I am 57 years old and own 4 EVO powered harleys (two baskets - an 89 springer and 91 fatboy, an 93 FLTSC - evo softail cruiser and a 92 FLHS - electraglide tourer). I have ridden Hondas and Ducatis. They are great bikes. Traditionally the fit and finish on Harley's are better, and the RIDING EXPERIENCE - even on the rubber glides - are VISCERAL. Just the right amount of vibe, gobs of torque, and predicatable reliable handling. Not world beating, but predictable. And the product line has enough variance (at least in the softail, dyna, touring frame days) to please everyone. And if you can't get what you want, you can make it your own. This is a close to "lean customization" (I am an engineer) running as close to an open source architecture as we have seen in mass market transportation. Please note that I am not a "biker" - I ride all motorcycles, and I would LOVE to have a Moto Guzzi. I think my favorite HD product was my 2013 Dyna Fatbob - great handling, relatively light weight for a "sport cruiser" - with a stage two kit, and a seat and bars and floorboards added after. It was my "modern FLH" - beautiful to look at and fun to ride. Thanks for covering this topic.

Thank you guys for acknowledging Sugar Bear. For too many people don’t know about his contributions to the motorcycle industry.

The past 2 CEO's at Harley have not been motorcycle people...

I am relatively new to the biking scene. I’ve wanted a Harley ever since i can remember. I bought my first Harley 2 years ago at 58 years old. And now i see. Yes it is a lifestyle! I’ve put over 30k miles on in about a year

I love my four Evos. I like my three beemers, a Ducati, a GasGas, a Husky, and a KTM. New Harleys? Nah, the older stuff for me. All time favorite bike -- FXR.

Thank You Kevin and Mark for another wonderful podcast. Would really love to hear you guys do a show on John Britten and his V1000.

Sold my Road King, bought a BMW K1600 GT, put it up for sale within a month and bought a new Road King. HD forever!

I love and still own the only bike I ever bought new, an 1987 1/2 FLST-Special. I love all bikes cause it just so fun to see how all the manufacturers put there ideas out to market and get the 2 wheeled job done. Singles, twins, triples etc... Each bike gets the job done but each in so much a different way. It's fun. In short, I hope the bike you own & ride puts a smile on your face everytime you throw a leg over it. Mine does, hope yours does too.

I have two bikes, 2019 HD Ultra, and a 2008 Suzuki Bandit 1250SA, which is highly upgraded. I ride 15k - 20k miles a year. at the end of the day we must ride what emotionally attracts us. I had a test ride experience on a 2023 BMW K1600 GT. I was test riding with my wife, the dealership test tide leader was a retired CHP motor Sgt., Im a retired Stockton PD motor officer. After talking a little about our careers and riding he says "I'm going to take you on a real test ride". A short distance later we accessed a 25 mph corkscrew on ramp to I-80 at about 60+ mph, then rolled up to 120 entering the freeway. My wife later commented, " I thought my head was going to scrape the road". All on a bike I had ridden for two blocks, and with a passenger. The point being the bike was incredible at doing its job, almost without me. It didn't need me, it was "soulless" As great as the K1600 GT was I still don't have a strong desire to own one. I enjoy tiding the HD because it reminds me of being on the police Road King. I enjoy riding the Bandit because it reminds me of my dad's GS1100, also highly upgraded. The only other bike that really attracts me is the Triumph Bonneville. Why? as a kid I remember my dad and uncle street racing Triumph's and BSA's

Yamaha RoadStar was a great attempt at a “traditional” Vtwin.

I've been a rider for over 50 years and have considered buy a Harley on several occasions. What stops me each time from pulling the trigger is the image of the "typical" Harley rider. Or as my wife puts it, "You're just not a Harley type of guy." As much as I like Harleys and I would love to be able to tap into their massive dealer network as well as the huge aftermarket support, I would more likely buy an Indian because of the different image I would project as an Indian owner. So yes, image does so much to motivate buyers.

