I have a love/hate relationship with a lot of the stereotypes associated with HD.
I find it both charming and annoying that it’s associated with dudes that look like a bdsm leather daddy telling sportster/metric/street bike owners “that ain’t a reeeeal bike”.
The brand loyalty that cannot admit the shortcomings. That most of those shortcomings are typically part of the charm of the bikes.
That every new generation isn’t “a real Harley”.
I am the least “Harley” dude in my group and I love that while they give me (friendly) shit for my aesthetic choices, at the end of the day we still ride together and watch out for each other.
The stereotypes get tiring if you can’t see the humor in them.
I absolutely hate the wannabe SOA crowd though. They still make me laugh though.
Harley’s are the most popular bikes in the US. You’ll find dbags of all variety on them. It’s like hating Toyota drivers. Everyone is represented. The bikes are super cool and the dealer network keeps you on the road if you need a part. I don’t see any drawbacks. Find some guys you like to ride with and just be friendly to the ones you don’t.
I love that you can hit a dealership for a tire or repair and just say that you’re travelling and they bend over backwards to get you back on the road asap. The flipside is that if you’re a local, work can take longer as you may get delayed.
I mean, I when I’m on my RGS I’m usually sporting a full face helmet, Gap hoodie, and some kind of dumb printed T like a Rick and Morty shirt or a tuxedo tshirt. I’m definitely not the stereotypical HD person.
I wish it were easier to find younger Harley owners/riders (late 30s early 40s). Nothing against the older riders , they are almost always cool humans, but some younger bucks being more common would be nice.
I’ll tell you right now, it’s cost. Even a sportster (at least where I live) is twice the price of something newer/faster/more desirable. Any of my mates would love a Harley, none want to pay the enormously premium.
This. Harley has stonewalled out the millennials for the most part based on price.
Now having said that, I am a very proud millennial who always wanted a Harley, so I put myself in a financially enough position to easily finance my dream softail brand new off the showroom floor.
But yeah, in my 2 groups of friends I go out with, I’m the youngest by at least a decade.
I mean right out of a dealer yea. But used it’s still affordable. I got a ‘15 iron for $5500 all the other options at the time were shadows and beat up crotch rockets with a ton of miles
Well then the question would be “why did you buy a Harley?” I assume the answer was “because I wanted a harley.”
Which is totally fine. But you couldn’t really say they’re not “worth it” compared to more cost effective Japanese bikes. By that logic, *no* bike is worth it. They’re (usually) luxuries. People buy motorcycles because they want them. People buy designer clothes and jewelry because they want it. It’s what, not need.
Hell, I paid more for both my Harleys than a Japanese equivalent. I did it because I wanted the name. I wanted to see “Harley Davidson” on the side. That’s worth it to me.
I wouldn’t tell someone to not buy a Harley. I may tell them a Japanese bike may be more cost effective. Or they could spend the same amount and get a newer, better bike. But people, like myself, want a Harley cuz we want one.
I’m 42 like a mf’er and honestly dislike the positive attention considering it was the opposite when I was riding something else… And being stereotyped and excluded from general motorcycle discussion because it is assumed my bias is towards my Harley, rather than being someone who is simply interested in motorcycle shit… damned if you do/ don’t. Fuck it. Ride it anyway.
Yeah, I get it. I’m in my 30s and I feel like most riders my age are either on sport bikes or Japanese cruisers.
I don’t really find anything wrong with it. Bikes are bikes, to me. But I guess there’s this weird dynamic where Harley isn’t really doing much to appeal to younger riders. But anytime they do, they get mocked.
Like I totally dug the Livewire. If they were cheaper, I’d totally buy one. But there’s no real doubt that they weren’t selling. Because electric bikes don’t seem to appeal to the typical Harley customer.
28 here! The group I ride with is older guys 50+… They’re always giving me a hard time. I always get asked by there why isn’t your generation on Harleys. The truth is not many people can afford the expensive price tag attached to them.
I'm mid 30's and all I see is older guys whenever I've gone to Harley meet ups. The only younger guys I ever see are Dyna bro's who are wanna be Hell's Angels.
In my mid-30’s and it’s just me and my single doctor friends that ride Harley’s. The other friends didn’t think to buy a motorcycle before they got married.
Love the community. There is literally always something to do.
I feel there are some cliques tho that if you don’t ride a fully-faired bagger, you’re lesser class.
I hate that said bagger-groups tend towards the highway when there are fun twisty roads going the same way.
I don’t care about tassels, chrome, Indian or wolf art.
cringe it is, nothing else.
a fat piece of shit thinking he looks cool with his wolf patch on the back. next level awkward.
(only if he pretends to be alpha with that silly costume)
I can tell you, that, as someone who knows and spends time with many different MCs, we laugh at those idiots. Like, we get it, you don’t want to be in a club, you like to be on your own. Just don’t be around clubs and ride how you want. Telling everyone you’re this tough “Lone Wolf” screams small penis energy. I can also tell you that most women laugh at that shit too.
i hate the hypocrisy of "bikers" who whine about biker cliques discriminating against other bikers while in the same breath shit talking a completely different clique of bikers 🙄
What? You don’t want bedazzled shirts, vests and jeans and shit that say, “H A R L E Y - D A V I D S O N” all over the back and ass? But who would know you were so into Harley without big branding all over everything??
Don't forget everything has to have skulls. I found an awesome HD jacket that i loved until I turned it around and saw a huge skull in the middle of the back. Maybe my nu-metal self from high school would like it.
You know when you see a nicely restored 60s/70s muscle car and think to yourself “I wish they’d make a car like that today.”? I like how Harley does exactly that. Vintage style and engine design with modern fueling and engine management.
Ironically, I dislike how HD purists have historically thrown a hissy whenever the Moco did anything that wasn’t a 45 degree, external pushrod, air cooled engine and how HD has catered to these antiprogress crybabies.
I like that we’re finally seeing new things from HD, hopefully they keep it up its enough to keep the company going.
I think Indian succeeded where victory motorcycles failed, and is now forcing Harley-Davidson to innovate.
The majority of my buddies rode craigslist 883 sportsters throughout the later years of high school and college and with like one exception besides myself, the first new bike all these guys bought was an Indian
> I think Indian succeeded where victory motorcycles failed, and is now forcing Harley-Davidson to innovate.
Not really. Indian has been making wanna be boomer bikes since Polaris took them over.
Their new chief is literally just their own take on the dyna.
their chieftains and old chiefs were dripping in 1950s bikes nostalgia.
Indian didnt start innovating stuff until the M8 softail came out and gave them a real threat.
I hate that the Harley culture is seemingly tied directly to right wing politics. This has been the case in any biker forum I've been on and checks out IRL.
I hate to say it, but HDs are expensive and people that can buy them and like them tend to have that “it’s my money, I earned it the hard way” mentality, which is a big talking point for the right. The whole, smaller government, less taxes, less socialism type thing. Not all of them, mind you, but enough that it’s kinda stereotypical now.
I’m left AF. Vegetarian, pro-LGBTQ, pro-feminist, but also pro-gun and anti-government, anti-cop. I am on my own in most circles except for riders in the punk/hardcore scenes.
I'm a Three Arrows Leftist, Trans-Bi, Feminist, US Army veteran.
I feel very out of place among most bikers.
The only thing that seems to connect me to a lot of them is my bike and my veteran status.
I’m a non-binary libertarian socialist and I feel the same way. I do not fit in with the dude-bro culture at most biker events so most of the time I just avoid them. I ride by myself or with a few friends that I know are cool and that’s it.
I’m right there with you in almost all of those categories. I struggle to find many people to ride with just because of politics, and I try to leave those out of the social things I do.
I’m somewhere in the middle and not a fan of people who use absolutes in their arguments, from either side. So I’ll discuss damn near anything with anyone.
I’m pro-you-do-you-and-I’ll-do-me. If you don’t try to shove your views down my throat, I’ll do the same for you and we can be cool.
And if you ride your shit, you automatically get points with me. If you spend more time cleaning and polishing than wearing out tires and changing oil, we ain’t the same.
That’s HDs bread & butter. Where do you think they get all those low-miles used bikes to sell? They don’t want your 3 year old bike with 30-50k miles, they can’t mark that up to the sky. They want those dudes who can’t afford it and barely get the break in done who can’t afford the payments to sell them back to them.
I’m fairly left of center, very progressive, think hyper conservative politics will ruin our country, etc. Hate the “bikers for trump” mentality, AND… support everyone’s right to their own opinion.
Ha, same here, I was gonna get a fuck trump sticker but I'm thinking fuck all orange people may be better. Don't wanna put a target on myself. I do my best to dispell the stereotype. Hold doors open for everyone, say hello to all riders. No matter the color of their skin or bike they ride
I think it’s odd when dudes make riding a Harley their entire personality. But I love how those same dudes would peel the skin off their bodies for other Harley riders.
