seruzawa

I'm still trying to figure out why it is wrong for a company to "pander to its demographic". In fact I can't think of a company that has stayed in business that doesn't "pander to its demographic".



Mayber he should suggest to his boss that the company he works for should stop "pandering to its demographic". Can you spell "Public Assisstance"?

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ebass

Uh, actually no, I wasn't. Well, OK, I kinda was. But it's pretty easy to deduce who The Motor Company is targeting with the "L" bike. Whether they'd actually cop to it at the risk of alienating their "John Burns-sized" male customers would be a dubious maneuver, but let's face it, the ridehers love them Sportys and these mods were obviously aimed at accomodating the fairer sex.

longride

Why aren't they putting the new Buell motor in the Sporties? Doesn't make a lot of sense to have the different motor designs, when the Buell has a motor that can run a bit.

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captainwhoopass

It's wrong for the same reason that it's wrong for Harley to engage in any sort of marketing activity (hence the squidly remarks to the effect of "it's all marketing" "you're just buying their marketing message"), while it's okay for other companies to do so.

Most of these squids think that new bikes just make, box, and ship themselves directly from Japan to showrooms in the U.S. They think that some random engineer overseas comes up with an idea to make a bike and just does it without any input from marketing or product development people in the U.S. I think they would be shocked and appalled to learn that the Japanese companies engage in exactly the same type of activities as Harley does, just aimed at a different group of buyers.



I wouldn't want to shatter their world, however, so I'll shut up now.

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nokneedragin

I know quite a few HD riders that lowered their bikes. One girl had the bike so low that I could walk over it. It is a simple alteration to make, and one that doesn't deserve a press release. As was said elsewhere, no one leaves a Harley stock.

If HD brought out the Sporty line with adjustable seat position (up, down, foward, back etc), that would qualify as a legit improvement.

captainwhoopass

So what? It's a new product feature with real, usable benefits to the customer. I see no reason why this is any less deserving of a press release than the marginal, completely unusable improvements to sportbikes every year, all of which can be made by the end consumer to last year's bike.

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<blockquote>
\"I knew it. I\'m surrounded by a$$holes.\" [b][i]Lord Helmet, Spaceballs

seruzawa

I had to chuckle at the use of the word "pandering". As if the decision to buy a Harley or not is a moral question.



Buying an Aprilia Tuono and then putting every bit of performance gear and mod you can on it. Now THAT'S immorality.



Don't we just love it?

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jibosch

Many of the comments about Harley engineering-prowness posted here are well-deserved. What many people do not seem to realize though, is that Harley, has in the last few years, invested many millions, into growing the 'sport', especially for women. Look at their Riders Edge Program, Buell Blast, and now the 'gentler Sportsters', including the 2005 Low Version, with two year warranty's. I believe this is a good thing. So next time You see a Hot Biker-Babe, riding a Harley, and You like the 'View', thank Harley, as they have paid for it! And if You ever get the chance, to speak to that Hottie, I bet You that She doesn't care much, if Your bike is Faster, or more Sophisticated than Hers! And I do not believe that anyone who posts here, would be so stupid, as to even mention those facts! LOL!