The older gentleman speaking about the Indian with the light green paint job reminded me of a couple years ago I was heading back from TOTD and pulled into a hotel and checked in. I went back out front for a smoke and that color Indian pulled up with light brown seat with matching saddlebags. I swear I sat out there for 3 hours staring at it. It was beautiful.

A rabid MotoGP fan with a fleet of superbikes - I've never owned an HD. But seeing Kyle Wyman beat Tyler Ohara in that incredibly close final lap of the 2023 King of Baggers race at Road America, with the intensity of screaming at the big screen monitor with the throng of beer toting pirates going ape shit behind me in the grandstand was overwhelming. If you watch the official video of that race you'll see Kyle lean his bike against the wall and run along the turn-5 fence high-fiving fans until he was was completely out of breath. Mine was the first hand he slapped and it was seriously one of the most moving experiences of my life. Made me sure I'll own a Harley some day, just to be a member of that camp.

Bought my first Harley in 1978. It was a ‘72 Sportster 1000 kick start only. I ride daily. I have owned Harley’s ever since. Every now and then I consider other makes and go test ride them. I even bought a BMW S1000RR and rode it for a while but kept a Road King and sold the Beemer. Harleys seem to be in my blood.

During the AMF days a friend on his CB750 struck up a conversation with a Gold Wing Rider at a gas station. My friend couldn't help but notice the large Harley Davidson Logo on the back of the Goldwing riders jacket and asked why. "I own a Harley Dealership but today i want to just ride and not work on a bike."

The amount of “profoundnesses” that sprang forth from you guys’ discussion in this episode was astounding - Bravo!!! 👍👍 From Southern California ~ Ride Forever! 🦅

Harley has been criticized for not advancing technically, but when they did with the V-Rod, they didn't sell.

I have never owned a Harley and possibly never will but I appreciate their place in our motorcycle history and hope they continue to be a significant player.

It's more than a machine. You don't ride specifications, but you do ride for the experience of it and Harley has evolved it's machines into a unique riding experience.

I have owned and still own many different motorcycles, off road and street for the past 45 years. One of my favorite current bikes is a 2010 Road King, that bike hustles faster on back roads than it should, glides for hours at 85mph and never wears me out....As a bonus I get to take all of my crap with me and have the choice of windshield or not, sissy bar or not, rear rack or not.

It's your roads, from my visits I can see how a lazy v twin would be really good. Europe's roads are very different, there are some US roads that are similar, but they're far rarer than the large, mostly straight ones.

One of the best discussions ever. Only thing missing was the influence of the outlaw motorcyclist phenomenon, which through Hollywood and TV has had a huge impact on Harley-Davidson's success once they embraced it instead of fighting it. But that's understandable since Cameron is more of a tech guy than a social studies teacher. 😅

Nothing else has the unique character and power delivery of a Harley Davidson.. and this is from someone who has never actually owned one. Ridden and worked on many. It's like no other. I get a similar feeling style from my Guzzi. But there's nothing like the click n roll of an HD. My favorite Harley engine (controversial) was the XB9R engine of course derived from the sportster line of things. 92hp light but had the best hustle and delivery and rumbles and shook in a way that made it feel like it was a living breathing animal. The 1200 version was not as good to me. Long live Eric Buell 😊

my last great scoot was a 1999 standard bagger only engine work was a timing chain at 200,000 km , my son rides it now.

The first time I rode my 2021 Road Glide Special I could not believe the torque and smoothness of the ride. The lower center of gravity made handling a breeze. I purchased a slightly taller windscreen and the riding experience got better. I added a Tall Boy Seat and Tall Boy handlebars and the riding experience got even better. I got some TAB Performance Bam Sticks and the riding experience improved even more. Now my riding time is a pure joy; the look, sound and feel of my bike as I go down beautiful country roads reminds me of all the other riders that have enjoyed their Harley’s for over a hundred years.

