A noiseless Harley really .
 

I have 3 harleys and a Goldwing . But I think Harley is getting desperate. They refused to put the the vrod motor on a touring bike when they had the Mt Rushmore project ,which was a blunder in my opinion , their reasoning was that it would have alienated their base riders .OMG a water cooled touring bike the Harley world would have crumbled to dust. I would have bought that in a heartbeat. But they now have this. An all electric bike.
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...s/electric.htm

Really.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

"Loud pipes save lives..."

Everyone who rides one of these will die, I guess. But who am I to resist progress?

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Never been a believer in that . People dont hear or see fire trucks with lights and sirens going. Cars are so sound proof now that nothing gets in over the phone calls.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

That's no Harley. That's, an abomination.
You know they have that Formula E racing car series so you can expect there to be a series for electric bikes too I imagine.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

No appeal what so ever as a member of Harley's customer base. I see no relation to Harley or why I ride them. Not knocking the bike, but might as well be a Kawasaki or BMW. They were afraid of change with a Vrod powered dresser then blew their mold for this. It seems they want to change their customer base

"Expecting not to be seen or heard saves lives"

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

You could have a duck tape electric cycle instead...haha..https://www.foxnews.com/auto/police-...icle-duck-tape

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Silent Gray Fellow, Flathead, Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead, Evo (blockhead to some), VRod, Twinkie and now....."The No Head"? That'll take some getting used to.

Lets face it, Harley has been twisting in the wind with falling sales for a while due to the younger, upwardly mobile crowd wanting to be more hipster than biker. Least around here.

When the Shovel came out the purist Harley owners lost their minds for one reason or another but mostly because it was change. A sports equipment company had taken over our beloved American motorcycle company because it couldn't adapt. Right?

I still ride my jockey shift bowling ball FLHP proudly. For if it wasn't for that "stop gap" abomination of a motorcycle, there would likely be no Willie G collection or H.A.W.G. to speak of 30+ years later.

About a month ago while in Hollister, my son and I were trail racing. He on his '01 KDX 200 and me on the San Diego built Hawg ('97 ATK 350). I was keeping him in front of me (as I didn't want to roost him with my incredible speed :lol:) and we were moving at a pretty good clip when all of the sudden out of nowhere, an orange flash blasted by us roosting the both of us with close to 50# of terra ferma.

I was pretty bent to say the least.

Later, the boy and I were talking about it and realized it was an electric KTM that had just doorzed the both of us. I still can't figure out if I was pissed because I didn't hear it coming and it scared the bejeezus outta me or because it smoked the both of us without issue. It was ridiculously fast though!

Now... before the flame job starts, let me say that I have no intention of ditching my Shovel and installing a charging station in preparation for my new "Headless" bike :lol:

I just hope that this newest iteration of the "bowling ball bike" - the Live Wire will allow the company to chart its own course and adapt for the changing market yet still have a little something for us older hang arounds who still shift by hand and clutch by foot.

Rest assured, if they don't get the jump on it, someone else will and playing catch up seldom works in the favor of the catcher upper.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

There are new companies making or developing electric MCs and Harley is just remaining relevant as well as playing to it's younger and next customer base. They have been trying to gain younger riders for decades, if not forever... Hummer, Aeromacchis, 883, Blast... What gets me is they already took a leap forward with a kickass cool sport bike in the Buell and they dumped that. Now they bring a sport bike back for their leap into electric power. Customer base? Must be a whole new one because nothing about this nike says Harley to me. I guess us lifelong loyal customers of all these decades of change have become so irrelevant were are being kicked yo the curb. It's not that I dislike the idea of an electric motorcycle. Makes total sense, light and efficient simple form of transportation. I just don't know why they aren't kicking off their electric platform with a Harley instead of something they don't make.

Also, MCs are the least of our concern when it comes to fuel efficiency. We have had 100mpg MCs since the '60s if not longer. I use so little fuel with my pumped up Harley I never give fuel a thought. I get on and ride all day on 5 gallons. I couldn't afford to do that in a car that's as quick

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Only 40 minutes to charge it 80% or 100% charge in an hour. That's one heck of a pit stop if you can find a place to charge it. No Thanks!

