Precision HD's new Rider Program

[nhbubba]

That Interstate has a 33-degree rake.

[SVRACER01]

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Degsy I like you but you clearly don't know what a road king is. They don't have radios. With the exception of the. 2013 CVO road king and even that only plays Ipod or sat radio.
The vtx is closer to a vrod or a softail than it ever will be a FLHR. Its apples to oranges.
The sportsters nowadays are all but useless. Too low, no ground clearance, uncomfortable and too small of a tank. A late 80s or an early 90s sportster was designed for back road debaucheries. New ones are all looks. Which is too bad because I like the looks of the 48.
The best handling dyna is probably the fat bob. It kind of looks like a TW on steroids.
I'm not a fan of softails. Maybe a fatboy just because its so basic.
Someone said they are shopping for a road king. Get a police road king. Find them used for cheaper money. 98% the same bike as a regular road king

[Sheppo]

This Victory Vision? I'd say one thing is for sure, the Road King is less ugly.

That is one of the most comfortable , stable bikes I have ever ridden. That fairing is designed to increase down pressure as you increase in speed. I too thought it was ugly until I rode one, then who cares what it looks like? The view from the saddle isnt too bad,

[Tunertype]

That is one of the most comfortable , stable bikes I have ever ridden. That fairing is designed to increase down pressure as you increase in speed. I too thought it was ugly until I rode one, then who cares what it looks like? The view from the saddle isnt too bad,

I went to a victory test ride and they are very nice bikes.. Accept that they need louder exhausts because they are way too understanded and civilized compared to Harleys look at me loud exhausts and stylish air cooled engines.. All of victory's motorcycles are smooth and well designed. The fact that they only have one engine kinda makes them a bit boring though. An entry level bike would really help the line out I think..

[Degsy]

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Degsy I like you but you clearly don't know what a road king is. They don't have radios. With the exception of the. 2013 CVO road king and even that only plays Ipod or sat radio.
The vtx is closer to a vrod or a softail than it ever will be a FLHR. Its apples to oranges.
The sportsters nowadays are all but useless. Too low, no ground clearance, uncomfortable and too small of a tank. A late 80s or an early 90s sportster was designed for back road debaucheries. New ones are all looks. Which is too bad because I like the looks of the 48.
The best handling dyna is probably the fat bob. It kind of looks like a TW on steroids.
I'm not a fan of softails. Maybe a fatboy just because its so basic.
Someone said they are shopping for a road king. Get a police road king. Find them used for cheaper money. 98% the same bike as a regular road king

I didn't think so either but someone mentioned radios here and I assumed they knew what they were talking about.

And you're on crack if you compare a vtx with a v-rod but not a road king.

[csmutty]

Harley riders never wave back at me. Screw em all!

[SVRACER01]

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I'd put a vtx up against a softail or a dyna but not a touring bike like a road king. The vtx just isn't a Tourer. Its more of a power cruiser.

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)

Harley riders never wave back at me. Screw em all!

Ride a motard. No one waves at you then.

[Degsy]

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I'd put a vtx up against a softail or a dyna but not a touring bike like a road king. The vtx just isn't a Tourer. Its more of a power cruiser.

Tell me the difference between a VTX and a road king that makes a road king a tourer.

[Garandman]

I have ridden both. Extensively. They are the same bike. Except the Honda is better at everything and more reliable and better .

Honda feels your pain. Gold Wing F6B.

[Degsy]

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I have ridden both. Extensively. They are the same bike. Except the Honda is better at everything and more reliable and better .

Honda feels your pain. Gold Wing F6B.

I just finished reading the CW article on that today.

[Nguyen.gixxer]

still hate that HD killing BUELL. THANKS HD FOR NOTHING BUT THE WORST.

[SVRACER01]

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Tell me the difference between a VTX and a road king that makes a road king a tourer.

well if youre comparing this POS

to this POS
Attachment 34110
then...the FLHR (road king) rides on the same chassis and suspension as all the other HD touring bikes such as the electra glide, road glide and street glide which are all part of the HD touring bike family which is why the FLHR is also dubbed a touring bike
the FLHR has (standard) cruise control, air suspension, floor boards, saddlebags and a neutral riding position. not to mention your wife wont kill you for putting her on the back seat, unlike the VTX.
can you deck out a VTX to be a better touring bike? sure. but all the VTX will ever be is an imitator. you can deck out a FLHR with a fairing, tour pak, lowers and its not imitating an electra glide...it essentially is an electra glide because its the same bike, not to mention the VTX feels cheap and plastic compared to a HD.
and even on the looks side of things...that VTX is fucking ugly.

