As a 17 year old who currently rides a Triumph Speed Twin 900, in my opinion Harley should bring back the Sportster, but with an advanced “441” engine available(~30hp higher than other Harleys, with hidden liquid or oil cooling). I walked into a HD dealer and they tried to sell me a brand new Heritage Softail(have a TINY bit of daddy’s money), however I left and got a new KLX300SM instead(then traded(not evenly) later for my new Triumph), this happened when I was 16 and had only passed the MSF a few days prior. Note that I’m a little “sport bike” bitch boi and not the standard Harley rider size or masculinity level(not small, just used to ONLY playing video games and RARELY having to pick Bonnie back up).
I own a CFmoto 650NK (in New Zealand) and will test ride the X500 soon. I love the Chinese motorcycles. My local Ducati/Triumph/Kawasaki dealership is my CFmoto Agent and the service is excellent. Living in the Asia/Pacific region i prioritise quality Chinese products over items from Indonesia/Vietnam/Pakistan/India
I'm gonna say HD probably aren't interested in catering to the entry level market or new riders. They and a lot of their users seem to be convinced that Harleys are aspirational vehicles that everyone will eventually want to buy. I wish them a very pleasant buyout from Royal Enfield or Polaris in a few years.
I agree with you about HD's preferred focus. HD feels this is where their strengths are. And this is why I disagree with the video premise that HD offer smaller displacement cycles. Leica isn't criticized for a lack of low-end cameras. The crucial difference is that Leica is with this approach while HD's circumstances are increasingly problematic. I think HD should stay open to the idea of smaller displacement cycles. But more power to them if they pull a rabbit out of the hat and come up with a way to stay high-end only.
Would it make any sense for Harley to buy/start up a second "minor league" brand for smaller, cheaper motorcycles? Like how GM has Chevy and Cadillac? Or Honda/Acura or VW/Audi? Could Harley introduce a second brand to serve as their Chevy/Honda/VW while keeping their flagship models all labeled as Harley and held in Cadillac/Acura/Audi-like esteem? The top models from their minor brand could run the full-sized Harley engine, but just be stripped down on comfort/tech stuff. Or vice-versa... include 90% of the tech but then also require buyers to step up to a "real" Harley to get the full-size engine if Harley still wants to keep the label of being the big manly man company.
Totally agree. There's a ton of people in the millennial generation and younger that would love to own a Harley but nope out when they see the price tag. We can barely afford a place to live, don't make it any harder for us. And gtfo out of here with the financing thing, we're not all financially illiterate.
I took my MSF course this year through Harley Riding Academy, we were told that here in the US, the X350 is only here to replace the Street 500 for the Riding Academy. Also, Harley salesmen will tell you anything they sell is a beginner bike.
I watched a very interesting video from MC Rider where he topic was listed as something like "Harley riders are the worst riders". Of course I had to watch that! His theory is that so many young and new riders grew up around Harleys and that is the only brand they want. But Harley doesn't offer a "beginner" bike, mostly because they can't sell them. So this brand new rider goes out and buys an 800 pound Harley that is way too much for them to handle in anything except a straight line. It was interesting.
It is a good thing! I'm happy to see these companies like HD and Triumph coming out with these smaller displacement bikes. More affordable and practical, good competition for a lot of these other companies that have been coming out with smaller displacement bikes for years now. Also, Harley doesn't exactly have a good choice for a beginner bike with the Nightster being their cheapest new bike for around 14 or 15 k, so these bikes would be great for them to have as an option
I went to the HD dealership to pick up a part for my 2005 Sportster 1200 custom and there was not a new Sportster under 17k. The floor was loaded with bikes and no one looking except me. I believe HD days are numbered. Oh, a T shirt was $50!
