... Watched Jesse James second episode on Discovery Channel tonight and loved it.

... Anyone else?

I'm planning on winning a V-Rod on April 14. Does that count?

... absolutely it does [b]SomeGuyInAHat[/b]/ did you see the new documentary tonight?

... Friggin "A" huh?

You may think I am un_American, but i can't stand any thing they have done since the late '70s caffe racer. I have ridden them and I am not impressed. give me a VFR or even a BMW sport bike and I would be much happier.
BTW I am SAns ride now looking for a used BMW sp1

I'm watchin that documentary right now... man, those things are beautiful.

... It's pretty obvious you didn't see the show, huh?

Yes I did and it will take alot more than an "informercial" to sell me on a harley. My father in law sells them , I have ridden his demo's.. Give me somthing I can wring out in comfort, and confidense..
The harley has come a long way but will not match any thing bmw or japan or England has to offer in the next few years....pat

... One perculiar trait about "hanging out" here is that there are few Harley riders.

... It's all good

[soapbox]
I sold my Harley back before I went to Alaska, and before "Willy G" ran the price up out of the range of the very people who kept "Harley Yuppie Davidson" alive even through the AMF years. I will not buy a Yuppie Davidson unless they come back down to earth. I'm glad to see so many "Easyriders" flashing about on their chromed-out hogs wearing their "Official" Harley embossed leathers, more power to'em.[puke]
I've seen Sherman Barnett (who was VERY kind and loaned me some of his used bikes when I was without a ride) go from a small shop to the giant warehouse he's in on I-10 in El Paso. I've watched as a die-hard biker/Harley dealer in Fairbanks was told (by the H.D. Yuppie Heads) to either start stocking their cute little apparal line or else close his doors. He passed on and I believe his son took over, moved the shop to another place in town and stocked up on all the H.O.G. trinkets.[puke][puke]
I hope my stand on what USED to be an ALL-AMERICAN BIKE for AMERICANS, is. I have my sister-in-laws '81 Sporty in the garage and as soon as it is rebuilt and on the road, you won't see another one of those traitor bikes in my house again!
Now, don't think I'm angry...I'm just dissapointed! [:D]

$20,000 for a motorcycle...[moon]

I want a Harley..really..really bad!  Someone buy me one..please!  I would be happy with a 1200..nothing too expensive [:D]

However, a Fatboy would also work!

I missed the Jesse James second episode!  When will it be on again!  

medcop

I just bought a Sportster 1200 Sport.  I have had several Honda VF series bikes in the past.  This one doesn't wind up tike they did, but I appreciate the more mature feel and sound of the larger 2 cylinder.

Jesse James makes some of the finest rides I have ever seen. I wish I had the cash.

 
I have never been a fan of the motorcycle line myself, but my eight year old son already has an 883 Sportster sittin' in his Grandpa's barn waitin' for his 18th B-Day, or sooner if I allow it.

I grew up riding dirt bikes and naturally progressed to fast, light, quick handling, competitive, and reliable street bikes when I was in my late teens/early twenties.

Harley Davidson did not fit [i] any [/i] of the above criteria then, nor do they now. With the possible exception of a thoroughly massaged Buell, perhaps.  Or maybe a flat tracker, but I was into canyon carving, not dirt ovals.

When I met my son's mother (ex-wife) I was an avid street rider and rode a GSXR 1100.  Her dad was a die hard Harley afficionado and couldn't stand seeing his pretty little girl on the back of a rice burner.

It was all good though.  I've never been one to bad mouth Harley's, I just know they've never been for me and that there is a group of people out there that appreciate the classic styling and image of the bike.

I'm on real good terms with my son's Grandpa, I just wish he would have bought him a Ducati or Aprilla instead. [:D]

Yeah, I watched Jesse James on TV
I laughed my ass off when the threads let loose in his overpriced Patrick billet heads.
I do not believe he rode from LA to STURGIS on a bike with a big (gas suckin) motor and scrunched up riding position. Did you see the little gas tank on his bike?
Do tou have any idea what kind of mileage they get?
Have you done any long distance riding?

