Iconic Motorcycle Dealership shuts down after 110 YEARS

[foszoe]

Moto Guzzi riders....the ones that ride past all the Indian and Harley Davidson people that spend all their time hanging out at the bar.

 

[Creedmoor]

Moto Guzzi riders....the ones that ride past all the Indian and Harley Davidson people that spend all their time hanging out at the bar.

Fine Motorcycles... But I've been drinking.

 

[greg]

 

[BigRed]

Most motorcycle riders are friendly folks and say hello, wave, etc.

Pulled up next to a guy on a HD at a light today. Said, "Hey, how's it going?"

He just looked away.

First time I've seen that from a guy on a HD. Maybe his tampon was binding or something.

 

[Shadow01]

So you are NOW endorsing Kamala .... or becoming a Willie Brown fanboy... which is it?

Both?

He’s in the Pocahontas camp. It revs him up.

 

[racegunz]

Most motorcycle riders are friendly folks and say hello, wave, etc.

Pulled up next to a guy on a HD at a light today. Said, "Hey, how's it going?"

He just looked away.

First time I've seen that from a guy on a HD. Maybe his tampon was binding or something.

Could be he was a moderator on ingo?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

The cool guys are the ones on an Indian.

The old french curve fender Indians are gorgeous bikes. The new Springfield looks pretty neat as well.

 

[printcraft]

Moto Guzzi riders....the ones that ride past all the Indian and Harley Davidson people that spend all their time hanging out at the bar.

 

[foszoe]

View attachment 371830

Well yeah! you guys are rich. We ride bikes that have been going out of business longer than HD

 

[Creedmoor]

Most motorcycle riders are friendly folks and say hello, wave, etc.

Pulled up next to a guy on a HD at a light today. Said, "Hey, how's it going?"

He just looked away.

First time I've seen that from a guy on a HD. Maybe his tampon was binding or something.

I thought that was you.

 

[BJHay]

Harley has tried to move forward; Buell, the Street series, and the Livewire were flops. The Pan American had a lot of good reviews early but I've read their used price has tanked. A $20k+ adventure bike isn't an easy sell in my book.

They are morphing into a boutique brand that makes a few uber-high-end bikes each year for a wealthy collector clientele. I wish them luck.

I'm keeping my 2010 Fat Bob (but I am thinking hard about adding a 90's shovelhead with a kickstart currently posted on fb).
I don't want a car on two wheels. I'll take fuel injection but otherwise, I prefer a simple bike.

Many brands have forgotten the adage "Know your customer". Harley customers are more dedicated than any other brand I can think of. Just count the number of HD tattoos you see. How on earth they thought DEI was a good idea is boggling.

As a side note a buddy and I were in Ecuador a few years ago on a MC trip. We stopped at the Harley dealer in Quito to look around. The T-shirts were $120. The sales guy said they're priced high to maintain an image of exclusivity. It worked. Too exclusive for us.

 

[Creedmoor]

Harley has tried to move forward; Buell, the Street series, and the Livewire were flops. The Pan American had a lot of good reviews early but I've read their used price has tanked. A $20k+ adventure bike isn't an easy sell in my book.

They are morphing into a boutique brand that makes a few uber-high-end bikes each year for a wealthy collector clientele. I wish them luck.

I'm keeping my 2010 Fat Bob (but I am thinking hard about adding a 90's shovelhead with a kickstart currently posted on fb).
I don't want a car on two wheels. I'll take fuel injection but otherwise, I prefer a simple bike.

Many brands have forgotten the adage "Know your customer". Harley customers are more dedicated than any other brand I can think of. Just count the number of HD tattoos you see. How on earth they thought DEI was a good idea is boggling.

As a side note a buddy and I were in Ecuador a few years ago on a MC trip. We stopped at the Harley dealer in Quito to look around. The T-shirts were $120. The sales guy said they're priced high to maintain an image of exclusivity. It worked. Too exclusive for us.

No such animal as a 90's Shovelhead.
1966 to 1984.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

Maybe it's an s&s shovel copy?

 

[Wstar425]

I know ZERO about motorcycles, but I am curious to know how many Harley riders are under 40?

It seems like there is always some "old" (not 20/30-something) person on them. Will that hurt their company/business long term?

Would enjoy hearing from someone who knows motorcycles on this topic!

I’ve owned probably 35-40 motorcycles since I was 16, now 66. Not one was a Harley. I do ride with and know some guys that own them. I think they are still getting some younguns, but I’m thinking the vast majority of owners are 50+. Just what I see. Young guys buy them, then lose interest, their job, whatever and try to sell them for what they have in them with all the mods and upgrades. Lots of take over payments out here this summer it seems. Just too expensive of a toy for the younger crowd.

Here’s what’s sitting in my barn now, plus my wife has a 2022 Spyder F3 Limited. The Raider was hers but replaced knee and shoulder, she says it’s too big now but rode it since 2009. I like to find a Kawasaki 903 being sold by some woman who didn’t know what she had! Had a 1986 ZL900 Eliminator for 10 years but sold it to make the move to New Mexico, wish I hadn’t. Had 8 bikes put them all u for sell except that V65 in the middle to get down to one trip. Couldn’t justify going back for bikes. Oh well.

(If you know what a ZL900 is, you know your Kawasakis!

 

[Creedmoor]

Most motorcycle riders are friendly folks and say hello, wave, etc.

Pulled up next to a guy on a HD at a light today. Said, "Hey, how's it going?"

He just looked away.

First time I've seen that from a guy on a HD. Maybe his tampon was binding or something.

You might have made him uncomfortable. Not Judging, just say'in.

 

[BigRed]

I’ve owned probably 35-40 motorcycles since I was 16, now 66. Not one was a Harley. I do ride with and know some guys that own them. I think they are still getting some younguns, but I’m thinking the vast majority of owners are 50+. Just what I see. Young guys buy them, then lose interest, their job, whatever and try to sell them for what they have in them with all the mods and upgrades. Lots of take over payments out here this summer it seems. Just too expensive of a toy for the younger crowd.

Here’s what’s sitting in my barn now, plus my wife had a 2022 Spyder F3 Limited.

Good looking dogs!

 

[miguel]

Good looking dogs!

Agree. Do you have side-cars for the dogs?

 

[xwing]

This is not meant to insult all Harley riders…. That being said, I rode a sport bike back in the day. 20 years ago…. You park near other bikes at the county fair, your ninja might be covered in snot rockets when you come back.
Cruisin down 421 minding your own business, Invaders that were sitting at a stop sign to turn right are now turning left to try to chase you down and you’re doing 100 in 50 feet because you can’t fight 30 guys.
The bikes are cool but there’s so many people like that, was always torn by that. Harley’s were kind of like ICP, I liked em but their fans ruined it for a lot of people.
It’s a shame because their history is pretty cool. And the deuce, the deuce is cool. And the night train.

I rode a Ninja for many years, and never had anyone chase me, damage my motorcycle, or try to start a fight. I don't know where you were hanging out...

 

[Wstar425]

Good looking dogs!

Want a puppy for a couple of months?

 

[Wstar425]

Agree. Do you have side-cars for the dogs?

I never did but my buddy bought a Ural about 10 years ago and took his English Sheepdog along everywhere. It wasn’t safe to ride with him between a top speed of like 62 mph and a week to get there, and everyone jockeying around trying to get a picture. He traded a Harley for it and a year later IIRC traded it back on a Harley. Any time you stopped it garnered a crowd of people thinking it was 50 years old, and you could never get moving again.