Dumb and dumber

[Oceandiver]

Have to vent a little...

Did a fair amount of riding this summer and bumped into enough Harley riders.  Saw one getting pulled up onto a car carrier on the side of a highway.  Another one whose bike spent three days of his vacation in a dealership while they were on their trip, then it broke down again 20 miles out of the dealership.  Yet another guy tells me he bought the "skins for life" program from Harley, which is something about getting tires for life for the bike from Harley.  He says he would never do it again 'cause it just locked him into riding on cheap tires forever!  I asked him who makes the tires...he says Harley...I asked again, who makes them for Harley?  He says Harley makes them.  So I guess there is a Harley tire factory somewhere turning out cheap tires all day long...hahaha

Today I went looking for speakers, went to a store, told him I have a Valkyrie and he says "sorry to hear that".. took me a second to realize what he meant.  Another loyal, dumb, and no money in his pocket idiot (he made his point and I wouldn't buy even a blown fuse, ever, from them now).  I truly believe if they took a poll of these guys IQ level, it would score well below the National average.  The bad economy is definitely weeding out marginal businesses....maybe I should go buy a Harley jacket while the dealerships are still around, should be a collectors item in a few years !!

[NITRO]

I rented a Harley Electra Glide Ultra Classic last summer while in MA and was very impressed with it. After riding with mostly Valkyrie guys the last few years, all I'd heard was what underpowered crap Harleys are. It was comfortable, had tons of storage, sounded nice, looked good, and handled much better than the three Victories I rode a while back. My only complaint was that the turn signals took some time to get used to and my wife said there was too much vibration in the seat for her (I didn't notice this). I hear plenty of stories of stock Harleys lasting 100,000 miles, I think it's the guys that try to get too much power out of them that have issues.

Also, the guy at the HD dealership that handled rentals had lots of compliments for me when I told him I ride a Valk. And while we were in Maggie Valley this past summer for the VOAI Family Reunion, I talked to a bunch of guys riding Harleys that were just as nice as anybody else we met down there. It's that whole Harley "owner" versus Harley "rider" thing.

All of this said, I wouldn't trade my Interstate for a Harley, but I'll certainly never trash talk them either. Hate on the idiots, not the cycle.

[cookiedough]

Hate on the idiots, not the cycle.

Well said!

I received somehow in the mail a $200.00 dollar coupon to take a free test ride for a day on a rental HD of my choice of what is in stock.  Maybe I will catch the HD buzz, but very, very highly doubt it.

Why spend twice as much money just to say I own a HD? 

[El Borrego]

I have a mutual friend and when I bought my first Val last year I rode to my son's one day and my friend was out in his front yard so I stopped by.  He says, "I see you got some new wheels.  You should have bought a real bike."  My reply, being the nice guy that I am, was "I did buy a real bike, I just didn't have to buy the shop."  End of slurs.  He's one of those riders that if he rides 60 miles in a day it was a long ride.  To each his own, that's why they make so many different makes and models.

I see gobs of HDs here in the mountains, a lot of them hauled in and out.  Like today, herds of HDs in the mountains, as I took my little 80 mile ride this afternoon.  Beautiful Fall colors and temp was in the 60s.

[alph]

i was at this restaurant and watched a guy load his silver/gray interstate into a trailer.  most embarrassing thing i'd ever seen.  what was worse was this guy pulled up on a Harley, and offered to help!!

i went to a Harley shop here in town, was looking for some raingators, when i heard the sales guy bragging that he went on a 45 mile ride the other day.  i was laughing to my self, and i wanted to ask him were could he possibly go on such a long ride!!  another harley shop had a "buy the back tire, get the front for free" sale. so i stopped in to find out what they wanted for tires on the Valk.  the guy says to me "that deals not good for jap bikes" i should have just left then but i wanted to know what he would charge for tires.  he came up with $600 for the rear, but of course the front one was free!!   

i will say that the southerners are a thousand times more friendlier then the harley guys up here.

[oldman]

I normally don't get in on Harley bashing as most of the bikes I see on the roads around here are HD's.  Though there are several Wings and crotch rockets here in town, not many of them venture out.  Or at least I don't see them as I ride a lot during the week (retired) and not on the weekends.  For the most part the HD riders are friendly, wave and do stop if one is stopped along side the road.  AND yes some of them I see out and about more than 50 miles from town.  AND not all of them have bought into the HD leather thing.

As far as shopping at the HD dealership, not a problem.  The nearest one is some 90 miles away.  I have a friend in town that took his bike there to get fixed after an accident.  Took them 6 weeks to get the parts and put it together.  When he went to get it, they had the wrong front fender and windshield.  Another 4 weeks to get the right ones.  Lost most of his riding season.

[cookiedough]

Like Nitro said, not Harley bashings, but the idiots who drive them. 

Unfortunately for me, I live next to the worst HD owner there is that I know of.

[ValkThree]

I view the HD crowd as a separate culture altogether however I have been treated well at the dealers. I never buy anything but once in a while just do some snooping. Usually they are pretty gracious.

[Thulsa Doom]

Recent conversation in the lunch room at work.

VP of sales: I'm going to buy a bike soon.
Me: Oh yeah? What kind?
VP of sales: Harley of course.
Me: Really? Why?
VP of sales: Because they're the best.
Me: (eyebrow raised...) Why are they the best?
VP of sales: Because they're Harley Davidson.
 

[ValkThree]

I have experienced that exact same dialog with newbee riders who have never driven a motorcycle in their lives.
Mostly women - need for fashion I suppose.
I normally suggest they buy a smaller more controllable machine first so they get the hang of things then make a decision.
Nope they just want a Harley.

It's the way it goes.  

[Thulsa Doom]

I have experienced that exact same dialog with newbee riders who have never driven a motorcycle in their lives.
Mostly women - need for fashion I suppose.
I normally suggest they buy a smaller more controllable machine first so they get the hang of things then make a decision.
Nope they just want a Harley.

It's the way it goes.  

Seems most new riders getting Harley Davidsons.
Must feel safe due to the lack of power.   LOL

JK

[salty]

Wait until they (HD owners) start getting some maintenance and repair bills. Not only do you meet the "nicest" people on a Honda but you can ride the crap out of them and they will be there for more.

[ValkThree]

I guess a person should say "You meet the nicest people on a Honda, for less"