I work on Harleys every day. I have been on my share of long rides
Hell, I rode a '42 Knucklehead for 14 years all over the country. (I was much younger then)
Rigid frames take it out of ya.
News flash. Jesse james is a yuppie.
BIKERS do not drive mercedes.
BIKERS do not ride 70k motorcycles.
This biker does not have any cars in his shop, even if it is a '50 merc.

Ridden Harley motors since 1962.  Out of the business until the Bride and I get the Three Mutant Offspring out of the kennel.  Then we're back in the wind.  She rides her own.

Forget buying new.  Overpriced Yuppie trash but I guess it keeps the Company in business.  Never bought a new ride.  Find somebody getting a divorce or out of jail and needs fast cash.  Price will get right.

Harleys are all Good Rides.  In younger days rode chops of various kinds.  From the Bay to Texas to the East Coast.  Pans, troubleheads, a flattie 45.  Had a geezerglide but it came down to taking it or a car and that's an obviously stupid question.  

Ride anything you want but somehow a Harley makes you feel you're a part of something people fought and died for.

A Harley will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no Harley.

Make your own decision.

**Edited to mention you will collect the Best Friends You Can Ever Have riding Harleys.  When I cashed out a couple years back there was a 3am phone call telling me to look in the driveway.  Those boneheads somehow got a 1975 Harley SX175 with 700 miles on the clock and stuck me with it.  Never forgive 'em but I'll die for 'em too.

After knowing my son's Grandpa, and having ridden a couple of Harley's, I can see and appreciate the definite American mystique to the line.

My bro'-in-law just bought a Yamaha Road Star(?) and that thing is about as close to a Harley wannabe copy as anything that Japan has ever regurgitated before.  That thing is big, low, wide, and has enough torque to climb a damn vertical wall if the traction was there.

I always thought it was Free Wheeling Franklin from The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers that said [b] "Dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope." [/b]

I watched Jesse James as well, makes you want to get a custom Harley. Good Ole Jesse though strikes me as a major a$$hole. I then watched the special on the V-ROD, now I want one of those. To many wants not enough money.

Yep, Jesse James makes some awesome choppers. Who wants to [b]give[/b] me the minimum $60k, to buy one?[:D]

Jamie

I've had my 91 Low Rider for going on ten years and wouldn't give it up for anything else.  Bought it used back in 92 and never regretted it.  Yeah, I want a new Road King, but can't afford it.  No, I don't like the so-called Yuppies who buy them just to say they have one, especially when they are the ones helping to drive the prices up.  If they're willing to pay for it, then the dealers will charge it.  And most people who have Harleys don't buy them for speed or racing... they buy them for touring or just around-town riding.  And last, what other bike actually [b]increases[/b] in value after it leaves the showroom floor?

Edited to say that the V-Rod is an awesome bike and at $16,000, you're getting a lot of bike.  Speaking of prices, Harleys in the past usually cost as much as your average mid-size Chevy.  Guess what?  They still do.  You just need a good relationship with your local dealer.

97 Road King, 77 FLH, 73 Triumph Tiger, 71 Tri Bonnie, 67 Tri Bonnie (basket), 65 Tri Bonnie, And the wifes 93 1200 Sportster. I have ridden rice & liked them for what they were. I will ride with guys that ride rice. The only new bike I would have other than the Harley is a BMW or the new Triumph. Jesse James is an overpriced yuppie. I agree that his bikes are cool looking, but they are not for the real world. Save your money & buy a stock bike & customize from there.

Two Harleys and a Wing...Several dirt bikes...A Honda Sabre later all I can say is be sure to get something to ride while your Harleys in the shop...imo

Now I don't know alot about AR's, that why I'm here. But I've been riding Harleys since 1985. Since then I've owned 4 of them. All shovelheads. I was a diehard shovel fan. Thought I would never ride a newer Evo. Well then I rode one. Then I bought one. Now I have a new 2002 on order. Last year I put on over 7000 miles in a state that is not known as motorcycle state. Yes the older bikes shake, leak oil and are uncomfortable. But I rode the shit out of mine. Now don't be pissed because I have a full time job, new house, new truck and can afford a new 20k Harely. Yes some owners are yuppies, but not the diehards I ride with. And the price, they have followed the price of all new cars. $35,000 for a new Dodge, Ford, or Chevy truck. UGGGGGH! So if you ever get the chance to ride a Harley, I suggest you enjoy it. It is all about being FREE. FREE to do what ever you what. That is what America is all about, right. Only us bikeers can understand this: "It's not just a motorcycle, it's a way of life"
Errol

Harley Davidson = Hardly Ableson

If you want to pay $20,000 + for a outdated, unreliable, heap of trash help yourself.