Honda feels your pain. Gold Wing F6B.

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I just finished reading the CW article on that today.

i havent had a chance to read that article yet. but when i saw that new 'wing i KNEW it was a direct shot at the road glide. road wing is what i called it i think

like ive said before. im not a big HD fan, and other than paying my bills i have no loyalty to them. ill admit that ive always thought they were big piles of shit but working around them all day gives me a new found appreciation for them. the wife has too after the few that weve rented. HD touring bikes are without a doubt at or near the top of the food chain. the right tool for the job. something about the prehistoric engine just works. the whole thing just works.
you can say they are junk all you want but i have dozens of customers who have over 50k on their bikes and several with over 100k and even a few with over 200k. i checked in a guy with an 03 FLHR with 158k on teh clock on Sat.

[SVRACER01]

still hate that HD killing BUELL. THANKS HD FOR NOTHING BUT THE WORST.

blessing in disguise. EB got all the funding he needed to perfect his dream. when HD pulled the plug he was all but finished at that point. he had already shitcanned the XL motor and put in the rotax engine (and won an AMA championship with it (read:controversial)) now hes got a new bike on the way thats bigger and badder than ever. the 1190 will be a hell of a streetbike for sure. how he gets to race it in AMA is beyond me but who cares. i like seeing him out there

[drinkingmymilk]

blessing in disguise. EB got all the funding he needed to perfect his dream. when HD pulled the plug he was all but finished at that point. he had already shitcanned the XL motor and put in the rotax engine (and won an AMA championship with it (read:controversial)) now hes got a new bike on the way thats bigger and badder than ever. the 1190 will be a hell of a streetbike for sure. how he gets to race it in AMA is beyond me but who cares. i like seeing him out there

Current line up is an 1190rs, price tag of $39,000. Zero dealers. Yeah, awesome blessing.

Source: http://www.erikbuellracing.com/motorcycles/1190rs/

[Sheppo]

I went to a victory test ride and they are very nice bikes.. Accept that they need louder exhausts because they are way too understanded and civilized compared to Harleys look at me loud exhausts and stylish air cooled engines.. All of victory's motorcycles are smooth and well designed. The fact that they only have one engine kinda makes them a bit boring though. An entry level bike would really help the line out I think..

You can get exhaust for the, a stock HD isn't much louder than a stock Victory. The Jackpot is a nice entry level bike for this style MC and you won't outgrow it like a Sportster. The engine is as tame as your throttle hand...

[DucDave]

Most of us, (not all so simmer down), choose, conciously or otherwise, to 'join' a German, Italian, Japanese or Milwaukee 'club'. And tend to develop at least some passion for the brand. Proof of this is the 'other club bashing' so many seem to enjoy. At the end of the day any one of these 'clubs' will give the participant an awesome experience. I don't think there's a single contemporary motorcycle that I would turn down.

Personally, I've always felt it's more about a long and deep relationship with a dealer. Working with a dealer you respect and a shop you trust is the secret ingredient to an enduring love affair with what ever club you join. I may be a Ducatista, but I'm more of a Seacoaster...

[Degsy]

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Most of us, (not all so simmer down), choose, conciously or otherwise, to 'join' a German, Italian, Japanese or Milwaukee 'club'. And tend to develop at least some passion for the brand. Proof of this is the 'other club bashing' so many seem to enjoy. At the end of the day any one of these 'clubs' will give the participant an awesome experience. I don't think there's a single contemporary motorcycle that I would turn down.

Personally, I've always felt it's more about a long and deep relationship with a dealer. Working with a dealer you respect and a shop you trust is the secret ingredient to an enduring love affair with what ever club you join. I may be a Ducatista, but I'm more of a Seacoaster...

A dealer is a place to store my bike before I buy it. End of story for me.

Oh, and the Moto equivalent of autozone.

[nhbubba]

I agree. I sometimes wish I had allegiance to a dealer or brand, but most times I am glad I don't.

