Why did you Buy a "Harley"

[TexasJohn]

Why did I buy a Harley.. so many reasons! As Joyflyin I was to looking for a new bike. At the time I had a Kawi 1300. I started looking at bikes and I walked into local Harley dealer. I sat on a Dyna Super T-sport jade low green and I was in LOVE! I kept my Kawi for that year and only rode it 2000 miles that summer, but rode my Harley 10,000 that summer. I'm on my 3rd bike now and won't own any other bike but a Harley. Nothing beats a Harley for ride and pride!
Ride Safe

 

[twicecam]

Just always wanted to ride and came close to buying a Kawasaki or Suzuki cruiser a couple of times, but just could never see myself spending the money on one of those. To one of the guys points earlier, I did not want to be riding and looking at other bikes saying that's what I really want.

Last year went to the dealership with my Father-in-law sat on a bunch of bikes and just fell in love with the Street Bob. From that point forward there was no turning it was a Bob or nothing. Now I'll ride it till I can't anymore, maybe a bigger bike many more years ahead when my wife is ready to start cruising with me and the kids are gone.

Besides the history of Harley, there is no beating all the styling behind them.

DITTO Why settle for second best , life is too short ,It only cost a nickle more yo go frist class......:breakdance

 

[Buzzy]

Always wanted another HD after my 1980 WG. Saved my money and honestly I thought at one time I could be happy with a Yamaha Road Star. When I sat on it though it just wasn't there. Sort of a cheap knock off made by someone who didn't really understand what I was looking for. Yeah it had the Vtwin but the motor just wasn't right, didn't look right and didn't quite sound right or feel right. Ditto with the look, fit, finish, and feel of just about everything on the bike, just not right for me. On another note the Yamaha, and other brands, don't hold their resale value worth a darn. A couple year old Yamaha RS around here has lost half it's original price while even old Harleys still bring over 10k.

 

[BlinkerBlu]

Had a Goldwing, just did not feel American, soold it for a HD and never looked back. An HD is a something that makes one feel alive and free.

 

[Lancer]

Started with the Honda 50 Scooter, then the Honda 100, then the Suzuki 750 Water Cooled (Water Buffalo) Yamaha XS1100. Enjoyed them all but decided if I ever bought another one I was going to go first class and get the best. I wanted comfort and style and found it in my new Ultra Classic. I just kick myself for waiting so long to do it.

 

[nolafishr]

I bought a Harley because it is an American Tradition, I think everyone should own at least one in there Life Time. I believe the Days of Trouble and Oil Leaks are over, they have come a long way and have gotten better. Besides it built here in the USA and I believe we should support our People and Country and keep it here at Home where it Belongs!

2008 Electra Glide Classic - Vivid Black
2001 Sportster 1200 - Lil Red

 

[UnkleBuk]

I started years ago on a 1985 500cc Honda Shadow. I was lucky I didn't dump the bike in the guys driveway when I took it for a test drive as I hadn't been on two wheels, especially motorized wheels, since I was like 13 years old riding mini-bikes across fields.

I then skipped several years after getting hit by a car on this same bike while stationed in Japan, and finally bought an `03 Road Star Silverado (1600cc). Again, lucky I didn't dump it when leaving the dealer as I hadn't been on two wheels, especially wheels this size/weight, in about 10 years.

Loved my Star, especially the fact I could actually work on it myself if I wanted to. Never had a problem, and enjoyed pulling into a parking lot full of Harleys with a bike that didn't get lost in the crowd. Problem was, the suspension didn't suit my wife's bad back, so she was suffering.

We started looking at Ventures and sort of climbed the price range until we test drove an Ultra and ended up with the `08 Ultra we have now. I still had the Star at the time and after riding the Ultra a few weeks I climbed back on the Star and it felt unbalanced, weighty, and really bulky. Though even after having the Ultra for almost I year I'll still say my Star felt far more powerful than my Ultra does.....though I'll be making some changes to it soon so that this statement is no longer true.

The Ultra is definitely more comfortable, on short and long rides. I didn't buy it because it's a Harley, but for the comfort on long rides for my wife. But after having it now for not quite a year, HD WILL definitely be my first choice when I go to get a bike for me to ride solo.

Since my wife is a Brit, we have a US and a UK flag on the back, so even in a sea of Harleys it still stands out so we can find it easy!

Though, with the stock pipes on it, there's not a huge difference in how it sounds to me going down the road than my old Star did when it was stock. But I'm sittin' on it, not behind it. And just as I did with my Star, I'll be swapping the stock pipes for some real ones sooner or later.

 

[enormousdwarf]

I've always liked the look and sound of a Harley. In 1984 I traded a '66 thunderbird for a '48 pan that came as a frame and 3 milk crates of parts. I spent a small fortune for parts putting that bike together. I worked on it for over a year and was alost done assebling my first bike. I was heartbroken when I came home one night to find someone had broken into my garage and stolen it. It was never recovered. So 23 years later when I received an insurance settlement and had the money the first thing I did was start looking for a bike. I found a 1997 Fatboy in the recycler for $12,000. I went to look at it and it only had a little over 12,000 iles on it and I rode it home. It took me 23 years but I finally replaced the one that got away.

 

[Hugger]

Sound & Looks

 

[Dratom]

Started riding on a Honda Z50 back in '76, then onto many many bikes over the last 32 years mostly being Italian and Germans racing, or sport touring bikes. When I got my first HD (FXDX), I couldn't stand the poor handling, lack of power, speed, and agility. I didn't get it and sold it ASAP. I was used to having bikes that would accelerate quickly and I could lay on their side through a turn only scraping my knees not the bike. I still have an Italian flickable bike that I love, but now that I am over 40 I now get the HD and enjoy the relaxing lumbering ride my Road King Classic gives me. I will always have one in my garage from now on.