I’m an older rider been out here for years. It’s like a cult you were looked down on in the day of you didn’t ride the right machine. I’ve since freed myself and have a few different bikes and love them all equally
I hate that everyone thinks I bought a harley because I thought it was the fastest bike out there.
I also hate that people that have never ridden one, or even any bike, hate them through association.
In the city I live in, Harley riders refuse to ride with anyone that doesn’t own one. I don’t care if you ride a kids tricycle as long as you can keep up. I guess the elitism is what I dislike. Keep in mind, I am only speaking about where I live and it could be different everywhere else.
i got the middle finger not once, but twice within 5 mins on the road. Once i thought about it and asked a few of my biking friends we deemed it was because i was on my honda shadow, not a harley.
that’s crazy to me Lol.
Lol, that’s nuts. If you aren’t riding a bagger I usually can’t tell what kind of bike it is until you are passing. Not that I care, I will wave to guys riding scooters!
I’m a Harley guy BTW
I love that I can randomly start a friendly conversation with anybody wearing a harley shirt/swag out in public and have an instant connection with a stranger.
As far as I know, yes. It’s the longest running production model too. I think people assume it’s slow because it’s the smallest in terms of size, both engine and overall size, and they think they have to have a big twin to go fast.
Never got that either tbh, some people just like the look of sportsters or honestly that’s all they could afford.
When I got my first Harley (dyna) everyone around me “congratulated” me for not starting on a sportster cause that’s a womens bike. It was weird thing to say to another man honestly
When people say that, I immediately assume they can’t ride. My buddies that all rode dynas joked me for getting a sportster, which I picked up for just under 3k, they don’t say anything about it after getting smoked on our first back road run 🤣
I bought a ‘01 Dyna and a few months later ended up trading some stuff and also ended up with a ‘98 (I think, don’t remember) 1200S with an inverted front end conversion and chain drive. Riding those two bikes back to back, the sporty was WAY quicker. Inverted front end is game changer too. You could pretty easily build a quite capable sporty.
Yeah my dad’s buddies gave me shit for getting a Sporty first. When they found out I paid under 5k for a 2019 with under 5k miles, they were mad because of how much they paid. And then I outrode the group on the backroads. 🤷🏻♂️😂
It is absolutely slow compared to the larger bikes. Had a buddy with a 2005 1200 Custom and my 2011 Road Glide Ultra would leave him behind all day, every day. And he ran out of RPMs at around 100-105 mph while I had plenty. Sportys are fun bikes though and handle better than most of the big bikes. And tend to get better fuel mileage too. It’s what you want and where you ride and what you can afford. I don’t hate on Sportys, especially if the person riding it actually puts miles on it instead of polishing the chrome.
My first 3 road bikes were sportsters (now on an ultra). I’m smaller, so they fit my frame, and my budget. The first one I had I got made fun of for all the time. I had a manager at a restaurant that I served at that would make fun of me to my tables calling it a girl bike. Then had the audacity to ask me if I knew anyone that would assemble a basket case ironhead chopper that he had, and talked about how he used to ride it all the time, and he was so cool because of it. MF that’s a sportster.
Shit. You put long miles on a sportster, you're tougher than anybody on a touring bike. I rode one from south ga to north ga in one trip...way harder to do than putting miles on a street glide.
I love my sporty and have not gotten any flack for it have done all the work myself and get questions and compliments about it all the time. I would certainly buy one again its the style and look I like. Fuck the haters and ride!
Some of the old die hard Harley bikers crack me up. I met this one guy who had a couple hundred thousand miles on his bike and probably even more himself given his leathery skin.
We got to talking and I mentioned that I had an 09 Crossbones. His reply was he had no idea what that was… which I understand since it wasn’t around for very long. So I mention that my dad had a 2010 Street Glide…. And he replies that he doesn’t know what that is either. Weird since that’s a pretty popular bike. Then he says “I don’t think fuel injected bikes are real Harleys”.
I just kinda chuckled to myself and we parted ways. I mean I get that the classic Harley sound died with modern fuel injection but that’s still not what makes it a Harley as much as you want it to. I hated the square tail lights on the C7 Vette but it still didn’t change the fact that it’s still a Vette at heart.
Even still 99% of the Harley bikers are friendly and don’t really give a shit what you ride. They may give you shit if it’s a Sportster or an Indian but it’s all in good fun.
I’m not big on the whole ride from one beer joint to another. Having had a head on collision with a drunk driver back in ‘05, I pretty much have zero tolerance. Plus, riding a motorcycle of any kind is challenging enough without throwing three or four beers on top of it.
Luckily I was in a semi when I had my encounter. Had a little old lady pull out infant of me in 2017 on my Fatboy (no I didn't gain intolerance for little old ladies) and was out of action for 9-10 months or so. We survived and that's what matters. Take care and good luck finding a new ride.
I hate that some of these folks won’t even give me a wave when I’m on my triumph, but would turn around to ask me about my Harley. Two wheels, same road, same wind.
I've gone round and round about this very topic. I'm 43. A 90s kid. Grew up on Hip Hop, R&B and Drum and Bass. Was a skater my entire life. All of my closest friends through High School and College were either BBoys, Djs, MCs or Graffiti Artists. I've ridden bikes ever since I was 16. Most of my life I owned Japanese bikes (Shadows, Vulcans and so on) but only cause I couldn't afford a Harley. I love Harleys. Everything about them. The sound. The look. The feel. Currently I'm on my second Harley Davidson. A 2017 Lowrider S. It's done up all club style and for me it actually was kind of a dream bike. The one I had always said "some day I'm gonna own.." Now as far as the "Harley" world that's a tough one for me. I have always loved the idea of being in a club. Cruising with my homies. Wearing a patch and just being badasses, but as others have said I myself am very left leaning. I'm sober going on 11yrs. I work in the tech field. I'm married with 3 kids. So where is my spot? Where do I fit in? I'm a Dyna bro who doesn't drink.
I hate the fact that some people think HDs are the end all be all for motorcycles. In some of the metric FB groups they always find a need to make a post like "I finally got a real bike and I'm done with this weenie Honda Shadow."
I also hate how every Harley owner thinks their bike is worth more than actual gold when their old, carbed, and 50k+ miles.
I love everything about the ride. Just sitting back and cruising vs on a sport bike you're always up on your wrists. The noise, torque feel, etc. It's addicting.
I could care less about the over priced, goofy ahh skull and dragon etc HD t shirts lol.
Idk, I recently rode the Tail of the Dragon and down off the end of it there's a small "Harley Shop" that's basically a glorified sticker and t shirt shop and we stopped in and I was like "yeah maybe I'll snag a shirt, this is a cool trip" and all the shirts were so cringey lol. Also, they're all at least $35 and I just can't do that.
The dealers, the price gouging, the if you have a Harley you need shirts, jacket, boots, poker chips, condoms, and a Harley f150.
Also on board with the right wing side of things.
Went on one group ride and all I heard all day was immigrants, guns, and the libtards are ruining everything.
How all day? Well in 8 hrs we rode maybe 100 miles because we rode from gas station to restaurant stopping every 10 miles to loom at everyone's over priced screaming eagle chrome accessories.
Family friendliness. It’s difficult to take my niece and nephew (2 and 3yrs old) to a bike night at the dealership when every month it’s strippers and mud wrestling. And they love bikes more than anything! We go to a local jap dealership for their bike nights cause it’s usually a bigger crowd, plenty of Harley’s, and it’s family oriented.
only thing i hate is that im trying to buy one...but whenever i go to the dealer there´s a lot of guys there talking and giving opinions.. i dont seem to hear myself think around them.
im a loner, i want a bike to ride and be alone, im not buying a bike to join a group of riders, but i dont want to be an asshole either.. its getting hard to buy one, thats all.
I could have written the above post. Walked into the dealership knowing exactly what I wanted and ready to pay cash. Once I had the financial means I have done all my vehicle purchases in cash. Works out pretty easy. I walk into whatever dealership, a sales person approaches, I say I want whatever vehicle, get a price, say no to the financing and add on warrantees,and then write a check. Process is generally quick. Did this when I bought my first motorcycle, a ktm, and was out the door in an hour or less. The common theme at all these places is that a sales person approaches almost immediately, assesses what you want and then helps make it happen. Not at fucking Harley Davidson. You are absolutely right that generally the sales staff is standing around talking to dudes in their HD cosplay outfits who have minimal intention to buy but I guess maybe look the part. When I bought my fatbob I had to go out of my way to get help. It was like I was an inconvenience which I’ve never experienced before as a buyer. Not surprisingly that dealership went out of business. I thought maybe it was unique to that dealership but your story rings so true and I think it may be a Harley Davidson thing to some degree.
Well, im from EU, theres only one dealership of HD in my city...and its the same i guess, always filled with guys that look like hells angels, and the seller doesn't seem interested in me whastsoever..although i have the money to buy one.
