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Danger_dave
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 08:08 am: | 
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>>and I bet it handles much better than an Electroglide<<
You'd lose the bet.
Vic has slightly better cornering clearance.
Touring Chassis (08 or later) H-D is more 'flickable'. |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 08:57 am: |
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Dave, a buddy is wanting a Honda Shadow, Used, any opinion? Best years?
I wish H-D the best. The guy who killed off the Buell division, ants. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 09:16 am: |
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Only ones I've tested properly are the 750 models - I thought they were quite nice for a mid-power rig.
Overall I prefer the Suzuki Boulevards because they enjoy a pretty good price advantage in the local market and they pull a bit harder per cc. |
Kenm123t
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 10:20 am: |
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I liked the old Fork truck looking V92c better in the handling dept than the Vison
Still a very heavy bike its side stand put a serious dent in my bike trailer deck. |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 10:44 am: |
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Here locally I hear a lot guys talking about how they bought Asian because they either couldn't afford an H-D or felt the Japanese bike offered more for the money. The guys that didn't have the money seem to always go into a tirade about how the Harley would've broke down or leaked oil everywhere.
Every year I'd ship back 100's of lbs of parts and accessories back to the mother ship that did not sell. IIRC there was a 15% fee.
As far as stores closing, that's not something specific to H-D. Here in the Jax, FL area, all but the biggest dealers of all makes have shut their doors in the past few years.
I'm curious to see what H-D brings out, but I'm pretty sure it won't be for me. |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 10:47 am: |
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I'm curious to see what H-D brings out, but I'm pretty sure it won't be for me.
Even if it IS for me....I won't buy it. They simply have lost my support..... when they killed supporting me! |
Rwven
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 11:08 am: |
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I'd love to have one of the new touring chassis HD's, a bit out of my price range though. I'm seriously considering a Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager. I love the '57 Chevy look of the fairing and the bike is a bargain. I've seen brand new ABS models advertised under $16K. I hope to pick up a used one in a few years.
I'd rather ride the Uly but my bride wants the wrap around seat and the passenger floorboards. Plus, she doesn't appreciate the way the Uly corners.....
I'm over the whole hate HD thing. Buell is better off where it's heading now. Harley did them a favor IMO.
(Message edited by rwven on October 09, 2011) |
Syonyk
| | Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2011 - 01:55 pm: |
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Yeah, there's no way the 1190 would have come out under Harley's "leadership." Clearly, a $40k chromed out 1000lb bike with 85 Screamin' Eagle horsepower is an excellent motorcycle, but a $40k "crotch rocket/Asian clone" is a silly motorcycle that nobody in their right mind would buy. Ignoring the fact that there are probably quite a few engineers over at Asian motorcycle companies looking at the 1190 & drooling...
I posted my thoughts over in the Harley section & was pretty much shouted down by people who think Harley is doing perfectly, and I'll admit, I don't run a 100 year old company. So my opinions are probably as worthless as anyone else's.
They have some decent concepts, but their bikes are overwhelmingly overweight, underpowered, with somewhat crappy cornering clearance.
The 883 Low, for instance, is a great bike for short/small riders. Except it's heavy, and it has ZERO cornering clearance to speak of! When a new rider who's been riding a Blast for about 3 weeks drags peg hard on it through a roundabout, there's a problem.
The V-Rod could be cool bike, if it were lighter and with more power. The V-Rod Destroyer weight/power in a street bike would be a properly fun motorcycle.
The other thing I'd consider doing is subsidizing their new rider courses. Make them cheaper than the MSF options, and you can get more people "in the door" looking for bikes. Have a good selection of new-rider-friendly bikes, and that would help get people interested.
I don't think they'll pull it off, though. I expect within 10 years, someone will get a great deal on a very well recognized brand name. |
Blake
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 06:27 am: |
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The bikes, for what they are, are outstanding. I used to want one, but no more after learning about the miserableness that was dealt Buell. The final straw was their CEO, Wandell, claiming that Steve Anderson's reporting in Cycle Worl was false. Bald-faced liars suck. Steve is not one.
Friends, people, and integrity matter more than any motorcycle or business model. |
Court
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 07:53 am: |
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Pretty much what put me off as well.
Taking a shot at Steve Anderson was poor judgement. Steve, over a number of years and in a number of roles. has earned a reputation of being not only dangerously smart but of the highest integrity.
I too have thought about another Harley-Daivdson product. have many friends in the motorcycle industry and have had great times riding the various Harley-Davidson products over the years.
My greatest concern lately is based on comments from folks who currently work at the company. These are not so much related to product speak to the underlying integrity. Long gone are any sense of ethics, quality, honesty and concern for the customer. Those left with Teerlink, Bleustein and others when the company was handed over to folks who'd never ridden and had a sour view of "bikers".
Friends, people, and integrity matter more than any motorcycle or business model.
I know where my next motorcycle is coming from . . . it's being made in WI . . .it's not a Harley-Davidson. By the way . . . it won't be long.
 |
Chauly
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 08:19 am: |
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"Victory is mine, sayeth His Courtness..." ?
Wait, that's Minnesota. 
(Message edited by Chauly on October 10, 2011) |
Slaughter
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 08:22 am: |
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We can't survive on our core customers alone:
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Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 08:36 am: |
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Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 09:07 am: |
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I never saw the comment by Wandell... where did it come out?
