2014 Harleys H2o cooled

[Dave]

Originally Posted by elvis

I am curious why and how people develop so much hatred towards a M/C brand.

Inferiority complex?

[dshelly]

Somewhere along the way people have had bad experiences with either a certain brand of bike or a certain person who rides a certain brand of bike. An so in that persons mind, that bike sucks and will always suck until the end of time.

[KURT44]

With the radiators in the lowers, do they have vents in the lowers? Just looked at the 2014 ultras on the HD website and nothing said about liquid or any kind of cooling besides air cooled.

[manban9888]

Originally Posted by elvis

I am curious why and how people develop so much hatred towards a M/C brand.

There have been jack asses on Earth since Adam was dumb enough to taste the apple instead of Eve's ass. Harley is so popular that the odds make it easier for a negative encounter to happen over the years. Some equate the brand w some tool bag that annoyed them. Human nature I guess. Harley makes a beautiful ride and they are easily the most successful mc company by far. They may not be the bike for me but there's no denying they're sweet rides.

[dank]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

You guys are seriously delusional.

Scott, you need to slow down, stop assuming everyone is bashing Harley's and actually read the posts. I'm sure it is not what he intended, but what his sentence actually says is that Nomads are starting to look like Japanese Nomads, which I pointed out they always were. Sheesh! And here I have not denigrated Harleys even one time in this ENTIRE thread. Didn't even ask why they bother to cool the oil before it hits the pavement!

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by KURT44

With the radiators in the lowers, do they have vents in the lowers? Just looked at the 2014 ultras on the HD website and nothing said about liquid or any kind of cooling besides air cooled.

Kurt... they vent the heat out of the upper-outside of the lowers. There is a port there for the air-flow. The design looks good.

[blowndodge]

Originally Posted by dshelly

Somewhere along the way people have had bad experiences with either a certain brand of bike or a certain person who rides a certain brand of bike. An so in that persons mind, that bike sucks and will always suck until the end of time.

Dave maybe someday you'll get over your Nomad...

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by Netnorske

The re-sale value of the older traditional bikes will probably go up now as they will become "classics". Only in the HD world does chit like that happen....!

Wonder why that doesn't happen with Vic's?

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by GIBBY

Water cooled Harley?

That was rough Mike... Thought I would never get me bike out of there...

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by spoon059

Also LED headlights stock, ABS integrated braking, etc etc. Sounds like some great upgrades that would make me consider a Harley (if I ever had $30K laying around). They are finally stepping up to the features that make bikes safer and more user friendly. I used to like Harley's before they became the popular bike for lawyers and accountants. Now the price is way too high for a bike that is antiquated.

These updates are long overdue if Harley wants to remain a serious contender. By serious contender, I mean a bike builder who actually builds bikes that are high quality... not just popular. Lets be honest, Harley makes a quality bike... but the only reason they have high sales is because of brand marketing. Harley is not vastly superior in terms of technology or price... its all brand image and buying into the "mystique" that is Harley. All those accountants and lawyers know they are boring and vanilla... so they think if they buy a Harley then they will instantly be exciting just cause they are on a Harley.

That turned me off to Harley... very expensive, old technology and arrogant owners. People that own a Harley just to say they own a Harley. People that wear Harley shirts everywhere, cause thats all they own. God bless H-D for being able to create such a brand driven image and sucker people into paying a fortune to wrap themselves in everything Harley... its just not for me.

Ummm... a little bit of hatred here... or what?

Now really... after reading this... who has an attitude?

[GIBBY]

The photo of the HD in the water was sent to me by a friend that is a Harley nut. He had plans to attend the 110 th Anniversary in Milwaukee and canceled those plans within minutes of hearing about the water cooled bikes.

[elvis]

Originally Posted by ringadingh

I'll stop by my local HD dealer and see if any have made there way north yet. I can just imagine what the price will be here, the regular Ultra Classic is 28k here.

I stopped by Trev Deeley's on the way home. They didn't have any '14 model year bikes but they made a lot of room on the show room floor, will stop by again next week.

They have a very good looking cop bike, a 2013 FLHTP Police Special:

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by elvis

I stopped by Trev Deeley's on the way home. They didn't have any '14 model year bikes but they made a lot of room on the show room floor, will stop by again next week.

They have a very good looking cop bike, a 2013 FLHTP Police Special:

Gone is the iconic chrome bumper piece for the front fender.

That iconic piece is no longer being offered on any of the new 2014 models.

All of the touring front fenders have been cut differently from previous years to show more of the front wheel than before -- and their trim is like what a Limited's fender has been the last couple years (very sparse).

My Ultra-Classic has that piece on it. I always liked its look; which is one of the reasons I did not like the Limited's, since they didn't have it.

However, with the cut of the front fender, the sparse trimming looks a lot better to me, and makes more sense.

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by GIBBY

The photo of the HD in the water was sent to me by a friend that is a Harley nut. He had plans to attend the 110 th Anniversary in Milwaukee and canceled those plans within minutes of hearing about the water cooled bikes.

While that may seem to be an extreme reaction by a "fan" of the product; it is a prime example of the difficult position HD has put themselves in with their customer base.

I have watched the blogs. The hardcore HD blogs are talking as if they have been raped by HD (); while on other blogs of more progressive customers they seem glad to see the changes -- with many wondering why it took this long.

Brand loyalty to HD has developed through multiple generations is one of the reasons the company has done so well through the years. However, it is also a potential problem.

Just watch how they handle this scenario... it will be slow, but deliberate over time. They caught the same crap when they introduced FI. I can remember people saying they'll never buy a HD with FI... and that HD has screwed things up. Seriously.

The hardcore/traditionalist HD customer will eventually come around to the idea of change, and if they don't... their purchase will be made by another... even if it is in India.

[GIBBY]

I remember the F.I. controversy. I ride with a guy that said he would never own a F.I. bike, 5 weeks ago he bought a 2013 Ultra. Go figure.