For all Harleys Faults and short comings, it has character. No other bike get the attention, or draws conversation like a Harley.
For the most part mine have been reliable. Since 2002, only one of my Harley's has ever left me stranded out of town, that is my my 2012 CVO Road Glide, the voltage regulator failed on a Sunday on my way to MI. Luckily my wife's street glide used the same battery, so we switched batteries and rode 1.5 hours, switched again, rode 1.5 hours, switched again and made it to our destination in MI. Dealer fixed it in MI right away. Got the recall for it in the mail three weeks later. The 2012 CVO Clutch Master Cylinder failed, in my local dealer parking lot....So wife had to come get me.
However my 09 in 42 K miles never had a issue. My wifes 09 Heritage in 91K miles had a stator go out at 51K while still in the 2 year warranty. My wifes 11 Street glide went 39K with no issues before I traded it on a 13 for her. 11K on the 13 Street glide no issues. 7500 on my 13 CVO King no issues. 03 Fatboy, no issues.
Will I get another? You bet.
Most people I know that own Toyotas love them - they say they're incredibly reliable. I bought a brand new Toyota back in the '80s and it was not reliable. My point is that all car and motorcycle companies will occasionally build a crappy bike. Harley-Davidson and toyota included.
While I loved my Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2009 it was the least reliable vehicle I have owned since 1981. It spent more time in service for quality issues in the 24,000 miles I had it than my 06 GMC truck, 07 Impala, and my 01 GMC truck did combined. The 01 Truck had 135,000 miles on it when I got the 06, which has 80K on it an the impala has 130K on it.