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Vracktal |
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Vracktal World Chat Champion
Joined: 04 Oct 2012 Karma :
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Posted: 00:27 - 31 Jul 2018 Post subject: Harley Davidson courts the not-cruiser audience |
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So Harley have got around to teasing their offerings for 'Operation our-traditional-buyer-base-is-dying-oh-sh...'
https://i.imgur.com/kXVS7w0.jpg
Four new bikes in the works; a new touring bike called the Pan America, a naked cruiser-y thing called the Custom and a naked bike called the Streetfighter. All three will use a new 1250 engine. The fourth model is a new electric naked bike called the LiveWire.
No word on pricing or specs yet, but the Pan America is ugly enough to capture my interest and I *do* live near one of the few H-D dealerships in the UK.
More images and stuff here > https://www.autoblog.com/2018/07/30/harley-davidson-pan-america-streetfighter-cruiser-concepts/#slide-7386680 ____________________ 2007 BMW R1200R: On road
2009 BMW G650X Challenge: On road
1975 Norton Commando 850: Off road, awaiting recommissioning
Last edited by Vracktal on 14:04 - 31 Jul 2018; edited 1 time in total |
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mentalboy |
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mentalboy World Chat Champion
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arry |
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arry Super Spammer
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MCN |
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MCN Super Spammer
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rpsmith79 |
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rpsmith79 World Chat Champion
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mentalboy |
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mentalboy World Chat Champion
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BrownTrousers |
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BrownTrousers Trackday Trickster
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Posted: 13:01 - 31 Jul 2018 Post subject: |
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Don't like the look of the adventure-y one at all.
Don't mind the naked ones looks-wise but given the likelihood of high prices and low performance, i'm not sure why i'd go there rather than the many established naked offerings from Yamaha/KTM/Triumph/Ducati ____________________ Bikers make great organ donors - add your name to the register
Ducati Multistrada 950 | Triumph Tiger 800 XR | Honda CBR500R | Yamaha YBR 125 Custom |
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Polarbear |
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Polarbear Super Spammer
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rpsmith79 |
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rpsmith79 World Chat Champion
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Wonko The Sane |
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Wonko The Sane World Chat Champion
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Polarbear |
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Polarbear Super Spammer
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recman |
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recman World Chat Champion
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
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waffles |
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waffles World Chat Champion
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Suntan Sid |
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Suntan Sid World Chat Champion
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Posted: 16:38 - 01 Aug 2018 Post subject: |
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I'd be interested to know if any of those bike above weigh less than a Sherman tank, can't see it myself! ____________________ "Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!" |
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stevo as b4 |
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stevo as b4 World Chat Champion
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Posted: 18:28 - 01 Aug 2018 Post subject: |
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I guess legislation and having to make things reasonably ergonomic and comfortable for their customers prevents them going back to American custom Bobber style bikes. But not just bobber style but pure uncompromising bobbers with no pillion provision, no mudguards, air cleaners, indicators or chain guards etc.
But if they did, if they could then you'd get lighter faster bikes that would perform better and look better or more true to the original style and history. They should make bikes that are as comfortable or as useful as serious road bikes as a KTM 125EXC is.
Oh yeah, and Polarbear's point about people wanting to see the mechanical and engine parts when looking at their bikes, I never thought about that in relation to electric bikes though?
I guess if that's how people still feel about naked bikes then yeah a cased in electric motor under a plastic or carbon fibre panel will never cut it enough to sell to the masses. Maybe they should bolt on a Vance&Hines drag pipe and a set of Keihin smooth bore flat slides to every electric bike?
Thing is it's easy to think that modern era bike people are like modern era car people. The idea of lifting a bonnet (if you really have to and can't find a way to avoid it at all costs) and see nothing but a big plastic cover with four rings or a three point star suits most of these people to the ground. |
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MCN |
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MCN Super Spammer
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Johnnythefox |
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Johnnythefox Traffic Copper
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Wonko The Sane |
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Wonko The Sane World Chat Champion
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hellkat |
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hellkat Super Spammer
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Posted: 21:07 - 02 Aug 2018 Post subject: |
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Thats a nice colour ... ____________________ Not nearly as interesting in real life. |
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Polarbear |
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Polarbear Super Spammer
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Posted: 12:11 - 03 Aug 2018 Post subject: Re: Harley Davidson courts the not-cruiser audience |
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It really doesn't do it for me.
