02-02-2018, 03:13 AM
(02-02-2018, 02:32 AM)VLJ_imp Wrote: LongRanger, the "poor quality" comments regarding Harley stem from decades of...poor quality. In any of the industry studies relating to rates of incident and overall reliability, Harley always ranked at or very near the bottom, in large part because the bikes simply shook the ancillary components to death.
"My motor runs strong. I have X-amount of miles, and she's never given out on me," was the old refrain from the Harley Faithful.
Sure, but how many other parts on your bike failed?
Now, clearly Harley has made great strides in recent years toward modernizing their bikes and making them more reliable. They are no longer anywhere near as shaky and problem-riddled as they were in the Bad Old Days. That being said, they are also still nowhere near as reliable as a Yamaha or Honda.
Not an opinion, nor mere anecdotal evidence. This is a basic statistical fact borne out by annual industry studies of overall reliability.
Yet at an individual level, anecdotal evidence--particularly if it's one's own--is often what influences the next decision.
I had an electrical gremlin on my '04 Sportster, and possibly on my '14 Standard CB1100. I loved both bikes, but no longer have either...conclusion: I will NOT buy a bike manufactured in 2024.