Many Harley returns

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | Apr. 25, 2009 | Rick Barrett

[BraveMan]

Photos Here:
http://www.jsonline.com/multimedia/photos/43591792.html?c=y&index=11&page=0

[BraveMan]

A story for the FMH . . .

[sinanju]

Well, at least neglected Harleys can’t suffer and die. I keep thinking about the gruesome stories of all those horses whose owners can no longer afford to care for them.

[OCCASparky]

Oh, I dunno—makes the neighborhood a lot quieter when the Trailer Queens can’t play as much as they used to.

[clamper1797]

I would rather push my Harley than ride a Jap bike

[BraveMan]

I would rather push my Jap bike than push my Harley . . .

[suijuris]

I would rather push my Harley than ride a Jap bike

Depends on what turns you on. If you want blinding acceleration, top end performance and rock solid reliability; ride a Jap bike. If you want to primp and pimp along like some wanabe one percenter and put a piece of cardboard under your bike at night to catch the oil drips; ride your Harley.

[central_va]

It’s either go on a diet or buy a Harley.

[clamper1797]

check the bottom of my profile ... my Streetglide has yet to leak even one drop of oil at 2 years old 56,000 miles

[geezerwheezer]

As you both push your Harley or Japanese bikes along, please don’t get in the way of my speeding along in my evil SUV. Thanks! (P.S. I don’t get bugs in my teeth while driving should I smile as I watch you guys push along!)

[70th Division]

Actually Harleys are well built now. They don’t leak. But after owning 4 Hondas that I never had a problem with, I don’t need to buy Harley underware, tee shirts and bandanas to ride a bike.

[nralife]

“If you want to primp and pimp along like some wanabe one percenter ... “

I think that's better than being a Tom Cruise in Top Gun wannabe... ;-)

[clamper1797]

This is my 14th bike .... many Honda’s Kawiis Triumph Norton this one is the best I ever had hands down

[Plutarch]

The Harley's look great. Its when you get the riders in the pic that it doesn't look so great.

[70th Division]

A fast boat and a righteous bike. Well you pretty much died and went to Heaven Are you in Kalafornia? LOL

[central_va]

Rump Rumble Bump.....

[clamper1797]

If you met Mrs Clamper you would really think I died and went to hog heaven ... looks great in leather

[isom35]

He has a spare tire attached.

[BraveMan]

My only Jap bike, an ‘06 KLR650, has been the least reliable bike I have in the current collection. Weldments, alignment, assembly, fit & finish is surprisingly poor. It's the only one I've had to push.

The common ‘joke’ from the Japanese aficionados is that Harleys leak oil. The KLR leaks fasteners. I've used up an entire trial size bottle of Locktite on the thing. A month ago I received a Service Bulletin from Kawasaki warning me to check the muffler can mounting bolt. It made me laugh; I lost that bolt the third day.

A blown voltage regulator left me at the mercy of a towrope in South Dakota; no easy feat fifteen miles into the woods.

The philosophy of the Japanese manufacturers is to pound out as many units as cheaply as they can, thereby winning on price. It works for them. It worked on me; I bought the KLR instead of spending $3000 or $4000 or more on a much better quality (non-japanese) machine. None of my Harleys, including my 1982 FXRS, have ever left me stranded. Nearly every Japanese bike I've owned (7 total), at one time or another, has left me walking.

[RoadKingSE]

The practice cuts into a dealership's sales and creates a competitor that doesn't have to offer customer service and other dealer amenities.

Amenities?? Like overpriced parts and apparel? I ride an '07 Road King but I haven't bought a Harley Tee shirt or a jacket from a HD store in years. Ebay is a different story.