Maybe it's because I know that under that plastic is a rip roaring, snorting electric motor
Whereas
https://motovoyager.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Honda-GoldWing-2018.jpg
under that plastic is a flat 6 1800cc engine that is adorable ____________________ Triumph Trophy Launch Edition |
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 13:30 - 03 Aug 2018 Post subject: Re: Harley Davidson courts the not-cruiser audience |
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Polarbear wrote: |
Has anyone been able to make an electric bike that looks good though?
To us bikers the engine is part of the aesthetics, even on a full faired tourer like a GoldWing. When an electric bike manufacturer actually gets their product to look remotely pretty they might have a chance of getting bikers onside. |
Polarbear wrote: | It really doesn't do it for me.
Maybe it's because I know that under that plastic is a rip roaring, snorting electric motor
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Electric bikes will never be for me, however pretty they make them. I understand it for the younger generations who are facing more of the consequences of pollution etc, and the fact that the world is determined to see the back of fossil fuels.
But my generation has lived with the ICE for all our lives and it's what I love. Looks of a bike are one part, but I lose interest when a bike doesn't have that beating heart, with engine and exhaust noise telling you it's alive and (hopefully) well. They're my comfort zone, if you like, and one I'm not willing to leave. It took some adjustment to get used to LC engines after air cooled, ffs ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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Wonko The Sane |
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Wonko The Sane World Chat Champion
Joined: 20 Jan 2013 Karma :
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Posted: 14:46 - 03 Aug 2018 Post subject: Re: Harley Davidson courts the not-cruiser audience |
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chickenstrip wrote: |
Electric bikes will never be for me, however pretty they make them. I understand it for the younger generations who are facing more of the consequences of pollution etc, and the fact that the world is determined to see the back of fossil fuels.
But my generation has lived with the ICE for all our lives and it's what I love. Looks of a bike are one part, but I lose interest when a bike doesn't have that beating heart, with engine and exhaust noise telling you it's alive and (hopefully) well. They're my comfort zone, if you like, and one I'm not willing to leave. It took some adjustment to get used to LC engines after air cooled, ffs |
I get PolarBear's point that the engine is part of the bike, bits visible by the fairing or through the fairing, but the Zero looks more like a bike than the harley offering, at first glance the Zero looks like a bike and a moment later yes, you realise that it has a big box of battery and a motor out of an industrial power drill or whatever.
Chickenstrip, I agree with you to some extent, My ZZR600 always felt like a machine, that there was something about it making it more than just a tool, my Hornet in comparison feels very bland, a capable tool, but no character. I may one day have an electric bike as I use my bike mainly for commuting so cost is a large factor, but a bike for fun, I'll be getting something with lots of oily bits, possibly older than me but possibly not. ____________________ Looking to pass your CBT / Bike tests in Bury Lancashire? try www.focusridertraining.co.uk Would recommend.
They're also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-Rider-Training/196832923734251 |
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stevo as b4 |
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stevo as b4 World Chat Champion
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 17:40 - 03 Aug 2018 Post subject: |
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stevo as b4 wrote: |
I'd be ready now for an EV car, (as a daily/commuter) I absolutely don't want one as a project car or hot rod or track day car though currently. Same again with bikes I'm ready now to commute and do mundane A-B riding on an electric bike or scooter. |
Actually, I probably could live with EVs for commuting, shopping etc. But not for proper biking, i.e. riding for fun, touring, sport and racing (if I raced). It will be sad to lose all the evocative side of the ICE: noise, smells of oil and fuel, fettling and servicing an engine etc. There's just so much more to it all than just being on two wheels for me. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 5 years, 267 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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