Harley: game over?

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I have no interest in 'modern' motorcycles at all. I still read motorcycle magazines about these strange inventions. But I had to swallow twice when I read in a test that 'this motorcycle offers the ideal platform for your smartphone'. And with the advertising slogan 'release your ultimate darkness' I thought more of a selfie of my anus.

So much for the theory. And then someone comes along to show off his brand new Harley-Davidson Road Glide. In my opinion, the thing is impressive. During the excursion around the machine, I make neutral appreciative 'tuttutt' noises. The Harley is impressive in size and blingbling. Of course, there are plenty of electronic control cousins ​​on board and the motorcycle, which now measures almost 2 liters, is smartphone compatible.

Meanwhile, we’re talking about a brand with an incredible history and an impressive number of near-death experiences. The last time the brand was saved from extinction was through the brilliant instincts of Willie G. Davidson. William “Willie G.” Davidson was senior vice president and chief styling officer for Harley-Davidson until his retirement in 2012 at the age of 78. As the grandson of the founder and son of the former president, Davidson found a way to apply a fresh sense of tradition to the design legacy of his family’s predecessors.

He did this on an extremely conservative basis: he retained and cherished the V-twin concept, but did the most beautiful things with it visually. Not that all of these things were successful, but precisely the 'misses' are now highly sought after. Think of the boat tails (photo: Dutch Lion Motors) and Harley café racers.

Harley: game over?
They were unsellable at the time

In a long-standing tradition, Harley – note the dash, because they are quite sharp about that – tried to get more Davidson into the package than just big V-twins. The company did this by buying other (European) brands. In our active memory, there are no success stories in that corner, only loss stories. Including the unique (don't tell anyone!) power source developed together with or by Porsche in the almost futuristic VRSC or V-Rod. The real Harley rider is conservative. Very conservative. For the Harley devotees, the V-Rod was not Harley enough. For the rest of the motorcycle world, it was not interesting, precisely because it had Harley-Davidson on the tank…

Harley: game over?
The Legend

In the meantime, I was allowed to take a spin on the Road Glide. Apparently, a lot of research has gone into the sound engineering. The world-famous 'potato-potato' popping at zero load is no longer a spontaneous result, but the result of a lot of thought and calculation. But it sounds almost as convincing as the Shovelhead block I once had. Furthermore, there is an OS-baptized infotainment system with menu buttons and a thick touchscreen. And of course there are driving modes.

I didn't bother with that and silently wonder if the owner knows his way around all that electronic violence. But the Road Glide drives fine. It still says 'KLANK!' when switching on. But in the meantime it is 'born 2 B mild'... and almost civilized.

Let's continue with the point that there are now entire generations for whom Harley-Davidson - which has long since ceased to be real American Steel, parts come from Mexico, Germany, Italy, Taiwan and Japan. And an acquaintance reported that he had his exhausts made in the same factory where Harley does: in China - is not a legend, but simply 'a brand'. There are entire generations that do not give that brand any emotional or financial added value. They did not even buy the new 750 cc Harleys 'Made in India'.

Maybe it's cynical, but since the departure of Willie G. Harley has – once again – lost its soul. In Milwaukee, the managers and marketers now rule. And they are, apart from the fact that they are not very talented, tied hand and foot to the air-cooled V-twin concept. Until death does it.

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Harley: game over?
A 1200 Shovel block in a frame by Gerrit Dijksoorn
Harley: game over?
photo HD Netherlands

8 comments

  1. Heel verrassend las ik pas een verhaal dat de grootste groep kopers van een Harley-Davidson tussen de 36 en 45 jaar zijn zoals blijkt uit een financieel overzicht van Harley-Davidson Finance. Als ik daarnaast zie dat ik zomaar uit meer dan een meter aan boeken vol aftermarket accessoires kan kiezen en op beurzen zie wat er allemaal aan Harley’s wordt versleuteld dan denk ik dat het met die verloren ziel nog wel mee valt en de dood nog niet direct aanstaande is.

  2. There is a saying: “Every bird dies from its own song”. And if HD does not pay close attention, the ultra-conservative brand will suffer the same fate. Ultra-conservative devotees who do not want to move with the times determine what will be made. Air-cooled V-twins because they do not want anything else. BMW wanted to move forward a bit faster but at the time made a fairly major mistake by wanting to leave the boxer for what it was and continue with 3 and 4 cylinders in line. That turned out to be too hasty. Now it turned out that there were three types of BMW audience. Depts who could appreciate Progress with the new stuff. Depts who granted both inline blocks and boxers the light in their eyes. But also the devotees who only liked boxers. BMW had probably not anticipated the latter a priori. And then something like the R1100 came along after all. In a sense, the salvation. I myself am a fan of both but…. then I would much rather prefer the boxer. Very carefully but decisively BMW has been busy modernizing the boxers. From 2V air-cooled to 4V air/oil-cooled and now even 'liquid cooling'. The boxer adepts went along and were eventually treated to loads of torque and power. Every brand has its own group of die-hard fans, I think. For example, I don't see four-cylinder howling belly-slider riders falling in love with a friendly growling boxer so quickly. Although the more recent models bark quite loudly, I think. But who am I?

  3. Indeed, the Spaghetti Harleys, from which the Cagiva Ala Verdes are descended, remind me more of an extra large, fat Zündapp, such a calm and torquey 350 two-stroke.

  4. It's not that HD doesn't want to or can't, but the buying public won't eat anything other than air-cooled twins.
    This was already apparent in the 20s and 30s, as the WSport with a longitudinally mounted boxer and the single-cylinder engines sold like hot cakes…
    And that will ultimately mean the downfall of the illustrious brand, unless the fans realize that things have to change.

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