All my Soldier friends are buying Harleys

The only reason I can come up with, besides that they have all been taken in by the hype, is that AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service) only deals in Buell and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I tried for years to petition the AAFES to give some incentives to get other makers involved and they simply won't. The prices are drastically reduced (from insanely overpriced to somewhat overpriced) and it can be payed for and delivered so that the Soldier gets to come home and immediately take possession of their bike.
Even the guys bragging about what they are buying have to admit that I'm going to blow their wheels off when I return with my savings and buy a Rocket III outright. When I ask why they don't do the same they shrug and say "I always wanted a Harley". They also use the excuse that it's easy to buy this way. I like to mess with the AAFES sales people by walking in and telling them I'm ready to sign for a Triumph and watch their faces fall as they have to tell me that they don't deal in them. One guy was from Ireland and I could tell that it actually caused him physical pain to inform me that his office would not handle Triumphs (poor guy).
Harley is making a butt-load of sales doing this. Where's Triumph? They could start their own on-line Military sales and work the same magic. Oh well, I guess I don't have to worry about losing that exclusivity facter huh?

I've noticed the same thing. Back when Honda Gold Wings were built in Marysville, Ohio I thought that they would qualify for the "American Made" criteria but I was wrong as that seems to be the entry card to be sold by AAFES.

Back in 2003 when I was in Djibouti the first time I tried to buy the 100th Anniversary Edition of the Electra Glide Classic, deposit made and everything. A little later I was told that they were only alloted, I think 10 bikes of that type for purchase thru AAFES in the Middle East area. Unfortunately I was #11.

So I immediately switched gears and within two weeks bought the first of my two Gold Wings over the phone...and never looked back.

And now I reside in Triumph land...well except for the immediate fact that I am working over here but that's another story .

Dennis

49 (?) dtg Dubai/Kuwait (?)
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