If by “girl”, you mean skank.

Spot on. The image is their downfall, along with lack of anything but cruisers. With the introduction of the pan America and Street fighter, they will have a slightly more diversified product line, but even if these products are bleeding edge tech and outperform all the other competition (LMAO) 75% of the people who…

No, they couldn’t. The younger riders coming into bikes don’t want the dirt bag/loud pipes/pirate logo on everything lifestyle.

Just go around.  There aren’t many bikes out there that a Harley can out-accelerate.

I think most all of my questions would be answered watching a video or in-depth review of you riding that exact route at a spirited pace (and whether it handles well enough to actually travel at a spirited pace). I suspect it would take hours longer than you think it will, as you wait for the batteries to recharge to…

Not every dealer will be carrying or servicing these bikes.  Last I heard Harley was working to get an least 1 dealer per STATE and at least 1 dealer in every MAJOR metropolitan area to commit the money, resources and manpower to meet the minimum requirements to carry and service the bike.

If you can go 45 minutes, comfortably, on a scout bobber, you’ve got me beat by about 30 minutes! Love the engine, but the bobber iteration is completely for looks, not for riding.

Get an e-bike, 1/5 the cost of the Zero, light and 35 mph should be fine, 30 for sure.

I agree, can’t imagine anything that Chrysler, of all companies, could have brought to the table. At least in terms of technology, reliability, innovation, reputation etc.

You nailed it!

And here lies HD’s problem. A large percentage of the buyers buy the bike as a social crutch. To be able to ride with their buddies for charity rides, to be a “brotherhood”... In other words, the Harley is the admission price to be accepted into the clubhouse. There is not a “Bond among riders”, there is a feeling of…

But, nobody is going to buy a 900 pound “sport bike” with 65 horsepower.

What made the bikes more appealing in the 90's was they weren’t 25 years out of date compared to the competition at that time.

Not true - I’d never consider a NEW bike without ABS. If it was at a price of $15,000 or above I’d also expect it to have cruise control, lean angle sensing ABS and traction control, and enough available power to weight ratio to actually have that TC be useful.

Yup, I didn’t grow up with any “motorcycle role models” I got started in 2 wheels with a 50cc (Honda) moped - I lived a mile from school in a rural community of about 3000 people, and at the time a 50cc moped license could be had at age 14 by taking a written test.

Gerry, don’t worry about the size difference between the R1200 and the RoadKing. The RoadKing will be looking smaller by the second in your mirrors as you leave it behind on the highways, the twisties, or as the RK is stopping for gas twice as often as you on the R1200 ;)

“Like it or not, Motorcycles are one of the most popular recreational interests in the US. The majority of those people enjoy a bike with loud pipes (not all and most not all the time)“

Cost is a bit of a factor, however, the young buyers are looking for light, nimble, low maintenance, good power to weight ratios, great brakes, good gas mileage bikes that can just be ridden, not wrenched on. Those that are tempted to ride want to ride, not polish chrome, dress head to toe in branded gear and ride…

The v-rod lineup has been discontinued a year or two ago.