consumer to decide which is more important.
Example, my 07 Suzuki c50 bought brand new, great bike, my first bike, loved it, took it solo from SC into the Smoky Mountains of NC and Tail of the Dragon, best trip of my life. Nothing but compliments from everyone, including Harley people, some of the nicest I met on the trip.
But I outgrew it, the 5 speed, high RPMS on the interstates and the FACT of the cheaper engine design that I knew once I got up to the 20,000 mile plus area I would start using oil. Not burning in the sense of seeing smoke, but would need to start, surely but slowly adding oil do to design compromises in the engine design and rings.
Example traded the 07 c50 for a Yamaha 08 Vstar 1300 with 4000 miles on it two years later.
GREAT BIKE, more power, more comfort, got blown around less, just more beefy all around. Loved the bike, would highly recommended to ANYONE who does not want to spend the money on a Harley touring bike.
We took this bike two up many times to the Smoky Mountains of NC (tail of the dragon etc) then expanded into the TN area of the Smokys. Vstar 1300 was an awesome bike.
But, like any bike, design compromises to get to the price point it is at. Let me stress I highly recommend this bike to anyone who wants a cruiser but not the expense of a Harley.
However still missing from the vstar was the
1. Still only 5 speeds, dont let anyone kid you, if you enjoying like we do cruising on the interstate at GPS speeds of 75 to 80 MPH you want a 6 speed.
I did greatly enhance the only 5 speed issue by putting on a different front belt pulley, this lowered RPMs close to 10% at interstate speed.
2. In general, cheaper hardware (but still acceptable at the price), even things like brakes lines, plastics etc.
3. If you like a rock solid, super great ride like your on rails handling your not going to have it, more so as the suspension starts to deteriorate around 12,000 miles already. (again, it can always be updated)
So back in 2014 while on Vacation, in the Smoky Mountains of TN, 2 states away from my home state. After a FANTASTIC 5 days cruising the Smokys of NC and TN on our vstar 1300, on the last day, in the pouring rain no less we rode our vstar 1300 to Pigeon Forge Harley in TN, traded the vstar 1300 in for our 2014 Rushmore Road King, never even rode a Harley before (never rode any bike I bought before a bought it)
Bought a rain suit while they prepped the Road King, once all ready, in the pouring rain pulled out on the new Road King and rode back to our home state of SC. It was a great experiance, scray as [censored] at first, mountain roads, pouring rain, NEW BIKE! rain stopped and sun was out as we crossed into SC.
To this day I am in awe over the ROAD King, I say it once and I will say it again (and I will ignore any of grampis retarded remarks after this post)
For those who have the means, the Road King is a great option. The bike is silky smooth, 6 speed transmission awesome, bike just hums along at a TRUE 80 MPH.
Handles like its on rails for an 750 LB bike, awesome brakes. FIT FINISH AND MATERIALS ARE FANTASTIC if that is important to you.
Quite honestly, I never thought I would own a Harley and now I understand, they deliver what you pay for. Its that simple. Period.
Does this mean, like any product its perfect? Of course not, what is? Jaraxels Suzuki, Grampis Triumph? Nope.
Bikes, cars and boats (and for some people planes) are a personal decision of what you want from a product, they all work. They all have negatives and positives.
But some people are so used to telling people what to do with their lives and what to buy and why that they start to believe themselves.
So ends this sermon ... no more replies from me
) (yeah, I know I said that before)
HD builds bikes at great price points for the quality you get. Even new comer to the market Polaris Indian touring bikes cost the same and more.
Polaris Victory brand which was supposed to take on HD at a better price with more compromises has been a total failure for Polaris, in over a decade, the Victory brand only made money one year for Polaris.
Again, not that Victory is a bad bike, but its not easy building bikes with HD type features for much less money. No one else has been able to, Triumph looks like a great bike, Im a fan for the Thunderbird LT, even those being discounted, not selling, anyway, I have ZERO dealers here in SC>