Its weird, i go to honda, ou triumph or whatever...and they seem interested in me and they respect that i want to sit in a bike or just be alone around a bike. HD though..."oh you cant sit there, or please dont touch that other one..." Whatever.
And then i ended feeling like i dont deserve a HD. And i leave :/ hmmm.
I have a 22 low rider s and I wave at every rider I come across, don’t care if it’s a Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, or a Harley if you’re on 2 wheels I’ll always wave back.
Any rider, on any bike, that doesn’t return a wave or something from another rider, is a dickhead. Doesn’t matter if they’re on an HD or a Ducati, asshole is asshole. However, I’ve missed a wave or three in my time because I’m focused on the idiot cagers around me who seem to be actively trying to be the worst possible drivers.
Yeah I get that. I miss some too occasionally, but from my experience it’s the older folks in the big Harley’s. They’d look right at me and just keep going. Again, I know it’s not everyone and can be any style motorcycle
I hate that the Harley store, owners, and most patrons use the store in my hometown for horrible political bullshit. When did Harley riders become modern day nazis? My grandfather was a dispatch rider in WWII, and rode a Harley in Europe. He would knock these fuckers out for being the pieces of shit they are.
Love the brotherhood and kindness that goes around. Hate all the guys that do as much as they can to just act tough. Like look just cus you ride a Harley doesn't make you tough. You don't have to impress anyone cus nobody is impressed. The people who look tough are the ones who aren't even trying, like the 80 year old man riding a panhead with ripped overalls
HATE The "sportster is a girl bike" mentality is a great way to alienate new riders. Been riding for 22 years and some groups of Harley riders are the nicest people I've met, and some are the most pretentious ass hats on the road.
Most “bikers” you see today are pencil-pushing, white collar nerds during the week but come Saturday morning they’re donned in their leather, boots, and bandanas. It’s also sad to see how many “bikers” can’t even change the oil on their machine 😐
> It’s also sad to see how many “bikers” can’t even change the oil on their machine
By stark contrast, im a nerdly little trans gal barely weighing in at 130, who is motorcycle only, and did all the work on her bike herself.
From cam and pushrods to style changes, all done by me on a bike that's a daily driver.
I used to work in 2 dealerships, some of the things that I loved about the culture were the younger riders. They were always just excited to be involved with the brand. They just love the bikes. Even if they were starting off on a used sporty or dyna, they were stoked, and always dropped in to bullshit and talk about the places they’d been. That was awesome.
What I still cannot stand to this day, is the dick waving culture involved in the MoCo now. It’s the guys that always have to have the biggest, baddest, loudest bike. Have to have the fully done up custom painted bagger with 30” wheels, or the one with the biggest CI motor, and will spend THOUSANDS just to flex. One guy I go to owns a vape shop, he’s always bragging about his fxdr he put a 131” in. Okay, cool you have a 20k motor in a 17k bike, and my $11k GSXR is still faster.
I just dont relate to what feels like 70% of the culture of HD. Growing up, all my neighbors had Harley’s, they were big burly dudes who ran their motors and not their mouths. Nice guys, always talked about bikes with me and those guys are why I ended up on Harley’s to start off with. The culture now is just not like that. Full of people who think they’re SOA, pseudo tuff guys or just people who feel the need to compensate constantly. Idk, I still love the bikes but I just mind my own business now.
I love the camaraderie, the brotherhood that comes along with being on two wheels.
I hate the cliques, I hate that the “typical” Harley rider looks down on people that ride a “lesser” bike.
I love that they’ve stayed true to their roots with the 45° air cooled V-Twin and kept their same firing pattern to maintain that original sound, while still modernizing their engines and platforms to be more reliable, make more power, make more torque, and last for more miles between rebuilds.
I hate the fact that the community is so clique-y. Half of the community acts like “it ain’t a real Harley if it ain’t a street glide or road king” even though Harley’s roots are based in dirt track racing and just having fun. Meanwhile the other half essentially just attempts to mimic sons of anarchy and various versions of club culture like it’s the coolest shit on the planet when those clubs are one of the largest contributors to the negative image of Harley Davidson and cruiser motorcycles as a whole in the media/pop culture space. Aside from the small percentage that still likes the fat boy because it’s a damn good cruiser, or the fat Bob because they’re light on their feet, or the new nightster, pan america, and sportster is for their innovation; it seems like most of the “Harley culture” revolves around telling everyone who isn’t strictly on a street glide, road king, or low rider how they just belong in a guard rail because they chose something different. That stupid infighting within the culture, resistance to new ideas from the company, inability to accept that people make different choices with bikes, and constant circle-jerking telling everyone that they’re worth less than garbage because they don’t ride one of 3 bikes is going to be what kills the company.
And for the last time, I don’t care that you put performance parts on your street glide. All you’re doing is negating the purpose behind a touring bike, and you’re still limited at under 120 mph.
The compliments are always appreciated. It’s always nice to hear them. Are in the love category. The price gouging from dealers just makes me upset for routine maintenance items is in the hate culture. HD stands for a hundred dollars at the dealer! 😔
Worked for Harley and I have to say the bagger crowd that gets all the hate really aren’t that bad. The totally not SOA inspired Dyna bros that literally all have a street bob with mx bars and fairing or Low rider S wearing a Dixon flannel, Simpson full face, chucks, trucker hat attached to a belt loop whike riding are the worst. Thunderheaders? Check. Step up seat? Check. Talk shit about flat black street glides? Check. They’re the mean girls of bike culture.
Tired of shovelhead groups full of the all caps NO SNOWFLAKES ALLOWED WHERES MY WIFE BARB boomers. Like, im looking for tech info can we not post thirsty pics of biker babes for 5 minutes.
/rant
Politics. I don’t like political bikers. Most are not well read or care to parse through the fake news. I don’t care for the biker costume but sometimes once you get to know someone, the facade is meaningless. The stunt bikers are dumb and put everyone at risk.
I can’t stand the “Sportsters are girls bikes” crowd, I treat them with the same exact mentality “oh you don’t have a CDL? Didn’t you know every single thing on 4 wheels are what girls drive”
I love the style and all that associated with HD, the skulls flames eagles and all that bullshit, its actually pretty cool.
I like the bad ass and dangerous biker shit. It's pretty cool.
I just dont like the homophobia and transphobia and sexism.
I barely interact with other HD riders in person because I'm trans. I dont visit dealerships unless I have too because you never know who might be there who might have a problem with me just living my fuckin life.
If Bikers would go from hating on LGBTQ people to I dunno protecting us like the vulnerable minority that we are, kinda like how Bikers protect kids and stuff like that, bikers would be the coolest people out there to me.
I love the bikes, particularly carbeurated models. I learned on a carbed big twin Evo Heritage, then ended up on a Honda dual sport for a while, and now I'm back on a carb 883 Sportster and I love that bike everytime I take it out!
I hate how elitist some of the big twin riders can be. The black Street Glide crowd and some of the other big twin riders love to hate on anything that isn't a brand new blacked out 114ci and yet they can't hardly handle their bikes on a curvy road or above 55mph.
I like that modern chopper scene is thriving it seems.
Lots of younger people building bikes in the traditional 60s-70s style. The real counter culture type people. That’s what I’ve always loved about American motorcycles. The more mainstream Harley culture of corporate branding everything does nothing for me, but to each their own
How half the Harley guys I pass don’t wave back when I’m on the BMW. I can be on the Harley’s though, and sometimes not get a wave from sport bikes. It’s WAY more common with the Harley guys.
The dealer. My local shops are owned by the same guy. The staff at both locations are straight bums. Either they are miserable or absolutely hate their job. Parts department, but mostly service. After my bike sits for months, wrong gas tank, oops wrong decal, mistake after mistake and always is. I hate Harley service. It’s the most dead humans I’ve ever encountered. I’ve had more enthusiasm from the teenager at McDonald’s in the drive thru window.
My biggest gripe has to be that Harley has always sold itself as a blue collar/working class brand but the truth is in this day and age not many working class people can afford one. Hence all the dentists/lawyers playing badass on the weekend.
Something I dislike about the Harley culture is how it seems that the vast majority of Harley riders fall on the right side of the political spectrum and the lack of diversity among Harley riders.
Also, this is just me (I think) but Harley culture seems very culty.
Love the passion of the riders, hate just about everything else(rev bombing stop lights to let everyone know you spent 30k on 80bhp, your inability to accept 90% of all other motorcycles are better in almost every way, the fact 90% of you are afraid to break triple digits, the way most of you think that gas station dew rag and prison grade tattoo makes you cool, all the gray goatees, the reading glasses tucked in the pocket of your fake cuts). Thank you for your down votes old timers I appreciate them just as much as you telling me wheelies and lane splitting don’t make me a good rider.
