Streetwise: Most American men want a Harley

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Friday, April 23, 2004 | Lauren Rudd

[Willie Green]

What do men want more than anything else? No, not that ... well maybe that also; but that is not the topic of today's column. According to a survey of 1,000 men nationwide, besides wanting more money and keeping their wives happy, six out of 10 men dreamed of owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Steve Piehl, Harley-Davidson communication director, said, "When asked why they had not bought one, there were some interesting answers such as, 'My wife won't let me,' 'I don't have the time' and the one that really drives us crazy, 'Don't they cost at least $20,000?' "

The survey revealed that 75 percent of the respondents thought a Harley was too expensive. Not true, says Harley. "What we're finding out is that people know owning a Harley is cool, but they just do not have the facts. If they did, they'd have one in their garage right now," Piehl said.

[Quilla]

My wife said 'dont even think about it...'

Do what my husband did. He tried on a pair of chaps and I got a glimpse of him walking out of the room. Bought him a 92 FXR the next day.

[Badeye]

"I have two HD's. A 02 883 Hugger and a 03 Deuce with 14K miles. Have not had a bit of trouble with either one, and the only time they have been in the shop has been for routine maintenance. HD's built today are reliable and maintenance free if you take care of them. And will hold their re-sale value for much longer and higher than any Jap bike.
Ride Safe! Gunnrmike"

I appreciate the response. I just know I've had to pick up my neighbor three times since he bought his Harley Sportster in 2001.

Bottom line is a rider is a rider is a rider. And debate about which bikes are best is one of those things we all love, to a certain extent.

The fact is most people can't afford a new Harley, or even a used one for that matter. I seriously considered purchasing one two years ago (I'm fortunate that I can afford it), after a decade of being without a bike. I'm more of a cruiser type at this point in my life, so I checked out what Harley had to offer. I would have ended up spending about 25K or more. Because it had been a decade since I had a bike, and I wasn't sure if my wife and I would "get into it" once again, I decided I'd buy the Suzuki Intruder, 1500 cc, for $9,995. If we did in fact "get back into it" I would sell it the following year, and get the Harley I wanted.

Bought the Intruder, and the wife and I love it. Runs great, handles well, no issues. Took a couple of weekend trips up the Ohio River last year, had a ball. At this point, I've no plans to get rid of the Truder, due to the reliability, the ride itself, and it does look good.

I don't have a problem with Harley's, in short. I do get oh so very tired, however, of those that have a compulsion to give me crap along the lines of "when you gonna get a real bike" stuff. Especially from those that can only afford a Harley T shirt or three. Got one in my neighborhood here, wears the Harley Tees, runs her mouth whenever I show up to fill up the Truder at the mini mart. Being a gentleman, I refrain from responding that she needs to drop 160 pounds so as to be able to buy Harley T's in sizes other than XXXXX.....LOL!

[Badeye]

I've seen a couple of "documentaries" about Harley in the past few years. The best of the lot was via the History Channel.

[anonymous_user]

I finally remembered, this was their 100th Anniversary Special on TNN. Pretty much a "long format commercial."

[JoeSixPack1]

...she needs to drop 160 pounds...

You have got to read people a little better. She's besides herself 'cause she won't fit on your sporty!!(Or anyone else's sporty)

Ride safe

<|:-)~~

[-YYZ-]

"What really irks me is when it comes from some idiot that can't afford ANY bike, let alone a Harley."

Really, though. I always think to myself: "Well, you just keep dreaming about that Harley that you might own someday, if you can scrape up their asking price. Meanwhile I'll keep on riding my bike that'll do everything a Harley will and then some, and costs about half as much." Not that I couldn't afford a Harley if that's what I really wanted, but the CDN$10,000 plus that I saved is money I can find other uses for.

[james_hayes]

I have a feeling you might be going a little hard on the guy. I’ve been riding Harleys for years and I took an Ultra Classic Glide on a test ride Friday. And your dang skippy I took the first couple of turns slow while I got used to the higher center of gravity. I’m not dropping a $22,000+ bike.

[szweig]

"Yup! The "Rice Rocket Street Racers" will be dead before their parents." Let's hope that the following modification holds true as well, "Yup! The "Rice Rocket Street Racers" will be dead before THEY'RE parents."

