What if Harley made an Adventure Tourer?

[shupe]

Originally Posted by discochris

Beat me to it. There's one at the HD museum (which even if you don't like Harley's, is a really cool place) and I've seen a few on display at different places in the midwest. They also made golf carts, and I think even a boat.

Yes, in the late 60's H-D golf carts were considered the best in the business.
My Dad had a couple of them. One electric, the other gas - 2-stroke single with a torque converter.

[johnwesley]

here is a adv sporty

[whipit1k]

Here is the formula for the ultimate budget H-D ADV bike: take a vstrom and purposly mistime the cam gears by a tooth or two. Now take both motor side covers off, being sure to tear the gaskets, then re-assemble. Next, drain your 50/50 coolant mixture and replace with straight anti-freeze.

You are done! Instant slow, vibrating, farting, extremely hot running shit heap that leaks oil. One can do the conversion in just an hour or two in the garage with basic hand tools. Have at it, boys

[kraven]

They already do. What they need are riders with more nuts and less patches, mouth, and trailers.

[Unleaded]

Originally Posted by kraven

They already do. What they need are riders with more nuts and less patches, mouth, and trailers.

[JerryH]

If you want one, you will have to build it yourself, as some have. Harley-Davidson makes cruisers, and a couple of great highway touring bikes. That's all they are ever going to make. That's all they want to make. And it has worked well for them, they have the cruiser market cornered, and run neck and neck with the Honda Goldwing in the large touring bike category. And they make lots of money doing it.


Many bikes have been sold in the past with the Harley name on them that were obviously not made by Harley. They even had a scooter. Can you imagine a scooter coming out of Milwaukee?

As for Buell, that was and is a sad situation, but the more I hear about it, the more it sounds like they were actually losing money on it. Harley claims to care about their customers, but all companies claim that. It's really all about the bottom line, and there is no place there for a Harley adventure touring bike. let the companies that specialize in that sort of thing build them. It's not exactly like there is a shortage of them out there. Most of the posts on this forum are about the BMW GS and various KTMs.

[Cakeeater]

Originally Posted by JerryH

I they have the cruiser market cornered, and run neck and neck with the Honda Goldwing in the large touring bike category.

If you're talking sales, you're not even close: Gold Wings sell about 12,000 a year in the US. Harley Touring bikes sell about eight times as many...I know Harley sold about 250,000 bikes last year, with about a third or more of those touring bikes.

http://gl1800riders.com/forums/showt...uction-numbers

[JerryH]

Originally Posted by Cakeeater

If you're talking sales, you're not even close: Gold Wings sell about 12,000 a year in the US. Harley Touring bikes sell about eight times as many...I know Harley sold about 250,000 bikes last year, with about a third or more of those touring bikes.

http://gl1800riders.com/forums/showt...uction-numbers

That works out even better for Harley. Looks like they have the touring bike cornered too. No wonder Goldwing riders are so jealous of them. But it still shows Harley does not need to stray from their current market. As the former owner of 2 Goldwings (never owned a Harley but want one) I got kind of tired of Harleys getting run down on the GW forums.

[Ginger Beard]

Originally Posted by whipit1k

Blahbittyblah and other tired nonsense....

Any thread with HD in the title sure does bring out the geniuses.

[Ginger Beard]

Originally Posted by kraven

They already do. What they need are riders with more nuts and less patches, mouth, and trailers.

Now that's a cat that would dig riding with! Wonder if anyone would be down with a ride and skate across America?

[kraven]

Originally Posted by Ginger Beard

Now that's a cat that would dig riding with! Wonder if anyone would be down with a ride and skate across America?

Me too, bro.

[whipit1k]

Originally Posted by Ginger Beard

Any thread with HD in the title sure does bring out the geniuses.

aah these threads bring out the true harley clones too, don't they?

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by JerryH

Many bikes have been sold in the past with the Harley name on them that were obviously not made by Harley. They even had a scooter. Can you imagine a scooter coming out of Milwaukee?

You're so goddamn full of shite sometimes! Jeebus!

You really ought to learn to Google yourself before you type!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_Topper

[Vertical Pilgrim]

The Harley tent has to be the most epic picture I've seen in a while. I'm storing this idea away for my next road trip

[k-moe]

Originally Posted by JerryH

They even had a scooter. Can you imagine a scooter coming out of Milwaukee?

Actually I can. HD developed and built the Topper in-house.

"The Harley Topper was built in the U.S. at the Milwaukee, Wisconsin plant.
Most people believe the Topper was an import, NOT TRUE."
From: http://harleytopperclub.com/timeline.htm

It was a good scooter, but HD came to the market very late, so it failed as a product (plus it was fugly).
HD used to be a diversified corporation, with several divisions and a broad product line.