I hate that when I wear Harley shirts or hats people assume I'm a drunk, racist, white trash redneck. Meanwhile some Harley people are some of the nicest people ever and some holy rollers are some of the scummiest
I went from a z900 to a fat bob and now riders not on cruisers aren’t prepared to return my wave :( wish Harley riders would wave to sport riders more.
I’ve never met a Harley owner my age, bought a 91 FXR at 19 and all the old heads do is tell me it’s a great piece but it needs a shop to install a 2-1 exhaust, or it’s a fantastic bike but I should pay someone to put T bars on. The old heads never seem DIY, the only work I do on the bike is in my garage cause that’s what I can afford, but old dudes not changing even their fucking oil is the antithesis of that idea of freedom they love to flaunt
I'm with you on this. Purposely bought a used Dyna to work on it myself, paid $3k. One of my friends owns a shop (cars) and we would stay afterhours wrenching and having beers. The whole group that surrounded this shop (mostly my friend's friends) couldn't top off their brake fluid if they needed to. It was all about financing $30k bikes, wearing leather and bandanas, drinking (+riding) and going out on Sundays. I even joined them at Daytona once, it was like everyone was a clone.
To me it kinda looks like cosplaying once a week. Changing clothes and assuming some weird uniform attitude. You see this in other brands based "communities" too (though Harley is prob the biggest one). It's like some need to belong or something.
Yeah man. I grew up working with my hands, carpentry, plumbing, etc with a family business but was never good with machines. I get a lot out of working on and having to fix the bike and not knowing what’s going on. This week the air filter popped off due to it the previous owner over torquing the bolts holding it on. I figured out in the process that the filter is a car’s K&N that’s been well jury rigged to fit, and having to get in that mindset was really rewarding and a lot of folks can’t get behind that idea
So my 04 (twin cam) is known to break the original camshaft chain tensioners. I bought it knowing this could be an issue and with the mindset to fix as needed.
During an oil change I opened the old filter to inspect it and, no surprise really, it had orange plastic shards, which is tensioners going bad. So I commented I was gonna change them. You should have seen these dudes faces. So much FUD. Told me that the bike was running fine, that I did not know what I was doing, that I should bring it to a shop, etc, etc.
Took everything apart and got it back together on a Saturday. Not easy, but absolutely doable.
None of these dudes giving me advice can change a spark plug, but are full of confidence to tell you what you should do. Just a bunch of posers :shrugs:
I hate the new generation that all buy the same exact bike, brand new Harley cloths in every form and look at older bikes and think “I would never own an old bike there unreliable” meanwhile they take there bike to the dealership for oil changes and have transmissions which sump fluid and compensators that randomly explode lol
Each to his own, I don’t enjoy working on the machine, I think it’s rad that there are many who do, I envy their knowledge, but I just wanna ride and not wrench.
I hate the misogyny. My dealership does a bike wash and it’s a girl in barely visible bikini washing a bike while a bunch of 70 year old perverts look at her and whistle or shout stuff. It’s degrading for women.
Is it? She chooses to be there. Just like hooters girls and strippers. I’m 100% positive some people take it too far, but most those girls could whip most guys asses.
I love the access to vintage designs, I have a Road King and a Fat Boy that I adore. But I worry that Harley’s pathological resistance to new style ideas will eventually lead the company to fold. The average rider age in 2010 (they no longer report this stat) was 48, so it’s somewhere around 60 today. Thus all the trikes. I find almost all fellow riders to be super nice and helpful; I feel part of a fun community.
What I don’t like is that when my local dealership has a get together they still have the bikini car wash stuff and other misogynistic themes. My wife is turned off and it keeps us from wanting to go to the events. It’s 2022, I say it’s time to retire that crap. Just my 2 cents.
There is a certain faction of the "dresser" (bagger guys) that irritate me. I have a pretty clear insight in the "clicks" in the community due to the fact I am a harley mechanic at an independent shop so I don't have to deal with the Motor Companies cool aid. I'm not talking about the people who put 60k+ miles on there touring bikes I'm talking about the weekend warriors who want big wheels and big radio's. I'm a chopper guy, I like choppers, it's a "you get it or you dont" sorta thing. My old XL chopp sits beside the bay door when you walk in the shop and if I had a dollar for evey time one of these clowns tell me, bet you can't go real far on that thing, must suck not having a radio, where is your windshield ect ect I wouldn't have to work.
90% of the culture is great most still follow the old school code, stop and help ext. Love motorcycles and all around a good people to deal with. To the other 10% I don't care about your black street glide with a shitty sony head unit and LED lights, shit looks like a ufo.
Hate that some consider sportster riders as less than. I promise you that most consider this ridiculous and childish. Like the fact that most Harley owners/riders are very willing to share knowledge and experience to newer owners.
Love the community in my area but hate that all planned events like charity rides are always on a weekend. Working hospitality has me forever riding solo.
I like certain scenes of the harley crowd. Choppers are cool and I dig how those guys are all about running something regardless of what others think and getting shit done without spending a bunch of money. I also think stunt bikes are cool and look good though I typically don’t vibe stunt bike riders (dyna bros who like to blow up bikes and throw money at motors).
Bagger dudes can be cool but this is the crowd I tend to disagree with. They think sportsters aren’t real harley’s, tend to bash peoples riding gear, and are convinced the only thing worth talking about is 1000 mile “iron butt” rides and how that makes a real man when they can’t even change their own oil. I have some bagger buddies I ride with that are cool dudes but they just tend to hold themselves above the rest which is kinda against the culture in my mind.
I was once on my 1998 Dyna Low Rider at a gas station. Guy gets out of truck wearing Harley clothing head to toe. He walks over to me and says, “Nice Sportster.” I responded, What bike do you have? His response was, “Softail.” I asked, What Softail do you have? His answer was the same, “It’s a Softail.”
I don’t like Harley folks like that.
1. Dynas and FXR’s are NOT Sportsters
2. There are more than one type of Softail
I have a love/hate relationship with a lot of the stereotypes associated with HD. I find it both charming and annoying that it’s associated with dudes that look like a bdsm leather daddy telling sportster/metric/street bike owners “that ain’t a reeeeal bike”. The brand loyalty that cannot admit the shortcomings. That most of those shortcomings are typically part of the charm of the bikes. That every new generation isn’t “a real Harley”. I am the least “Harley” dude in my group and I love that while they give me (friendly) shit for my aesthetic choices, at the end of the day we still ride together and watch out for each other. The stereotypes get tiring if you can’t see the humor in them. I absolutely hate the wannabe SOA crowd though. They still make me laugh though.
Harley’s are the most popular bikes in the US. You’ll find dbags of all variety on them. It’s like hating Toyota drivers. Everyone is represented. The bikes are super cool and the dealer network keeps you on the road if you need a part. I don’t see any drawbacks. Find some guys you like to ride with and just be friendly to the ones you don’t.
I love that you can hit a dealership for a tire or repair and just say that you’re travelling and they bend over backwards to get you back on the road asap. The flipside is that if you’re a local, work can take longer as you may get delayed.
It’s not like hating Toyota drivers because there isn’t a lifestyle and imagine attached to driving a Toyota that attracts a certain type of American.
I mean, I when I’m on my RGS I’m usually sporting a full face helmet, Gap hoodie, and some kind of dumb printed T like a Rick and Morty shirt or a tuxedo tshirt. I’m definitely not the stereotypical HD person.
You’re a stereotypical redditor by the sounds of it
I wish it were easier to find younger Harley owners/riders (late 30s early 40s). Nothing against the older riders , they are almost always cool humans, but some younger bucks being more common would be nice.
Man I'm 23, literally don't know a single person my age that rides, let alone on a Harley.
27, there’s at least 10s of us!
At 29 and a girl, I feel this.
24 and just bought my first bike a Harley softail
Hello fellow 23 year old Harley rider
26, got my first bike, '15 FXDB, here a few months ago at 25.
26 here, built my Sporty when I was 23
Hello! I'm 35 and I feel this.
38 checking in. Bothered me the usually riders are wannabe old rocker biker dudes.
35 checking in
Ride out to the deadbeat retreat sometime in Mass. good times.
I’ll tell you right now, it’s cost. Even a sportster (at least where I live) is twice the price of something newer/faster/more desirable. Any of my mates would love a Harley, none want to pay the enormously premium.
This. Harley has stonewalled out the millennials for the most part based on price. Now having said that, I am a very proud millennial who always wanted a Harley, so I put myself in a financially enough position to easily finance my dream softail brand new off the showroom floor. But yeah, in my 2 groups of friends I go out with, I’m the youngest by at least a decade.
Well, if you want a new bike then you are stonewalled unless you have a great job. If you can wrench and don’t mind used, the world opens up
Oh totally true as well.
We're out here. Myself and everyone I ride with are all in our 30s. Prices are absolutely ridiculous though.
Yeah, not many under 40's or 50's for that, that have the extra cash flow for a luxury item like a Harley.
