Harley vs Yamaha?

[eastxhunter]

One of my very good friends restores and works on Yamaha's as a hobby. Custom paint jobs, ect. Does some great work, and makes a little money at it.

He rides a Harley...

Pm sent

[gemini2759]

Harley because they are cool. Yamaha if you like to wear panties..

I don't wear panties and I don't bash people for what they ride. We're all a brotherhood.

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[mad34b]

Just got home today from a 4700 mile trip on my new Road Glide. Went through 8 states and 2 countries. Before this bike I had a 2005 Road King classic with 78000 miles that went all over the US with not one problem. Yamaha is a great bike. Ride both. The Harleys of yesteryear are not the Harleys of today. They are a very reliable bike.

[kumathebear]

Had 9 different HD's..favorite always was Road King. I sold my last RK about 6 years ago due to health concerns. I NEVER had any major mechanical problems with any of my bikes.

As far as BASHING those who don't ride this brand, that's BS! I will admit I HATE crotch rockets so that's out there...road all over the country from east to west coast. I like 'em LOUD and you could always hear me and my Bud's coming and I can't be convinced that besides being really cool...it's safer if they can hear ya'!

Road over the years with so many different folks..yeah, shared a beer or 2 with the bad boys as well. Even spent time on a task force as an LEO concerning a certain club, so not a sissy or pantie rider as some put it.

Just enjoy the open sky, the road, the sights....THE BROTHERHOOD....besides, can't afford to get the "wings and other HD tats" taken off even if I could ride again! Dam, some things never change...…

[Wampuscat]

Bought my first bike in 1978. It was a Yamaha Dt-125. Paid for it with money earned sacking groceries when I was 13. I’ve had Suzuki’s and Honda’s too. I even built a 1965 HD Sportster into a hardtail springer chopper in my Navy barracks room. When i has the chopper I wanted a dresser. Now that I ride a Road Glide I want another hardtail chopper. I miss almost every bike I’ve had, and every problem is a story ready to be told.

If performance off the showroom floor is what you’re after, Harley may not be the brand name for you. As someone already said, HD envy is a real thing. So why limit yourself to one brand or type of bike?

This was my first bike and every one after it has to realize it isn’t ever gonna compare to her.

[coop2564]

I had a Suzuki Boulevard and it was a great bike...but HD is America and I was never happy having the metric, now have a HD wide glide and I'm at peace.

[Mojo]

The new Yamaha touring bike is pretty sweet...I said, "Hon, I wanna do this some day." she said, "uh, we gotta pay for college..." I was over ruled quickly...still want one though...

[AntlerCollector]

I had a Suzuki Boulevard and it was a great bike...but HD is America and I was never happy having the metric, now have a HD wide glide and I'm at peace.

If you look hard enough you will find "made in Japan" on that bike

[kruppa24]

Can lane spit either way you go!

[WItoTX]

But if you want a cruiser on the highway and for comfort, you can't beat the Honda Goldwing.
I have rode a many of mile on the Honda Goldwing as well...it is a relaxing ride.
My 2 cents worth......good luck with whichever you decide!!

That's the truth. That flat 6 cyl lowers the COG so much too, it feels as nimble as most sport bikes. Man those things are sweet for long trips.

[cj_sandman]

You don't see a lot of people trading in Harleys for Yamahas. You do see a whole lot of people trading in Yamahas for Harleys.

... aside from that generality, I would also like to go on to say that the chrome accents on the Japanese bikes in terms of the switch-housings and hand controls and fork legs feels and looks cheap to me. Harleys are better balanced weight-wise, and more comfortable with better ergonomics for Americans. The average American is taller than the average Japanese person and this is accounted for in the way Harleys are styled. Everything from the depth of the seat and overall seat height as well as the fluidity of the pull back or shaping of the handlebars feels more intuitive on the Harley. Power delivery on the Harley is well-suited to cruising as well as riding around in traffic because they produce a smoother and more predictable power curve than the metrics. The front end feels more solid and more stable. Resale on Harley is better as well due to the fact that dealers are somewhat predatory on pricing, and you won't typically see a brand new 2018 model sitting on the floor in 2019.. meanwhile over at your local metric dealer, if you look around, you can find "new" models that are 2+ years old at huge discounts.

What's important is to get on two wheels. If you want a Yamaha, go ahead and buy a Yamaha. Just make sure you don't go throwing a leg over a Harley afterwards unless you're ready to buy one because it will make you absolutely hate that Yamaha.

[coop2564]

If you look hard enough you will find "made in Japan" on that bike

That's a negative...some parts are made in many countries...but bikes are put together here and by an American grown company HD.