@@RiverRat1953 Geez! Didn't know it was that bad! Who in their right mind will buy a Sportster for 17k?!! The only bike from HD I'd be interested in is the Low Rider ST, but it's just too expensive for me to justify the purchase. I'll stick to my cheaper bikes that I can outfit to be able to do the exact same thing
@@spitescorner also the guy at the dealership that I bought mine from basically says they don't hardly ever see them come back in for anything mechanical. most of the repairs that aren't caused by the actual owner are electrical but Even then they don't come in with those issues more than any other brand that they sell. I haven't had a single issue.
Reminds me when I was a kind in the 90's, hearing a certain.. demographic... talk about japanese cars as unreliable. "Jap Crap" was the phrase thrown round. How does that opinion land today? Aged like milk. 😆 That same demographic happens to be harleys core audience. But here's the thing, that's not the audience these new bikes are targeting, so, it's kind of a non issue what they think. It's not like they're gonna sell up their Road Kings in disgust and never buy another full size harley is it? So, why don't we have both? /el paso kid
I can imagine them missing it, lol. Personally I have no idea why they didnt make a 883 adventure after seeing some of the custom built sportster adventure bikes.
That lump of an engine is to big and heavy for an adventure bike. What the should do is bring back the 750 revo x and build a midsize,light, adv bike around it. Without all the trills and spills from the PanAm.
There will be a ton of used HDs on the market in the next decade as more Boomers dump them. However, they will be skipped because of HD dealer repair rates.
Took the MSF course over the weekend at my local Harley dealer, they had the X350 as the trainer bikes, the instructors said they will be used for 3 years and then destroyed as they aren't street legal in the US. With that said it was a fun little bike, but I opted to use the street 500. this bike certainly is not a Harley, but I'm sure some will slip through the cracks and wind up on the streets
Biggest thing with this is if they do bring it to the US, they need to follow it up with a major culture shift in the dealership. Test rode a Buell in 2003 for my second bike and was told I didn't want that thing... 5 years later went back to test ride a (sadly not well known) VRSCR Street Rod and was once again told I don't want that thing. Harley sales people only know how to sell Harley's to old guys only getting older.
we have the 350 here in the dealerships. had them for a while, but they are for Riding Academy use, not for sale. But a lot of us agreed that if HD made one of those bikes, but with the 975 motor of the nightster, we would buy one on a heartbeat.
Australia has a pretty similar geography and demographic to the USA. Our license requirements are under 660cc for the first two years and then you need to re-test for your open class. I am pretty sure we are going to be a test market for HD with the X500. I can't see the X350 doing well though. I could be wrong on the 350 though. Sydney and Melbourne are sprawling urban areas similar to LA and the 350 might be a choice as a strict commuter bike. The other cities tend to be more suburban and have a lot of hills around them, quickly transitioning to rural areas. You need a bigger engine for that type of riding. I am excited to see how it goes even though I ride a Sportster S and am not personally looking backward.
I agree with almost all of your comment, but Australia absolutely does not have a similar demographic to the states. The difference is that (35 year old from Ga) you are literally shamed by Harley riders for riding a bike that isn’t a Harley, unless you are one of the people here that ride another brand. Spite and a few others have channels that receive good views, but the market in the States is absolutely dominated by big Harley Davidsons, and we are almost programmed to only think of Harleys as motorcycles. Harley can charge so much because they are selling a lifestyle and an identity. We really don’t have any globally competitive motorcycles made here. Our entire country can’t come up with a moto GP entry. As a whole, we aren’t interested in good motorcycles. I ride a GS Boxer personally. Spite rides imports too…. But we are a really low percent of the population. Every other country I’ve been to looks at bikes differently as a whole. America is weird.
@@adammfharris nah, mate he's right. As an American who's lived/been all over in the States and spent a year riding around and working in Australia, the demographics are pretty similar. No doubt there's cultural differences, but we're more alike than not.
Actually, there’s quite a lot of Harley bashing in the States. For myself, I see the value in all bikes and find that people typically compare apples to oranges. Spite is right about the price points. Many hardcore Harley riders, including myself, buy used bikes due to the second mortgage, indentured servitude and the act of parting with a kidney that you have to go through. I wouldn’t mind a brand spanking new Harley, but my 2003 Fat Boy is pretty darn spectacular as far as cruiser riding experiences go.
