Can someone tell me what makes a Harley Davidson a good bike?

Question

I am a car guy so it is clear to me where Benz, BMW and Cadillac rank and why. I am trying to get a better understanding of what makes Harley a top notch bike, or is it?

Answer 1

They are easily customized, they have been around for over 100 years, the quality that goes into every machine is second to none, Recall statistics are lower than most other makers. These are just a few of the reasons that Harley is still the world leader in Motorcycle sales

Answer 2

Rabid fan base.

Answer 3

Made in America by Americans and top notch quality control of the best materials.

Answer 4

If I had to explain....you wouldnt understand

Answer 5

Harleys, like Chevy small blocks, are not better, there just is a world of after market parts for them.

Go to any HD dealer and ask them about fuel mileage.  They will all tell you the same thing.

"Its not miles per gallon, that counts, its smiles per gallon"

They engine design has not changed that much for many years. They are living on an old reputation.

99% of all those that ride them is for the name.

30 years ago we would look forward to riding to Stergus. We stopped years ago, the lines of RVs towing brand new hogs were more than we could stand.

Ive owned Euro bikes most of my life. I bought and rode one Harley for a year, then gave it back to them. I now ride rice for the 100 mile a day work trip.

Next year when my 100 mile a day trips  are shortened , ill get a BMW and ride it the rest of my days

Answer 6

Can you guys be more specific !  What have they done to improve the Harley since the days of 20 or 30 years ago

Answer 7

you can spend $50K and get a caddy sts v8, or you can spend $35K and get a buick lucerne cxs that's pretty comparable to the caddy

much like a harley over a honda

but you have to keep in mind, that buick, though a good car.... ain't ever gonna be seen as a caddy, and the caddy is always going to be more sought after, respected, and worth more

Answer 8

> Harley is still the world leader in Motorcycle sales

> What HD does have is a genius marketing department

They must have if anyone believes that. Not to knock HD, they have a loyal consumer base who have specific requirements that are fulfilled – but that doesn't mean that the bikes are top notch, just that, within their segment, they have a historical leadership. Other manufacturers, create their pre-eminence in certain sectors by other means – BMW, for example, have a well-established brand based on engineering excellence and innovation in their car business and are transferring that to their bike range after years of a range based on the boxer twin engine.

Answer 9

It is a fan base of sorts. True enough the metrics have plastic and Harleys have all the shine with  chrome and real metal. I like their looks too, as would ANY real rider. I ride a cheaper Honda and like it. It has been said Harleys hold their resale value. Maybe so but the last time I looked there were hundreds of Harleys around here for sal and cheaper WAY cheaper by MSRP than any other bike. Why did the owner give premium dollar for top of the line bike and then take a 50% hit on the resale. In many instances only a thousand or so more than a metric? I looked at used Harleys before buying. I have a friend that has a beautiful Harley. He tried to get me to by one but I opted for the bike I have and am satisfied. Their customer loyalty keeps them in business and their NAME and I think name only keeps them at the top. Over priced IMHO.

Answer 10

Much like the models you listed above, the purchase of a motorcycle is an investment, and Harley tends to hold their resale value better, on average, than other manufacturers as a group.  If the Japanese manufacturers didn't sell so many of the sport bikes, their average resale value would probably be higher than Harley.

Answer 11

cause it would be goofy to get a suzuki, kawasaki or honda tattoo.......

Answer 12

A Hummer is not a Corvette but both are engineered well and sold at a price the market will bare. A Harley is not a V Star... but...

Answer 13

The Harley is the worst performing bike in the worst preforming class of bikes.  But it has gained an icon status and that is what you are buying when you buy a Harley.  Only for serious fashion victims.  While other brands of bikes have evolved in engineering, HD has only evolved more chrome.

Answer 14

"Good" is in the eye of the beholder, and the choice depends on what you want in a bike.  Harleys have improved a lot in recent years, but aren't my cup of tea (my ride is an R1200RT).

Here's my analysis:

Highs:

Big dealer network; nice sound (if you stick with the stock pipes, straight pipes are awful); low seat height; camaraderie and icon status.  

Lows:

Not much good in the twisties; parts scrape all the time if you corner hard.  Handling is inferior to many other bikes.  

I see a lot of Harleys in town, being used as boulevard cruisers.  I see a lot of Harleys on the highways of Western Oregon, where they serve well as a slower touring bike.  I see very few when I get into the lonely and distant back roads far away.  There Beemers and some Gold Wings seem to predominate.