I love my Softail Heritage 114. Just put on some TAB chrome slip on exhausts. I skipped the bogus Screaming Eagle Street Tuner. The ECM on my bike adjusts for the aftermarket pipes. It runs a bit richer is all. The O2 sensors can handle the mod. Saved me $400. Now I do think the EPA is trying to kill the HD market with choking the M8 on emissions rules. The EPA is determined to kill the motorcycle market for cruisers.

Great show gentlemen As a life long Harley-Davidson owner, rider & enthusiasts, I was pleased to hear your insight on this sometime misunderstood subject. I think you hit this elusive nail squarely & fairly on the head 🤔

I have an 06 Springer Classic, it's a work of art but a good motorcycle it is not! The front brake is so bad it's bordering on lethal. I also have an XR1200 Sportster, it's powerful and fast (with the usual caveat of "for a Harley") but the suspension is complete crap. For me it's unacceptable that "premium" motorcycles need money spent on them to make them usable but still mediocre compared to other brands. I bought into the Harley dream/ lifestyle and regret it. I will never buy another Harley even though there are a couple of current models I like. My next motorcycle will be a Royal Enfield.

I learned to ride on an Electra Glide classic. An 08. Then I bought a 22 RG. I did stage 1&2. It’s never given me a single problem, it’s 101 hp on the dyno and 119 torque and me and my wife have a blast together on it. For a short time I had a tuono. I don’t miss it. Once I left the dealership I have never needed anything. I love it and I am going to ride it as long as I can. I will never understand the hate. I am always smiling and having fun on it, and I don’t know how that could be a problem.

Great episode!!!

I can't say I have ever had the urge to own a Harley. However I do recall one time walking through Sandwich in England with a group of friends probably around 1969 or 1970 and hearing this chugga, chugga sound coming from the old Toll Bridge as it was back then and around the corner comes an old boy on what I think was an electra glide. It was the most exotic thing we had ever seen. Back then most bikes were Triumphs, Nortons or BSA and anything above 500cc was a superbike. A bike with a 1200cc engine was mind blowing. Not many cars had over 1000cc engines.

KC has always been my favorite part of Cycle World! I have only owned Japanese motorcycles until a month ago. I bought an 07 Dyna with a 120R engine and it is a real beast! I like all bikes.

The Indian brand was popular even when there were no new bikes. Tee shirts for miles.

i never really wanted a harley till they came out with theM8.

There are people who like Harleys, and people who like motorcycles.

All of what was said is true but the appeal of Harley (older HDs) for me is different. Simplicity, power/torque at RPMs most people cruise, great mpg, aftermarket support, low maintenance (air cooled, one carb or throttle body, hydraulic lifters, belt drive, etc)

Great videos guys :) thank-you for doing these !

You guys are so right how design, color and texture is a major factor on resonating with a potential customer. I wasn't shopping for a new bike, but when i got a look at the 2020 1050XT V-Strom where the styling tied in design details from their '83-'85 GS1100/GS1150's, as well as their Dr. Big 800 rally- winning bike, and finally in the pearl brilliant white/glass blaze orange, which connects back to the Marlboro and McClaren F1 team colors, I got really interested. I've had a lot of Suzukis and had some of my best racing and riding experiences on them, so getting interested wasn't too hard, but it was the emotion of the design and color that brought me in, and all the technical and performance aspects sealed the deal. The same bike offered in RM-yellow with gold rims nearly makes me gag. Thanks!

"It's a life style"-my friend said that 30 years ago. Perfect. Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

KOTB Racing is uniquely American with Indian and Harley. Some have called for other manufacturers to be included but I am not one of them. I love the fact that it is distinctly American and we own it! Ride American Ride Indian!

HD makes a lot of money on Financing.. They sell their bikes on payment plans..

Never forget walking around Berlin and seeing a Ducati Diavel. Bike had a Mosco licence plate.