So far the shop that has treated me best is attached to my house. The head mechanic is a real schmuck.. but man, does he work cheap!

[DucDave]

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A dealer is a place to store my bike before I buy it. End of story for me.

Oh, and the Moto equivalent of autozone.

True...if you happen to be blessed with the awesome mechanical skill you have...which I'm not. I'm happy I can remove wheels, change brake pads and oil, without stripping anything or having too many parts left over.

Having said that, it seems to me I spend my time riding while you spend your time wrenching. Every track day for example...!!!

[SteveM]

A great dealer understands that going beyond the transaction to build their own brand and develop customers for life is critical. Not every customer wants this.

A good dealer handles the transactions, both sales and service, professionally and competently, but do not see the opportunity to create a feeling of place for their customers.

A typical motorcycle dealership barely manages not to chase customers away with a unique combination of incompetence, arrogance and indifference.

I think there is huge potential to improve dealership practices. Without all the facts, I can only assume:

There isn't enough profit in it to make it worthwhile.
The manufacturers are happy with what their dealers do now.
Franchise agreements are so strong that the manufacturers can do little to improve dealers and dealers are both short sighted and lazy.

[nhbubba]

..And circling back to the OP. I think that is something HD does better than most. Especially in the last 10-15 years. Their dealer 'experience' has changed a lot. My father bought his HD from Seacoast Harley back in 1990. For much of the 90's dealing with them was a very gruff, "what the hell do you want" kind of experience. Much of the staff were much more traditional bikers, in the long beards and do-rags sense. He commented somewhere around 2000 they changed substantially. Most of the old "WTF do you want" crowd was gone. In its place was a slicker, more business minded set.

Unfortunately he also got the definite impression that they were way, way more interested in servicing a <5 y/o bike than his 10+ y/o FLHS. They are, after all, a new motorcycle dealer. In with the new, out with the rest.

I think this 'new rider program' bit is an reflection of that. Marketing programs designed to move new metal. The Japanese brands have a lot to learn in this respect. My impression of most Japanese brand dealers is that they are owned by people that know and love bikes, not by people that know business.

[SVRACER01]

... My father bought his HD from Seacoast Harley back in 1990. For much of the 90's dealing with them was a very gruff, "what the hell do you want" kind of experience. Much of the staff were much more traditional bikers, in the long beards and do-rags sense. He commented somewhere around 2000 they changed substantially. Most of the old "WTF do you want" crowd was gone. In its place was a slicker, more business minded set.

thats because in the 90s they couldnt keep HDs on the floor. back then they werent sales people...they were order takers. it didnt matter how they treated you or whether you liked it or not because there were 20 more people behind you happy to spend their money on a bike that they wouldnt even see for 9 months.

if the big 4 sold only 1 type of bike then you may see them marketing differently but the fact is that they dont sell just one thing. they sell sport bikes, cruisers, touring bikes, dirt bikes, atvs, utvs, jet skis, boats, generators, snow blowers, snowmobiles and anything in between.
for most, HD is a culture. admittidly, not one that i understand, but for a lot of people they are just a bike

[nhbubba]

Dad bought his as a leftover. It was an 89 that he bought in the winter of '90 and it was still in the crate. They weren't moving much then. He started his experience with Seacoast BEFORE the brand took off in the 90's. IIRC the influx you speak of was later and probably gave the dealership the capital needed for the transition he saw.

Your point is taken regarding focus though. Sometimes it is awkward trying to get an oil filter from a guy that knows jet-skis.

[Degsy]

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A dealer is a place to store my bike before I buy it. End of story for me.

Oh, and the Moto equivalent of autozone.

True...if you happen to be blessed with the awesome mechanical skill you have...which I'm not. I'm happy I can remove wheels, change brake pads and oil, without stripping anything or having too many parts left over.

Having said that, it seems to me I spend my time riding while you spend your time wrenching. Every track day for example...!!!

Dead right. BUT (and this is a big but) you are close to Seacoast, and places like that are VERY few and far between.
And you're right on the wrenching thing. I have new policies in place to allow me more riding time this year.

There are few places I would trust and only certain mechanics in those places that I would trust o work on anything for me.

I think adrenaline cycle has the right idea on a modern bike shop experience. A place to hang out and socialize rather than walk in, buy and walk out. Harley does this extremely well, too.