1000% Harley needs to bring in a more affordable option for up and coming riders. There's a reason when I went to my nearest Harley dealer I bought a used MT09 instead 🤣
Agree with every word you said. I think the Rebel 500 is the ideal bike to compare to. When people ask me what bike they should first buy, I always say Rebel 500. It is plenty to live with, easy to learn on, and provides enough power that you will last at least a few months before getting bored. It also has enough aftermarket support so people can get into the idea of modifying. The fact the harley does not have adequate competition to the rebel, or the lower MTs, or *insert name of asian bike here* is a monumental fail and always has been. I think it shows in the sales numbers. You treat someone exceptionally well when they have no money, they will remember you when they have more.
I am an MSF coach at a Harley dealer and our new training bikes are X350s. The X350s are only here in the US as training bikes. I will say, unless they will be offering better seat options, the X350s will not sell well. They are unbelievably uncomfortable, tall and short riders alike. I am 6'3 and put 35 miles on one for break-in. I could not wait to get off of it. My other shorter coaches who were also riding one felt the same, so it isn't the height issues. Its not even the more sport bike riding position. The seat is like 1/2 an inch thick and the suspension is incredibly stiff. Think unloaded heavy duty truck. Unless they make changes to the X350 or the X500 is different, no one will want one from a comfort standpoint.
I liked the 500 and 750 V twins. The china parallel twins will probably be OK bikes. But the reason I would not touch them is the HD dealers and how they treat people. And the way the HD cult fan boys will treat everyone riding one of these with derision. I don't don't need that crap in my life. HD's biggest problem is Harley owners.
I don’t really believe in the term “beginner bike” the first bike I rode was a 78 shovel 25 years ago. The first bike I bought after 25 years of not riding was a 2020 street glide. You can learn on anything, as long as your comfortable with it in your head. The only problem with Harley is price point. As far as Harley’s business decisions……that’s Harley’s business. Great video!
I ride a GL1100 it’s been my first bike for almost a year now, part of me wants a smaller displacement engine (EDIT:or at least a couple less cylinders) bike to try some things out on and hone skills. As long as it’s reliable and easy to wrench on the country of origin isn’t an issue.
P twin is a parallel twin ,never heard it called that before, thought they had something different,I bet it has 270 crank like most of the parallel twins
HD is like the guy who must quit smoking or hell die- but keeps on smoking. HD knows what must be done, knows it will benefit them, are capable of doing it but REFUSES to.
Priorities bro, a harley is cheaper than a house. Just kidding I hate the way Harley is run. At this point I am a boomer but I’d never own one due to some of older owners attitudes. You know the stereotype I mean
Don’t worry, it’ll be priced $10k+ what it’s actually worth, break down frequently, be disliked by Harley folk, and non Harley riders won’t want anything to do with it. Likely another Harley “success” like their electric bike.
I like buying old bikes and restoring them for little money and riding them. You can find some serious gems out there man. Old bikes are great. Don't think you need to run out to the dealership and finance a brand new bike.. Plus then I sell them and I get another one and then I do it to that one every year
I got to ride one of these motorcycles before they were officially rolled out as the new beginner course training bike at Harley. It was fun to ride actually. If they bring them to the US market I’d buy it but maybe only used not brand new at Harley pricing
I think the x440 which they made with Hero is a truer Harley. Idk why they wont release that instead of the x350. It literally makes you feel like youre riding a little Harley.
My favorite bike ever is a 1980 XT500. Singles are a lot of fun and have a lot of character. Think if Harley had made the SV650....but nope. Seems like the people running the company are in a weird cult sometimes 😂 😂
i think one of the problems people have is the push for evs they are afraid of buying something expensive thats gas when they dont know if it will be legal in 10-15 years
Harley should be making smaller displacement bikes similar to the Nightster but less aggressive. I test rode one and although it handles perfectly, it's still a bit forward for a beginner rider to feel confidence without really getting into a forward stance. This is coming from someone who owns a road glide.
