HD are nice motorcycles but not for everyone.
Some folks like the ‘unrefined’ aspects and qualities of a HD.
Yeah, but the "unrefined" thing (character) now isnt that unrefined. No doubt HD owners like the rumble and shake but the new 2017 and later M8 cruisers barely have any shake due to a counter balance shaft. They intentionally didnt make it a perfect balance to maintain the character of the brand. It's what their purchasers want and let's face it. The Asian manufacturers have lost a bundle and taken a beating in the larger cruiser class of bike, just about out of the business now. Granted motorcycling is on the decline too, like all outdoor activities? Smart phone in everyones hand.
HD still sells more big cruisers in the USA than not only all their competitors but sell more or within a few percent of all those competitors sales combined together!
SO what happens with success? We Americans we eat our own, trash the company and stigmatize all the riders.
My 2014 shakes like an out of balance washing machine! Part of that is the 2014 and later have what used to be the high performance cam of the CVO series.
Ok, back to the purpose of my post *LOL* My 2014 Road King which at idle looks like the engine is going to jump right off its motor mounts that it shakes so much can beat any product on the market as far as smooth once its off idle.
It's really a buyer choice but explaining for those who do not know. Keep in mind I had a smaller Suzuki Touring Bike and a not so small Yamaha Touring bike. The Harley on any road doing above a few MPH lets say 20 is so smooth but for me, where it counts for me as a rider? As far as I am concerned nothing can come close EXCEPT other bikes in it price range, Goldwings, some BMWs some Triumphs and anything else I guess around the price range. More or less you have to spend for the experience.
Oh... but wait *LOL* back to the purpose of this (another) long winded post. SO like a jumping bean at a stop light my 14 RK is a beast on the roads and then, once on the open roads which I and my wife (surprises me all the time) love are the interstates. Gosh darn this bike just effortlessly flies. Not a stumble, not a vibration, silly smooth, torque with the right transmission I guess (?) just plows through everything moving past tractor trailers at GPS 85 MPH no getting blown around, it just hums along. The most silly smooth ride one can imagine with an equally silly smooth throttle.
(this is no lie) Where the other mentioned two bikes in this post that I owned you would have to hang on and be alert with cross winds or getting stuck between a caravan of Tractor Trailers. No concern on the 14 Road King, in fact I enjoy passing them as it still to this day amazes me. But here is the other thing, I do not make a habit of this but by mistake once in a great while even at these speeds, which on the open road I almost always have cruise control on *LOL* sometimes I forget for a second and take my hands off the handlebars to adjust my helmet and go whoops! Because I know my wife on the back saw it.
)
True, it's so smooth you dont have to hold onto the handle bars. This is what amazes me about the bike, still to this day, even when I think sometimes my bike riding days are over, once on the bike again, I remember that great feeling. I never have to fight the bike, it's really an amazing experience and it should be for what you pay.
2014 was the year that Harley came out with the Project Rushmore with the beefed up 103 HO on their touring bikes and other enhancements which I forgot what they were. The other part of the reason for me to upgrade at the time was I wanted ABS brakes and this gosh almost 800lb monster can stop on a dime.
I know I said a lot in this thread. I dont take knocking HD personally, but if I own something OR something I have intimate knowledge of I just cant ignore non factual stuff.
(I wish I had photos without our faces in it in the open with strong sunlight. Looks great int he mountains but you're up in the clouds when I take them. Here is one more local.
The Paint really sparkles (Folly Beach SC)
I dont know why in BITOG when posting a photo the colors come out muted. I guess the photos are dumbed down when uploaded.
www.harley-davidson.com
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
. I know, I’ve detailed a few over the years for friends and acquaintances. Then you get the “bigger engine”, which in the case of the M8, comes with a cam in between the torque and power Cams. But sorry, for the average CVO, there isn’t $10k worth of difference in the build quality or parts used. You get the same “C“ lifters, same crank bearings, cam plate, same compensator, same hard mediocre Dunlop tires, suspension, brakes, etc., and my bike has a personalized number on it as well… it’s called a VIN. Now sure, there’s some extra bling and a few upgraded niceties on them that set them apart in appearance, but quality wise, I see just as many of them with issues as the regular bikes.
