An open letter to Harley-Davidson, my thoughts so far

"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech) 07/18/2016 at 08:30 • Filed to: Hardly-Ableson

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Initially I was ecstatic to buy my first Harley. You see, I’ve been around and riding Harleys my whole life. Grew up knowing and hanging out with all of my dad’s badass biker buddies. I briefly considered other bikes, but the only real option was a Harley and the first time I saw pictures of a 48 I just had to have one. Then I bought mine and at the time it felt like one of the top 10 happiest moments of my life.

But then, the days went by and the miles added up. The more I rode it, the more I feel out of love with it. As it turns out, aside from engine management, current Harleys ride basically the same as ones from 40 years ago. So did I just spend ten times as much on a bike that I basically could have bought a carbureted version of on craigslist? A bike that isn’t quite a cruiser and certainly isn’t as sporty as it’s supposed to be considering how unstable the front end feels at speed in a corner.

Clearly I incorrectly assumed that Harley had made some technical progress in the last half century and my purchase was 100% emotional. Had logic played a role in my purchase I would be on a different bike right now. Go ahead everyone, say “I told you so”, I’ve got it coming. The rose-colored glasses came off. I could see Harley as the fashion and lifestyle brand whose products don’t come anywhere close to their own image. A 4 cylinder Ferrari with bias ply tires, if you will.

Please, don’t take this as me being mean and hateful. I’m merely trying to be constructive. I grew up and met my hero, and it turns out he’s not the athlete he once was but instead an angry, old, alcoholic. I want my hero to to stop worrying about hair transplants, spray tans, brotox, and manscaping but instead hit the gym. I want Harley to build a bike with modern suspension and brake components that will lean more than that old tower in Italy. I want Harley to build a bike that doesn’t require five grand in aftermarket upgrades to be decent to ride every day for more than just bar hopping. And no, the VROD, XR, Roadster, and old Buells don’t count. They’re nice attempts, but chronologically, those attempts are going downhill so fast we might see them skiing in the next winter Olympics.

So, have the Sportster team go to San Francisco or Portland to learn how to be skinny, vegan, hipsters if that’s what it’s takes for the bike to lose some weight. Call Ohlins, or Showa, or both. Call Old Man Emu if it helps. Get that bike up a little bit so it stops tripping over it’s own pegs like a drunken frat boy. Make the suspension actually do something other than wallow in its own pity like an alcoholic, has- been athlete.

Harley, I love you, but I can’t be with you anymore. I’m sick of making excuses for you when we go out with friends. I’m sick of you coasting through life ever since you were the star quarterback in high school. Sure, you might have been employee of the month at Wal-Mart a few times since, but what else have you done? You’re better than this, Harley.

You can do badass retro with modernized performance. Just ask Triumph, Ducati, and Yamaha.

P.S. This currently tops my list of acceptable Harley replacements.

McMike > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 08:36

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Harley-Davidson. 105 years of innovation - impeded by tradition.

Flavien Vidal > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 08:39

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What about the Sportster? Keep in mind I don’t know shit about bikes, just asking. It looks lighter and maybe more “moveable” then a typical Harley no?

Sam > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 08:44

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If they changed anything, the guys who ride them religiously would lose their collective shit. If it weren’t for emissions and fuel economy regs, they would still use carburetors (let’s be honest, FI is just flat out better).

Dave the car guy , still here > McMike 07/18/2016 at 08:46

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ALSO impeded by poor customer service in some regions. My manager at work has gone through hell every time he has to get his serviced for any reason. Its been 3 yrs he has had his newest and he has discussed selling it and getting a Japanese bike of some sort.

Party-vi > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 08:47

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I don’t understand, you’ve been riding Harleys all your life, but the moment you spend your money on one you realize it’s essentially a 60 year old resto-mod?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 08:50

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Harley - the ultimate lawyering machine.

shop-teacher > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 08:51

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I’ve heard basically the same story from a few first time Harley buyers. It’s a shame what the company has become, but bizarre that so many just don’t seem to care.

bob and john > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 09:01

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*straightens jacket*
*clears throat*
*fixes hair*
*shines shoes*

told ya so :D

Scott > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 09:01

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Harley has the same problem that Cadillac and Porsche used to have. Their customers wanted exactly the same thing they had always been producing, and those customers get VERY vocal if you even hint and producing something a little different. You can pander to those customers, but you limit yourself to JUST those customers.