For those in the US, yous should look into the Sinnis Hoodlum/outlaws and the Keeway V cruise/super light. Think these look more like Chinese Harley Davidsons. Would be interesting to see HD do something more in those style bikes with the small engines as opposed to the naked style bikes from Beneli
I would have bought a Bronx even though I don't like that name for a motorcycle. I thought it was the best looking H-D. I think they should do one better than bring a foreign made H-D. They should rename the Bronx and release here with a 500cc engine.
I feel like if they do sell these in the states, it's just going to be the same issue they had with the Street series. they'll barley sell, if at all mostly in mediocre numbers to enthusiast that want to ride a HD that isn't "really" a HD, or the beginners that aren't brushed off by the brands insistence that an 1200 sportster is a "beginner" girls bike. They'll fill spots at the MSF course, last a few years and die out like the streets did. HD just isn't concerned with new riders cos the retiree's still buy the 30k road glides every year or two, once they stop getting retirement checks, if they're not floating belly up in the water they'll throw back out the 883, or they're revive the street series at double the price
Totally talking out of my butt, but. Steal as much intellectual property as they legally can, build them in the US, up the fit and finish a little, make a 500 scrambler and street and bring it in just under 8K. Have the P&A to make them more sporty and/or hooligan. Have two Harley’s already but would totally buy a US made Harley scrambler for 9K out the door. Hey I can dream can’t I ?
I live in central America there are a lot of Chinese bikes here the Freedom line which is Chinese knockoffs of Japanese bikes like the Honda Rebel 250 that have been around since the mid 80s and some adv bikes that look a lot like the African Twins to name a few are really popular and cheap. I was told that most people buy them and ride them for two or three years until it falls apart and then they junk it and go buy another one. You are right this is one of the issues with stuff now and since the 80s stuff is not made to last. In the past people repaired things and use them for decades they are throw away now and that the governments fault they pushed it on the people. What is funny is there are people complaining about the amount of waste and the government backs them up but it is these same governments that encourage a form of consumerism that promotes a throw away society because things are make with a built in experation date so you purchase again and again instead of purchasing once and it lasting for decades. I am not a HD person so I do not care if they do what everyone else is doing, but you asked "Does Harley Davidson need a better entry level bike?" Yes, I do not consider any HD bike an entry level bike.
Mercedes Benz had a similar issue in the 80's they realsied their buying demographic was dying out due to the cars lasting so long and being so expensive that the young crowd did not buy them. They then in the 90's decided to produce the smaler C class and A class cars. Where they really on the same level as prevoius MB no but look at them now, it got the younger crowd in and it drove sales up and allowed them to keep making expisive models like the S class.
the watercooled sportster shows us that we are ready for an entry level single cylinder harley. They have to compete with CF Moto, a big stick to measure up to!
HD needs to get them when they start, because whatever brand they start with, They tend to stay in that line! I love Harley, But when I got my first bike it was a worn out 175 Harley Scat!!! Yep back in the day, Harley had little bikes and they had the Sprint that was a 250 and they had a little 65 starter bike. You have to get them a chance to learn to ride on something that isn't going to kill themselves with. I have a Softail Slim and it is not a beginner bike! When I passed my test and got my license, I got it on a 750 Norton, and it was tough and the guys on the little 250s and 350s They were Zipping through the cones while I was really having a hard time. Now in the real world the old Norton was great! But for someone learning to ride you need something that was not going to get away from you and light enough that you would not drop it if it got off to one side. I wish Harley would really come out and try to Compete in the smaller bike market. They make great bikes, but they need to get people in when they are getting first bikes. They have to build future markets!!
