Why do Harley People pay too much for stuff?

Maritime

Maritime

Over 10,000 Posts
Ok, I saw the Harley rant and had to post this. I happen to have a windscreen I used to use for the 450 before I cafe'd it. I need Barber funds so I posted it local to sell, it happens to be a Road Krome and will fit a 1" bar bike AKA Harley. I advertised it for $50, got a call from a Harley guy. So I went out and cleaned it up and got it ready. I noticed a scratch on it I didn't know was there and when the guy came I told him I couldn't take $50 for it cause it had a scratch, he said that's ok the dealer would charge me $200 for one so this is a deal and handed me a $50 bill like it was pennies. I am not complainig in the least, it is $50 more towards the barber trip but it didn't phase him in the least? Man they are brain washed that shit is supposed to cost high $$ for sure. I bought the screen from a Honda guy for $20 then polished it up for my bike! Crazy. anyway that sale makes $50 less on a maxed out CC for gas.


Cheers,

Maritime
 
I ask myself the same question everytime I see a harley with "loads of extras" for sale for 10-29 grand.
 
Not all Harley guys are willing to part with the $$ that easy, but I admit the dealers will take you for every penny. I like a good bargain and have done most of the stuff on my Softail by myself or at a fraction of the dealer cost. Having just gotten into the Cafe scene with my son ( hacking/learning our way through a cb360) I can pass on that frugality and self-made mentality while having some fun in the process.
Great site, by the way, you guys are a wealth of knowledge and incredible builders!
 
Man... I saw used Harley hat on Craigslist for $20 last week. I can't imagine why I would ever buy a used hat. There are some really cool guys that love Harleys out there that never bought into the image, but slap HD on anything and someone will buy it.
 
I picked up a set of chaps at a thrift store that were harley brand. I was stitting around with some buddies drinking beer as I was taking the HD patches off of it and thinking "wow, the money some idiot would pay to have this patch on their clothes". I'm always on the lookout for a Sporster, but cannot understand the image obsession.
 
When my sister in law met her husband, he owned a VRod and rides it religiously. He is always wearing HD shirts and stuff, but they are from all over the U.S., and he wouldn't buy a Harley shirt unless he was on the bike. Washington DC, Sturgis, Daytona Beach, all of them. Which I think is pretty cool. Of course, he does get HD branded stuff as gifts though too.

Once my sister in law got to ride on the back, she was hooked.......now she has pink HD slippers, sweatshirts, t shirts, decal for her car, coffee mugs, clocks that "vroom", etc, etc. Drives me nuts, but it's not my $$......
 
There are two breeds of Harley riders, those who will spend a thousand dollars in the Harley Boutique for an orange windbreaker and all the fixin's and those who built their own bike and wear the same denim jeans they wear in the garage.

Guess which ones care about image and comfort more than riding?
 
Big Rich said:
Once my sister in law got to ride on the back, she was hooked.......now she has pink HD slippers, sweatshirts, t shirts, decal for her car, coffee mugs, clocks that "vroom", etc, etc. Drives me nuts, but it's not my $$......
Click to expand...

Wait...they have clocks the vroom?Later, guys, I'm off to the dealership!
 
it is what it is man... my buddy today just spent 675 on a custom seat and back read for his scoot... i thought he was out of his mind but hell it is his money his passion i can not hate on that... my boots are HD and that is about all when i ride, i got em cause they look cool and are comfortable... people look at my dyna all the time and ask what i have into it, i laugh and say about 3g, i do all my own work and is saves... frankly i am glad that the HD crowd is willing to pay for top notch work, keeps food on my table and gas in my tank... you tend to get what you pay for and i ahve to say, hd quality is SPOT ON! their boot, jackets, gloves, all last forever! i have no problem dropping 300 on a jacket that will last for as long as i ride... hell my wife owns 5 harley coats... i payed for every one with a smile! she is confortable and safe on the bike, i dont care how much it cost
 
Well there are acceptions to every rule and Joe we know you are one. I have no hate for harley or most of the riders, so long as they ride ;D I just guess that I am soo broke all the time the thought of over spending because it is for a Harley puzzles me. But I could have said the Same about BMW riders too, they get hosed for factory stuff too. Anyway, I will pay for quality but not for name brands, unless said name brand is a quality brand, then it is usually not plastered all over the product. There is room for a Harley in my stable, but it will have to be cheap or I will have to start making more money. When the trendy people move one to another trend there will be some cheap Harley's out there so I may get one then!
 
Honestly, I don't care for HD in the slightest. But hats off to them for developing their brand and image to this point. They are basically a marketing powerhouse. When was the last time you saw a guy on a harley that was not wearing a HD t-shirt? I don't think it has anything to do with motorcycles anymore, and it's simply image. I have a buddy that drops 100 bucks every time he goes to the dealership. Last time he came back with a chrome cig. lighter and a chrome tail light cover and thought he got a steal. I can't stand them simply because of the technology or lack there of. 60hp out of a 1600cc motor? My RD400 would smoke that (no pun intended) and do it with more style. Yesterdays engineering at tomorrow's prices! But hey, to each his own.
 
Hey Joe, I agree, I meant "over pay." Paying for quality work is not over paying, unless you are ripping dudes off which I doubt. Other than the fact the guy over paid he was a nice guy, we chatted for bit about bikes etc. anyway, didn't want to start anything about bashing Harley. Just noticed a lot of the guys who own then will pay more for parts etc. than what said parts are worth. It's the same thing as people buying Name brand clothes for crazy $$ that are worse made then the same thing at a discount store.
 
I know two harley guys. One is my boss, one is my brother. My boss owns evvrything with the company logo he can find, right down to socks, and likely toothepaste. My brother has a set of coasters he got for christmas one year at a dirty santa christmas party. Both guys love harley, my boss bought his harley about 12 years ago and put just over 3000 miles in the 6 years he owned it. While my brother bought his in boxes and built it in his living room over the winter in wyoming.

There's two kinds of harley guys. There's also the same two kinds of any bike brand guys. I guess harley just gets all the press cause of the marketing powerhouse they have become. Now excuse me while I run to the honda shop for the newest edition of honda brand "remove before flight" exhaust covers :)
 
Remember the old addage:

"How much is is worth? As much as you're willing to pay for it."

I love second hand with a passion. Even the trusses in the roof of my shop I'm building are second hand.
 
hahaha i feel ya bud... i am a big fan of if i can make it i will... then when it comes to my bike, i have no problem paying the extra $ to ensure reliability and what not... i was told years ago you can have cheap, reliable, fast... pick 2! hahahaha
Mari i see this alot man, had a fella pick up some heat shields i coated for him on Tues night from my house (he had a 45 min drive so i figured i would bring them home from the shop and meet him rather than him driving another 30 min or paying shipping) he tossed me a $50 as a thank you! unreal, but restocked our beer fridge and paid for dinner! hahaha
 
plus NO one else willhave it... my buddy just built a SICK SICK glide... he paid TOP dollar for EVERYTHING... sad when he is so creative and a great wrench... do not get me wrong, the bike looks insane... but he paid so much for everything that was basicly bolt on... when i asked him why he would do that, he said he did not want to mess with amking it he wanted to ride it... to be honest i c ould not hate on that... now will i bust his balls every bar we hit or bike night and i see the same stuff he is rocking, 100%... will he still have a panty dropping scoot, 100%
 
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