Cadillac eventually realized that too many of it’s core customers where dying, and it re-invented itself to go after a younger crowd. Porsche, made small changes that where not enough to drive away it’s core customers, but slowly expanded their appeal, and got their customers accustom to changes.

I think Harley has not yet had the Cadillac issue, although that may eventually come. It is content to expand it’s marketing, making it’s motorcycles an American icon. So far it has really only had to update due to regulatory changes. I think it could easily go the Porsche route, but probably will not, until it sees a need to.

bob and john > Flavien Vidal 07/18/2016 at 09:02

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not really. the most harley ever did was the Buells, and those bikes would out handle mroe or less anything AT THE TIME. now, at the time was almost 15 years ago for the XB’s, and 7 years ago for the 1125 line.

xsnowpig > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 09:03

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stripped a fork bolt on my VFR750 a few years back. needed that bolt immediately and swung by local Harley Tshirt shop/showroom since they sell Polaris and crossed my fingers. parts desk guy had the bolt i needed, not from a polaris machine, but from the Showa forks on some of the Harleys.

so Harley does farm out pieces like Showa forks, but form doesn’t follow function.

McMike > Dave the car guy , still here 07/18/2016 at 09:07

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Since I don’t use their service departments, I didn’t even think about that.. That would turn me off, too.

There are at least 4 dealerships in my area, so at least folks have a choice.

That would suck if they only dealership in your city had a poorly run service department.

nermal > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 09:12

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You need a Tuono V4. Make sure there’s room in the budget for an exhaust and some ear plugs, and you’re good to go. Until it breaks and you can’t get parts for a month, but don’t worry about that.

(extremely biased opinion)

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Party-vi 07/18/2016 at 09:16

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It makes sense, the buying part made it sour.

Dave the car guy , still here > McMike 07/18/2016 at 09:19

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Its been the entire range of screw ups too. Trying to charge him for warrantied services, badly installed accessories, bad diagnosis of electrical issues, pick up the bike and it hasn’t been touched, wobble when cornering not diagnosed etc etc. He needed to lemon law the bike. They sometimes had it for over a week without progress.

JEM > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 10:00

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Man, great article. I personally don’t give a shit what people ride (I personally find HDs very uncomfortable) and part of me kind of wants a HD at some point.

That said “Hardly-Ableson” is the best/funniest tag I’ve seen. Is that a thing? I can’t believe I’ve never heard it before.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 10:10

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Sounds like the Harley you wanted wasn’t the 48 but the Roadster. Taller, dual front dist,USD forks. supposed to be a better handling Sportster

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Dave the car guy , still here 07/18/2016 at 10:17

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Parts was ridiculous for me. Gong on three visits just to get my passenger seat set up correct. Missing parts, wrong parts, unnecessary parts.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Flavien Vidal 07/18/2016 at 10:18

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My bike is a sportster. It’s still 550 pounds, which is 100-150 more than must bikes in a similar size/style.

Pickup_man > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 10:22

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I think a lot of it boils down to expectations, and what you want the bike to do. I’ve only ever owned one Harley, a 2008 Sportster 883, and the more I ride it, the more I love it, but I’ve also owned a few UJM’s and ridden several new bikes as well. I agree that even the Sportster, isn’t a very sporty bike, but it suits my riding environment very well, which is mainly cruising on straight roads, with the occasional spirited corner or individual curve. If my riding environment consisted of curvy mountainous roads with lots of spirited riding, I would likely be on a different bike.

Lately the wife has been expressing more interest in riding with me, and would like a bike with a little more room, so the Sportster has to go (sad face). I’ve been looking around at various cruisers to fill this roll. Yes I know that there are other options out there such as adventure style bikes, or sport touring bikes, but I like the looks of cruisers, and honestly don’t need the handling capabilities offered in a sport touring bike, so a cruiser it is. This is a purely emotional decision and I realize the capabilities that I’m giving up, but after thoroughly assessing the type of riding that I do, which isn’t necessarily the type of riding that I want to do, a cruiser fits the bill very nicely. When looking I made sure to keep an open mind, and I’ve considered several bikes; the Yamaha/Star Warrior, the Yamaha/Star Raider, Victory V92C, and the Victory Hammer, none of them I’ve fallen in love with, whether it be riding characteristics, or style. This brought me back to Harley, particularly the Street Bob. The Dyna series isn’t know to be terrible handlers, it should carry my wife and I in comfort, and I love the way they look. I know it won’t be a super fast, light and nimble mountain carver, but what it will do is suit all of my riding needs, still allow me to have some spirited riding, in a slow bike fast sort of way, and look awesome doing it.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see Harley improve and modernize more than they have, which they’ve at least attempted, but I think we’ll have to wait another five to ten years before their die hard traditional customer base allows them to. Until then though their bikes fit my needs/wants, and clearly many others as well so they’ll continue to be the slow lumbering bikes they’ve always been, which honestly, is fine if that’s the kind of bike you want.