I can't speak for the V-Rod, hopefully it will be a better bike. I wouldn't have any other model for the prices they are going for.

On the flip side of that, I love the Buell but the horror stories keep me on a Honda.



Know what the difference between a Harley and a Hoover is?

Location of the dirtbag.[:D]

Before I get flamed, I will say that I have seen the Jesse James show on Discovery and he makes some awesome looking machines....[:P]

Spoken like a true wanna be. No real knowlege of the facts. Probably likes Mossbergs & Savages also. Yeah they work, but not like a class piece of equipment..... [}:D]

Had a 90 Lowrider and an 87 Sporty among other assorted imports and my all time favorite was my RZ350 a yellow and black King Kenny Special. That said I have bought a new 21" over front end to build a new Swedish style chopper - but not while prices are where they are.. the search for a basket case is heading into year number 3..

IMHO no bike is worth more than 10k except possibly a Kennedys, Jesse James or a few others I can not think of, also among this goup would be cutting edge cafe bikes.

But if I had the cash I would buy one so maybe I am just jealous...

Ropes

You can take the guy out of the trailor park trash, but you can't take that out of him. He's a trailor park welder that has done good for himself. He motorcycles, however, are impractical. He appears to be one rotten parent for his son and a poor dog owner.

Ron Simms at Bay Area Custom Cycles in Hayward (down the street from Ness' joint) builds some honest iron.  Ignore the billet crap he does for yup money and look for the real stuff.  It's there.  Known Ron since 60's and he's stayed close to the bone.

*BTW my Tx plate reads ST IRON.

Yep, that's me...a wanna be.

I have no idea what I'm talking about. I've not spent the last 19 years as an avid rider/collector/bike lover.

I'm just some guy that's never been on a bike, never riden, never even owned a scoot...[rolleyes]

I used to be a Harley Davidson Mechanic 23 years ago. I wish I had one, but they've been yuppy-fied.

Still I like old Pan Heads, and Knuckle Heads. The old Cop Bikes with the Suicide Shift are neat.

2000 Heritage Softail Classic here.  Its a great bike, very comfortable, never had a problem with it. They are expensive, but also retain their value very well.

Yes, I did.  

The guy is a complete and utter a$$hole.

He also builds rolling pieces of art that I would be proud to ride if I could afford it.

yep, if you like dragging a knee a Harley aint for you.

In 1980 I was dirt poor.
I took a Greyhound bus up to Reno from the Bay Area with $200 to visit a friend for a week.
I played roulette by waiting for the ball to land on a color several times and then bet heavy on the other color.In an hour or so I was betting $200 to $300 at a time.
I was up near $5,000 when I left to take a couple of my friends to the Mustang Ranch (had to take a "cause I wasn't kidding about being  poor).
The next day I bought a 1980 FXWG that was  two months old and had fire damage.
I ended up loseing the rest of the cash,ate peanut butter sandwiches, took the bus home and returned the next weekend to pick up my new ride.
It took near a year to get it on the road.
I've had a couple other Hogs since then but the first one is still with me.
This new breed of Harley riders is something else isn't it?
I know of one guy who got one and didn't ride it for over a month because he was waiting for lessons.
Last year I asked a rider (definately not a biker even though he dressed the part)about where I could get my scooter painted.He told me his paint job cost near $12,000 and that he was paying to have several bikes shipped to Europe so him and his buds could go touring.
Yes it's a new breed.
Andy

I watched it too.  I plan to get a Harley in two more years.

You asked for the flames....[;)]
However you did state that you only heard about Buell's....

Yes there were die hard Harley guys that kept buying the company's products even as quality suffered terrably.  However, If it weren't for AMF's huge cash infusions, and moves towards modernized production, Harley would have gone down the tubes regardless.