Interested to know percentage of foreign parts in Harley. I’ve heard by folx in the know say it’s upwards of 35 percent.

Thank you worth a watch.

Very interesting and enjoyable conversation. Thank you gentlemen.

So you know, Sportsters first received rubber mounts for the engine in 2004, not ‘03. My current bike is a 2023 FLHRXS Road King Special in billiard blue and it is amazingly comfortable!

Fantastic discussion, my passion started with the Triumph Bonneville 750 air cooled twin, I was 18, finally decided to get a sportster 48 after 30 years in the Ducati saddle, but was looked down upon, sold that bike, went for broke, called Combat Motors formally Confederate, now everyone wants to know if I built it and how much.

Are there figures on how many motorcycles of 250cc and above are registered on American roads?

In 1979 General Motors made 288,000 Camaros.. that's just one Model of car.. Not even Firebirds and Trans Ams...

Hd was big in my family, dad bought the first year sportster and only sold it when I was born(I wouldn’t have). My first was an sx125 that was technically road leagal even if I wasn’t allowing me to get my first job out of walking distance. 74 440 snowmobile which was a TrueType fine beast. 81 flt frame mounted fairing crazy reliable even the chain ran in an oil bath that if oil changed at the enigine lasted till I sold it in the middle nineties for the same price I paid for it in the first place. Bought the first evo sportster which I still have to this day(favorite bike)

At 50k miles my 2019 HD Ultra Limited destroyed its engine due to an inadequate oiling system . warranty is putting a brand new engine in. even at that I'm still 50/50 if ill keep it. Great motorcycles if you upgrade everything

Kind of. I think you're putting too much emphasis on the company as a whole, they still sell plenty of bikes and discontinuing Sportsters was a huge mistake.

I went through my Harley stage, never again!

Its the sound, fell in love with Harley's over 4 decades ago and I love throwing a leg over on my Harley Davidson today ...

What does it tell you when your podcast about KoB has the highest number of views?

What are those headphones.

How about an episode on the race/escalation of the big Japanese 4 cylinder bikes in the early 1970's? CB750, Z1, Suzuki GS, Yamaha XS1100, GoldWing, etc?

You're talking about Metric Cruisers not capturing sales. This is true, but I bought my 2008 Suzuki M 109R Boulevard about 12 years ago. I ride with many Harley riders, they all spent between $4,000 & $5,000 on their engines to hop them up. That's after spending $15,000 - $20,000 for their bikes, they still could not out perform my $8,000 suzuki! Things are finally changing with Harley, mostly to meet emissions, but this has also allowed them to get the performance they have badly needed to keep up and surpass the competition! They almost waited too long to make these changes in my opinion, as their sales were really waning in the past 5 to 10 years, they have came out with some really nice and powerful bike.

Harley Davidson is the worlds largest Cosplay business.

regarding Fueling, good ideas always become personal battles

Walking around a motorcycle show it's difficult to spot enthusiasts of Italian sport bikes, German ADV bikes or Japanese motocross bikes. Riding a dual sport is something you do but it's not part of an identity. Harley folks are different. They can be spotted from across the conference room floor. They embrace the lifestyle and it shows. It must be nice for Harley to evoke that kind of loyalty and commitment from their customers. I'm much more fickle about my purchases. The only time I remember buying the same brand of bike twice in a row was moving from a Can-Am TNT 125 to an MX4 370 in the 1970s. And I don't buy merch because my tee shirts now come from large tables at Costco.