[Badeye]

Point well taken, I always kid my neighbor with the Harley bout taken "wide load" for a ride.....(grin)

[Badeye]

My wife was pleased we got another bike, and that I didn't spend the additional $15K plus, thats for sure.

[Squantos]

Should be a RUB's with Road Rash Alert here Willie !........:o)

Stay safe !

[archy]

I think that was for hookman. I didn't get the moth part. I do love my Harley though. It was, for his #320 rather than your #318. But to further your understanding of moths and Harleys and such:

the lesson of the moth

i was talking to a moth
the other evening
he was trying to break into
an electric light bulb
and fry himself on the wires

why do you fellows
pull this stunt i asked him
because it is the conventional
thing for moths or why
if that had been an uncovered
candle instead of an electric
light bulb you would
now be a small unsightly cinder
have you no sense

plenty of it he answered
but at times we get tired
of using it
we get bored with the routine
and crave beauty
and excitement
fire is beautiful
and we know that if we get
too close it will kill us
but what does that matter
it is better to be happy
for a moment
and be burned up with beauty
than to live a long time
and be bored all the while
so we wad all our life up
into one little roll
and then we shoot the roll
that is what life is for
it is better to be a part of beauty
for one instant and then cease to
exist than to exist forever
and never be a part of beauty
our attitude toward life
is come easy go easy
we are like human beings
used to be before they became
too civilized to enjoy themselves

and before i could argue him
out of his philosophy
he went and immolated himself
on a patent cigar lighter
i do not agree with him
myself i would rather have
half the happiness and twice
the longevity

but at the same time i wish
there was something i wanted
as badly as he wanted to fry himself

archy

-- Don Marquis

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

         

 

(actual moth testimony )

 

"Ouch!

Somebody turn the light out!

Some family traditions should not be passed on.

Bad time to lose control of the steering and the brakes!" 

 

"Think I'll be a butterfly, instead."

 

 *g* 

 

[Melas]

Its a work of art, no doubt about it. However, reliability isn't a strong point in my opinion when you talk about Harley's. I know, I know, heresy....

You know, I've never had a bike strand me with a break down. Not the Hondas I owned, not the Harleys, not a one of them. I've had mechanical problems on various bikes, but never stranded except for bad rubber.

Hell, I've put 300,000 miles on a Sportster that never left me hanging. I only had to rebuild the engine twice during that time.

[MarkL]

I don't want a Harley, I want an Apache Helicopter. It is much more versatile.

So, compromise! Get yourself a "Y2K" motorcycle... It's not an apache, but it does have the gas turbine from a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter!

Mark

[MarkL]

The other day I was stopped at an intersection with a Heritage in front of me. The back of the rider's jacket said, "If you can read this, the bitch fell off."

Funniest thing I've seen in a while.

I've seen that one, and they've got it at a local bike shop... And they've got another one right next to it... "If you can read this, the bitch just passed you!"

Mark

[Melas]

Most Harleys I see are on the side of the road. Thats part of the Harley experience...pushing your bike. Don't get me wrong, I ride with Harley riders...and everytime...theres a problem...can't just go down the freeway doing 70-80 mph, those engines can't take it.

Oh man, more out of date garbage. I want to go on record as saying that I've never done this, as it would be illegal, but my bike is theoretically possible of riding through Kansas at 110mph-120mph making only gas stops. In theory, the oil temperature gauge would only show a maximum temperature of 220 at one of those stops.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not bragging on the speed. I know good and well there are Jap bikes that could easily cruise the same stretch at closer to 180 and never overheat.

The point I'm making is that your impression of the engines are waaaay off base. My current sled is relatively new, but in the 10 months that I've owned it, I've logged 17,000 trouble free miles. I ride the hell out of my bikes. I've made solo trips as far as Canada (but not on this bike), so unreliable my ass.

My new bike has seen a two truck twice. Both times were rubber failures. Unless Japanese rubber became impervious to nails since I owned my last Honda, I'd say that's not an issue.

[MarkL]

Yeah, but if by circumstance, you had to have a tattoo on your arm with the name of a motorcycle in order to save your life, would you pick Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, or Harley-Davidson?

Sorry, it would be Ducati!

I rest my case.

You lose! lol

Mark