HD - The power of the Test Ride

[Clovis]

From the Harley-Davidson sales guide...

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Hd-Manual-1.jpg

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/HD-Manual-2.jpg

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/HD-Manual-3.jpg

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/HD-Manual-4.jpg

[TinkerinWstuff]

wow, who knew there was thought behind a sales process

[Grand]

Oh wow, nice find. This really doesn't surprise me. Looking at the harley website alone, it's near transparent they're selling an image for attention, not bikes.

[Ghost]

Oh wow, nice find. This really doesn't surprise me. Looking at the harley website alone, it's near transparent they're selling an image for attention, not bikes.

That's true for anyone selling anything. Whether it's iPhones, Ducatis, Hondas or Ferraris, most of the time they're selling you the image or "lifestyle" more than the actual product. And, fwiw, Harley sells image and lifestyle better than nearly anyone else--at least most other products are worth buying, HD only has image.

[Grand]

That's true for anyone selling anything. Whether it's iPhones, Ducatis, Hondas or Ferraris, most of the time they're selling you the image or "lifestyle" more than the actual product. And, fwiw, Harley sells image and lifestyle better than nearly anyone else--at least most other products are worth buying, HD only has image.

I'd agree to a certain extent. I do believe those who are truly enthusiastic about something don't have or need someone to sell them on it, however. And they most definitely don't need an image to help sway their purchases. I imagine a proper motorcycle enthusiast seeing possible purchases as appliances only, no image involved.

That belief alone gives me a little hope considering how many people looking for cool come to motorcycles for it.

[CaptGoodvibes]

The bikes might not be fast but they are very high quality and a pleasure to ride. True story.

[Clovis]

Harley riders = attention whores IMO.

Not all of them, John K has a Harley and he's the exact opposite.

My cousin is a few years younger and owns a Harley Softail. When he showed me his bike it consisted of idling in the garage and lots of revving.

A few months ago I ran into my cousin and his girlfriend. I stopped for gas in Woodland Park on my way to Deckers when they happened to pull in behind me. Lots of revving.

No helmets or gear beyond jeans and some boots... ugh! Don't want to deviate from THE IMAGE!

Which reminds me, I came across two other Harleys that were abandoned on the roadside that day. Here's one Hwy 67 (the road to Deckers). I saw another one abandoned under an I-25 overpass. I really outta take more pictures and start a collection of abandoned Harley pictures.

http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x469/jdharward/Fort%20Collins%20Sept%2024%20and%2025%202011/IMG_1424.jpg

http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x469/jdharward/Fort%20Collins%20Sept%2024%20and%2025%202011/IMG_1423.jpg

[CaptGoodvibes]

Well, I rode plenty of 350 mile days when I had mine and never had a problem. Most of the time I was solo and ATGATT.

Of course, I met more than a few couples that rode together on one bike that thought 10 miles was a long day so...

[Clovis]

You're the exception then. John K, who is a good friend of mine and one of my favorite CSC'ers to ride with has a Harley. He and his girlfriend were on the Harley and stopped for gas (riding by themselves) when another group of Harley riders pulled in, each trying to out rev the other. John told me he felt so embarrassed and hoped that people watching didn't think he was with that group.

Then again, squid sportbike riders do the same shit. One only has to go as far as the "Shell" station in Colorado Springs on any summer weekend night to see them squid crew.

[CaptGoodvibes]

I love the bikes for different reasons than why I love sportbikes. But I was never willing to go on group, 10 under the limit, rides with other owners. Someday, I'll have something like this.

http://www.storzperf.com/images/1200SP.jpg

I tend to be more open minded than most...

[Grand]

You're the exception then. John K, who is a good friend of mine and one of my favorite CSC'ers to ride with has a Harley. He and his girlfriend were on the Harley and stopped for gas (riding by themselves) when another group of Harley riders pulled in, each trying to out rev the other. John told me he felt so embarrassed and hoped that people watching didn't think he was with that group.

Then again, squid sportbike riders do the same shit. One only has to go as far as the "Shell" station in Colorado Springs on any summer weekend night to see them squid crew.

Good point to bring up. Sportbike riders have their squids, cafe racers have their hipsters, harley riders have their try-hards.

I do feel sorry for genuine harley enthusiasts though, with all the stigma and generalization. I imagine it's similar to being a guy who tracks his mustang or camaro every weekend still being thought of as a member of the majority of owners.

