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[HebrewHarley]

Several months back I had an engine problem on my nearly new CVO. HD didn't stand behind the product and that upset me. I vowed to sell my bike over it.

Now I travel in the US and I see "wanna be badasses" on their HD. Barely clothed, long mustache, and usually tattoos. Without a doubt, these people are on HD the majority of the time. They are obnoxious and call attention to themselves; revving at lights, or just having stupidly loud pipes. This persona doesn't represent me.

As a result of the two problems above, I have sold my bike. HD just isn't the image that I want to portray or have my name associated with. I will still ride, and I do not know what brand, but I do know for certain that the HD brand doesn't represent who I am.

Certainly, I am not the only one to feel this way. I think HD needs to work hard to clean up the image, as do we as riders.

[TN]

Several months back I had an engine problem on my nearly new CVO. HD didn't stand behind the product and that upset me. I vowed to sell my bike over it.

Now I travel in the US and I see "wanna be badasses" on their HD. Barely clothed, long mustache, and usually tattoos. Without a doubt, these people are on HD the majority of the time. They are obnoxious and call attention to themselves; revving at lights, or just having stupidly loud pipes. This persona doesn't represent me.

As a result of the two problems above, I have sold my bike. HD just isn't the image that I want to portray or have my name associated with. I will still ride, and I do not know what brand, but I do know for certain that the HD brand doesn't represent who I am.

Certainly, I am not the only one to feel this way. I think HD needs to work hard to clean up the image, as do we as riders.

I got to party with you sometime.   


TN

[EZRIDN]

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience.  It's entirely possible that you got a lemon...I don't know.  I also don't know the circumstances leading up to the failure.  I do know that a lot of folks have faired out better and have had better experiences.  Yes, many owners may gripe & complain about their HD's and pay extraordinary prices for accessories & merchandise...but, that is what they so choose.  I will say that one should not judge all HD owners & riders disparagingly...some of those wannabe badasses really are that and that is their choice...they choose that way of life not simply because of "image".  Maybe they don't represent you because they didn't know they were supposed to?       

[DesertHOG]

Get yourself a BMW K1600GTL. At least the Harley guys won't run you off the road on that bike.

[grayghost731]

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience.  It's entirely possible that you got a lemon...I don't know.  I also don't know the circumstances leading up to the failure.  I do know that a lot of folks have faired out better and have had better experiences.  Yes, many owners may gripe & complain about their HD's and pay extraordinary prices for accessories & merchandise...but, that is what they so choose.  I will say that one should not judge all HD owners & riders disparagingly...some of those wannabe badasses really are that and that is their choice...they choose that way of life not simply because of "image".  Maybe they don't represent you because they didn't know they were supposed to?       

Words    of   Wisdom!     

[Trapperdog]

Every brand or type of motorcycle will have a stigma or persona attached to it. You just have to choose which one you want to be associated with, or not. We have five different makes and styles of bikes and I choose to do my own thing, but a lot of the guys here on this forum who coincidentally ride HD's are some of the best folk I know. There might even be a couple with long mustaches and tattoos

[FlaHeatWave]

Several months back I had an engine problem on my nearly new CVO. HD didn't stand behind the product and that upset me. I vowed to sell my bike over it.

Now I travel in the US and I see "wanna be badasses" on their HD. Barely clothed, long mustache, and usually tattoos. Without a doubt, these people are on HD the majority of the time. They are obnoxious and call attention to themselves; revving at lights, or just having stupidly loud pipes. This persona doesn't represent me.

As a result of the two problems above, I have sold my bike. HD just isn't the image that I want to portray or have my name associated with. I will still ride, and I do not know what brand, but I do know for certain that the HD brand doesn't represent who I am.

Certainly, I am not the only one to feel this way. I think HD needs to work hard to clean up the image, as do we as riders.

I think I'm going to puke...

[ak]

I think I'm going to puke...

  Well said

[MrSurly]

Internet Glossary: "Trolling, Troll post". See above (this post)
Thus endeth the lesson


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[HebrewHarley]

I got to party with you sometime.   


TN

You're welcome as my guest in Israel any time!!

[HebrewHarley]

Every brand or type of motorcycle will have a stigma or persona attached to it. You just have to choose which one you want to be associated with, or not. We have five different makes and styles of bikes and I choose to do my own thing, but a lot of the guys here on this forum who coincidentally ride HD's are some of the best folk I know. There might even be a couple with long mustaches and tattoos

I don't disagree with everything you've said quoted above. I do think the wannabe's are a negative for this brand however.

I was riding in Northern California recently just before deciding to sell, in a city called Santa Cruz. Wonderful roads. A great place called Alice's in the area which I stopped in for lunch. Many loud pipes ridden by tattooed and long mustache men. Ok, no problem. But they talk in a way that represents the brand poorly. A group of four left the restaurant about ten minutes in front me me. Within 20 minutes I arrived at a traffic jam of no less than 15 cars. I passed each until I could get to the bus blocking the way. The problem is, it was not a bus at all. It was the four Harley's refusing to move over for the traffic that they were holding up. Their badass persona had them projecting the image of they're the greatest and nobody should mess with them. It was completely selfish to block traffic and with total disregard for the number of vehicles behind them, to block the road. That was the straw that broke the camel back. I didn't want to be associated with thy crowd no more. That sight is too often seen for me to be comfortable representing myself as supporting this lifestyle. One must always think of others.

[Mr. Warlock]

I'm thinking a scooter of some sort......... 

[fredfoot]

I would never say that I represent a brand just because I own that type of vehicle , or because others do. I bought my bike because it is the one I liked the most. I would never sell it because I saw some fools doing something inconsiderate on the roadway. The only time I will sell my bike is when I find one I like more than this one.

[wrayzor]

Barely clothed, long mustache, and usually tattoos.

Name any vehicle of any type and a quick search of Google can find all three. You have no valid points!

But hey, who knows? Maybe tomorrow I'll get up and not get dressed, not shave and ride down for a tattoo! Don't want to prove you wrong.

[skratch]

barely clothed?  well, i don't ride without long sleeves.  sunburn is a bitch!...

tattoos?  yep, got em.  have had them since i was 18, that's 36 years ago.  long before i started riding.

long mustache?  nope, i sport a beard.

there are a lot of people in this world.  some ride motorcycles.  some are not necessarily the best ambassadors for the human race, let alone motorcycle enthusiasts.  but that really has nothing to do with them riding motorcycles, but just being douchebags in general.

if you're willing to give up your ride over something like this, then i would suggest that you aren't really a 'motorcycle enthusiast' in the first place.  there are a lot of 'bad examples' with every brand of car, truck, or motorcycle.....  guess, you'll have to walk.  oh, wait.  i saw this asshat wearing a pair of nikes, and.............................