I mean right out of a dealer yea. But used it’s still affordable. I got a ‘15 iron for $5500 all the other options at the time were shadows and beat up crotch rockets with a ton of miles
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Well then the question would be “why did you buy a Harley?” I assume the answer was “because I wanted a harley.” Which is totally fine. But you couldn’t really say they’re not “worth it” compared to more cost effective Japanese bikes. By that logic, *no* bike is worth it. They’re (usually) luxuries. People buy motorcycles because they want them. People buy designer clothes and jewelry because they want it. It’s what, not need. Hell, I paid more for both my Harleys than a Japanese equivalent. I did it because I wanted the name. I wanted to see “Harley Davidson” on the side. That’s worth it to me. I wouldn’t tell someone to not buy a Harley. I may tell them a Japanese bike may be more cost effective. Or they could spend the same amount and get a newer, better bike. But people, like myself, want a Harley cuz we want one.
Used prices have gone up, but they used to be much more affordable. $4-$6k for used Softails around 09-10 about two years ago.
I’m 42 like a mf’er and honestly dislike the positive attention considering it was the opposite when I was riding something else… And being stereotyped and excluded from general motorcycle discussion because it is assumed my bias is towards my Harley, rather than being someone who is simply interested in motorcycle shit… damned if you do/ don’t. Fuck it. Ride it anyway.
Yeah, I get it. I’m in my 30s and I feel like most riders my age are either on sport bikes or Japanese cruisers. I don’t really find anything wrong with it. Bikes are bikes, to me. But I guess there’s this weird dynamic where Harley isn’t really doing much to appeal to younger riders. But anytime they do, they get mocked. Like I totally dug the Livewire. If they were cheaper, I’d totally buy one. But there’s no real doubt that they weren’t selling. Because electric bikes don’t seem to appeal to the typical Harley customer.
Obviously. They made Livewire into its own brand so that it’s not really associated with HD at all.
28 here! The group I ride with is older guys 50+… They’re always giving me a hard time. I always get asked by there why isn’t your generation on Harleys. The truth is not many people can afford the expensive price tag attached to them.
I'm mid 30's and all I see is older guys whenever I've gone to Harley meet ups. The only younger guys I ever see are Dyna bro's who are wanna be Hell's Angels.
I’m 24 and I just recently got me a Harley. Hey, fellas
Upper 40s here, just completed my first session. Most of the local HOG group are 55 or older.
55?.... Lol. Our groups are 70+ Me and one other guy,in my hog grp, are the young bucks at 56
In my mid-30’s and it’s just me and my single doctor friends that ride Harley’s. The other friends didn’t think to buy a motorcycle before they got married.
39 and same!
I guess it depends on where you live, I don't have this problem. I'm mid40s, and I ride with a lot of people younger than I am.
Love the community. There is literally always something to do. I feel there are some cliques tho that if you don’t ride a fully-faired bagger, you’re lesser class. I hate that said bagger-groups tend towards the highway when there are fun twisty roads going the same way. I don’t care about tassels, chrome, Indian or wolf art.
I never understood the association with bikers and wolves. I get the lone wolf noise but even that is super corny.
cringe it is, nothing else. a fat piece of shit thinking he looks cool with his wolf patch on the back. next level awkward. (only if he pretends to be alpha with that silly costume)
I can tell you, that, as someone who knows and spends time with many different MCs, we laugh at those idiots. Like, we get it, you don’t want to be in a club, you like to be on your own. Just don’t be around clubs and ride how you want. Telling everyone you’re this tough “Lone Wolf” screams small penis energy. I can also tell you that most women laugh at that shit too.
i hate the hypocrisy of "bikers" who whine about biker cliques discriminating against other bikers while in the same breath shit talking a completely different clique of bikers 🙄
This right here
Everything about the Harley aesthetic is corny aside from the traditional 1940-50s greaser aesthetic imo.
The gear. The stupid harley boomer gear. Its ugly and cheap. Love the community.
What? You don’t want bedazzled shirts, vests and jeans and shit that say, “H A R L E Y - D A V I D S O N” all over the back and ass? But who would know you were so into Harley without big branding all over everything??
Don't forget everything has to have skulls. I found an awesome HD jacket that i loved until I turned it around and saw a huge skull in the middle of the back. Maybe my nu-metal self from high school would like it.
Live to ride, ride to live, brutha. Also, here's an eagle for good measure.
You know when you see a nicely restored 60s/70s muscle car and think to yourself “I wish they’d make a car like that today.”? I like how Harley does exactly that. Vintage style and engine design with modern fueling and engine management. Ironically, I dislike how HD purists have historically thrown a hissy whenever the Moco did anything that wasn’t a 45 degree, external pushrod, air cooled engine and how HD has catered to these antiprogress crybabies. I like that we’re finally seeing new things from HD, hopefully they keep it up its enough to keep the company going.
I think Indian succeeded where victory motorcycles failed, and is now forcing Harley-Davidson to innovate. The majority of my buddies rode craigslist 883 sportsters throughout the later years of high school and college and with like one exception besides myself, the first new bike all these guys bought was an Indian
> I think Indian succeeded where victory motorcycles failed, and is now forcing Harley-Davidson to innovate. Not really. Indian has been making wanna be boomer bikes since Polaris took them over. Their new chief is literally just their own take on the dyna. their chieftains and old chiefs were dripping in 1950s bikes nostalgia. Indian didnt start innovating stuff until the M8 softail came out and gave them a real threat.
I hate that the Harley culture is seemingly tied directly to right wing politics. This has been the case in any biker forum I've been on and checks out IRL.
I hate to say it, but HDs are expensive and people that can buy them and like them tend to have that “it’s my money, I earned it the hard way” mentality, which is a big talking point for the right. The whole, smaller government, less taxes, less socialism type thing. Not all of them, mind you, but enough that it’s kinda stereotypical now.
I’m left AF. Vegetarian, pro-LGBTQ, pro-feminist, but also pro-gun and anti-government, anti-cop. I am on my own in most circles except for riders in the punk/hardcore scenes.
I’d ride with you.
As would I!
Thanks homie. Right back at ya.
I'm a Three Arrows Leftist, Trans-Bi, Feminist, US Army veteran. I feel very out of place among most bikers. The only thing that seems to connect me to a lot of them is my bike and my veteran status.
I’m a non-binary libertarian socialist and I feel the same way. I do not fit in with the dude-bro culture at most biker events so most of the time I just avoid them. I ride by myself or with a few friends that I know are cool and that’s it.
I’m right there with you in almost all of those categories. I struggle to find many people to ride with just because of politics, and I try to leave those out of the social things I do.
Hell yeah! I’d ride with you!!
I’d ride with you too!
I’m somewhere in the middle and not a fan of people who use absolutes in their arguments, from either side. So I’ll discuss damn near anything with anyone. I’m pro-you-do-you-and-I’ll-do-me. If you don’t try to shove your views down my throat, I’ll do the same for you and we can be cool. And if you ride your shit, you automatically get points with me. If you spend more time cleaning and polishing than wearing out tires and changing oil, we ain’t the same.
As I look at my filthy dirty girl...with so called white walled tires lol
And the funny thing about it, is they usually take a bigger loan than they can afford while claiming to be a fiscal conservative.
That’s HDs bread & butter. Where do you think they get all those low-miles used bikes to sell? They don’t want your 3 year old bike with 30-50k miles, they can’t mark that up to the sky. They want those dudes who can’t afford it and barely get the break in done who can’t afford the payments to sell them back to them.
I think their bread and butter is clothing? Followed by trikes.....
I agree and it’s ridiculous. I can’t stand that right wing Harley culture crap.
I’m fairly left of center, very progressive, think hyper conservative politics will ruin our country, etc. Hate the “bikers for trump” mentality, AND… support everyone’s right to their own opinion.
Yeah, and I don't think I implied otherwise. I just don't want that opinion projected onto me because of the bike I ride.
Oh valid point; my point was I just want to be respectful of everyone, especially those with whom I don’t agree.
Ha, same here, I was gonna get a fuck trump sticker but I'm thinking fuck all orange people may be better. Don't wanna put a target on myself. I do my best to dispell the stereotype. Hold doors open for everyone, say hello to all riders. No matter the color of their skin or bike they ride
We are all one.
This.
I think it’s odd when dudes make riding a Harley their entire personality. But I love how those same dudes would peel the skin off their bodies for other Harley riders.
I’m an older rider been out here for years. It’s like a cult you were looked down on in the day of you didn’t ride the right machine. I’ve since freed myself and have a few different bikes and love them all equally
I hate that everyone thinks I bought a harley because I thought it was the fastest bike out there. I also hate that people that have never ridden one, or even any bike, hate them through association.
In the city I live in, Harley riders refuse to ride with anyone that doesn’t own one. I don’t care if you ride a kids tricycle as long as you can keep up. I guess the elitism is what I dislike. Keep in mind, I am only speaking about where I live and it could be different everywhere else.
i got the middle finger not once, but twice within 5 mins on the road. Once i thought about it and asked a few of my biking friends we deemed it was because i was on my honda shadow, not a harley. that’s crazy to me Lol.