[Clovis]

This guy tagged along with me, Jkol and Immortal on our way back from Nederland. We were on I-70 and he followed me all the way to the Denver Tech Center area. Passed me doing 120+ a couple of times before giving the peace out sign.

http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x469/jdharward/icyhot1.jpg

It's riders like this that I'm sometimes hesitant to tell people that I ride sportbikes, because of the generalization.

How the general public views "sport bike rider":

http://www.squidbusters.com/pics/squidpics/1.jpg

While we think of ourselves like this:

http://www.clbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/motogp-2011.jpg

[CaptGoodvibes]

I wear #11 jammies. :p

[stubbicatt]

Back in 2003 or so, at Deckers, in the days when I drove a Buell, I pulled into that general store there, and the parking lot was absolutely full of HD bikes. There was one sportbike guy already there, on his Ducati. There was really no place to park, but one spot near the door to the store. I mean there were rows and rows of those bikes in the parking lot and people coming and going.

This Rube parked on a new, or nearly new, HD with loud pipes right next to me in that lot. He kept giving me and the Ducati rider a serious stink eye. Mind you, this guy has on new leathers and chaps, and his bike is very nearly new, so I had him pegged for a newby.

Slowly slowly, the others start philtering out of the lot in pairs and 4's and what not, and it starts to open up a little, but stink-eye over next to me just keeps glaring at us, won't speak to us, and it was a little strange but soon we just ignored him and continued our convo about the day. Then ole stinkeye fires that garden tractor on two wheels up and starts blipping the throttle! Keeripes, we couldn't even hear each other!

Well others in the lot start to notice this guy revving his engine and glaring at us. This goes on for an unnaturally long time, then he drops it in gear and, I think, heads for the exit which can't be 15 20 yards away, straight in front of him. But no. He decides to thread his way around that parking lot blipping the throttle.

Now EVERYONE in the lot is looking at this fool, who keeps glaring right at us and blipping the throttle, going slowly around the lot. DucatiDude sort of hunkers down and looks at stinkeye, and starts moving his right hand/wrist in a mocking throttle blipping gesture. This REALLY gets old stinkeye, and he starts blipping with feverish abandon while circling the lot.

Now, by this time pretty much everybody but stinkeye knows what's coming. (As he is circling that lot blipping the throttle his clutch is getting hotter and hotter and hotter) and.... bam! Back wheel spins up in that loose surfacing and DOWN he goes on his right side. The bike stops running and everyone in the lot starts cheering at this fool, whose new leathers are all dusty and dirty and his muffler (if you call it that) broke off. He picks up his bike alone, nobody would help. Starts it and leaves making a te-poketa te-poketa te-poketa sound as he limps on south!

A couple of the other HD guys come over and we all are shaking our heads and sharing a laugh. Folks continue to leave, and Ducati dude and myself continue further south. It is in that long straight that we see ole stinkeye limping along and we are going well north of the ton, and we split him on either side. I look back and see his face in my mirror and I remember that look to this day.

Life has its ups and downs, and if you are a fool on a throttle blipping Harley in a scree covered parking lot, there seems to be more "downs."

[Cornfed]

I agree with everything on this post. I appreciate the lack of bashing and generalization for any group of riders.
I, like most of us, just wanna ride. After spending all my money pretending I was going to be a real racer someday. I sold my track bike and went back to street riding. However, 20 miles of Iowa straights broken up by 2 corners gets old real fast

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb390/cdavis981/7430_1249316552081_1204483988_736422_6301696_n.jpg

So I sold my 03 Liter bike and changed gears. In an act of shear curiosity I bought leather chaps a black biker jacket, some cool dude glasses, and a pair of boots, all to go with my brand spankin new HD Nighttrain.

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb390/cdavis981/DSCN0413.jpg



I did 13,000 miles in a year, including Sturgis, several local rallies, weekend trips, bar runs, poker runs, bike nights, etc. all drenched in my toughest biker gear. I did everything I could short of joining the local El Fosteros to truly give the "HD lifestyle" an honest shake.

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb390/cdavis981/IMG_3794.jpg




What I found is that there are tough guys, pussies, dirt balls, businessman, assholes and angels on every type of bike. But the bike does not make the man. If you were a standup guy before you through a leg over it, you will be a standup guy after you throw a leg over it. Grand is right,

Sportbike riders have their squids, cafe racers have their hipsters, harley riders have their try-hards.IMO the try-hards are much worse than the squids.


