I like to paraphrase the Red-Headed Stranger’s sentiments with a line of my own: “Every 20 years I’m the coolest guy in the room.”

Harley, I’m afraid your 107 years of fame are over. Nobody with a pulse or a spec of originality in their soul wants a $27k anything that looks like EVERYTHING else in the parking lot.

I showed up to a SoCal wannabe OMG’s “bike night” on my early 70’s CB450 last month and shut the place down. Dozens of leather-clad faux hooligans in vests and rockers flocked around my Japanese commuter bike to see what the hell was going on. I actually felt sorry for the dude on the Dyna Softail Springer with fringed saddle bags, dual fishtail exhaust and 4-foot leather strap on the brake lever. He had spent $15k on me-too accessories and nobody cared.

Sub-$10k motorcycles (Iron 883, XL883L, for example) are the smartest thing H-D has done in about 20 years. If the would stop spending marketing dollars on 100-, 103-, 105- and 107-year anniversary parties and brightwork tooling and just make motorcycles that people can afford, a lot more aging skaters, surfers and BMXers would give The Motor Company a second look. As it stands today, Harley tries to court Gen Y with the only bait they know: tired old “heritage” and “Americana” messages that don’t mean shit to anyone who was born after Operation Desert Storm.

And let’s face it, Motor Company: the kids of ODS are 18. If your brand image wasn’t so wack and your products weren’t so goddamned expensive, there are some adrenaline-fueled teenagers out there who might just give your Nightster a first look.

As it stands today, however, half these kids beg daddy for sportbikes and the other half get Scion XB’s for graduation.

RE:
“…You have 3 years to wear this look, not more. Because…… trends change…”

Ya, but they always seem to come back at some point.

So, could be just sticking to what ya have & know will get ya there eventually.

“0ld is New”…………

-nicker-

Good to see that the distressed leather look is coming back.

Choppers and beanies are OK, but I am Old Skool and love the retro look of yesteryear.

Boss Hawg