Harley ditching the Bronx/Bareknuckle naked bike was a massive mistake. The PanAm shows they can make serious moves into new markets. These things are a great thing for the brand. Your average new rider can't drop 14k for a nightster. The majority of people who will be angry about this are the exact aging demographic that will die off in 10 years anyway.
I am not savvy I guess as I don’t see how this affects my owning and enjoying my road glide, why I might be mad about it. I chose the bike because it’s the one I want but I like the whole line really and there’s a ton of other makes and models that I think are great. I’m not sure I need anything else from them now, it never lets me down. Maybe being a fan of most motorcycle models to some degree or another and not of the mind that it’s the only one worth having makes me appreciate efforts to put out new things by Harley. But I agree with you and I think the bikes look like those old flat track models too, kind of cool. You have the right idea spite.
There are so many cheaper alternatives to Harley which are better options. However, I haven’t drank the koolaid, but I can at least understand that when you buy a Harley you’re buying into a lifestyle. That being said, if you’re a new rider and want a cruiser there are MUCH cheaper and better built examples that can get you your “outlaw” card.
You’re mistaken. There may be cheaper options, but not better. And I think you need to go back and look at everyone else’s cruiser prices. Don’t compare a rebel 500 to a fucking road glide and talk about cost. So goddamn tired of this retarded argument.
You know how you dont kill motorcycles? By adding a smaer cc for new riders. The ole ones are dying off. You need to create a new market for new riders. Price point is amazing. I love this move. Harley needs to add more smaller ccs bikes. Love this by them!!!❤❤
Well said Spite, the Brits didn't adapt to the changes brought about by the Japanese, now the British brands are owned by the Indians, who are doing a phenomenal job. Now, Americans need to adapt to what the Chinese bring to the party, because they are only going to keep getting better... it's insane to put a new rider on a big bike. I followed a guy on a V-rod this morning, it was painful watching a guy ride a bike that was clearly beyond his capabilities. Start small and build your experience up, to get to big ...
Harley should sell everything they make or put the Harley badge on here in the states. They can sell a cheap entry level bike without having a negative impact on the sales of their softails, baggers, and other higher dollar options. In fact this will create new Harley riders that start out on the 350 or 500 and eventually want to upgrade to a bigger bike. If they are happy with their first Harley experience, they will upgrade to another Harley. Todays new rider is tomorrows buyer of a geezer glide 😂. My first bike was an 883. I'm currently on a softail slim, and at 50 its about time for a bagger (aka lazy boy on wheels)
Spite isn't a young, new rider with a limited amount of money and experience, but I am and I've thought about all of these things. I think the biggest problem with Harley's are affordability and they need to thin the hurd. Royal Enfield is finding success in cheap, classic, and reliable motorcycles and Harley could do the exact same thing but they keep looking too high for the market and think they can only compete with indian and triumph in terms of modern classics like playing catch up with the Sportster s and panamerica to compete with the scout and tiger. They need to bring back the 883 at a cheap price to take from royal enfield and to get people with less money into the ecosystem and give these bikes a warranty to sweeten the deal. They also need to focus their lineup and trim the fat, so best idea is to bring back 883, keep sportster s, keep low rider and heritage softails, only keep one of the glides, and keep the panamerica. Finally, they need to introduce a middleweight sport bike with or without a fairing to compete with mt07s, r7s, triumph tridents, etc so they can actually compete with the big four as even they are losing sport bike sales to naked bikes that are more comfortable.
Harley D. In the USA dont want a small displacement and affordable bike, even one, in their range. Because they fear those big ticket bikes will loose sales. I bet because those buying a HD many are just going for a bike with that badge.
I agree on the price point of Harley I bought my sportster S December 31st of 2022 the next day they were up 1,000 . Now I can afford it because I have a decent job for my age and I still live at home. But if I had a house payment there’s no way I could afford both without sacrificing food, water or electricity lol. It would be a monthly battle. I don’t intend to sell mine anytime soon I’ll eat ramen everyday if I have to.