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Eric Buell had a great idea. But sold out to HD and they killed it in a few years. My son has a 1200 Firebolt. I have a Springer softtail, Fatboy and my glide. The only one that didn't have any engine issues is the Fatboy. The Springer grenaded about 6 months after the warranty. The 2012 ultra I replaced all the cams tensioners and cam plate with Zippers . At 30k the HD stuff was about to grenade too. I like them but have come to realise they were made for the weekend rider . Not a serious touring rider. You should see people's faces when I tell them the ultra has 50k on it. Then they tell me their Classic that's a couple of years older than mine has less than 10k on it. The last time I went to Sturgis I was amazed by all the touring bikes on trailers.

The wing has 45k on it and all I've ever had to do was change the oil and new tires bike is still under warranty. My wife's bike a Yamaha 1100 classic has 77k and again just oil batteries and a valve adjustmen

Another company that screwed up is Polaris. Killing off the Victory to make the Indian to go head to head with HD. Victory were selling well and the guys that bought them had no intention (or were former HD riders) of buying a HD.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

You could sit on it and make vroom vroom noises.

Chris beat me to it. The only thing that may be kind of cool about that bike is that electric motors have a lot of torque instantly and can move you fast. (Think Tesla) It might give you a ride that you won't forget soon. But it is ugly.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I wouldn't own a twin cam for that whole cam drive junk. Upgrade or blow the motor in way too few miles. They got it right with the Evo. It's a great motor. Many of those out there with high miles. Many long time owners with high mile tales to tell. My '90 FLST has been a very reliable bike. Only been to Sturgis once. But I was a victim of poor manufacturing. There was a short time span mine was built in where they had issues with the cast-in case pinion bearing surface... or high porosity in the left case. Depends on who you talk to. Crankcase oil was able to transfer over to the primary case. I changed inner/outer primary gasket a few times (w/best gasket available). Now I know why, it was taking crankcase pressure and is not vented. I'd be low on oil, top off, next time was overfull. Finally ended up with the black death, cooked a piston. What upset me is there was no word on this what so ever. I feel I should have been advised (before doing a total top end/cam job at the tune of $3k! They say the number of defects was below the amount required by law to warrant a recall. Like there is nothing in between? "You can buy one of our crate motors for $3k. It's a good deal". Well, I didn't spend $3k on my motor to end up with stock. I had a $6k motor! They would have sold me a left case with my VIN in it... and leave me with a total rebuild. I said huck Farley and had S&S build me one to my specs... $6k. I love it!

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I have 88k on my twin cam in my glide. I hotrodded it a bit when new. It's been a good bike and still runs great.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Just put a playing card in the spokes!!!

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Maybe your supposed to ride it and make the noises yourself?

Vroom, vroom... plub plub plub plub, vrooooom vrooooooooooooooooooooom.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I can't hear most twin cam dresser motors with the way they blast the radio. These folks today seem they can't go anywhere w/o blasting that annoying radio. Not a fan, but maybe these will come with one. I just enjoy the experience of riding and listening to her run. When you've ridden close to half a century w/o a radio you don't feel like you need one. Just the rider, the bike, the road, and the wind in your face!

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Yes the Buell. Pretty slick bike right there. Always wanted one.

A guy on my crew has a Victory and I can see why. Lots of reliable power in what I would consider a legit package. Probably run circles around the Company.

Ridiculous torque. Precisely the reason I won't be buying one. Don't need both of my shoulders dislocated at once!

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Well, at least its a harley without the hideous Vtwin exhaust sound, so thats one good thing it has going for it.
Otherwise, like everything else Harley makes, F that thing.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

:lol: Why don't you tell us what you really think ? At least it doesn't run on rice :lol:

I'm just going to call it a Hardly Davidson . :chevy:

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

If you don't like that you can buy one of their peddle bikes that they are going to start to make !!!!