Translation: "I can't afford one, and anyone that can must be an a$$hole".



Sounds like he's been succesful in business. Good for him.  What's your point?




The homoginization of dealers in my opinion, is both sad and was absolutely needed.  There were a lot of great dealers with really unique shops that were cool to visit.  Unfortunately, there were a lot that were complete dumps.  For the most part the good old line dealers were able to retain their character and meet the new requirements.  

In my opinion the old hard line dealers you mention were just milking the last they could out of the deal.  I didn't notice too many of them selling below list to their good ol' biker clientle.  They sold the bikes just as high as everybody else and put no money back into the business.  That was a dead end and Harley Corporate was smart enough to put an end to it.



No, I think you're angry.  I also think you haven't looked at the prices of big Japanese crusiers either.




Yep, a Ultra Classic bagger will set you back that amount.

If you think a Soft-tail is going for that you haven't been in a dealership lately.

Would any of you consider an Ohio-built Honda motorcycle a "rice burner"?

In a word........... YES.

Just as I don't consider a SC made BMW an American car or a Kentucky made Toyota an american car. Your cat can have kittens in the oven & you wouldn't call them biscuits.

I ride one, I like it and as of today I can still afford it. If I had the money I'd trade my 98 in for a new $20,000 one.
Today harley is making money, not too long ago they were going out of business.

Do any of you think that Harley would put out a better bike if they cut the prices in half?

You evidently havn't tried a new Buell Firestorm have you?  The most horsepower to weight ratio of any new bike American, Japanese, or European, and more horsepower per cuic inch than a Doge Viper or Corvette ZR1.

Test Ride it....You'll Like It.

BTW, I have a 1996 FXDWG.  30K miles and going strong.  The only time it let me down was  a dead battery and that was my fault for not taking care of it before leaving on the trip.

I must be an A$$hole, because I could afford to get another bike if I didn't love the one I had too much to part with.  Maybe I'll buy another and we'll have 3, counting my wifes 1200 Sporty.  Yes I guess I just a trailer park yuppie scumbag and proud of it.

If I did sell my 'glide, I would expect to get about the 1996 MSRP, which is what I paid for it (it doesn't count about $3k in paint, pipes, seat, handlebars etc added to make my bike mine).  What other bike come close to that kind of performance?

What percentage of the purchase price would a 1996 crotch rocket retain?  20%? 30%?  How many of them become junk with far less that 30K on the odo?

Yes, I have own two, one brand new and one old one I built up (it was better than the new one, but I still had to check to make sure I got to where I was going with all the parts I started out with).

Will never own another.

I ride a [b]'99 Kaw. Nomad 1500[/b] [red]everday[/red] and unlike most of you with alternate vehicles, it is my only means of transport (my choice).
Traded in an old Gold-Wing and for my money the Nomad is one very reliable scoot. It was 3 years old last month and has 30,000 miles on it.

I priced the Road King which cost twice what I paid for the Nomad and while long ago I was ate up with the Harley mistique, I've owned them and there's no way I'll waste my money on another.

2cents from Real scooter trash,
Mike

PS - the only Jesse James I know is a dead outlaw.

Ya ever notice that whenever someone starts a thread about Harley's it fills up quickly with guys trying to justify why they "don't" ride a Harley? "It's too expensive", "My jap is faster", "It doesn't handle well", "they leak & drop parts" etc....... Whine Whine. Very few that have actually owned a Harley since rubber mounting of the Shovelhead or at least since the rollout of the EVO would say they drop parts, or leak. Bottom line is that if you are meant to ride a Harley you will. If you are OK with having something close (just like Mossberg & Savage's) then that's fine by me. I don't say that what I have is better than the other guy, but I don't have to say my stuff is almost as good.
Scott

Basically, just buy what you want.  If you want a Harley, then listen to yourself, and buy one.  If you want another brand, then go buy that one.  The only person you have please is yourself.  I had two Hondas before my Harley and I liked them both.  But I wanted a Harley.  Granted, I couldn't afford a new one, so I found a clean used one.  Today I still cannot afford a new one (not that I would give up mine now), but would love to have a new Road King.  And yes, I buy some of the clothes (rain gear, boots, etc.), but I actually ride mine to work everyday, not just once a month.  Yuppie trash?  Maybe.  But I bought it because I wanted it, not just to show off (well, maybe a little).  I also do all my own maintenance, work, etc.  The only thing I don't do enough is wash it!