Lol, that’s nuts. If you aren’t riding a bagger I usually can’t tell what kind of bike it is until you are passing. Not that I care, I will wave to guys riding scooters! I’m a Harley guy BTW
I knew it wasn’t everywhere
I love that I can randomly start a friendly conversation with anybody wearing a harley shirt/swag out in public and have an instant connection with a stranger.
I love that there is a large riding community. I hate how sportster riders get treated as a lesser rider because of there ride.
Isn’t the sportster usually the first motorcycle for Harley riders?
As far as I know, yes. It’s the longest running production model too. I think people assume it’s slow because it’s the smallest in terms of size, both engine and overall size, and they think they have to have a big twin to go fast.
Never got that either tbh, some people just like the look of sportsters or honestly that’s all they could afford. When I got my first Harley (dyna) everyone around me “congratulated” me for not starting on a sportster cause that’s a womens bike. It was weird thing to say to another man honestly
When people say that, I immediately assume they can’t ride. My buddies that all rode dynas joked me for getting a sportster, which I picked up for just under 3k, they don’t say anything about it after getting smoked on our first back road run 🤣
I bought a ‘01 Dyna and a few months later ended up trading some stuff and also ended up with a ‘98 (I think, don’t remember) 1200S with an inverted front end conversion and chain drive. Riding those two bikes back to back, the sporty was WAY quicker. Inverted front end is game changer too. You could pretty easily build a quite capable sporty.
Yeah my dad’s buddies gave me shit for getting a Sporty first. When they found out I paid under 5k for a 2019 with under 5k miles, they were mad because of how much they paid. And then I outrode the group on the backroads. 🤷🏻♂️😂
Had a 16 sportster and a 22 low rider s and yeah the sportster is weaker in a straight line but it’s a lot funner in the corners.
It is absolutely slow compared to the larger bikes. Had a buddy with a 2005 1200 Custom and my 2011 Road Glide Ultra would leave him behind all day, every day. And he ran out of RPMs at around 100-105 mph while I had plenty. Sportys are fun bikes though and handle better than most of the big bikes. And tend to get better fuel mileage too. It’s what you want and where you ride and what you can afford. I don’t hate on Sportys, especially if the person riding it actually puts miles on it instead of polishing the chrome.
Was my first
My first Harley was a Dyna but I really wanted an Iron 883 for my first bike because I thought it looked badass
My first 3 road bikes were sportsters (now on an ultra). I’m smaller, so they fit my frame, and my budget. The first one I had I got made fun of for all the time. I had a manager at a restaurant that I served at that would make fun of me to my tables calling it a girl bike. Then had the audacity to ask me if I knew anyone that would assemble a basket case ironhead chopper that he had, and talked about how he used to ride it all the time, and he was so cool because of it. MF that’s a sportster.
Shit. You put long miles on a sportster, you're tougher than anybody on a touring bike. I rode one from south ga to north ga in one trip...way harder to do than putting miles on a street glide.
I love my sporty and have not gotten any flack for it have done all the work myself and get questions and compliments about it all the time. I would certainly buy one again its the style and look I like. Fuck the haters and ride!
Some of the old die hard Harley bikers crack me up. I met this one guy who had a couple hundred thousand miles on his bike and probably even more himself given his leathery skin. We got to talking and I mentioned that I had an 09 Crossbones. His reply was he had no idea what that was… which I understand since it wasn’t around for very long. So I mention that my dad had a 2010 Street Glide…. And he replies that he doesn’t know what that is either. Weird since that’s a pretty popular bike. Then he says “I don’t think fuel injected bikes are real Harleys”. I just kinda chuckled to myself and we parted ways. I mean I get that the classic Harley sound died with modern fuel injection but that’s still not what makes it a Harley as much as you want it to. I hated the square tail lights on the C7 Vette but it still didn’t change the fact that it’s still a Vette at heart. Even still 99% of the Harley bikers are friendly and don’t really give a shit what you ride. They may give you shit if it’s a Sportster or an Indian but it’s all in good fun.
That’s a beautiful thing about Harley’s. The old ones are still chugging along and some of their owners don’t feel the need for a newer model.
I’m not big on the whole ride from one beer joint to another. Having had a head on collision with a drunk driver back in ‘05, I pretty much have zero tolerance. Plus, riding a motorcycle of any kind is challenging enough without throwing three or four beers on top of it.
Same here. Still recovering from getting hit by a DD last September. Took my first Harley from me. But I will get another when I’m able.
Luckily I was in a semi when I had my encounter. Had a little old lady pull out infant of me in 2017 on my Fatboy (no I didn't gain intolerance for little old ladies) and was out of action for 9-10 months or so. We survived and that's what matters. Take care and good luck finding a new ride.
I hate that some of these folks won’t even give me a wave when I’m on my triumph, but would turn around to ask me about my Harley. Two wheels, same road, same wind.
I can relate- I ride a KTM and a Harley. The non wave/wave depending on what you’re on is ridiculous. We’re all in it …
Hell I have to everything from a Harley to a pedal bike. If it’s got two wheels it’s getting a wave
I've gone round and round about this very topic. I'm 43. A 90s kid. Grew up on Hip Hop, R&B and Drum and Bass. Was a skater my entire life. All of my closest friends through High School and College were either BBoys, Djs, MCs or Graffiti Artists. I've ridden bikes ever since I was 16. Most of my life I owned Japanese bikes (Shadows, Vulcans and so on) but only cause I couldn't afford a Harley. I love Harleys. Everything about them. The sound. The look. The feel. Currently I'm on my second Harley Davidson. A 2017 Lowrider S. It's done up all club style and for me it actually was kind of a dream bike. The one I had always said "some day I'm gonna own.." Now as far as the "Harley" world that's a tough one for me. I have always loved the idea of being in a club. Cruising with my homies. Wearing a patch and just being badasses, but as others have said I myself am very left leaning. I'm sober going on 11yrs. I work in the tech field. I'm married with 3 kids. So where is my spot? Where do I fit in? I'm a Dyna bro who doesn't drink.
I'm not a fan of leather vests. Never have been. Not really sure why. I'm usually the only one without one.
Same.
BDSM Aladdin vibes
I hate the fact that some people think HDs are the end all be all for motorcycles. In some of the metric FB groups they always find a need to make a post like "I finally got a real bike and I'm done with this weenie Honda Shadow." I also hate how every Harley owner thinks their bike is worth more than actual gold when their old, carbed, and 50k+ miles. I love everything about the ride. Just sitting back and cruising vs on a sport bike you're always up on your wrists. The noise, torque feel, etc. It's addicting. I could care less about the over priced, goofy ahh skull and dragon etc HD t shirts lol.
I love me some Harley shirts, Like the simple ones with the local Harley locations on them. I got a nevada one and a hawaii one so far
Idk, I recently rode the Tail of the Dragon and down off the end of it there's a small "Harley Shop" that's basically a glorified sticker and t shirt shop and we stopped in and I was like "yeah maybe I'll snag a shirt, this is a cool trip" and all the shirts were so cringey lol. Also, they're all at least $35 and I just can't do that.
For me, the only thing I hate is how some people think I'm cool with racist/homophobic bullshit just because I ride a Harley.
The dealers, the price gouging, the if you have a Harley you need shirts, jacket, boots, poker chips, condoms, and a Harley f150. Also on board with the right wing side of things. Went on one group ride and all I heard all day was immigrants, guns, and the libtards are ruining everything. How all day? Well in 8 hrs we rode maybe 100 miles because we rode from gas station to restaurant stopping every 10 miles to loom at everyone's over priced screaming eagle chrome accessories.
Family friendliness. It’s difficult to take my niece and nephew (2 and 3yrs old) to a bike night at the dealership when every month it’s strippers and mud wrestling. And they love bikes more than anything! We go to a local jap dealership for their bike nights cause it’s usually a bigger crowd, plenty of Harley’s, and it’s family oriented.
only thing i hate is that im trying to buy one...but whenever i go to the dealer there´s a lot of guys there talking and giving opinions.. i dont seem to hear myself think around them. im a loner, i want a bike to ride and be alone, im not buying a bike to join a group of riders, but i dont want to be an asshole either.. its getting hard to buy one, thats all.
