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[JCZ]

Reading the latest issue last week........I was surprised to read about all the Goldwing riders that are unhappy with the quality of their motorcycles.  Some even mention how happy Harley owners are, in comparrison.

Hell, one guy is switching to a Harley Ultra Classic because it has more "stock" features and the fit and finish is so much better.  I laugh to myself and wonder.......have they not been lurking on some of the Harley web sites.

I also wonder........is there just a certain percentage of people that are unhappy with all manufacturers (including motorcycle manufacturers)? [smiley=nixweiss.gif]  I've been on a number of boat forums, too and see that it doesn't matter the make or model......there are still going to be complaints from a percentage of the owners.

Just some thoughts.........you guys and girls can post yours......

[RJ749]

JC,

I think you hit the nail on the head.

As PT Barnum once said, "you can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time."

There will be among most any group those peole who are not satisfied, for whatever reason.  I doubt this to be a bad thing, without people voicing there opinion there would be no reason for a manufacturer to improve.  Most likely there are Harley riders riding Hondas that wish they had their Harley and vice versa, and some who haven't ridien the other brand hat want to.

PT Barnum also said, "there's an ass for very seat."  Take that as you will, but sometimes you may be the last ass for a particular seat, this becomes a problem when you are trying to sell/get rid of your last ride and can't find a buyer.  In the car business it is usually a poor paint combo or high price that causes the condition.  With bikes it can be all kinds of things.

[Midnight Rider]

JC...I am of the mind that some people just look at everything through a negative filter, so you couldn't make them happy if you gave them a job as a taster in a pie factory.

[amigo Jorge]

I have seen in the last couple of years people who rode "japs" and made bad critics about Harley and now they are riding products from MoCo [smiley=apple.gif] [smiley=cucumber.gif] [smiley=mango.gif] [smiley=pepper.gif]

[RJ749]

JC...I am of the mind that some people just look at everything through a negative filter, so you couldn't make them happy if you gave them a job as a taster in a pie factory.

WHAT KIND OF PIE?    [smiley=nixweiss.gif] [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif] [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif] [smiley=drink.gif]

[grc]

... [highlight]you couldn't make them happy if you gave them a job as a taster in a pie factory.[/highlight]

How about fitting room attendant at Victoria's Secret?

 [size=9](That's the new job I have planned after I retire.)[/size]

Jerry

[VaEagle]

Hi JCZ,
I have noticed the same on some truck websites too. I think it comes from the fact that the majority of car,truck,boat or bike owners just use the vehicle as transportation and don't get passionate about the ride no matter of what brand. So we never hear from the vast majority of owners.
Then you have the passionate few who search out owner websites to learn or network together, many times it is due to a problem that they want to learn how to deal with. That causes the issue where the only posts made are by the folks having problems.
As an example if you look at an area such as transmissions how many threads begin with questioins or complaints such as "I have this noise" or "It has no power or it broke,etc."
You very seldom see "It's working great".
I think in order to get a fair sampling you need to have polls that ask a netrual question such as "Have you had this transmission problem yes or no" and try to get everyone possible to respond to get a larger sampling. Maybe breaking it down by model year or type.
Also maybe a poll asking "If knowing what you know now would you buy that product again?" it would encourage a balanced response and a better idea if it is truly a problem or is it just a small percentage of very vocal owners. (Compairing number of problems vs. number of vehicles of that type made.)
Personnally I would love to see J.D. Powers or somebody independant do a survey of vehicles not at the one year mark where everyone feels like they need to justify their purchase and they are still in the "honeymoon phase" but maybe 3 or 4 years after buying to get a better picture of the good or bad points.

[ultrafxr]

How about [highlight]fitting room attendant at Victoria's Secret[/highlight]?

 [size=9](That's the new job I have planned after I retire.)[/size]

Jerry

Where do I send my application? [smiley=banana.gif] [smiley=banana.gif] [smiley=banana.gif]

[110tHunDer]

WHAT KIND OF PIE?    [smiley=nixweiss.gif] [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif] [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif] [smiley=drink.gif]

Dammit!  I was gonna ask that 'til I saw you beat me to it! [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]

[16HD117]

JC,

I think you hit the nail on the head.

As PT Barnum once said, "you can [highlight]please[/highlight] all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't [highlight]please[/highlight] all of the people all of the time."

