Harleys are the Airstreams of Motorcycles

[Rick Morris]

After years of research into RVs, buying a 5th wheel, full-timing for 18 months observing many Airstream owners, and having a close friend buy one, the following I believe can be said about both Airstreams and Harleys:

1. you pay two or three times the price over others of comparable performance/quality
   
2. the features don’t keep up with modern innovation
   
3. yes, they are pretty
   
4. you’re paying a huge premium for nostalgia and being part of a club
   
5. members of the club think they bought quality, denial is strong
   
6. members of the club are obsessed with how they/their rig look
   
7. members of the club believe there is only One True Brand
8. resale values used to be spectacular, and the myth runs deep that it’s still true

Anything I forgot?

Anyone else with RV experience agree with the comparison? For me it was striking.

I think you nailed it.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

I love em, and have a few in the shed as well as my Rocket.

To tell the truth, I prefer the Harley motors thump (110 motors) and the cadence of the engine on a long run.

BUT, I prefer the Rocket's GRUNT
My Softail Slim S

My RoadKing

And my Delux

I hope everyone is speaking from experience, and not just bagging Harleys for the sake of it.

Our MC allows Triumph and Harleys, so no bias there.

Regards Lofty

YEP you have the complete Holloween

My local HD dealer has a 2016 left over Road Glide for $14,500 brand spanking new! I almost, and do say ALMOST dropped coin on it. But resisted.

YEP they are going cheap around here TRIUMPH was at CARPENTERS last friday they said the new 1200 cc twins areselling great they are already sold out of the new BOBBERS and Thruxtons for this year they are stepping up production to keep up with demand

 

[sonny]

Not exactly. Harley introduced the Milwaukee Eight engine This year and will more than likely offer it on all their bikes next year. So no one wants to buy a Twin Cam. Harley cut the prices trying to move the Twin cams out and off the showroom floor. The die hard old time Harley riders know better than to go out and buy a newly designed engine. (self explanatory) So sales are slipping and profits. This and the new Indians are taking a bite out of sales for the time being. Either way I can not sell the Harley for any money at all. Figured we will hang on to it and eventually turn it into a 124 cubic inch S&S but in no big hurry. To busy with the Rocket for now.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Not exactly. Harley introduced the Milwaukee Eight engine This year and will more than likely offer it on all their bikes next year. So no one wants to buy a Twin Cam. Harley cut the prices trying to move the Twin cams out and off the showroom floor. The die hard old time Harley riders know better than to go out and buy a newly designed engine. (self explanatory) So sales are slipping and profits. This and the new Indians are taking a bite out of sales for the time being. Either way I can not sell the Harley for any money at all. Figured we will hang on to it and eventually turn it into a 124 cubic inch S&S but in no big hurry. To busy with the Rocket for now.

I ride with a guy with the S&S 124 and thats not a HARLEY product the dealers are selling engine kits for all the HD engines I ride with those guys and the stock Rocket out performs the lot of them in fact 2 of them are buying Roadsters

 

[sonny]

SCREAMING CHICKEN parts are a joke compared to what is offered in the aftermarket world of Harley Davidson.

 

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

After years of research into RVs, buying a 5th wheel, full-timing for 18 months observing many Airstream owners, and having a close friend buy one, the following I believe can be said about both Airstreams and Harleys:

1. you pay two or three times the price over others of comparable performance/quality
   
2. the features don’t keep up with modern innovation
   
3. yes, they are pretty
   
4. you’re paying a huge premium for nostalgia and being part of a club
   
5. members of the club think they bought quality, denial is strong
   
6. members of the club are obsessed with how they/their rig look
   
7. members of the club believe there is only One True Brand
8. resale values used to be spectacular, and the myth runs deep that it’s still true

Anything I forgot?

Anyone else with RV experience agree with the comparison? For me it was striking.

Agree.
What about how they are opposite ? Harley has MANY wonderful colors to offer.
Airstream lets you have any color you want as long as it is silver. At least it is shiny.

 

[ThisGuy]

Airstream lets you have any color you want as long as it is silver.

But it goes with everything! Gotta make sure it will always match your tow vehicle. Must. Look. Good.

 

[Prestaged]

Let's be insecure in what we ride and bash someone's ride of choice to make ourselves feel better about our own bike.

 

[JamiePT]

Good point Lofty,

Most people who bag on Harleys have never owned one. Just like a lot of Harley owners at least here in the United States who make fun of Japanese, BMW, Triumph etc. etc. have no experience with these brands.

My first bike was a 1986 Honda Nighthawk 450, then I moved up to a 750 Yamaha, an old BMW K1100, a Sportster, a Superglide and another Sportster.

I now ride a rocket and want to add a KTM EXC very badly to my garage.

If money was no object I would have my rocket, a KTM EXC, an Indian Chieftain, and something fast and light like a KTM super Duke 690 or maybe a Ducati monster.

I don't think anybody makes a bad bike right now. I just like to ride and I don't judge people based on what they own.

 

[rocketjohn]

I don't bash the bikes....I mean I can find something not to like on any batch of bikes, and there are some HD's I'd be happy to have but I would buy it fully informed that it is not the be all and end all of riding. In fact after a Rocket you just know you would only ride it for what it is, where sycophants ride it because they think there is nothing else. I would get more out of one I reckon knowing that is has limitations. And being fully informed on what goes wrong.....(twin cam timing chain tensioners! things falling off.) you can set right away to improving those weaknesses, as we do any bike we have or have had.