Harley adventure bike

[the Ferret]

As much as some people may claim different, Harley's still the bike to own. Their biggest issue is they are pricing themselves out of many new buyers range, and today's new riders aren't into buying sub liter rides. They need to stabilize the price even with the improving economy.

What I am saying is,

What if you don't want a V Twin? (my favorite engine is the liter inline 4)

Or you prefer a parallel twin?

What if you want a sport touring bike?

Or a sport bike?

Or anything that isn't a feet forward cruiser?

What if you like the wail of a Triple?

What if you want a single for riding on/off road?

What if you prefer liquid cooling or shaft drive?

To me HD's problem is it is not diversified enough. One engine layout, basically one style of bike... Here's what we make, an air cooled, V twin, feet forward forward cruiser ... Take it or leave it. They won't even put in counter balancers to smooth out their engine, rather they mount the engines in rubber in the frame to try and isolate the customer, and just go ahead and let them shake . Now I know they have fairing and bagged tourers, but truthfully they are not far from their basic design.. Just a feer forward air cooled V twin cruiser with floor boards, bags, trunk and fairing. Don't get me wrong, what Harley does, it does well, very well as a matter of fact, but they will never get me into the showroom with the line up they currently have. Even stodgy old BMW diversified from air cooled shaft drive opposed twins for pete's sake. I don't think you can even buy a new strictly air cooled opposed twin from BMW anymore, can you?

My belief is Harley may be the bike to own to you care about what other people think .... but certainly not because it is a superior product. If Harley were brand new in the market, and no one had ever seen one before, and cutomers were just going on the merits of the machine and the price they were asking for them, I'd think they'd have quite a difficult time making it in the market place.