It would be nice is a huge company didnt just buy rebranded bikes from Asia, nothing against them. I owned an SG250, but I'd like some investment in engines and designs that are unique to the company. Harley and Triumph could build a kickass 400cc engine if they wanted. They just dont want to spend the money.
its just a rebadged Benelli Leoncino 500, i rode one a few years ago, was a genuinely good little bike. people dont like change but its a good cheap entry to harley
Make a video on Harley x440 which was launched last month in India. Its made by Hero Moto corp and unlike Benelli-Harley it's made from ground up together by Harley & Hero to be Harley only and not some other rebadged bike like Benelli.
I’m a bit crazy. I’d love to have a street Rod 750 for around town. Right now they seem happy with the 975 but I see the logic in a smaller bike, especially for their own schools
They defiantly should offer some entry level machines and some affordable bikes that working class people can afford , they seem to not care about anything less than a bagger
Id love a harley. Even the resale value says im buying japanese and history shows the bike wil likely cost less over its life as well with reliability.
This is how economics work nowadays. China has good stuff available it's not all crap. But it does include good partnerships. The only sad thing is that how the workers can be treated I guess. I do hope a union will sort that out. And I think HD should do this as well. As a Cardo user and owner myself. It costs something, but very well worth it.
Neglecting entry level customers by straight up just offering them chinese badge jobs only ruins brand reputation and i considere it a straight up fraud. Cant imagine Porsche or Mercedes executives being comfortable with selling rebadged chinese SAIC cars. Some buyers may be gullible and delusional enough to believe they just bought a Bargain Porsche/Mercedes, but that doesnt make it reputable or prestigious.
Why wouldn't Harley not want to do this. They need a true small urban bike. If they price it right it will sell. It's kinda like a gateway drug. Get them early when they are a new rider.
I have said for years Harley needs to take some real risks and see it through to the end. Harley had a dark horse with Buell but between not really letting Erik loose on design and the showrooms shoving them in the corner and not wanting to sell them they lost out on what could have became a real market opportunity. The street line was a good idea but poorly executed in finish in my own opinion. Love they took a swing with the Pan-American and the streetfighter (Bronx) has grabbed a ton of eyes if they ever actually pull the trigger. The Livewire definitely turns heads like the Vrod did. Yeah it’s not the typical Harley rider but that’s the idea. Take some swings man, yeah they all aren’t home runs but if you don’t try to evolve eventually you will run dry.
My only concern is reliability . I do hope HD brings them and are successful. It could finally wake up HD to the idea that they can in fact target new riders with decent offerings.
Harley is like number seven or something in reliability... lol. if you cared about reliability youd buy a Honda or Kawasaki. Harley is LOW on the reliability list
@@SummitCoyote I DO OWN Kawasaki's. But I can own those and still want HD to make reliable entry level and intermediate bikes that are not standard baggers.
I've seen vids on a Harley 440, but that may be India. The new Triumph 400 looks like a slick beginer bike that's something under $6K. Made in India with a Chinese motor, I think, but everybody I've seen comments on how top-notch the fit and finish is on the bike. Oh, and I remember the symbolic day Japan freaked everyone out with world economic takeover when they bought the Empire State Building in the 80's. Instead, they now eat more KFC than we do, which is an exageration other than Xmas time, and make fantastic motorcycles
This is what happened to the British motorcycle industry in the 50’s and 60’s when they laughed and disregarded the Japanese motorcycle companies and we all know how that turned out.
I don’t see why this would make any Harley person mad - I’m one of them. They can make stupid bikes if they went. They won’t sell in the US but hope they sell in other countries that like them.
yhee, the x500 is the exact same bike as a benelli leoncino 500, frame, wheels, mirros, except the tank and sit, and as a leoncino owner the gearbox is shit so beware for future buyers
Harley once again doing the absolute bare minimum. At least Triumph bothered to design their new 400's from the ground up, rather than just slapping a fender and some stickers on a Bajaj Dominar 400.
