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Why the Harley mystique?

6K views 43 replies 30 participants last post by  Willy D200 
#1 ·
Why does it get in our blood, and stay there? There is a simple, true answer, related to blood.
 
#6 ·
I started riding Harley's and continue to ride Harley's because they're made in the USA, but then so are all my vehicles. As for the "mystique" I was a biker when being a biker wasn't cool...long, long, long before Rub's were around, now the air is thick with'um. It's funny as hell to watch'um and most are zip code riders.
 
#7 ·
I always loved the history behind the name. Maybe one day I'd have enough green to get one I thought, They were always out of my price range as a young man. A basket case was never a option for the fact I knew diddly squat. Now I own one and still don't know diddly squat, go figure.

I'd love a Indian for the same reason, but I'm a bit bugged about the Harley and Davidson show on what it showed how Indian did them, if it's true then Indian was a fcking b-e-e-i-t-c-h back then.
 
#16 ·
I always loved the history too but I'm as loyal to Harley as Harley has been to me, thru 45ish years of riding them. I bought a '15 Indian Vintage about a year ago. It's a big heavy slow slug just like my '12 Road King. But the ride/suspension is way better, far superior to the King.... very comfy over the usual bumps and RR tracks and such. I would recommend one to a friend. Harley vs Indian = Ferd vs Chebby.
 
#9 ·
mystique,,, I'll have a run at it... once you discovered that harleys were considered the pinnacle of riding a bike,, after years of riding others,, you finally got that first harley... then as you rode it,, you discovered the true nature of a harley...

largest, least powerful engine on a bike..
very slow acceleration,,, as compared to any other multi cylinder bike over 500cc.
no where near the top end or speed everyone says harleys can achieve.
very expensive purchase price
very low quality control,, leaves the dealer with more issues than most any other bike brand
warranty is spotty
made in the usa,, not,,, assembled in the usa, with parts contracted to many other countries,, usually asian,, brakes, gauges, suspension, most other electronics. to name a few...
high cost and frequent maintenance required..
need a part? not in stock,, need clothes and bling,,, got hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of that...
once you know you were jaded, big time,,, pass on the mystique to any non harley owner who will listen..

all that said I love harleys,, and assume all responsibility and financial risk associated with harley ownership...
 
#12 ·
My parents had Harley's before I was born and up through third grade. Before getting my first one I had just about every 750 that came out of Japan. Couldn't get better than 38mpg, then got a 1981 FLT and bam, 45mpg. My 1985 FXRT got 55mpg at 65 mph with both my wife and I on her. Now I m 69 going on 70 and just wouldn't seem right on anything else.
 
#15 ·
Mines just an S&S top end, Hayes clutch, HSR42, the rest in HD for now. In tear-down to bare frame right now and getting ready to fix all her ills....bought it totaled to turn a quick buck with it. I did a quick fix to get it riding to assess condition only to find a BIG frickin engine.......can't sell it now....lol. As I got her.

 
#18 ·
I'm 71 now and many, many years ago just riding a Harley could get you in trouble with the law. A lot of people asked me why Harley's cost so much. My reply was to keep idiots off them. I see that didn't pan out now. Been riding since 1964 and still do. I have a 2013 Ultra Classic and this 1967 FLH.
263173
 
#19 ·
Back 43 yrs ago and the law would stop any brand bike for kicks. I was 22 riding a 58 BMW R50 and just had to be a Hells Angel. My father rode a Honda 450, brother a beemer 650, friend a Kawi 750 coming back through NJ from a PA hillclimb. We were in the middle of a pack of cars so the trooper couldn't get to us fast enough. He went to the middle ground on a slope and his rear wheels was spitting rocks and dirt. All around us drivers are watching him like wtf. He finally got to us and we pulled over. It is raining lightly getting dark and March.

This ahole held us up because he wanted to see if we are carrying insurance cards. My father observed his badge number and number of the cop car time etc. then gave the info to a Colonel with the Jersey City police who had our last name. Funny that.

Sent from my moto e5 supra using Tapatalk
 
#25 ·
I'm up to 20 bikes in the last 15 years, honda, yamaha, suzuki, harley....riding 96 flhr police now, simple and fun, solid feel with great sound, every part is available, tons of know how and mods available, a little clunky with limited suspension and lousy high speed performance....still love it....plan on keeping this one awhile
 
#30 ·
I just fell off the fence and landed on the other side from you all....going back to Honda....after 2 sporties, a Glide and 2 Road Kings, done with the maintenance and ho-hum performance, don't care about the perceived image or care about what's cool to others....my vtx 1800 fits me, great motor and brakes, reliable and easy, easy maintenance, made in Ohio btw
 
#31 ·
It's the noise, the feeling, the heritage and need to clean oil stains off the garage floor.... Lol. Also the fact that if they weren't so fricking expensive we'd all probably have too much money and would just blow it on cheap women and cocaine... @slickster 69" well if you felt the performance was lacking you could dumped for an S&S big bore and stamped all over the VTX1800 that one's on you. But seriously you certainly can't deny honda's reputation for dependability... No Harley or for that mater any manufacturer is touching honda in that department. I'll give them that.
 
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