Ive decided I like the buzz I get from dragging a knee more than the one I get from doing a shot and hitting the road.

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb390/cdavis981/rossi.jpg


Either why I respect my brothers on two wheels and will share stories about some asshole in a cage, or that ride in the rain, or the epic trip to black canyon with any of them.
For what its worth I have to say the advice we give every noob is good advice for life. Ride your ride.

[mxer]

Excerpts from the sportbike sales guide:

-Greet customer and get to know his riding level. Whatever his or her level is, inform them that riding anything less than a liter bike will brand you as a pussy and is unacceptable.

Test Ride

-Make sure customer has the proper gear. Keep spare flat brimmed hats, wife beaters and DC shoes on hand in the event that the customer is not fully prepared.

-Whatever bike they choose to test ride, ensure that an aftermarket slip on muffler is installed before the ride. This will create a "look at me I'm riding a high performance machine because my eardrums are bleeding" image to those who are around the test rider.

-Create routes that involve slow and congested roads. This will encourage the customer to excessively speed and weave through traffic and will help solidify the "asshole" image.

-Whenever possible, hire a our local prostitute to accompany the test ride on the back of the bike. Ensure she has a wide ass and tiny thong. Make sure she has the proper gear as well, stilettos work great on foot pegs.


(I ride a SV just poking fun at squids)

[Ghost]

Ride your ride.

My only issue--and I've met my share of good and bad riders on any bike--is that the "Harley Mentality" tends to set in when there's a group of them.

I don't mind that they're riding 10 under the limit in a massive pack. It's their bike, it's their style, fine, whatever.

What I DO mind is that when I try to pass them they suddenly decide to fuck with me, block me, wall me off, give me the finger and generally become complete cocksuckers.

Ride your ride, but don't fuck mine up.

[CaptGoodvibes]

What I DO mind is that when I try to pass them they suddenly decide to fuck with me, block me, wall me off, give me the finger and generally become complete cocksuckers.


That is a problem.

I once had 4 guys on sportbikes try to cause me to crash my Harley by buzzing me in my lane on C-470 south going about 100.

The animosity between riders of different kinds of bikes really pisses me off!

[CaptGoodvibes]

Like if I was driving a BMW M coupe and started fucking with a guy because he was driving a truck or a Town Car. It doesn't make any goddamn sense.

[Bueller]

I wish I had the room and the $ to get a Harley. I doubt I would ride in any groups that I didn't know because they can be douche bags just like the sportbike riders with something to prove and piss poor attitudes toward other riders that don't ride the same kind of bikes they do. Hypocrites ride all kinds of bikes and they aren't all so called squids, a lot of them wear leathers and helmets.
Seems to me anyone on the outside looking in on a group of leather wearing, wanna be knee draggers hauling ass, breaking laws, would be of the opinion that that lifestyle is pretty fucking retarded.

[rforsythe]

that that lifestyle is pretty fucking retarded.

Of course it is. That's why we like it.

[TFOGGuys]

http://youtu.be/RRnSrhpKW6E

[asp_125]

...
I don't mind that they're riding 10 under the limit in a massive pack. It's their bike, it's their style, fine, whatever.

What I DO mind is that when I try to pass them they suddenly decide to fuck with me, block me, wall me off, give me the finger and generally become complete cocksuckers....

I don't mind that they're riding 20 over the limit passing on solid yellows in a massive pack. It's their bike, it's their style, fine, whatever.

What I DO mind is that when I try to pass them going down 7 when they park it in the corners they suddenly decide to fuck with me, block me, wall me off, give me the finger and generally become complete cocksuckers....


:doublefinger: {j/k}

Oh wait.. that's me parking it in corners. :D

[asp_125]

That is a problem.

I once had 4 guys on sportbikes try to cause me to crash my Harley by buzzing me in my lane on C-470 south going about 100.

The animosity between riders of different kinds of bikes really pisses me off!

Y'know, that was the ONLY Harley I've ever seen with zero chicken strips.

[Sleev]

What I DO mind is that when I try to pass them going down 7 when they park it in the corners they suddenly decide to fuck with me, block me, wall me off, give me the finger and generally become complete cocksuckers....



http://public.bracketeers.com/images/challengers/1301271328jennifer_lopez.jpg
what J-loh said.

oh that's distracting