This got a little long, so here’s a Street Bob for your time.

TL;DR: Harley’s aren’t sporty bikes, if you expect them to be you will be disappointed. They’re cruisers, and are very good as such.

I’ve been looking at cruisers for reasons and after looking at/riding various makes/models, I find myself leaning towards Harley because they fit my riding needs and my emotional wants (not necessarily my riding wants though)

I would love to see HD become much more modernized, and they’ve attempted over the years but their customer base is too big, and too stubborn for them to change. This is fine(for now), if what you want is a big cruiser. They’ll change when they need to.

More Street Bob

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Party-vi 07/18/2016 at 10:22

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Fair enough. The difference today is that I had been away from motorcycles for about ten years, and looking back had only ever really ridden modified ones and with other Harley riders and only in the midwest with its flat and straight roads.

Now I live in the Pacific northwest and everyone I know rides not-Harleys, except for one co-worker. So now my stock suspension bike on these hilly and twisty roads is like trying to eat steak with a spoon.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 07/18/2016 at 10:27

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Not after reading Sean’s review. But to be fair he doesn’t like Harleys at all. And it wasn’t out yet when I bought mine, and I couldn’t have forced myself to wait if I wanted to.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > JEM 07/18/2016 at 10:29

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Thanks. I still love Harley, probably always will, but right now I need something different. Though if I could keep this and have an XSR/Monster/Triple that would be perfect.

A friend of mine calls them that, so credit goes to him. I’ve never heard anyone else use it though.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Sam 07/18/2016 at 10:31

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Yes. But they can make multiple types of models and trim levels. Look at Triumph. They have big cruisers, they have badass retro, and they have sport bikes.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > shop-teacher 07/18/2016 at 10:33

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The difference for me is that I’ve only ridden already modified old ones on straight and flat roads. That was all more than ten years ago. Now, mine is stock and I don’t have any straight and flat roads.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > xsnowpig 07/18/2016 at 10:35

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To my knowledge they only use a showa fork on the XR. Which is supposed to be great for a Harley but still heavy and not up to par with where it should be. And, in my opinion, ugly. Like sticking a bunch of plastic cladding all over a G-wagen to make it look sporty.

Sam > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 10:37

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Harley faithfuls are Luddites. They’d freak out because these models would ruin their favorite bikes or something.

carzcarzcarz > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 10:39

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Nice article, I came here to say watch out for the hatemail from the HD faithful, but so far the comments have all been really good. I’ve got a FZ-09 and its bare bones suspension is still not too bad, and the XSR has fixed a lot of the little problems from the FZ. That triple engine is insane and makes it all worth while though.

bob and john > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 10:48

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I use it actually LOL

Meatcoma > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 11:25

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My dad used to race motorcycles (before I was born) and he always rode a harley dirtbike where he could because their pegs were higher than the japanese dirtbikes. He once told me that at one race every person that did not have a harley dirtbike broke their ankle on this trail from hitting a stump that the harleys pegs just barely cleared.

Still, as I grew up we had a Yamaha, an Indian and a harley dirtbikes. Wish i still had them.

DynamicWeight > Sam 07/18/2016 at 11:51

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Carburetors sound better. Honestly, on a bike, the tick tick tick tick tick of injectors is really annoying on an otherwise quiet backroads ride through the forest. I know these Harley guys have such loud exhausts that they wouldn’t be able to hear it anyway, but I wanted to point out there is a benefit to carbs. They are quiet.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Pickup_man 07/18/2016 at 12:49

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I completely agree about expectations. Maybe I was wrong to assume that some functional components had been improved in the last decade. Every other manufacturer of everything mechanical makes even small technical improvements over time.

Don’t get me wrong I like my bike. And I recognize that part of the issue here is me. I made an emotional purchase. I should have thought more about the type of riding I would be doing.

But in the ten years since I last rode I’ve moved to a new post of the country with twisty, hilly mountain roads instead of flat and straight plains highways and no longer know anyone who rides Harleys.

