If Harley Davidson made sport bikes, would you get one?

[It'sThatGuy]

If by 'sport bikes' you mean something like Honda CBR, Suzuki GSX-R or Yamaha R1/R6, those bikes are really very serious and single-purpose, almost a racing bike for the street. Of course you know Harley developed as a company making racing bikes, starting with wood-track racing of 100 years ago, going through flat-track racing of the 1950s/60s. But what was a 'sport bike' in those days was different.

Buell makes real sport-bikes, meaning more general-purpose bikes that are sporty and fun to ride, and you ride them to have a good time, not to push the envelope and beat someone else's time by a tenth of a second. The V-Twin engine is more general-purpose in that it doesn't sacrifice everything for raw horsepower in a narrow powerband. Buells are very popular and I could see owning one someday.

Harley is a victim of its own success. They make cruisers and their customers don't want to see anything too new or innovative if it changes the look and 'form factor' of the bike. Even the V-Rod, a total departure technically, has to look like the air-cooled, rigid framed Harleys of old. They have almost become antique replicas of themselves. So it's not just that they don't want to compete with the Japanese at what they do best, but they CAN'T. If you want a GSX-R, you're going to buy a GSX-R.

[BartS]

already is one The V Rod, and the Buell's

[otizzle]

Like the Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and ect. models

[strech]

Naw, not what I'm into. But if you are that's fine as far as I'm concerned. Unlike some others here on YAs, I feel everyone has a right to ride what they want.

[ChoppyC]

I might but it wouldnt take me to long to shove that motor into a ridgid frame! CHOPPERS RULE!

[mushki]

Why not, if an american company were to make a bike that fit what I was looking for I would probably be willing to even pay a slightly higher price for it as well. What I am not willing to do is buy a bike that is so far off the pace in terms of performance at a premium price to boot.

Those that state the buells and v-rods are must have never taken either those bikes or a mordern sportbike out for a spin. Even the new Buell, you know the one with the rotrax engine was so far off you could not even call it a sport bike---sporty bike maybe. Just like a ford focus is sporty or a skirtster is sporty.

[$andman]

like a buell or v-rod?

[ninebadthings]

It's called a Buell. You bet I'd like to have one, as long as it's the one without the antique harley engine. The one with the rotax engine looks very interesting, a ray of hope for the united states making a motorcycle that isn't just a recycled antique reproduction made for peope who are easily impressed and know little about mototcycles. Lightest bike in it's class and horsepowr numbers quoted from 122-146. Respectable enough for it's first year.

Of course if they put the harley name on it, they would have to charge three times the price and parts would be out of this world.

[dmatryxx]

They do, and...no.

[TheFreakShow]

They do, and I own one. I love my Buell.

Very soon my GSX-R1000 may be traded in or sold so I can get an 1125R. The rumor is that the '10 model year will bring full bodywork and that's what I'm waiting for.