Let's talk Harley Davidson and how "American made" they are...

[02parkave 5,000+ posts]

Youre a ***...
Harley Davidson > and of the jap bikes...

(This coming from someone who has had multiple.)

you gt it wrong

hardley runningson

owned jap and harley (they are put together not far from here)

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

i guess it depends on what you buy the bike for...two different markets if you ask me.

 

[tex512 10+ year member]

Harley Davidsons are amazing machines. If you ride motorcycles you'll know what I'm talking about. I've ridden all sorts of american and foreign bikes (Busa's, cruisers, streetfighters, etc.) and there's nothing like riding a harley. And if you think their bikes have had little changes over the past 20 years, you obviously know nothing about motorcycles.

 

[Pottro 563 10+ year member]

harley's are very nice bike but you DO pay for the screaming eagle. reliability wise harley's are absolutely horrible and anybody who actually rides motorcycles will back that up. harleys are a very good cruiser loud *** stereo type bike. actual comfort wise i would take the 1200 shadow vtx with apes over my 00 fat boy custom. i have a harley and still appreciate other bikes out there. but saying i have a harley does have its glitter and sparkles in this area. haha.

 

[Johnny Drama 5,000+ posts]

harley's are very nice bike but you DO pay for the screaming eagle. reliability wise harley's are absolutely horrible and anybody who actually rides motorcycles will back that up. harleys are a very good cruiser loud *** stereo type bike. actual comfort wise i would take the 1200 shadow vtx with apes over my 00 fat boy custom. i have a harley and still appreciate other bikes out there. but saying i have a harley does have its glitter and sparkles in this area. haha.

Newer harleys are much more reliable and that is a dead claim...drop it.

You dont pay a premium...look up yamahas top of the line touring bike. The royal star line. Its just as expensive as the ultra classic we have....again busted claim.

Comfort...Ive ridden the top cruisers from Yamaha, Harley, Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki and a few others...Harley rides better, my *** and balls dont hurt on a 300 mile ride, and highway cruising on a Harley there is much more torque in the gearing then any of the others.

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

I've ridden both and there is a reason why I ride a yamaha roadstar. Torque, comfort (well it was comfortable stock) and price. For the price of a harley I was able to pick up a brand new roadstar and do just about every customization to it I wanted. The bike stock was under 10k.

To each their own though, ride what you like. The new harley's are indeed nice and reliable, I'm just too cheap to buy one. Atleast I still get idiots asking me what kind of Harley my bike is //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Sounds like some people get too uptight when somebody calls out their bike....who cares, ride what you like.

 

[Johnny Drama 5,000+ posts]

I've ridden both and there is a reason why I ride a yamaha roadstar. Torque, comfort (well it was comfortable stock) and price. For the price of a harley I was able to pick up a brand new roadstar and do just about every customization to it I wanted. The bike stock was under 10k.
To each their own though, ride what you like. The new harley's are indeed nice and reliable, I'm just too cheap to buy one. Atleast I still get idiots asking me what kind of Harley my bike is //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Sounds like some people get too uptight when somebody calls out their bike....who cares, ride what you like.

Come for a visit and Ill let you ride a bike with real torque and gearing.

The royal star and vstars we had always you constantly had to shift between 5th and 6th...when you're on the highway this is annoying as hell.

get on the ultraclassic or road king and you hit 5th and just go...crusies at 85 with minimal throttle.

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

Come for a visit and Ill let you ride a bike with real torque and gearing.
The royal star and vstars we had always you constantly had to shift between 5th and 6th...when you're on the highway this is annoying as hell.

get on the ultraclassic or road king and you hit 5th and just go...crusies at 85 with minimal throttle.

Too bad its so far away, I'm always down to ride different bikes //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

The vstars have no tq, little overhead cam motors. The royal star has tq but probably not down low, plus who wants a heavy overhead cam bike. The roadstar is a 102 cube motor stock with TONS of tq downlow. Only a 5 speed but even stock no need to downshift on the hwy, even for passing. I've upped the compression and put cams in my bike and it dyno'd at 97tq at the rear wheel, and thats spinning a heavy *** fat daddy spoke wheel. The tq is there pretty much right off idle too. Unless you've ridden a roadstar its hard to understand that tq down low.