You only had to read Steve's article to know it was true. It put the pieces together beautifully and had tons of self evident factual supports.
You would think Wandell would be smart enough to keep his mouth shut and hope it just fades away. Clearly he is an idiot when it comes to building motorcycles and building companies that will be strong for the future, but I thought he would at least be able to handle this kind of tactical spin stuff right. I figured that was the only value he actually brought to the table.
(Message edited by reepicheep on October 10, 2011)
(Message edited by reepicheep on October 10, 2011) |
Syonyk
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 10:37 am: |
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I know where my next motorcycle is coming from . . . it's being made in WI . . .it's not a Harley-Davidson. By the way . . . it won't be long.
Hey, I'm reminding you to tell us...
I figure I've got another couple years on my 1125 before I can justify a new Buell. I'll probably consider upgrading somewhere around 100k miles, turn the 1125 into a track bike. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 11:09 am: |
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next ride is from Kiev,
There is nothing American that gets my cash yet.....
The big decision is two or three wheels.....grrrr I NEVER should have demo'd the Ural sT |
Jb2
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 11:36 am: |
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Hey Char, thanks for the props! Yep the Vic has plenty of cornering clearance. I haven't got a lot of seat time on any of the HD big twins but I'd take Dave's word that the Harley might be more flickable. I would however also agree with Steve(Oyrider) that I pushed the bike pretty hard on this last trip and never drug anything. That included some pretty gnarly dirt roads with no air in the rear shocks.
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Buellinachinashop
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 11:45 am: |
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"Wandell hinted that the company will bring new products to market more quickly and try to be a more agile player to keep up with market trends."
How are they going to do that when 1/2 of their endurance lab people will be let go next April? |
Hootowl
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 11:54 am: |
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I'm curious as to what Wandell thinks 'new market trends' are. |
Chauly
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 12:05 pm: |
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No endurance lab people= new products that wear out quicker>>>> sheeple buying new products more often. Obvious! |
Macbuell
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 01:07 pm: |
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What Harley needs to understand is that in this economic climate, not many people have the desire or stomach to buy a $20K motorcycle. This is especially true when there are many other more affordable options out there. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 01:30 pm: |
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I always find it interesting the way the 'supertankers' handle. I actually make a Rocket III look small and have enough payload to really chuck them around. So I do.
None of them handle badly, but the Touring Rig Harleys are actually the most agile of the bunch.
The Vics are very solid and planted and generally have the best clearances. (My personal gripe with the Vics is their quest to make the saddle as low as possible. I'm 6'5"! The Company looks at me and shakes their head.)
The Gold Wing holds a line really well too and has the best brakes.
Some of the other 'metric' units ride a bit harsher because they are derived from a cruiser platform and have that slammed rear end thing going on. They still chuck around OK though. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 - 01:33 pm: |
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And especially when the $20k motorcycle is *so* unremarkable. Not a bad bike for sure (if you are into that sort of thing)...
But look at the BMW's that you could get for $20k! Wow! Look at the Ducati's!
The $20k Harleys just aren't that impressive. |
Tachout
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 05:10 pm: |
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Court very well put. Teerlink and the gang were the real deal.I've meet mr.teerlink many times during my 22yrs. working at hd/buell dealers. I can't remember when he ever refered to hd'S as units!!! WE use to make motorcycles not units. A sad end to the american freedom machine. Wandell is an idiot.Like jerry says at least my hd is a prewandell model. |
Squidbuzz
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 06:36 pm: |
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India.
You all forgot about India.
Faster, cheaper. |
D_adams
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 06:40 pm: |
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quote:I know where my next motorcycle is coming from . . . it's being made in WI . . .it's not a Harley-Davidson. By the way . . . it won't be long.
My guess, maybe a year or so unless they utilize the same engine and just de-tune it some. I can see that working quite well. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 07:40 pm: |
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India is not cheaper, go to their site and do the Rupi conversion..... you will find they are selling the bikes for nearly twice as much. |
Swampy
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 09:52 pm: |
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Reepicheep said:
"You only had to read Steve's article to know it was true. It put the pieces together beautifully and had tons of self evident factual supports.
"
Uh...linkey no workey
I want to read something more today that will really piss me off please....
My house guest's daughter ate BOTH pieces of cheese cake I was planning on desert tonight! Trust me, I need that cheese cake more than her right now! |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 10:31 pm: |
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Rich Teerlink, as well as wife Anne and daughter Victoria, were not only the "real deal" they were just simply nice people. Rich Teerlink's concern for customers was incredibly genuine.
In addition . . . he has simple manners and was polite.
This is not true of a a couple of the top executives now. |
1313
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2011 - 11:47 pm: |
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I had a part time job valet parking cars and I parked Rich Teerlink's car once. He drove a Buick Park Avenue, supercharged and all, but nothing more than an average car - VERY CLEAN though. Well I actually brought it back to him as he and his wife were ready to leave.
When I returned his car I said 'Keep supporting Buell, Mr. Teerlink.' He said, "Always do, I always do!"
For the life of me I don't remember if he even tipped me - and didn't care - his response was enough for me!
1313 |
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