There will be among most any group those peole who are not satisfied, for whatever reason.  I doubt this to be a bad thing, without people voicing there opinion there would be no reason for a manufacturer to improve.  Most likely there are Harley riders riding Hondas that wish they had their Harley and vice versa, and some who haven't ridien the other brand hat want to.

PT Barnum also said, "there's an ass for very seat."  Take that as you will, but sometimes you may be the last ass for a particular seat, this becomes a problem when you are trying to sell/get rid of your last ride and can't find a buyer.  In the car business it is usually a poor paint combo or high price that causes the condition.  With bikes it can be all kinds of things.

Hey Rjob isn't that "fool" instead of please??

 [smiley=nixweiss.gif] [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[RJ749]

Hey Rjob isn't that "fool" instead of please??

 [smiley=nixweiss.gif] [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

The quote you speak of was given by Mr. Lincoln: You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time. But you cannot fool all people all of the time.
Abraham Lincoln  ( http://www.calumcoburn.co.uk/quotation/index.php )

I believe the "please some" quote was a Barnum rip-off of Mr. Lincoln.

[Twolanerider]

The quote you speak of was given by Mr. Lincoln: You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time. But you cannot fool all people all of the time.
Abraham Lincoln  ( http://www.calumcoburn.co.uk/quotation/index.php )

I believe the "please some" quote was a Barnum rip-off of Mr. Lincoln.

Roger, I think that's a "probably-maybe" attribution.  That quote has traditionally been given to Lincoln from a Clinton, Illinois speech made in 1858.  To my knowledge no record has ever been found actually documenting it though.  

Many of his campaign speeches were actually quite good.  And he didn't back away at all from the glib or humorous little quip.  However.... the line isn't in a copy of the speech printed in the local newpaper the day after the speech in question.  The only historical citation to back it up has always been a couple of people who in 1910 claimed to remember hearing Lincoln saying it 52 years earlier.  

It's the kind of thing that sounds like Lincoln at the time.  But no one really knows for sure.

[JCZ]

Hi JCZ,
I have noticed the same on some truck websites too. I think it comes from the fact that the majority of car,truck,boat or bike owners just use the vehicle as transportation and don't get passionate about the ride no matter of what brand. So we never hear from the vast majority of owners.
Then you have the passionate few who search out owner websites to learn or network together, many times it is due to a problem that they want to learn how to deal with. That causes the issue where the only posts made are by the folks having problems.
As an example if you look at an area such as transmissions how many threads begin with questioins or complaints such as "I have this noise" or "It has no power or it broke,etc."
You very seldom see "It's working great".
I think in order to get a fair sampling you need to have polls that ask a netrual question such as "Have you had this transmission problem yes or no" and try to get everyone possible to respond to get a larger sampling. Maybe breaking it down by model year or type.
Also maybe a poll asking "If knowing what you know now would you buy that product again?" it would encourage a balanced response and a better idea if it is truly a problem or is it just a small percentage of very vocal owners. (Compairing number of problems vs. number of vehicles of that type made.)
Personnally I would love to see J.D. Powers or somebody independant do a survey of vehicles not at the one year mark where everyone feels like they need to justify their purchase and they are still in the "honeymoon phase" but maybe 3 or 4 years after buying to get a better picture of the good or bad points.

You make a good point.  A while back HD did send out a survey to CVO Owners (and I think they do to all model owners) however, we the consumer, doesn't get to see the results.  And now that I think about it, I got one for my 02 Harley F-150, after I had it for about a year, too.

And, to answer your question..........I ride an 04 Cobalt Blue and Starlight Black SEEG so yes, I'd buy the same model again! [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

[Hoist!]

I just gotta say that if you know HD's from AMF days and before, you have to be ecstatic by HD quality today. I think they do an admirable job considering they pump out hundreds of thousands every year. I know they guy with the problem will never agree, but you've read the expression for that above. Overall, it's the best damn motorcycle in the world! (I'm not giving up my warranty though )    Hoist!  8-)

[RJ749]

I just gotta say that if you know HD's from AMF days and before, you have to be ecstatic by HD quality today. I think they do an admirable job considering they pump out hundreds of thousands every year. I know they guy with the problem will never agree, but you've read the expression for that above. Overall, it's the best damn motorcycle in the world! ([highlight]I'm not giving up my warranty though [/highlight] )    Hoist!  8-)

How long is that warranty anyway, I seem to have forgotten [smiley=nixweiss.gif]







[size=9](not)[/size]