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Hideous, huh? Everyone has their opinion. I guess that's why the Nippons have been doing their best to emulate it for the last 30+ years. To me it's an All-American sound, like a modified Chevy small block wound tight. But some do like the ying ying or swarm of skeeters sound

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Gotta love the 45 degree spark wasting one jug hittin harder American scooter.:flagw:

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

The only silent Harley should be a parked one.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

My question about this bike is this. How does it mark it's territory? :lol::lol:

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

:lol: And I was thinking it doesn't look like a Harley, it doesn't sound like a Harley, doesn't smell like a Harley, doesn't feel like a Harley. Does it taste like a Harley?

Also... What? No p-pad vibrations? How'm I gonna get any? LOL

I know I know, I'm an old stick in the mud anymore. A member of the past Harley generation. I used to catch crap for my Evo. This was a long time ago. I had a tatoo'd up and down long braided hair biker at a bar jam his way into the conversation I was having with a pretty lady who asked if I had a bike because I was wearing my leather and I said "Yeah".

Biker: What kind of bike do you ride? (this was wintertime. No one was riding)

Me: Kawasaki. Then turned my back on him (sitting next to me/girl on other side)

Biker: That ain't no motorcycle.

Me: You're right. I was messin' with ya. I ride a Harley (turned my back)

Biker: What kind?

Me: 1990 Heritage Softail (turned my back)

Biker: Evos ain't no Harley. They're for rich doctors and lawyers.

Me: Not all bikers from the '70s are burnouts. Some are now doctors and lawyers. (stared right through him)

As you might imagine that set a different air about the room. He didn't look too happy. In fact, looked kinda mad.

I said, "Look buddy, let's be cool. We're all here to have a good time. We're all brothers here"

Things seemed to settle just as it was about to get ugly and I carried on with my coed conversation

All ths Harley talk calls for a picture

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

:lol: That's what I was thinking. My dad made me put a pan under mine when I parked it in the garage.

As far as the p-pad goes, you're out of luck, Tim, if you buy one of those.

If it doesn't say "potato, potato, potato" when it idles, it ain't a Harley.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Brothers, if it don't mark its spot with good old 60w. It's not a harley

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I really like this statement.

When I was younger I thought if I was ever to own a harley I’d have to get some tattoos and stop showering. Now that I’m older I think in order to keep my scooter I need put on some weight( because everyone knows you’re on the level if your bubble is in the middle) and ride with one hand on my lap( this seems to be trendy).

My road king has a little over 44000k. I replaced the stator and regulator a few years ago. I opened up the other side a couple years ago to look at the cam tensioners. Lots of folks were warning me that I better replace them or upgrade them. They looked pretty good. I hope I didn’t just set myself up.:uhmk:

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Nice Dou-Glide. I had a '63 for a while. Was that taken when you hopped off? No spot!

I was wondering what they'll call that electric one, Electric-glide? Naw, too close. Wire-Glide? How about Hummer? They could bring that back.

Also wondering if cops will be issuing tickets for no mufflers

I guess those will all be click start

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Livewire. Wow even the name is corney.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I think it looks cool. Im not really a fan of riding sport bikes though, way too uncomfortable for me.

Guess Harley shouldn't be selling these anyway because their customer base wont like them. I think that's fine as long as their customer base keeps buying a new bike every couple of years. Looking at some of the cool bikes posted here though just shows folks keep their bikes for a pretty long time. That's going to make it tough on the bottom line for Harley.

Last time I bought Harley was in 02, a nice Road King Classic. I rode it all over the country, literally, (putting a bike on a trailer is beyond silly to me). Never had a single problem. I'm sure a lot of the Harley base were up in arms over that bike too ... Its not a this, or not a that! Doesn't even have a jockey shift!!!

When I first bought it I used to keep it in the shop at the office. I always got to the office before everyone else so I would just move it outside so as not to be in the way when everyone came in. Not long after I got it I came in and there was oil on the ground underneath ... Ahhhh! Turns out my boss poured it under there before he left for the day, figured it would be hilarious haha!

