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I cant believe it. Sad day.
That'll buell over then ?
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1,173 Posts
they, like others, have been Asianized 
I'm sure more will follow
I'm sure more will follow
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4,259 Posts
???????????????????????
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What may I ask, are we talking about here ????? :drunk: :drunk:
:drunk: :drunk:I had to google buell to find out.. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/2009/10/harleydavidson-terminates-buell-brand.html
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matt167 said:
Thanks Matt.. :thumbup: I had a feeling that's what it was about..
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you guys need to get in the Loop like all us young hip people LOL, I also had to google it. :mwink:
LOL, I also had to google it. :mwink:
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5,030 Posts
Buell is a major player in NHRA PS Bike racing. Suzuki is the only other player, the H-D/Buell gang are winning almost everything, given all the advantages they are given. The twins are saddled w/more and more weight, but it doesn't affect them as much as expected. But whatever it is, they seem able to dial up more power as needed- for now.
Hector Arana has been a bright spot in the legions of H-D/Buell bike riders; after a lot of years slugging away w/o success, this year he's on top, setting national records and winning races. Kinda neat.
The championship is very close (less than a round and a half between first and second), the last two races will be worth watching.
Hector Arana has been a bright spot in the legions of H-D/Buell bike riders; after a lot of years slugging away w/o success, this year he's on top, setting national records and winning races. Kinda neat.
The championship is very close (less than a round and a half between first and second), the last two races will be worth watching.
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3,519 Posts
Yeah what the hell? Buell is one of the best things Harley has done in years! Man, this is bad news...
K
K
Indulge me, while I tell you this story. We live in Central CA, there's a dealership here called Mathews HD, the owner, Harold and wife Eva have been at it since 1953. The dealership is in the same place and same building, nothing fancy, but very friendly and knowledgable. Harold has been riding since, well, they made dirt, fact he still has a lot of his old bikes, I mean the guy is a museum. Back when HD started selling the Buells, he's really not a big fan of them, motors and power yes, overall, not really and then said it wouldn't last.
Harold passed away last year, Harley has been pressuring the dealership to expand for years now, you know, make it one of those new style dealerships. The kind with no personallity and twelve year olds working the counter. At Mathews, the whole family works it, from the shop to sales, they remember your name and are friends! Anyway, Harley went ahead and granted a second dealership, a fancy cement one, in Fresno, the only place in world to have two in the same area. Funny thing, sales are still very good, but now the mother ship has not renewed their license yet, December is the deadline. Some family members were called to Millwakee for a meeting, all does not look good right now.
After watching an American icon company do this to a family owned business,it tares your heart out, I bleed HD and have since high school, other guys were riding Kawasaki's, I had a sportster. A few years ago I noticed some parts being made overseas and the motor clothes being made in countries I can't even read. I've been to many dealerships all over the world, some big, some small, ALL but NY were friendly and welcoming, hell, Ireland even opened early for a group of us. So how can Willie G. Davidson do this and sleep at night, does he even know what his company is doing or is so big now he's lost control..........
Harold passed away last year, Harley has been pressuring the dealership to expand for years now, you know, make it one of those new style dealerships. The kind with no personallity and twelve year olds working the counter. At Mathews, the whole family works it, from the shop to sales, they remember your name and are friends! Anyway, Harley went ahead and granted a second dealership, a fancy cement one, in Fresno, the only place in world to have two in the same area. Funny thing, sales are still very good, but now the mother ship has not renewed their license yet, December is the deadline. Some family members were called to Millwakee for a meeting, all does not look good right now.
After watching an American icon company do this to a family owned business,it tares your heart out, I bleed HD and have since high school, other guys were riding Kawasaki's, I had a sportster. A few years ago I noticed some parts being made overseas and the motor clothes being made in countries I can't even read. I've been to many dealerships all over the world, some big, some small, ALL but NY were friendly and welcoming, hell, Ireland even opened early for a group of us. So how can Willie G. Davidson do this and sleep at night, does he even know what his company is doing or is so big now he's lost control..........
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10,722 Posts
Thanks Vince.
It reminds me of a few years ago when I seen this dude at the store on a new customized harley.
He was cussing and complaining because it wouldn`t start. I looked at him and said "shame,, you should have bought a Honda"
He got mad and said "I`ll push this dam* thing before I buy a Honda!"
And I said "Isn`t that how you got it in the parking lot just now?"
$20,000 for a bike they might have $3000 in? Come on.
Also reminds me when I found a web site for harleys. A machine shop wanted $120 to bore 1 cylinder of a harley. I could take the same jug to town and get it bored and honed for $15. Yet, harley is trying to tell me there equipment is "special" and only it`ll properly bore it, pure BS.
A guy I used to work with already learned, HD don`t mean harley davidson, it means Hundred Dollars. You buy harley your paying for the name.
It reminds me of a few years ago when I seen this dude at the store on a new customized harley.
He was cussing and complaining because it wouldn`t start. I looked at him and said "shame,, you should have bought a Honda"
He got mad and said "I`ll push this dam* thing before I buy a Honda!"
And I said "Isn`t that how you got it in the parking lot just now?"
$20,000 for a bike they might have $3000 in? Come on.