I really want to ride one of yamaha's new raiders....113 cube motor would be fun //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif

 

[Johnny Drama 5,000+ posts]

Too bad its so far away, I'm always down to ride different bikes //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif
The vstars have no tq, little overhead cam motors. The royal star has tq but probably not down low, plus who wants a heavy overhead cam bike. The roadstar is a 102 cube motor stock with TONS of tq downlow. Only a 5 speed but even stock no need to downshift on the hwy, even for passing. I've upped the compression and put cams in my bike and it dyno'd at 97tq at the rear wheel, and thats spinning a heavy *** fat daddy spoke wheel. The tq is there pretty much right off idle too. Unless you've ridden a roadstar its hard to understand that tq down low.

I really want to ride one of yamaha's new raiders....113 cube motor would be fun //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif

Nice //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

We have a demo ride at north texas yamaha end of next month. Its a 300 mile ride that yamaha sponsors. Basically you get to the dealership and there is 30 different make and customized yamerhammers to ide the for the day. Every 100 miles you switch off //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

Nice //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

We have a demo ride at north texas yamaha end of next month. Its a 300 mile ride that yamaha sponsors. Basically you get to the dealership and there is 30 different make and customized yamerhammers to ide the for the day. Every 100 miles you switch off //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Right on, you should definately hop on a roadstar and a raider. I think the raiders are oogly but I'd like to try out that big motor. Might have to see if any dealers around here are running the same type of gig.

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

they outsource alot of their parts to foreign manufacturers...this is very public knowledge. Its the only way they can remain competative and somewhat cost effective.

QUOTED

"In 1981, AMF sold the company to a group of thirteen investors led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson for $80 million.[31] Inventory was strictly controlled using the Just In Time system.

In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed the Japanese manufacturers were dumping motorcycles on the US market. After Harley-Davidson rejected aid from Japanese manufacturers, the US International Trade Commission imposed in 1983 a 45% tariff on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacities specifically to protect Harley-Davidson. [32][33]

Rather than trying to match the Japanese, the new management deliberately exploited the "retro" appeal of the machines, building motorcycles that deliberately adopted the look and feel of their earlier machines and the subsequent customizations of owners of that era. Many components such as brakes, forks, shocks, carburetors, electrics and wheels were outsourced from foreign manufacturers and quality increased, technical improvements were made, and buyers slowly returned. To remain profitable Harley continues to increase the amount of overseas made parts it uses, while being careful not to harm its valuable "American Made" image."

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

they outsource alot of their parts to foreign manufacturers...this is very public knowledge. Its the only way they can remain competative and somewhat cost effective.
QUOTED

"In 1981, AMF sold the company to a group of thirteen investors led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson for $80 million.[31] Inventory was strictly controlled using the Just In Time system.

In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed the Japanese manufacturers were dumping motorcycles on the US market. After Harley-Davidson rejected aid from Japanese manufacturers, the US International Trade Commission imposed in 1983 a 45% tariff on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacities specifically to protect Harley-Davidson. [32][33]

Rather than trying to match the Japanese, the new management deliberately exploited the "retro" appeal of the machines, building motorcycles that deliberately adopted the look and feel of their earlier machines and the subsequent customizations of owners of that era. Many components such as brakes, forks, shocks, carburetors, electrics and wheels were outsourced from foreign manufacturers and quality increased, technical improvements were made, and buyers slowly returned. To remain profitable Harley continues to increase the amount of overseas made parts it uses, while being careful not to harm its valuable "American Made" image."

Not even an American icon like Harley can avoid the offshoring and outsourcing. I'm a hypocrite saying it as I own a jap bike, but its sad to see more jobs and profits sent overseas. Whats a person to do //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[bumpin buick 5,000+ posts]

The main parts of the bike are made here and the entire bike is assembled here. My best friend is a engineer for them and I have several freinds that work at the tomohawk and milwaukee plants. I have also had many tours of the plants and seen the quality job they do on building the bikes. So yes smaller components are made in other places to save some money but the majority of the bike is made in wisconsin and there all fully assembled and tested here too

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

Yup.....now-a-days saying American Made is just like saying "you paid too much"

 

[stuckinok 5,000+ posts]

Well if i was to invest in a bike i would get a Harley because they hold thier value like a mother fvcker.