Harley Davidson vs Wannabe's
 

I am wondering what all you die hard harley owners and fans think about the Hondas and the suzukis and the Yamahas that all TRY to look like harley's.

for example, i just bought a 2001 Honda Shadow 1100 for 6000$ canadian, now, i have looked at harleys, and the only ones i can find for even CLOSE to that price is a sportster, an 883, and not a very nice looking one at that.

i am 22, i own a house and my own truck, i cannot afford much, and i just wanna know the majorities opinion on how i would get looked at if i went to some of these harley events (for example, Sturgis, or Friday 13th, blah blah blah) ???

Don't be concerned with other people's opinions, If you are enjoying it that's all that matters. You can snicker at the snooty ones, knowing that you are getting the same enjoyment for thousands less.

You really cant patent or claim the whole cruiser bike realm forever. I mean saying all teh other large cruisers just wanna look like harley is like saying all teh cars in teh 20's or whatever were just ford wannabe's. Ford had the car frist and they pretty much all looked like it...


In the end, only a Harley is a Harley. The rest are nice bikes adn nobody will tease you for riding something else. If that were teh case, nobody else would sell any. Enjoy your bike for what it is, dont hate it cause its not a harley. Heck, almost anyone eneducated wont even notice its not a harley.

i agree, when i rode my dads harley, it was a much improved feeling ride, it was like, day and night, its the whole carisma thing, not to mention just the small things that a harly does that a honda doesnt, The raw sound, the raw power just makes your blood flow faster every minute.

not to mention YOUR ON A HARLEY!!! :P

i appreaciate the input guys

It ain't what you ride, it's HOW you ride. You are either a biker or an owner. Bikers help each other out and understand the brotherhood involved. Owners just have a bike. And I ride a Norton partly because of the prices of Harleys.

Not all Harley riders are bikers and not all foreign riders are just owners.

Harley, sadly, seems to have cornered the market on credit card bikers. They know absolutely nothing about their bike or the lifestyle yet they have all the clothes, etc.

Bah! Ride it like you stole it and know what what the hell it is that you are riding. And be sure to wave to fellow bikers.

I just went on a ride today on saturday, 335 bikes, not too bad, but it felt really cool, i was enclosed by people who have some of the nicest bikes ive seen, but even the people who were riding on anything from crotch rockets to 1968 BSA's, were shaking hands and telling stories, it was interesting to say the least.

another question i have is...

i was riding with the hell's angels at one point, scary lookin doods, the one guys had red trim on his vest and another had a gold pin, and some other decorations, a guys told me that means that they are high up there, they arent just a regular angel.

What is it they actually do? is there goal to give the image that they are big, mean, and they dont really talk too much to other people? they kinda just kept to themselves, i wanted to talk to them and say hi, but, i didnt, i dunno why. but anyways.

(not that im interested) im just curious what it is that they do to get members? if someone wanted to be a hell's angel, what does your criteria have to be? other than only owning either a harley or a custom???? anyone know?

haha, i was just curious.

anywho, i think ill just stick to my honda and crusin around with my 3 friends, and go to the occasional event. other than that. well... bleh, thx for the info.

it's the ride that counts not what your on.

Actually, Ford were Johnny-come-latelies in the car stakes.

Henry did apply mass-production to cars.

I've heard it said that there are three types of bikers:

Those that live the life.

Weekenders.

and wannabes.

(Currently I bees a wannabe)

Harleys are kool bikes but I love my crotch rocket and would never give it up for a hog.

Nope.

There's the third kind: if you gave me one, I'd sell it.

The only bike I don't like is one with an asshole on it.

That said, the only people that will give you guff for riding a non-HD are the credit card types that bought a Harley simply because it said Harley on it. They're the ones what pay someone else to do maintainence and call their scoot a "good investment". RUB's.

Ride your Honda, bro. I have three of 'em, in various stages of build, rebuild, and ride-able. I also have my Dad's old Panhead in milk crates and boxes waiting for the day that he decides to put it back together. It'll be the only HD I'll likely ever own (ie I'll inherit it when he finally goes), and I have no desire to own any other HD. To me, it's just a name. Just like Honda, Yamaha, Indian, whatever.

You have to begin to ride on something. Before you are one of the big guys.

Big guys? You mean a Big Twin, or just any HD? I'd hop on a Big Twin today with no worry whatsoever about my ability to ride it. You wouldn't catch me on a Hayabusa though. I ain't good enough a rider. Also, most so-called "wannabe" bikes rip the nuts clean off a Harley performance-wise.

Harleys aint "big" unless you are talking about pricetag.

Well for what my 2 cents is worth....

I reckon Harleys have had their day. The "Wannabe's" do it so much better, they have the modern tech behind them and harleys have change in years and years. They are still OHV, like come on. I guess that I have a jaded view of harleys, cause the way alot of harley owners look "down" on other bikes. I hate it and it really pisses me off. Quite often you are not just buying the bike, but you also get the attitude.

I not having a go at anyone here, just stating my 2 cents.

Then put them on a BMW and watch them sell their house, Harley, and wife to buy one...

;)

One of my favorite bike quotes:

"In terms of pure workmanship, I don't like Harleys. I ride them because I'm in the club, and that's the image, but if I could I would seriously consider riding a Honda...We really missed the boat not switching over to the Japanese models when they began building bigger bikes...Right now, Hell's Angels are stuck with Harleys, or maybe we're stuck with each other. Someday we'll be smart enough to walk away."

Ralph "Sonny" Barger - pg. 53 of
"Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger"

I would not call non-HDs "wannabes". What are they trying to be? A solid cruiser? I think they have succeeded. I live near York, PA and toured the Harley facility. Very impressive and HDs out the ass. I would love to have one but my budget only allows for soemthing priced more reasonably.

Actually Debaser, last time I hit a BMW dealer, I found that I could buy a lot more BMW for the same money than from the local HD dealer. Beemers ain't cheap, but Harley's are worse.

I agree completely. They are expensive and worth every penny.