Ok, that's all I can contribute to Harley talk today =)

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

No oil under it. I just pulled it out the garage for the pic. If I don't put a pan under it it gets pretty ugly. But it helps keep the dust down on my dirt road. Lol

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I should have asked that, "Did you just wheel it out?". If you had just hopped of it the first drop would be there by the time both feet were on the ground.

I've been watching Harley's customer base evolve through the decades and pretty much be changed now that my generation seems to have become irrelevant. We always looked up to and modeled ourselves after the older guys. That ain't happening with the generations since. They could care less what we did or how we did it. Shorts and sneakers used to be taboo, for one. Still are and always will be for me.

Bikes are different. It has always been common for riders to hang onto their bikes for a long time. It's also been common for riders to own many bikes. So I don't see long time ownership as hurting Harley. Where do you think all these old Pans came from? It's common to find riders retire from riding but can't bring themselves to let that cherished ride go. They stash easy. My buddy has this '40 WLD he's the second owner of since he got back from 'Nam. He seldom rides her but will never let her go. He rides a '72 Sporty. Jimmy's are the last two pictures

This may be my favorite picture ever of myself and my bike. Taken by my son at a very young age, obviously, from the ole '71 Custom Camper. We were headed back home down I-70 after a camping trip in the mountains in my good old days. I tried resizing it on P-bucket and shrunk it by accident and now it's grainy when enlarged. I still love it. I need to dig the print out a scan again

Attachment 1931487

This one is also special. It was in a bike show

Attachment 1931508

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I see the whole V-Twin cruiser bike thing as a niche market. Focusing on that one segment seems like a recipe for disaster. Especially when the demographic, that the style most appeals to, is dying off.

Harley doesn't have the advantage of diversified product lines like many of the other small engine manufactures. They have to broaden their customer base. I don't see them stopping production of their bread and butter cruiser bikes.

Of course they shot themselves in the foot before. I went to the dealer and test road a Buell. I would have bought it but the dealer personnel seemed to look down on the product and Harley didn't seem to support it either. They certainly didn't spend any R&D money on it.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I don't see what all the hoopla is about. My 2000 Road King is noiseless. Oh wait..... forgot I can't hear. :lol: One of my employees just bought a used ultra Classic and with the pipes on that thing I can sure hear it. I think it would wake the dead.

Picture of both of them

.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

No matter what you think about Harley Davidson they’ve been around for over a 100 years. In my estimation they have done well at selling motorcycles. They are expensive because people want their products. I don’t know that this new bike will hurt them.

When I was young I owned a Kawasaki because I wanted to ride a motorcycle and not be pigeonholed as a biker. I didn’t want an image. Then when I had an opportunity to ride a harley it made sense to me. I think it was more that it is made in my country. An American machine riding American roads. Kind of like the old truck thing.
Personally I have an affectation for shovelheads
Most of the fellas i know have new bikes. Some are posers some are serious about and authentically appreciate motorcycles. I find myself judging people’s motives which disturbs me because I really don’t and shouldnt care why other people like what they like... a bit of a snobbery or I’m better than you.
“Live at peace with others” or another way to say it is “live and let live”. Wear your leather jacket even if you don’t ride a motorcycle, I don’t care.

I like what a fella from here had in his signature “ Thou shalt not be an a$&hole”
I miss seeing Larry Mays posts.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

Two words in the name of conserving energy and modernizing spark.... Single Fire. Still one jug hitting hard though!

Or straight 50 when ridden in the Winter. Mine didn't leak till i got married for some reason. Never from the case halves. I made sure they were perfect when I built it. Its always the breather or the check ball in the pump when its sat for a while.


Ive rode the Shovel to all of the dealers around here as they have come....and gone. Always holding out hope that each parts department would take a little time to help find parts for me. No dice. I guess its like every other dealer though. One its out of warranty, its yesterdays news.

Same for when I was looking at an S1 (Lightning?). I thought that bike was the coolest thing and a bag of chips. The sales guy didn't even want to talk to me about it. Said something like "a big twin is where its at". Told him that the bored and stroked Shovel by the door is mine but it probably don't handle like this Buell. Guess he had enough of me. he gave an eye roll and walked away.

