I happened upon a few HOG chapters 'via the WWW' in Europe a few weeks ago. They seem to have quite a following in GB with a lot of bike shows, charity rides etc. I met a British couple from England at Daytona bike week several years ago, and they came to Florida just for bike week. They said at the time a Harley cost double over there, as compared to what we pay for them here. I'm wondering how popular Harley motorcycles are on the continent.
Harley following in Europe
- Thread starter gman2304
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H-D MUST have answers to that query on their website.
I'm trying to get my friend to sell his full parade dress 2002 Road King to someone in Europe. His is an "iconic icon".
I'm trying to get my friend to sell his full parade dress 2002 Road King to someone in Europe. His is an "iconic icon".
Harley's not doing bad outside the US.,,,http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/05/30/harley-davidson-rumbles-outside-us-sales-growth/85151410/
They are quite popular...I work for a company that has the exclusivity of Harley credits and leasing (in my country), and the dealers seem to do well. I can also say that the percentage of people buying their Harley after a lease is higher than the percentage of people buying their Yamaha after a lease (that's just an example).
That said, I don't see much Harley in my city. Maybe because it's raining all the time!
That said, I don't see much Harley in my city. Maybe because it's raining all the time!
http://www.harley-davidson.com/content/h-d/en_GB/home.html
I did find this after my original query. I didn't realize HD had a HD UK site.
I did find this after my original query. I didn't realize HD had a HD UK site.
The most bikes(HD more than other brands) I saw in Southern California was whenever I went to Lake Elsinor for dinner on weekend via state route 74 Ortega Highway. For about 25 miles drive I can count more than 100 bikes on opposite direction, and more bikes at every stop.
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
I do not know but I will bet there is a cycle (no pun intended) to H-D sales like anything else. THAT might be "their place" in the market.
If I wanted an H-D (and I never would) I'd look used to save. I've seen scads for sale in publications in the past.
I've been in H-D dealerships where there were none to be had. Seriously, 15 years ago in Central NY State an H-D dealership was full of Nortons and Hondas. I asked and the lady laughed at me. "Don't you know? They can't build 'em fast enough."
That was then. Now?....best of luck shopping. It is kinda cool that the market is "alive".
If I wanted an H-D (and I never would) I'd look used to save. I've seen scads for sale in publications in the past.
I've been in H-D dealerships where there were none to be had. Seriously, 15 years ago in Central NY State an H-D dealership was full of Nortons and Hondas. I asked and the lady laughed at me. "Don't you know? They can't build 'em fast enough."
That was then. Now?....best of luck shopping. It is kinda cool that the market is "alive".
and they tend to be loud
I been riding bikes since I was 13. That's about 55 years now. Have had most of them - Triumph 750 Bonnie (last of the right side shifters), BSA, bunch a Honda's (still have a few), Hodaka, Husky, BMW, Ossa, Suzuki, Yamaha, Royal Enfield ... You get the idea...
Now I have a Harley and some other stuff as projects. I met my wife riding motorcycles - she on hers, me on mine; at a left turn as it was starting to rain. The wife and I fit on the Harley, it goes along nicely. It handles real roads just fine (asphalt, gravel, mixed). Gets good gas mileage, and it's not loud.
I bought it used and immediately took the Cycle Shack slash cut exhaust amplifiers off and put stock mufflers back on (new owners give them away
). It's about as hard to work on as a John Deere. If I want to go somewhere long distance, I rent a Road King. Wife and I have done up to 11 hrs in the saddle on a Road King. I can not say that about any other bike.
It's roomy and comfy. Yeah, it'll drag pipes two up with all the travel bags full - but so will a Gold Wing (been there, done that ...). Yeah, it's somewhat doggy to handle at less than 5 mph, but once it's rolling, it's as easy as can be. It only took me 40 years to figure this out ...
It's an ergonomic thing. I used to be like most folks "there are better values out there, etc." Bull puckey, if it fits and runs and is more comfortable than other bikes, I get why folks pay BIG $$ for a Harley. It's not like anything else. If you've ridden one for more than 4 hours and you still don't like it, fine... But there are a LOT of 200,000 and even 500,000 mile Harley riders. And there are a small but significant number of 1,000,000 mile Harley riders out there.
They sell in Europe and even in Japan. So do John Deere tractors and Caterpillar and other US big ticket items. To the folks that know, they are worth the money. See the example above about buying at end of lease... By the time they are done with the lease, they have figured it out and want to keep their baby.
Yeah, there are a lot of bad boy chopped, clipped, trimmed, lowered, raked Harley's out there. Whole different thing. Sort of the poor mans Vincent with mods.
There are a bunch of Japanese "cruisers" out there. Some are decent, some are laughable. But they almost all end up in the scrap yard.
Even old Harley's roll on
Now I have a Harley and some other stuff as projects. I met my wife riding motorcycles - she on hers, me on mine; at a left turn as it was starting to rain. The wife and I fit on the Harley, it goes along nicely. It handles real roads just fine (asphalt, gravel, mixed). Gets good gas mileage, and it's not loud.