I know and always knew this bike wouldn’t be sporty or handle particularly well. But it would at the very least be nice if it could go through a long sweeper at speed without feeling like the front end was on ice/loose/wobbling and if the rear suspension actually absorbed bumps rather than tried to catapult me. Or if my bike knew what it wad supposed to be, since the riding position isn’t terribly comfortable for long hauls and fuel tank is laughably small making road trips very difficult to plan. So it’s sort of in between a cruiser and a sporty Harley. It’s really more of a fashion accessory.

Again, I do like the bike and in a perfect world I would have it and another newish bike (so I don’t have to work on either much). And I can mostly keep up with most of my friends on their bikes, so that’s something I guess.

Party-vi > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 12:50

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What’s your solution here? Sell it at a loss and get something else? I’m not sure how big the aftermarket is to make Harleys handle better - might be something to look into.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Party-vi 07/18/2016 at 12:55

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Keep riding it for now and enjoy it for what it is. I’ve thought about upgrading the suspension and there are definitely parts available to do that. But realistically by the time I get it where I want it to be I’m going to spend what would have been a real nice down payment on something like an XSR900.

BobintheMtns > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 12:55

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Metric for the win!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Meatcoma 07/18/2016 at 12:56

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Wow. That’s crazy! The idea that any Harley would have higher pegs is nuts to me. But it sounds like those dirt bikes would have been fun.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > DynamicWeight 07/18/2016 at 12:58

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And cheap to tune and modify.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > bob and john 07/18/2016 at 12:59

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Have you ridden Yamaha’s XSR? I had the chance about a week ago. Need now.

bob and john > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 13:09

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nope. doesnt do anything for my in terms of looks and position.

Pickup_man > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 13:11

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I wouldn’t say you were wrong to assume that components should be improved over time, Harley just seems to be able to get away with improving less than other brands. Harley seems to only fix what’s broken and isn’t pressured into making big innovative changes very often.

Like I mentioned I’m strongly looking at a Dyna Street Bob, I know that this is mostly an emotional purchase because there are a lot of other good long distance two up bikes out there, and yet I cant seem to get past this particular bike. IMO emotional purchases aren’t necessarily bad purchases, just so long as the thing you purchase continues to elicit that same emotion as when you wanted it. In your case it doesn’t sound like it does, and I don’t blame you. I live in eastern South Dakota where the roads are long and straight, and if I lived where I regularly road twisty and curvy roads, any Harley, with maybe the exception of the new Sportster Roadster, or an XR1200, wouldn’t even be on my radar.

Maybe it’s because I have no higher standards to hold it to, but I think my Sportster handles pretty well. I push it all the way over to the pegs pretty regularly and never worry about the front end washing out. Maybe there’s enough of a difference between the front ends on the standard Sportster and the 48 to make a noticable difference. The rear suspension sucks.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Pickup_man 07/18/2016 at 13:22

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I know eastern South Dakota fairly well for someone who’s never lived there. I have/had lots of friends and family in Brookings and Sioux Falls and grew up just two hours straight east of Brookings.My dad and I used to go pheasant hunting near lake Poinsett every year. Aside from my tiny gas tank, this bike would be perfect for that area.

It does handle well. For a Harley. It’s also possible that I’m pushing it harder than it should be pushed which is why it’s wobbling at times. But I’ve talked to other guys out here who felt the exact same thing on their Harleys, not sportsters. So maybe it’s the roads here?

Pickup_man > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 13:40

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Yep, grew up in Garretson, just north of Sioux Falls, went to school in Brookings, fish lake Poinsett fairly often, and am back living just north of Sioux Falls again, only now in Baltic. I’ve always wanted a sport bike until I realized that they just don’t work around here. This is what cruisers are built for, and when people bash cruisers so hard I genuinely wonder if they’ve ever been to an area like this.

Shiftright > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/18/2016 at 14:57

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I’ve been saying this for years. Other than a personal choice of aesthetics, I just don’t get the appeal of a Harley other than as a prop for weekend role-playing.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Pickup_man 07/18/2016 at 15:11

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You are right, that is where cruisers are built for. I don’t know what anyone would do with a sport bike in the midwest, other than try to hit 200mph on the way to work everyday.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Shiftright 07/18/2016 at 15:21

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As sometime else has said, they’re fantastic for flat and straight roads like you would find in the midwest. Which is where I’m from originally, thus the appeal, but now I live in a mountainous coastal state. But yeah, where I am now the bike is a better fashion accessory than anything else.