Okay, NOW shut up about Harley-Davidson 

"Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns" (themarvelous1310) 04/21/2016 at 23:01 • Filed to: 2016 Harley-Davidson Roadster, Harley-Davidson, Necessary Improvements, Lanesplitter, Awesome, The Odd Custom

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You see that? Look closely. All of that is factory, yours for 11,549. Meet the 2016 Harley-Davidson Roadster!

Seriously though. Mid-sets, 3.5 inches of rear travel, inverted forks and double brakes? That’s addressing everything the smartasses complain about besides the power, which-come on, it’s the same 1200cc Buell had in the Lightning/Firebolt, you can get 120+ horses pretty easy, but you don’t need it. Trust me, there’s torque aplenty.

Anyway, these are only baby steps. They’re feeling out the market, and this is a great second step after the Low Rider S. Also this is the sportiest a Sportster is going to get without serious frame redesigning, and one of a few Harley-Davidsons I could easily ride forever without changing much. I like the bobbed-out look Harley’s been rocking, too.

Picture from Motorcycle.com, a site I enjoy because it's informative, enjoyable and free.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/21/2016 at 23:08

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That actually looks pretty cool

Birddog > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/21/2016 at 23:09

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You will never shut up a Harley critic. It’s impossible.

bob and john > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/21/2016 at 23:33

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still WAY too long and expensive. but they are going in the right direction finally.

also, to get that 120HP you need to throw like another 5k of parts at it.

I do like that they are finally considering how a bike actually rides.

CRider > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 00:30

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3.5 inches, what is this, a fucking dirt bike? Come on Harley, we know you can get it down to a nice even inch if you try.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Birddog 04/22/2016 at 00:41

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What do you mean?

Personally I think that’s a great looking tractor...

slipperysallylikespenguins > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 01:30

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Yep and it will cost another $11549 to maintain. Granted you will be able to sell it for almost that amount when you are done. I don’t really mind the bikes, I just hate the fashion company that makes them with a passion.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 03:11

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Definitely wouldn’t mind if my forty-eight had better brakes. But the sportys are so small and low that mid sets are a little uncomfortable, at least for me at 5'11". Otherwise I love the bike.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > slipperysallylikespenguins 04/22/2016 at 04:00

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Don’t forget to get your matching Harley Davidson boots. You’ll just look silly without them.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 04:01

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I’m nit picking here, but that front tire looks totally useless.

slipperysallylikespenguins > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 04/22/2016 at 04:07

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All I need is a some HD boots and a pair of assless chaps and I’ll be set.

McMike > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 05:24

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I really like what Harley is doing to the sportsters recently.

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > slipperysallylikespenguins 04/22/2016 at 07:37

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What for? Seriously, how is Harley-Davidson’s commitment to its own historic design language appreciably worse than, say, Moto Guzzi or Triumph or Morgan, or even Porsche?

Old aesthetics will always hold appeal, even in the face of better technology, because people appreciate it for what it is-a buzzy, flexy 1950s superbike with a half decade of strictly necessary Improvements. That being said, there’s a LOT of difference between this

and this.

So please don’t act like it’s really the same bike they’re selling.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 08:43

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I hate Harley’s, and I would buy that bike. If only I didn’t know about their quality issues. If those are fixed, done deal, that bike will be awesome.

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 04/22/2016 at 08:49

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Yeah. At least now Victory has a legit lightweight I can cross-shop it with, I really do dig the Octane .

Your boy, BJR > bob and john 04/22/2016 at 10:05

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I, for one, am glad someone makes a long bike.

Pickup_man > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 10:31

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I really really want this bike. I hate to be the person who say’s I’ll wait to buy one used because I want to support HD and encourage them to build more bikes like this, but the finances just don’t quite allow the purchase of a new bike at the moment.

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 04/22/2016 at 10:34

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Seriously, what kind of wannabee doesn’t buy ALL of their clothes at the same store they bought the motorcycle from? You should see these off-brand suckers, bragging about how ‘safe’ their ‘custom equipment’ is. How can you be safe in a bunch of tight, chunky polymer plates held together by aerospace materials? Do they even lift?!