Answer 15

I am a fairly new owner so I can only say so much from personal experience. I bought my first Harley last year, out of curiosity as much as anything else. I had owned 26 bikes prior to this purchase, and Harley is the only major brand I've never owned so I thought I'd give it a try. I also currently own 2 Japanese bikes and a KTM just for the record. From my personal experience so far it has been as good as any bike I've ever owned, but like I said, I've only had it a year. I have talked to many other owners and their experiences seem to be very good as well. They do seem to be reliable bikes. As far as price is concerned, it is just a matter of personal preference. Yes, you can by a Japanese bike that will perform as good if not better for half the price. But, to me the Harley was just a much better looking bike. When I compared it side by side with the Honda VTX and Yamaha V-Star, it was obvious to me that the chrome, paint, etc. was all of superior quality to the Japanese bikes. To me this was a big deal since I think a big part of a cruiser is the looks. As a person that owns a Harley but has always ridden (and still rides) a Japanese bike, I think if you want to just get from point A to point B, a Japanese bike is a better value. I will say though, there is just something about the Harley that puts a big a$$ grin on my face. I don't know how to describe it, but it's just more fun for me than any other bike I've ever ridden. Obviously I am comparing Harley to the many Japanese cruisers I've ridden, not to Japanese sports bikes since that is a ridiculous comparison to make.

Answer 16

Nothing.  

After 100 years they still have problems that quality bikes should not.  Not recalling  when they should gives a low recall rate.

  What HD does have is a genius marketing department.

Answer 17

really its not any better than any other bike.... i have a Harley.... and ive rode about one of most kinds... the bike you get or want all depend on you.. and what or where you plan to ride.... sports bikes think racing.... cruisers big bikes for long trips.. most are like a Cadillac... something to get you a round town any kind would do....i got mind because i like they way they sound.. and i know if i got a sports bike... id have to try it out.....so it depends on the person and yes they are top notch is why they been in business so long...... i have over 70,000 on my bike and still kicking the miles off

Answer 18

The Name and thats it . nothing more nothing less

Answer 19

They are just  nice ride not cookie cutter bikes like ninja 250's. Once you ride one you would understand. Like the difference between a c**p caddy and a Bentley

Answer 20

Very simple.  Harleys are better bikes due to the fantastic marketing department.  Harleys are big pieces of c**p.  The only exception is the VRod, which was engineered by Porsche and designed by Ness.  Harley only MAKES the bike.  Now, before all of you Harley guys start jumping all over me, I work on HD motorcycles along with all other brands.  HD's are under-engineered, they ARE NOT 100% american, alot of the parts are taiwanese and chinese, just assembled here- so you can stop the "buy American" BS right there.  HD sells a lifestyle, not the best bike.  HD sells more T-shirts every day than motorcycles produced since 1903.  Think about that.  I am sure you know of a number of people with the HD stickers, shirts, Ford P/U trucks and boots that don't even know how to ride.. They are marketing geniuses.  The bikes are sub-standard compared to other makes.  Want American?  Go buy a Victory.  Pound for pound, a better bike.  They actually had to DECREASE the cooling of the oil because the bike is actually engineered correctly, versus the "hot" second cylinder that has plagued HD since, well, 1903!..  I ride a Triumph and a BMW, average 20K+ per year, and work on many bikes.  I frequently get HD owners that tell me that they ride "a bunch" every year, and it turns out that 1500 miles per year is "a bunch"!!  h**l, that's a weekend for me!  I NEVER have mechanical problems, my bikes are comfortable, and they handle!!  Nothing like this can be said of 90% of the HD's out there.  I do not mean to beat up HD's so much, but a fact is a fact.  I am leaving you with 3 of my favorite sayings:  1.  A harley by any other name would be just as slow.  2. If HD made an airplane, would you fly in it? and 3. 98% of all HD's made are still on the road- the other 2% made it home.  Have a nice day, do not fall into the HD lifestyle trap, buy a real motorcycle, and enjoy the ride!

Answer 21

Don't they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?  It seems most modern cruisers owe a debt to Harley-Davidson.  Aren't most of them going for the classic HD archetype?  Harley and cruiser are as synonymous as Kleenex and facial tissue.

I've never had a Harley - I'm riding a Honda Shadow right now.  I like my Honda and it has been a great bike for me.  Still, I'd like to get a Harley some day.  When I see my friend's Harleys or I visit the HD store and look at the bikes I notice an attention to detail that I don't really see on my Honda.  Also, I see the Harleys don't seem to have any plastic parts like my Honda (for example, turn signal housings, air intake covers, etc.).  Some people like the plastic (no rust, lighter weight), however, to me it seems a little cheap.

It's a cliche to bash Harleys these days.  Lot's of jokes about oil leaks, time in the shop, etc..  Let it go already.  I think HD are making a great product.  As far as cruisers go, there isn't a better bike in my opinion.  When you're at the top, there will always be nay-sayers trying to bring you down.

I'm not saying that other cruisers are junk.  After all, I ride a Shadow ACE and it is an extremely dependable bike.  I enjoy riding it and probably will be riding it for many years to come.  However, it is a mere imitation of the best cruiser on the market - the Harley-Davidson.