The "harley lifestyle" is misleading

[The549]

As I was driving to work today in my Escalade (with a harley pride sticker on the back) I thought of the whole Harley lifestyle thing. Here is my short opinion on the whole Harley bit. I don't care that much either way if it turns into one of those "discussions" but I doubt it will. It's just an opinion.

Harleys seem like nice bikes, and I hear the new one feel good, have long lifespans and I myself have always liked the looks of them. I'd love to ride one or acquire one, but most that I'd want would be around twice the price of something else that performed better that I still liked.

But the thing that I always hear about them is that Harley is not just a bike, it's a lifestyle. The thing is with that though, is that it's misleading to think of it's roots like that and the image in that way - a testament to branding at it's highest. I don't disagree with the FACT that there are enormous amounts of harley riders out there - real ones and bar-hopping weekenders alike. However, I think that commercialism has gotten so many people by the balls at the fact that so many clubs are harley-only.
The whole "biker image" started out with more than just harleys. In fact, if you could imagine Brando (The Wild One) kicked out of a club for owning a triumph then you might be getting my point. The harley brand ended up being the last man standing for a while in the US cruiser market, it did not alone create the image it's pushing.

The whole "lifestyle" still exists within harley, however, harley is only one of the many smaller bubbles inside that whole bubble that is real bikers. Like any sort of branding, the whole elitism and similar-brand ideas makes it simpler for the average weekend warrior midlife-crisis stripped cash-ridden daddy to live the American Dream correctly.

It's a "Harley lifestyle" as much as MotoGP is a "Kawasaki lifestyle".

[DustyJacket]

Yeah. The new Harley "creed" makes me ill. For crying out loud, it's a bike.

And H-D isn't the only one. The BMW Motorrad is doing almost the same thing, they just aren't advertising as much as H-D.

I ride a Harley now, have ridden a Buell, and my next bike will probably be a BMW sport tourer or dual-sport. I get really amused at the "my brand and only my brand forever" folks you run into riding Harleys, BMWs, Gold Wings, etc.

But, most people I've met are just people riding bikes.

In our local BACA chapter, most look like ex-cons and they ride anything from H-D to BMW to Hondas, Kawasakis, Yamaha, Suzukis, home-builts, and so on.

[blues2cruise]

Is it any worse than folks who drive Cadillac Escalades?

[The549]

Is it any worse than folks who drive Cadillac Escalades?

Haha, I'm a student who makes minimum and is paying my own way through college, if I ever own an escallade...then I give permission for you to SHOOT me.
My family owns a few trucks (ranch use only, weird I know) and I don't needlessly rip on them, but the arrogance that can come with owning an suv is apparent; my apt parking lot is many times the most dangerous part of my day due to these kids. If I were their parents I'd buy em something big too. And you should see the parking jobs too - is that a California thing, or is that everywhere? Not only do you need to take up more of you own parking space, but maybe a third of the next one over!

[The549]

And to answer your question....ehhh maybe not, but it's more straightforward than the whole subject relating to bikes.

I would never buy an escallade, but I would buy a harley had I sizeable income.

[jonnythan]

I don't understand what's misleading.

Do you mean H-D's advertising campaign that goes something like "buy a Harley, instantly become a cool biker"?

My girlfriend's parents are Harley people. They fit the typical Harley images to some extent. They're educated, intelligent, hard-working people.

The "Harley thing" encompasses a lot but varies quite a bit depending on who you ask. It's just a way of life for them. I'm sure they don't feel misled.. and if they are misled, I am not sure who or what is misleading them.