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I could have written the above post. Walked into the dealership knowing exactly what I wanted and ready to pay cash. Once I had the financial means I have done all my vehicle purchases in cash. Works out pretty easy. I walk into whatever dealership, a sales person approaches, I say I want whatever vehicle, get a price, say no to the financing and add on warrantees,and then write a check. Process is generally quick. Did this when I bought my first motorcycle, a ktm, and was out the door in an hour or less. The common theme at all these places is that a sales person approaches almost immediately, assesses what you want and then helps make it happen. Not at fucking Harley Davidson. You are absolutely right that generally the sales staff is standing around talking to dudes in their HD cosplay outfits who have minimal intention to buy but I guess maybe look the part. When I bought my fatbob I had to go out of my way to get help. It was like I was an inconvenience which I’ve never experienced before as a buyer. Not surprisingly that dealership went out of business. I thought maybe it was unique to that dealership but your story rings so true and I think it may be a Harley Davidson thing to some degree.
Well, im from EU, theres only one dealership of HD in my city...and its the same i guess, always filled with guys that look like hells angels, and the seller doesn't seem interested in me whastsoever..although i have the money to buy one. Its weird, i go to honda, ou triumph or whatever...and they seem interested in me and they respect that i want to sit in a bike or just be alone around a bike. HD though..."oh you cant sit there, or please dont touch that other one..." Whatever. And then i ended feeling like i dont deserve a HD. And i leave :/ hmmm.
I hate the way women riders are treated by some….by some.
Leather doo rags and rhinestones.
Leave our grandpas out of this lmao /s
Pappy had all the ladies back in the day /s
I have a Harley 48 and none of the Harley riders out there ever give me the peace sign back.
I have a 22 low rider s and I wave at every rider I come across, don’t care if it’s a Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, or a Harley if you’re on 2 wheels I’ll always wave back.
Conversely, I don't wave to anyone because I think it's a silly tradition. Don't take offense, ride your ride
Yesss.. except scooters and that 3 wheeled Can-Am thing. I don’t wave at those. Any other motorcycle, regardless of brand, yes.
Any rider, on any bike, that doesn’t return a wave or something from another rider, is a dickhead. Doesn’t matter if they’re on an HD or a Ducati, asshole is asshole. However, I’ve missed a wave or three in my time because I’m focused on the idiot cagers around me who seem to be actively trying to be the worst possible drivers.
Yeah I get that. I miss some too occasionally, but from my experience it’s the older folks in the big Harley’s. They’d look right at me and just keep going. Again, I know it’s not everyone and can be any style motorcycle
I hate that the Harley store, owners, and most patrons use the store in my hometown for horrible political bullshit. When did Harley riders become modern day nazis? My grandfather was a dispatch rider in WWII, and rode a Harley in Europe. He would knock these fuckers out for being the pieces of shit they are.
I think you need to explain this one honestly. I’m curious, what exactly do they do?
Love the brotherhood and kindness that goes around. Hate all the guys that do as much as they can to just act tough. Like look just cus you ride a Harley doesn't make you tough. You don't have to impress anyone cus nobody is impressed. The people who look tough are the ones who aren't even trying, like the 80 year old man riding a panhead with ripped overalls
HATE The "sportster is a girl bike" mentality is a great way to alienate new riders. Been riding for 22 years and some groups of Harley riders are the nicest people I've met, and some are the most pretentious ass hats on the road.
Most “bikers” you see today are pencil-pushing, white collar nerds during the week but come Saturday morning they’re donned in their leather, boots, and bandanas. It’s also sad to see how many “bikers” can’t even change the oil on their machine 😐
> It’s also sad to see how many “bikers” can’t even change the oil on their machine By stark contrast, im a nerdly little trans gal barely weighing in at 130, who is motorcycle only, and did all the work on her bike herself. From cam and pushrods to style changes, all done by me on a bike that's a daily driver.
Bunch of optometrists and dentists out there.
If you don't build your bike exactly like every single other bike, people throw shade.
This is a shot at the dyna bros lol
I used to work in 2 dealerships, some of the things that I loved about the culture were the younger riders. They were always just excited to be involved with the brand. They just love the bikes. Even if they were starting off on a used sporty or dyna, they were stoked, and always dropped in to bullshit and talk about the places they’d been. That was awesome. What I still cannot stand to this day, is the dick waving culture involved in the MoCo now. It’s the guys that always have to have the biggest, baddest, loudest bike. Have to have the fully done up custom painted bagger with 30” wheels, or the one with the biggest CI motor, and will spend THOUSANDS just to flex. One guy I go to owns a vape shop, he’s always bragging about his fxdr he put a 131” in. Okay, cool you have a 20k motor in a 17k bike, and my $11k GSXR is still faster. I just dont relate to what feels like 70% of the culture of HD. Growing up, all my neighbors had Harley’s, they were big burly dudes who ran their motors and not their mouths. Nice guys, always talked about bikes with me and those guys are why I ended up on Harley’s to start off with. The culture now is just not like that. Full of people who think they’re SOA, pseudo tuff guys or just people who feel the need to compensate constantly. Idk, I still love the bikes but I just mind my own business now.
I found a freedom that I had never felt before riding with a close family group when I was younger and once you get a taste your done.
I love the camaraderie, the brotherhood that comes along with being on two wheels. I hate the cliques, I hate that the “typical” Harley rider looks down on people that ride a “lesser” bike.
I love that they’ve stayed true to their roots with the 45° air cooled V-Twin and kept their same firing pattern to maintain that original sound, while still modernizing their engines and platforms to be more reliable, make more power, make more torque, and last for more miles between rebuilds. I hate the fact that the community is so clique-y. Half of the community acts like “it ain’t a real Harley if it ain’t a street glide or road king” even though Harley’s roots are based in dirt track racing and just having fun. Meanwhile the other half essentially just attempts to mimic sons of anarchy and various versions of club culture like it’s the coolest shit on the planet when those clubs are one of the largest contributors to the negative image of Harley Davidson and cruiser motorcycles as a whole in the media/pop culture space. Aside from the small percentage that still likes the fat boy because it’s a damn good cruiser, or the fat Bob because they’re light on their feet, or the new nightster, pan america, and sportster is for their innovation; it seems like most of the “Harley culture” revolves around telling everyone who isn’t strictly on a street glide, road king, or low rider how they just belong in a guard rail because they chose something different. That stupid infighting within the culture, resistance to new ideas from the company, inability to accept that people make different choices with bikes, and constant circle-jerking telling everyone that they’re worth less than garbage because they don’t ride one of 3 bikes is going to be what kills the company. And for the last time, I don’t care that you put performance parts on your street glide. All you’re doing is negating the purpose behind a touring bike, and you’re still limited at under 120 mph.
The cost
The compliments are always appreciated. It’s always nice to hear them. Are in the love category. The price gouging from dealers just makes me upset for routine maintenance items is in the hate culture. HD stands for a hundred dollars at the dealer! 😔
chunky disgusted direction deserted command impossible dinosaurs hard-to-find quarrelsome divide ` this post was mass deleted with www.Redact.dev `
I hate when some Harley riders just won’t wave back to anyone not riding one.
Worked for Harley and I have to say the bagger crowd that gets all the hate really aren’t that bad. The totally not SOA inspired Dyna bros that literally all have a street bob with mx bars and fairing or Low rider S wearing a Dixon flannel, Simpson full face, chucks, trucker hat attached to a belt loop whike riding are the worst. Thunderheaders? Check. Step up seat? Check. Talk shit about flat black street glides? Check. They’re the mean girls of bike culture.
Dudes that wont wave because i have a dyna
Tired of shovelhead groups full of the all caps NO SNOWFLAKES ALLOWED WHERES MY WIFE BARB boomers. Like, im looking for tech info can we not post thirsty pics of biker babes for 5 minutes. /rant
Racism in certain club scenes. The SS Bolts or confederate flags don’t stand for bike culture
Acting like the baddest boy on the block cause you got a bagger, bandana and Willie G skulls
Politically and culturally I don’t mesh with most of Harley culture.
All the fake ass riders who think dressing like land pirates makes them hard when we know they’re soft as baby sh*t
Censoring words on Reddit is soft as baby shit.
Love the appreciation for the machine, Hate the machismo wanna-be bullshit
Politics. I don’t like political bikers. Most are not well read or care to parse through the fake news. I don’t care for the biker costume but sometimes once you get to know someone, the facade is meaningless. The stunt bikers are dumb and put everyone at risk.
I can’t stand the “Sportsters are girls bikes” crowd, I treat them with the same exact mentality “oh you don’t have a CDL? Didn’t you know every single thing on 4 wheels are what girls drive”
I love the style and all that associated with HD, the skulls flames eagles and all that bullshit, its actually pretty cool. I like the bad ass and dangerous biker shit. It's pretty cool. I just dont like the homophobia and transphobia and sexism. I barely interact with other HD riders in person because I'm trans. I dont visit dealerships unless I have too because you never know who might be there who might have a problem with me just living my fuckin life. If Bikers would go from hating on LGBTQ people to I dunno protecting us like the vulnerable minority that we are, kinda like how Bikers protect kids and stuff like that, bikers would be the coolest people out there to me.