I bought it used and immediately took the Cycle Shack slash cut exhaust amplifiers off and put stock mufflers back on (new owners give them away
It's roomy and comfy. Yeah, it'll drag pipes two up with all the travel bags full - but so will a Gold Wing (been there, done that ...). Yeah, it's somewhat doggy to handle at less than 5 mph, but once it's rolling, it's as easy as can be. It only took me 40 years to figure this out ...
It's an ergonomic thing. I used to be like most folks "there are better values out there, etc." Bull puckey, if it fits and runs and is more comfortable than other bikes, I get why folks pay BIG $$ for a Harley. It's not like anything else. If you've ridden one for more than 4 hours and you still don't like it, fine... But there are a LOT of 200,000 and even 500,000 mile Harley riders. And there are a small but significant number of 1,000,000 mile Harley riders out there.
They sell in Europe and even in Japan. So do John Deere tractors and Caterpillar and other US big ticket items. To the folks that know, they are worth the money. See the example above about buying at end of lease... By the time they are done with the lease, they have figured it out and want to keep their baby.
Yeah, there are a lot of bad boy chopped, clipped, trimmed, lowered, raked Harley's out there. Whole different thing. Sort of the poor mans Vincent with mods.
There are a bunch of Japanese "cruisers" out there. Some are decent, some are laughable. But they almost all end up in the scrap yard.
Even old Harley's roll on
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I wouldn't really say that Harley's are overly popular in my part of the UK, London and the South East.
They have a large dealership not far from my house, Lakeside in Essex.
I think they may be popular in the leisure part of the market. But to be honest the biggest market that I can see is the commuter market. And I have only seen a couple of Harley's doing the commuter struggle in 20 odd years living in London.
You see more Chinese bikes around than Harley's.
They have a large dealership not far from my house, Lakeside in Essex.
I think they may be popular in the leisure part of the market. But to be honest the biggest market that I can see is the commuter market. And I have only seen a couple of Harley's doing the commuter struggle in 20 odd years living in London.
You see more Chinese bikes around than Harley's.
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
and they tend to be loud
Yes. [censored] annoying.
and they tend to be loud
Yes. [censored] annoying.
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
Cost vs performance, yes they have. Hype, H.D. is still the #1 hype up chrome junk. Motards are the new trend.
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
Cost vs performance, yes they have. Hype, H.D. is still the #1 hype up chrome junk. Motards are the new trend.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
In the UK they are certainly asking crazy prices.
And not many people can afford to spend £10k or £15k on a motorbike with the capabilities of a Harley. The RoadKing mentioned above costs around £30k !!!!!
They are starting to sell the Indian made Harley Davidsons in the UK. It didn't get a favourable review to be perfectly honest.
I would never advise somebody to not buy a Harley, if they can afford it why not.
Though I have not heard of one person that has Leased a Motorbike. Though they do advertise these deals in some of the motorcycling press of late.
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
In the UK they are certainly asking crazy prices.
And not many people can afford to spend £10k or £15k on a motorbike with the capabilities of a Harley. The RoadKing mentioned above costs around £30k !!!!!
They are starting to sell the Indian made Harley Davidsons in the UK. It didn't get a favourable review to be perfectly honest.
I would never advise somebody to not buy a Harley, if they can afford it why not.
Though I have not heard of one person that has Leased a Motorbike. Though they do advertise these deals in some of the motorcycling press of late.
Originally Posted By: bigjl
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
They are starting to sell the Indian made Harley Davidsons in the UK. It didn't get a favourable review to be perfectly honest.
This is how mis-information becomes "facts".
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
H.D. has priced themselves out of the market.... all they have is that "bad gang" image of 30 years ago. For the money spent you can get a much better value.
Uh no they haven't
They are starting to sell the Indian made Harley Davidsons in the UK. It didn't get a favourable review to be perfectly honest.
This is how mis-information becomes "facts".
Last edited by a moderator:
Last time I witnessed a huge gathering of Harley riders was in Germany, Black Forest area near France. These were owners from all over..French, German, Italian based on the languages being spoken. The reaction of others was mostly to avoid eye contact
Quote:
They are starting to sell the Indian made Harley Davidsons in the UK. It didn't get a favourable review to be perfectly honest.
Indian, "the country" or Indian, "the motorcycle company?"
They are starting to sell the Indian made Harley Davidsons in the UK. It didn't get a favourable review to be perfectly honest.
Indian, "the country" or Indian, "the motorcycle company?"
Originally Posted By: bigjl
Though I have not heard of one person that has Leased a Motorbike. Though they do advertise these deals in some of the motorcycling press of late.
Think people wanting sooooo badly a motorcycle (Harley or other) that a not so scrupulous dealers make a dirty offer "pay 100€/month for 36 months" and then in very small characters "with a balloon payment of xxxx€". People tend to mistake leasing and balloon loan, and often cry at the end.
Also think driving school, with the local fiscality leasing can be practical (but they mostly take Yamaha or Honda).
Though I have not heard of one person that has Leased a Motorbike. Though they do advertise these deals in some of the motorcycling press of late.
Think people wanting sooooo badly a motorcycle (Harley or other) that a not so scrupulous dealers make a dirty offer "pay 100€/month for 36 months" and then in very small characters "with a balloon payment of xxxx€". People tend to mistake leasing and balloon loan, and often cry at the end.
Also think driving school, with the local fiscality leasing can be practical (but they mostly take Yamaha or Honda).
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