Whatever. I got my squats and my chaps and my logo jacket, and if I ever fall I’ll just beat the ground up as I roll across it. That's what Dennis Hopper would have done...

bob and john > Your boy, BJR 04/22/2016 at 10:34

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no, good for them for MAKING it, and frankly, someone needs too.

but, as a bike with sporting pretensions, its trying to fit a square peg in a round hole

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 04/22/2016 at 10:36

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Sigh. I bet you think the Street Triple looks great.

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > Pickup_man 04/22/2016 at 11:25

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Don’t worry about it. Somebody else will buy one, realize they’re more of a squiddy than they care to admit, and dump his off cheap for a used Hayabusa. Just be vigilant with your Cycle Trader monitoring and keep some traveling/shipping money.

BobintheMtns > Birddog 04/22/2016 at 11:56

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Well it’s pretty hard not to hate when harley riders make themselves such obvious targets.. Just look at the title of this post.. Is this bike supposed to be some triumph of badass engineering? What a joke. Congrats! Harley is *almost* at a power/weight ratio that matches a 40 year old bmw airhead.. (And 120+hp from a harley 1200 is “easy”- citation needed please) News flash: it’s just another tired sportster with a cafe style seat. But I guess introducing a cafe seat (which was considered cliche 10 years ago) is actually innovation for harley...

And that stupid tank! “Oh look, super tiny peanut tank cuz heritage” If you’re gonna reduce the bike’s range to less than 100 miles, at least clean up the wires and shit that’s usually hidden under the tank “Oh, but harleys are so beautiful!!” So much derp.

If you wanna ride the slowest, worst-handling, ridiculously over-priced bike, feel free. (Just make sure you’re wearing HD (TM) branded jeans, jackets and bandanas - AND DON’T EVER RIDE IT WITHOUT A BLACK TEE-SHIRT ON!!! ).

But when you strut around like you guys are the billy-badasses of the moto world, expect the rest of us to point and laugh.

Birddog > BobintheMtns 04/22/2016 at 12:10

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“So much derp.”

The perfect description for every Dank Wheelie popping Sport Biker on the road! Thanks!

Pickup_man > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 12:16

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That was the plan, I figure in a few years or so I should be able to find one with <1000 miles for a few grand off new.

slipperysallylikespenguins > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 04/22/2016 at 15:11

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I have nothing against their styling, some of them look very good. These bikes are nothing like 50s superbikes though, I would reserve that for machines like the Vincents, Nortons, Ariels, and BSAs.

I don’t like Harley for their business practices, their marketing, and the Harley communities general attitude. They only survive on their aesthetics and “heritage.” They stopped making competetive cycles in the 70's and have run with it trying to sell the “Easy Rider” image. Instead of innovating they have survived on assistance multiple times so they can keep producing their over priced and under-built bikes to the aging masses. No other company on Earth could pull off what they are doing at their scale. If you have watched “The F Word” S13E12 of South Park, it sums up very nicely what the general public thinks of Harleys.

Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns > slipperysallylikespenguins 04/22/2016 at 16:01

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Redacted like a motherfucker. But I will say that every car since the 1978 Chevrolet Caprice has been overpriced and underbuilt, and Ford sells Mustangs and F150s to poseurs everyday.

Oh, and some of us hate Harley-Davidson’s business practices and poisonous culture while still enjoying the actual machines, buzzy flexy frames and all. Some of us are 27 and have ridden cruisers for years. You shouldn’t assume so much, it offends the vast population that doesn't fit your stereotype.

BringBackTheCommodore > Mister Win Blames People, Not Guns 07/13/2016 at 11:53

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Step in the right direction. Harley Davidson’s marketing, engineering, and accounting department came up with a good solution and it shows in how well this bike is designed. I’d love to see how this handles on a track, especially if the suspension and brakes are as solid as they look!

Harley’s not out of the game yet, not by a long shot, if this hints at the future of the Motor Company.