Most of it is probably "monkey see monkey do." I've ridden my whole life and didn't get into cruisers until my late 40s. I like the looks, though they're so common it doesn't excite me. My first Victory was all about the ride and practicality. While HD at the time was put together with better parts like switchgear and hidden wiring harnesses, the Vic was a way better riding bike at the time IMO. Move forward to HD's M8 and now they got a 4 valve head that runs cool and strong thru the rev range. They also improved the suspension braking and frame along the way. But on top of being able to travel in comfort two up and handling well enough for a street bike, one of their best features that no one talks about is simplicity. It's so bloody easy to do anything to them. Change the airfilter with one bolt. I used to have an FJR and while it was fast (and buzzy), it required removing about 40 fasteners to get the stinkin Tupperware off it to do anything. And the Michelin Commander tires out now are sticky enough for as far as they can be leaned and last about 20k miles. If you actually ride a lot and don't feel the need to demonstrate how brave you are to have the most powerful bike on the Cycle World tech spec page, one could do a whole lot worse than a modern HD.

The sound of a heartbeat.... Thump thump....thump thump...?it does sound alive!

I've been around probably more Harleys than any other bike. I've never for a second wanted to own one. It's probably because I don't like noise and it seems like noise is mainly what they're good for. I love a quiet bike and even stock Harleys are not quiet.

99% of fishing lures catch fishermen, 1% catch fish. Motorcycles are no different.

I would love to hear more about Victory.

Fantastic....

Eric Buell , Project Nova ,, HD spent $116 Million to shut down the new Buell Factory .. Now they are losing Millions on the Livewire..

Great discussion. Prior to buying my first motorcycle, I always saw myself as a sport bike rider...that was until I sat on a used Harley-Davidson motorcycle for the first time at a small Harley dealer in 1999. The moment I sat on that Harley, I knew the Harley was the motorcycle for me. Since that time, I've owned six Harley-Davidson motorcycles (1 Evo, 3 TC88s, 1 TC96 and a M8). I've also owned a 2002 Suzuki GSX-R1000 and a 2002 Yamaha YZF-R1. The sport bikes rode well and I liked the sporty look, but they just pale in comparison to the beauty of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I currently own a 2006 FXSTSI Springer that I've owned for 17 years and a 2022 FLHR Road King. While the Road King is clearly more advanced than the Springer, and I love the Road King, there is something about riding that Springer that is special. The Springer is more bare bones motorcycling and impossible to replicate.

The R18 in my opinion did not sell very well because they designed a bike nobody over 6ft could truly be comfortable on, I know this because I tried for 6 months after getting one for a bargain. It was a bargain because BMW's other mistake was trying to sell a base trim cruiser for $17k you could not customize without taking out a loan. A true shame!

[non-Harley] Suggestion - Could you review the Best Open Class UJM of All Time, the GSF1200S? I have owned three Gen 1's, have raced them, built them, and toured Coast-to-Coast on them. Clark Kent in Stock configuration, the bike becomes Superman when slightly modified. What's the design history?

I like all types of motorcycles. Ride what you want. Harleys are great for cruising down the road. Comfortable on long trips. Very versatile to a point.

Nice for cruising, shit for fast riding. Different tools for different jobs

I have been waiting for Harley to produce an XR 750 for the street since the early 70s , i think it would have sold well .

thats why this time I bought the 2024 low rider st my baggers were too heavy mine cost 30k from maui with zero options payed cash. love it. big island been riding since the 70s my first true love was a XLCH I was a 14 kid riding on the back of the galloping gooses mc being friends from my best friends older brother. c ya

Can you please discuss Britten Motorcycle?

Demand has remained high with a few dips due to the economy. Sold millions of bikes. Sold billions in accessories. Sold billions of dollars in clothing and other merchandising. So. HOW CAN PEOPLE KEEP SAYING HD IS GOING BANKRUPT?

Be interesting to see how the buyers respond (in the long term) with the tv screen virtual speedo/tacho setup Couple that with the supposed ongoing expense to access the navigation, etc. RUB's will be the only riders left cosplaying weekend badasses. HD is the disloyal partner - it's basically saying stuff the traditional buyer - We want the luxury buyer.

I guess I have another comment that I don't really hear that often. I think Harley was very keen on connecting to. What a man wants and needs. They produced a product that was much like a canvas. Just appealing enough that could be improved. That could be better if I would just bolt this on it or for I would just change this or that I can make it better and then they sold you that.