Also reminds me when I found a web site for harleys. A machine shop wanted $120 to bore 1 cylinder of a harley. I could take the same jug to town and get it bored and honed for $15. Yet, harley is trying to tell me there equipment is "special" and only it`ll properly bore it, pure BS.
A guy I used to work with already learned, HD don`t mean harley davidson, it means Hundred Dollars. You buy harley your paying for the name.
Yes, you are paying for the name, just like our hot rods and tennis shoes and jeans. I used to have a sticker on my helmet that read "I'd Rather Eat Worms than Ride a Honda". Still holds true, now that does not mean I believe that Harley's are the best thing since sliced bread, most import bikes run great and last forever, buuutttt, their an import bike, I choose American looks and sound. Harley has worked hard for their name, if I have to pay a little extra for parts, so be it, machine work however, can be done elsewhere, just like a rebuild on your hot rod....
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10,928 Posts
If you have ever ridden a bike for extended periods, like a several thousand mile trip you would love a Goldwing. Our last long distance trip was about 3K+ miles. We constantly saw Harleys being trailered to the popular riding destinations, not being ridden to them. At the hotels we would stay at the parking lots would be full of trailers with chromed out Harleys. The Harley dudes and girls would roll out their chromed out bikes and get all costumed up in their Chinese made Harley theme cloths and looked quite like rodeo clowns to be honest. It was virtually impossible to count the number of "Orange County Choppers" tee shirts present.
It's all about status and impressing your buds with a Harley. The American made moniker is long diluted and the Harley owners who still profess this anachronistic belief are just ignoring the facts. Serious long distance bike riders in the know choose a true legend road bike like the Goldwing or the BMW.
Calling the Goldwing an import is patently absurd. The bike is totally manufactured by Americans in America, all the way down to casting the engine. Honda's name does not need defending in the world of motorcycling and is pretty much the standard for serious road bikes.
The word "import" has pretty much become meaningless in this day and age. I could call a Chevrolet, Ford, or Chrysler and import with that logic.
Vince
It was virtually impossible to count the number of "Orange County Choppers" tee shirts present.It's all about status and impressing your buds with a Harley. The American made moniker is long diluted and the Harley owners who still profess this anachronistic belief are just ignoring the facts. Serious long distance bike riders in the know choose a true legend road bike like the Goldwing or the BMW.
Calling the Goldwing an import is patently absurd. The bike is totally manufactured by Americans in America, all the way down to casting the engine. Honda's name does not need defending in the world of motorcycling and is pretty much the standard for serious road bikes.
The word "import" has pretty much become meaningless in this day and age. I could call a Chevrolet, Ford, or Chrysler and import with that logic.
Vince
Vince,
You are right about the Rodeo clowns, or the over accesorized trailer queens, no doubt. The BMW and Goldwing's are excellent road bikes, but so is a Harley. Some of "us" go for style, not the dirty I'm a badA** thing, the bike, it's not just a mode of transportation, just as our hot rods are a part of our personallity, your bike becomes that and more, with all due respect, you can't get a Goldwing or BMW to look old school cool. The import thing I probably still have etched in my brain from way back in high school,I'm not beating up other bikes, to each their own and we can all ride the same roads! :thumbup:
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You are right about the Rodeo clowns, or the over accesorized trailer queens, no doubt. The BMW and Goldwing's are excellent road bikes, but so is a Harley. Some of "us" go for style, not the dirty I'm a badA** thing, the bike, it's not just a mode of transportation, just as our hot rods are a part of our personallity, your bike becomes that and more, with all due respect, you can't get a Goldwing or BMW to look old school cool. The import thing I probably still have etched in my brain from way back in high school,I'm not beating up other bikes, to each their own and we can all ride the same roads! :thumbup:
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1,173 Posts
My Wiff's oldest son has a BMW and every year, he and a friend from DFW area go for a 2 week tour somewhere on their Bikes. Three years ago they went from Texas to Alaska and back thru California via PCHwy and the trip was over 10,000 miles total. He told me that he would not even attempt that kind of a trip on any kind of Harley.
Heck, I wouldn't attempt that kind of trip in a stretch-Limo :mwink:
Heck, I wouldn't attempt that kind of trip in a stretch-Limo :mwink:
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786 Posts
I ride my Harley everywhere...and im keepin my special edition american made 95 buell thunderbolt!
Harleys still have a great feel. I have ridden pretty much all of the cruise bikes. Owned an Ultra Classic, a Goldwing, and now have an '06 Road Glide. Still would never give up the GS Adventure. The Road Glide just has that roaring torque feel that is just different from other bikes but if I am going to take a real long haul, the BMW is just the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden. Stable cruising at 80mph, excellent in the twisties, and tons of torque through the mountains. Tried the Buell and it was a pretty cool ride but if I feel like I want to just keep going and come home tomorrow instead of today, the GS is just the ultimate bike. It may not look like a street cruiser but it was designed to go from Alaska to the bottom of South America and back, dirt roads and all. The damn thing has an almost 9 gallon fuel capacity, GPS, 4 Xenon headlights, and incredible wind and rain protection. It can handle just about anything and you don't feel ruined at the end of a long hard ride.
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