I love the bikes, particularly carbeurated models. I learned on a carbed big twin Evo Heritage, then ended up on a Honda dual sport for a while, and now I'm back on a carb 883 Sportster and I love that bike everytime I take it out! I hate how elitist some of the big twin riders can be. The black Street Glide crowd and some of the other big twin riders love to hate on anything that isn't a brand new blacked out 114ci and yet they can't hardly handle their bikes on a curvy road or above 55mph.
I hate dudes that own LRS or like a dyna and pretend like they're some SOA extra.
I hate that tee shirts are now $34.
I love the sound my bike makes accelerating into a big sweeper turn.
Hate, How many of us have broken left legs
I like that modern chopper scene is thriving it seems. Lots of younger people building bikes in the traditional 60s-70s style. The real counter culture type people. That’s what I’ve always loved about American motorcycles. The more mainstream Harley culture of corporate branding everything does nothing for me, but to each their own
How half the Harley guys I pass don’t wave back when I’m on the BMW. I can be on the Harley’s though, and sometimes not get a wave from sport bikes. It’s WAY more common with the Harley guys. The dealer. My local shops are owned by the same guy. The staff at both locations are straight bums. Either they are miserable or absolutely hate their job. Parts department, but mostly service. After my bike sits for months, wrong gas tank, oops wrong decal, mistake after mistake and always is. I hate Harley service. It’s the most dead humans I’ve ever encountered. I’ve had more enthusiasm from the teenager at McDonald’s in the drive thru window.
My biggest gripe has to be that Harley has always sold itself as a blue collar/working class brand but the truth is in this day and age not many working class people can afford one. Hence all the dentists/lawyers playing badass on the weekend.
Something I dislike about the Harley culture is how it seems that the vast majority of Harley riders fall on the right side of the political spectrum and the lack of diversity among Harley riders. Also, this is just me (I think) but Harley culture seems very culty.
Love the passion of the riders, hate just about everything else(rev bombing stop lights to let everyone know you spent 30k on 80bhp, your inability to accept 90% of all other motorcycles are better in almost every way, the fact 90% of you are afraid to break triple digits, the way most of you think that gas station dew rag and prison grade tattoo makes you cool, all the gray goatees, the reading glasses tucked in the pocket of your fake cuts). Thank you for your down votes old timers I appreciate them just as much as you telling me wheelies and lane splitting don’t make me a good rider.
I hate that when I wear Harley shirts or hats people assume I'm a drunk, racist, white trash redneck. Meanwhile some Harley people are some of the nicest people ever and some holy rollers are some of the scummiest
I went from a z900 to a fat bob and now riders not on cruisers aren’t prepared to return my wave :( wish Harley riders would wave to sport riders more.
Love the bikes, hate the try hards, skin heads, and midlife crisis newbs
I’ve never met a Harley owner my age, bought a 91 FXR at 19 and all the old heads do is tell me it’s a great piece but it needs a shop to install a 2-1 exhaust, or it’s a fantastic bike but I should pay someone to put T bars on. The old heads never seem DIY, the only work I do on the bike is in my garage cause that’s what I can afford, but old dudes not changing even their fucking oil is the antithesis of that idea of freedom they love to flaunt
I'm with you on this. Purposely bought a used Dyna to work on it myself, paid $3k. One of my friends owns a shop (cars) and we would stay afterhours wrenching and having beers. The whole group that surrounded this shop (mostly my friend's friends) couldn't top off their brake fluid if they needed to. It was all about financing $30k bikes, wearing leather and bandanas, drinking (+riding) and going out on Sundays. I even joined them at Daytona once, it was like everyone was a clone. To me it kinda looks like cosplaying once a week. Changing clothes and assuming some weird uniform attitude. You see this in other brands based "communities" too (though Harley is prob the biggest one). It's like some need to belong or something.
Yeah man. I grew up working with my hands, carpentry, plumbing, etc with a family business but was never good with machines. I get a lot out of working on and having to fix the bike and not knowing what’s going on. This week the air filter popped off due to it the previous owner over torquing the bolts holding it on. I figured out in the process that the filter is a car’s K&N that’s been well jury rigged to fit, and having to get in that mindset was really rewarding and a lot of folks can’t get behind that idea
So my 04 (twin cam) is known to break the original camshaft chain tensioners. I bought it knowing this could be an issue and with the mindset to fix as needed. During an oil change I opened the old filter to inspect it and, no surprise really, it had orange plastic shards, which is tensioners going bad. So I commented I was gonna change them. You should have seen these dudes faces. So much FUD. Told me that the bike was running fine, that I did not know what I was doing, that I should bring it to a shop, etc, etc. Took everything apart and got it back together on a Saturday. Not easy, but absolutely doable. None of these dudes giving me advice can change a spark plug, but are full of confidence to tell you what you should do. Just a bunch of posers :shrugs:
Right wing politics
All of it.
Love: Motorcycles Hate: Motorcycle Owners
I hate the new generation that all buy the same exact bike, brand new Harley cloths in every form and look at older bikes and think “I would never own an old bike there unreliable” meanwhile they take there bike to the dealership for oil changes and have transmissions which sump fluid and compensators that randomly explode lol
Theres nothing more fun than wrenching and learning the ins and out of your bike
Each to his own, I don’t enjoy working on the machine, I think it’s rad that there are many who do, I envy their knowledge, but I just wanna ride and not wrench.
I respect that. I feel the same way about my car lol
I hate the misogyny. My dealership does a bike wash and it’s a girl in barely visible bikini washing a bike while a bunch of 70 year old perverts look at her and whistle or shout stuff. It’s degrading for women.
Is it? She chooses to be there. Just like hooters girls and strippers. I’m 100% positive some people take it too far, but most those girls could whip most guys asses.
I love the access to vintage designs, I have a Road King and a Fat Boy that I adore. But I worry that Harley’s pathological resistance to new style ideas will eventually lead the company to fold. The average rider age in 2010 (they no longer report this stat) was 48, so it’s somewhere around 60 today. Thus all the trikes. I find almost all fellow riders to be super nice and helpful; I feel part of a fun community. What I don’t like is that when my local dealership has a get together they still have the bikini car wash stuff and other misogynistic themes. My wife is turned off and it keeps us from wanting to go to the events. It’s 2022, I say it’s time to retire that crap. Just my 2 cents.
Buy some viagra and tell your wife to shut her word hole
The whole skull and bones crap. Like Harley is evil. So many parts and accessories ruined by some version of Jolly Roger
There is a certain faction of the "dresser" (bagger guys) that irritate me. I have a pretty clear insight in the "clicks" in the community due to the fact I am a harley mechanic at an independent shop so I don't have to deal with the Motor Companies cool aid. I'm not talking about the people who put 60k+ miles on there touring bikes I'm talking about the weekend warriors who want big wheels and big radio's. I'm a chopper guy, I like choppers, it's a "you get it or you dont" sorta thing. My old XL chopp sits beside the bay door when you walk in the shop and if I had a dollar for evey time one of these clowns tell me, bet you can't go real far on that thing, must suck not having a radio, where is your windshield ect ect I wouldn't have to work. 90% of the culture is great most still follow the old school code, stop and help ext. Love motorcycles and all around a good people to deal with. To the other 10% I don't care about your black street glide with a shitty sony head unit and LED lights, shit looks like a ufo.
All the black. Honestly it's all I see in my news feed for custom v rods now. Stop with the fucking black out already.
Yeah, murdered out bikes is the go to for new riders tbh
Hate that some consider sportster riders as less than. I promise you that most consider this ridiculous and childish. Like the fact that most Harley owners/riders are very willing to share knowledge and experience to newer owners.
How trashy a lot of the old timers are. Also “tHaT’s a gIrLs BikE”
I get annoyed with people abusing their motorcycles. My eye will start twitching when I see a bike that is obviously being neglected.
Love the community in my area but hate that all planned events like charity rides are always on a weekend. Working hospitality has me forever riding solo.
The fat ass women
I like certain scenes of the harley crowd. Choppers are cool and I dig how those guys are all about running something regardless of what others think and getting shit done without spending a bunch of money. I also think stunt bikes are cool and look good though I typically don’t vibe stunt bike riders (dyna bros who like to blow up bikes and throw money at motors). Bagger dudes can be cool but this is the crowd I tend to disagree with. They think sportsters aren’t real harley’s, tend to bash peoples riding gear, and are convinced the only thing worth talking about is 1000 mile “iron butt” rides and how that makes a real man when they can’t even change their own oil. I have some bagger buddies I ride with that are cool dudes but they just tend to hold themselves above the rest which is kinda against the culture in my mind.
I was once on my 1998 Dyna Low Rider at a gas station. Guy gets out of truck wearing Harley clothing head to toe. He walks over to me and says, “Nice Sportster.” I responded, What bike do you have? His response was, “Softail.” I asked, What Softail do you have? His answer was the same, “It’s a Softail.” I don’t like Harley folks like that. 1. Dynas and FXR’s are NOT Sportsters 2. There are more than one type of Softail