I've worked in Benelli, most Benelli bikes are rebadged QJ and they are bland, generic, and boring. The only tech feature you get from it is ABS and to think, this is Leoncino 250, 500, and 800cc we are talking about, their flagship bike. 😬 But damn, that price tag is undeniably attractive. Benelli is a good beginner/starter bike.
To be fair, the wave of Chinese scooters that came in set the tone for "reliability". They were (and in some cases still are) horrid. I agree, though, that things are much better now especially with an established company doing QC on the bikes. When I was a kid people thought Japanese cars and bikes were crap. The Japanese motorcycle industry kept improving and now they are considered some of the most reliable. I also agree Harley is too expensive. I'm middle-aged so I can actually afford one (barely), but I don't want to. They really aren't worth the price - a lot of it is paying for the name, and dealers selling over MSRP has to end.
Not sure what these Harley Badged China Motorcycles are going to be priced at in Australia ( or will be). But Considering what say a regular Harley like a low rider is priced at in the USA, you can almost double that price for the Aussie Dollar equivalent. May be these ones will be cheaper and more affordable to the masses. Which would be a good thing ?
Harley-Davidson should make lower CC motorcycles for the newer riders in America I know lots of riders that would get one. I would even think 🤔 about it for a run around bike for in town
Hello Spike...totally agree with you...Bert's barricuda has several of the trainers for sale and the last time I went to buckeye powersports they had six 500 on the floor...love you brother
I’m interested in getting the 2023 yzf-r7, I’m 5’10 & 160lbs and mostly plan on riding daily but sometimes on the backroads. I’d be switching over from a 370z w/ 16mpg and I was wondering if you would recommend it and if so some good dealership’s in the Austin area
I would still like to see the Bronx come out. Or alternatively a 900 cc version of the Pan America. Hydraulic lifters are an engineering marvel and a gift from God, proving that he loves us. For truly shim under bucket valves are the work of the devil.
If harley wanted to sell motorcycles instead of a lifestyle and premade aspirational cosplay characters, then yes, these entry level bikes would make sense.
Reasonable try at the Stralian accent Spite 5/10. Any 90hp/70 ft lbs motorcycle is to way beyond too much for a 1st time bike owner I don't care what anybody says I won't change my mind.
also the 975 is not a beginner bike, and officially, HD does not have a beginner bike. and that is a big mistake in my opinion. the XL1200 and 883 were not beginner bikes either. a Honda Rebel 500 is a perfect beginner bike, and HD should have something to compete in specs and price. but I know I am dreaming.
I have the solution. I'm not reading the entire comment section to see if anybody else has the same idea, if so we're both geniuses. Harley needs to create a new sub-brand. Let's call it Sportster by Harley Davidson. Yes, it's a total rip-off of the Scrambler by Ducati concept, but it will preserve the sanctity of the HD brand in regards to foreign manufactured entry-level products that everybody is so certain to be the object of derision and a massive and constant source of embarrassment to both the owner and HD as well. The basic premise is that HD offer the X350/500 models in North America branded as Sportster X350/500 with no HD badging as well as at least one additional middleweight Sportster branded model (probably 650cc - 750cc, 270° P-Twin, something like a Rebel or Vulcan S). A design similar to the Rebel and CL500 would be a no brainer to allow for a few variations of cruiser, scrambler, flat tracker, etc. The existing "legacy" Sportster models would retain their HD badging and exist in a liminal space as the top of line Sportster models in marketing literature; the.lower priced bikes would have only a Sportster badge and individual model designation. It's basically an exercise in badge engineering like GM did with Geo in the '80s & '90s. It'll establish the traditional HD models as a sort of Cadillac tier in their lineup and create space for outsourced products in a distinct entry-level tier that won't upset the HD brand prestige.
Bring it. They need a true entry level motorcycle. That Sportster 975 it's too much motorcycle for ANYONE learning the ropes of riding. Just don't expect me to pay H-D prices for a Chinese Benelli.😒👎💩 Not a chance.