I really hope that this new bike gains them some new customers because you're right, the demographic is well... dying off and their customer service for anyone who isn't dropping money on a Screaming Eagle dressed Street Glide is terrible.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

I hear the dealers don't service Evos anymore. I wanted to replace my rear fender and wanted Harley sheet metal. I have a 1990 video tape of a worker at York doing the final buff before paint. I toured that factory around 95/96 and a robot took his job. Anyway, the fender I bought in '92 was about $125 and when I went to order one in about '10 they were $300+ and the guy said, "The sooner you let me know the better. It could take a while. They come from overseas". Well screw that. What that means to me is that is not a genuine Harley part that is coming from the same factory as Custom Chrome and all the others for half that much

Buyers aren't dying off, they have already evolved into the next generation. The old hard cores generally were not the new bike buyers anyway. When Shovels were new they rode Pans and knuckles. Evos came out and they were riding Shovels. By the mid-'90s is when you saw them riding new bikes. Look at what they sell now, factory customized bikes. for all the little Jesse James/OCC wannabes.

This electric bike only goes to show how Harley is good at changing with the times, same as when the V-rod came out. OMG! A liquid cooled Harley? What's the world coming to? That ain't no Harley. The exact same thing you'll be hearing about the Livewire :rolleyes: < Sorry, the rolling eyes is required in order for me to type tat hokeyass name. How about Pigtail? :cool: A reference to the hog, it's an electrical term, and the old school riders with... ok, ponytail not pigtails. But what about appealing to all the lady riders? Now that is a whole new segment of customer base this conversation has failed to consider. The customer base is still there and going strong.

I'm with Kingsolver on why to ride Harley. It's an American survivor with a constant link to the beginnings or motorized transport when riding in fowl weather was not much better in an automobile and they had as much of a foot in it as did the cars.

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

K, I don't know about all dealerships but in the early 90's I was working for H-D in San Diego and they would not work on or stock parts for anything older than 10 yr. old. I've owned my 58 for 40 yrs. I will never sell it. I don't ride as much as I use to but I still love the old Harley and Indians. I guess it's the 60w. running thru my veins. Many years ago l was involved in a head on while on my bike and today people made me nervous, they don't pay attention. I love your name for the electric bike (pigtail) that's great. RIDE SAFE

Re: A noiseless Harley really .
 

That 10 year limit is probably about standard. They only want clean easy to work on stuff, even when it's still the current engine. It might depend on the owner's interests. My local dealership , at least used to be, is different. They are, or were, involved in drag racing, had a machine shop, and did engine building, as well as custom fab and would work on most any of them. Probably only the nice stuff worth good money. They also raced an XR750 flat track and worked on others.

I'm more concerned with mt safety these days. Mine needs some brake work and the one thing I never got to was upgrade the brakes to match the power (custom-built S&S 96"... by S&S). So it's been waiting for funds. I want dual discs up front, so lower legs, too. I want to do that even if I never ride it again. Because if this is my last bike (unless I get rich and can collect antiques to putt a little) I'll be hanging on to it just because. Can't imagine life w/o one.

I'm older and wiser and the general public is not. My only time going down was when I saw a carload of young fools haulin' butt toward this 20mph 90 degree turn I was approaching from the opposite way (road into town). As anticipated, like many other fools, they came straight at me at the curve heading for the cornfield. I swung wide so they'd shoot behind me (inches), my radius was screwed up, and I was foot down around the bend just off the pavement. There is an sloped asphalt driveway where I came to a stop. Problem was, my foot got kicked back by the edge of the driveway just as I was about stopped. So no foot to put down I did a static drop onto my elbow and trapped my leg under the bike that was on the uphill side. Very little damage to the bike, split my elbow open, and made me glad I avoided being t-boned.

I forgot to say in the last post, my friend's brother works at the York plant in final testing. He told me yesterday that Pigtail (:cool:) has caused quite a stink with the workers. As you could figure, many work there because of their love for the Harley, enjoy the work, and take great pride. Many are demanding to not be put on building that bike, refusing to. How about that?