200 hp Revolution Max engine in an updated VR1000 frame! I'll buy it!

I asked my wife if my 50 year obsession with motorcycles had anything to do with love. She said I was fooling myself if I thought it was anything else.

I have a theory about Harley’s appeal: dopamine. We return again and again to any stimulus that causes the release of dopamine. My Electra Glide is heavy, hot, noisy, shakes, has lousy suspension, is relatively top heavy, but I’ll be damned if I can get rid of it for, say, a new Gold Wing DCT or BMW R1250RT which I KNOW are more advanced motorcycles. My Harley produces feelings I can’t put my finger on except to say that riding the beast releases dopamine. What say you and your viewers? Nutty theory?

For your next live stream. Question: off topic. I learned it to be a windscreen. There are two words used. Windscreen Windshield Which is correct? Is there a difference? Richie, lives in Virginia Beach, VA Bronx Bros Motorcycles youtube Channel. A plug would be nice 😊😊

Tendy people buy em. " Ya I got a Harley". Now you think I'm cool.

I have no idea. They will never sell me one. I usually love these videos but not this one,

I knew from a young age I wanted a motorcycle that runs like a tractor and uses a Ski-doo belt.

Brotherrrrrr! I’ll stick with bikes that can perform.

Outside of the USA, (New) Harley Davidson's are a luxury product for people with deep pockets. They've been this for a long time, but the last few years has cemented this in place. No one in Europe buys a brand new HD as a 'daily rider.' It's all about sunny Sunday lunch rides. Worse, the image of HD riders in Europe is one of wealthy Dentists, Accountants, Computer Programmers, along with retirees buying one last luxury hurrah before the retirement home beckons. In twenty years time, the then young adults aren't going to look back and want to emulate their old childhood dentist.

I own a KTM1290S, but I'm getting close to retirement (comes to us all) and all of a sudden cruisers look like something I might actually want to own... maybe it's just the onset of early dementia.

Insecurity ig. Gotta show your supposed friends you're cool by buying something you can't afford & will never ride. Maybe I'm wrong. It'd be cool to see data on how many miles get ridden by every model bike

Been driving Harleys for 14 years. Mostly because they are great cruisers. Their big bikes lend itself themselves to long distance touring. Done it! Rewarding and frustrating .

2 harleys’ and they are great. Love to ride them. Love to hang out with them. Great quality. Great Dealer service. Most other dealers have motorcycles to sell. I also have honda. I love some of the things they do, but it is just a purchase. No ever ask me what I ride when I wear a honda hat. Everyone ask me when they see my Harley hat.

The evo and jit manufacturing saved (for a time) Harley Davidsons arse those 2 things AND selling "Walter Mitty" for 50 years.

If Chevy made big block Monte Carlos they would sell out

And today they’re not american anymore. so I bought a Polaris Indian. Simple. It’s better, too. HD5 bikes are not serviced here and not build in USA. Not that it’s better technically made in USA, but if I want a indian manufactured bike or a thai, I buy such a bike, not a Harley. The PanAm got excellent reviews by paid influencers, the bikes are sheit, international dealers have them standing flat in their shop. And you don’t see them on the street like any other chinese-italian, german, austrian, english big trailer. They might sell in the US, thx to the Brand, but the technical market in Europe has technical customers, not fools. The rider of that harley is looking for parts in that old defunct factory, unless he’s wasted all his money on parts and now needs to sleep on the floor protected by a defunct factory.

Didnt the japanese cruisers die because of the tariffs? Isnt the only reason harley stood the test of time and indian didnt was becase of the government?

There are no Harley rallies in IOWA lol.

Victory was some great bikes... Really really good bikes... Their Vision still is amazing. Bummer they got flushed down the toilet...

Royal Enfield, in 2023 sold 920,000 units(!)

Imagine being able to afford a new Harley from bagging groceries.