I hate rice-burners.  Are they fast?  Yes.  Are they historical, loud, heavy, chromed out, and intimidating?  NO.  That's why a Harley (or possibly an Indian) is the one and only bike to buy.  Its like comparing a 454 Chevy muscle car to a Honda.

I had a `79 Sportster and rode it (and worked on it) for years. I sold it in `92, and have missed riding since. Then, two years ago, I put a deposit on a new Fatboy. There was at the time an 18 month wait for delivery, and the price was $15,900. A year later I sold my deposit for twice what I put down. I still plan to buy one, but had to consolodate some things financially. Why a Harley and not a rice burner (or euro ride)? Many reasons. First off, any jap bike will lose %50 of its value almost as soon as you ride away from the dealer. Not a Harley. More importantly for me, I have no self control where speed and dispensing of power in a vehicle are concerned. If I bought some Ninja bike, I wouldn't survive long enough to get home with it! I'll stick with fast cars and big cool bikes, thank you very much! Not that the newer hogs are particularly slow, but at least there is a desire to "cruise" instead of wanting to "beam" myself down the road. I guess dropping a CB750 Honda as a teen, due to a little sand in the middle of a curve I was flying through, has made me a little squeemish of going fast without some steel around me.

One thing that everyone forgot to mention about Jessie James... He doesn't build "Harley's". He builds custom choppers.

If you notice, he uses very few parts from Harley Davidson. Sure the parts are aftermarket parts for Harley's (or he makes the parts himself), but few parts are true.

The man is good at what he does, making custom motorcycles. He has good ideas and designs that are [i]inspired[/i] from the Harley V twin engine.

The first bike I had the pleasure to turn a wrench on was a neighbors Sportster. My neighbor basicly got me hooked on the idea of riding a motorcycle. Now this guy was a true Harley man. He could recite the entire history of any and every Harley every manufactured. Could completely rebuild a bike in a weekend. Absolutely incredible. But I will never forget his advise to me when I asked which Harley I should buy... NONE.

I was rather upset about his answer. I wanted a Hog! I asked why? Was it because I didn't fit into the Hog image?

His answer was, "Dirk, I know you are a good mechanic, and excelent rider, and you could fit into the image. But I know you like quality machines. These are not quality machines. These things are a bitch to take care of, expensive, and handle like a pig in mud.. If you want to ride something that has an image, fine I will help you. But I know you, and I like you. You don't want one of these things."

After that he helped me pick up an old Honda CL175 that came home in boxes and paper bags. I rebuilt it completely, from the bottom up. It was supposed to take me a year to do all the work, it only took me 3 months (I was 15 at the start, and it was to be done when I turned 16). I basicly have had some kind of motorcyle since (I did take have a break of 4 years without one).

I helped him and his friends fix their bikes. And I slowly learned what he was talking about. Harleys are an image bike, especially now with all the yuppies riding them.

Sure, Harely's have gotten better. I like the fact that Porsche helped in the engine design of the VROD. Hopefully Harley is now moving into the 21'st century and will start manufacturing a motorcycle that can keep up with all the motorcycle inovations. After watching the Discovery channel on the making of the VROD, it looks like Harely is on the right track.

But if you want to ride an image, buy a Harley. But be forwarned, you may be in for a bumpy ride.

Guzzler, how long ago was this good advice given? What year was the sportster? I again point out that since the EVO engine was introduced, the maintenance issue has almost stoped being a factor. You can allways find an example of a bad bike, but the machines since about 1985 on have been excelent. Not a flame, just trying to determine the age of the info you were given. Also as an asside, the sportster has allways been a poor bike for durability. There are reasons people hated them other than they are "Girls" bikes.
Scott

So.... I know this is a Harley thread....But what do you guys think about the new Indians?

... What? You mean that $10,000 fender ornamate on a Harly platform?