Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Things that make you go "Hmmmmmmm"

I just made an interesting observation this morning while reading the local "Trader" magazine. For those not in "the know", Trader is a classified ads rag that is put out once a week, and encompasses pretty much the lower half of Illinois and Eastern Missouri, Western Kentucky. Anyway, I was looking at all the ads for bikes for sale. Out of about 5 full pages of motorcycles, there were 145 Hardleys for sale, and only one, yes 1, Triumph, a 2000 Sprint. I know there are not alot of Triumphs in these parts anyway, but I thought it was kinda funny having so many great "American Made" bikes for sale in a relatively small area. If they're so awesome (as alot of my co-workers rib me about), why sell?? Just something to ponder.....

Well, I think its just an indicator of the mathematics of the thing. Evereywhere you look you see Hardly Davidson's of all colors and modifications. Harley , regardless of what we think continue to be a sales leader. (great if you own stock) The number of new entry level riders grows each year as well proportionately. Lots of new riders looking for Harley who dont want to or cant afford new. Lots of folks wanting to sell and move up to a shiny new Road King with all the bells and whistles too!

I'd bet that the trend you see is a nationwide thing.

People that buy Triumphs usually keep them.

Soren

That was my take on it Soren....:)

That might be true....but if there were say.....400,000 more Triumph speedmasters and Americas rolling on American roads today ....you would see a lot more of them for sale for tradeup reasons and the law of averages.

The average "modern" HD owner (notice I did not say rider) buys the bike for a decoration. The '07 models have a larger engine and an extra gear, making everything else "so last year". So, all the yuppy scumbags are dumping their old bikes to get the new 'trendy' sort.

I have noticed on just about any given day here in Charleston that there are about 30 Harleys for sale.... what I always wonder, is if they get the ridiculous prices they ask for them. Overpriced... maybe - under engineerd ...for sure.

Dr. Kenneth Jones DDS(age 45) always wanted to ride a motorcycle. Everybody told him that a Harley-Davidson is the ONLY motorcycle worth owning. And so unfortunately without "doing his homework" and investigating other brands such as say a Triumph, he took at face-value the word of those who "think" they know all there is to know about this vast sport, and he dutifully purchased a Fatboy(the much more maneuverable Sportster is a "girls bike", ya know), but soon found he really wasn't "that into" motorcycles after his few attempts at riding the ponderous machine around, which ultimately contributed to his rather swift departure from the motorcycling world and onto other endevors that that he always wanted to tackle before they threw that dirt over his casket, thus requiring the mid-life crisis suffering dentist to place an ad in the local Cycle Trader(available at your nearest newsstand) in order to unload said Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, which now mostly sits idly in his garage.

(I don't know about you guys, but I "seem" to hear of this sceanario happening all the time lately...Do YOU???)

Well Dwight you missed two accompanying items in Mr Jones's ad.
An 883 hugger with 1/4 of the miles of the fatboy and the matching trailer/ and or the trike kit for one of the hogs.

Good story Dwight...I bet Dr. Jones also had the requisite costume that all HD owners have...hard to tell they are Harley owners right?

When they join their local HOG chapter they are then bonafide Harley riding fools. They congregate in large numbers like schooling bass.

Hardely Owners Group.......helping to proliferate the continued stock value of Harley Davidson.

90% of those guys think riding is from the house to the bar and back again the rest leave it in the driveway and point at it.

When I bought my America earlier this year the Want Ad magazine had 5 to 6 pages of H-D's for sale and only 9 Triumphs. When I cruise up one of the main streets here,there are always a bunch parked at the bars and Dunkin Donuts. Usually I am going by after putting on 30-50 miles on a quick cruise. Have only owned the bike since April and have over 700 miles on it. Last owner from NH had it for 2 years and only put 2k on it. Some people buy to ride and other buy to be seen.

Where in Mass are you?
I agree, I don't get the stop and watch people routine. I do the gas stop in as little time as possible and keep on riding.
And how many of those HDs for sale have been for sale for a year or more and owner is still insisting on 17K?

Where I live there are constant and numerous HD ads. I've only seen one Triumph for sale in the paper in two years! I frequent all the hot bike places and usually see one Triumph (out of a couple of hundred bikes). I went to Thunder Beach in Panama City last Saturday - saw thousands of bikes and not a single Triumph of any kind at any of the venues I went to.

On Saturday nights the wife and I frequent the same watering hole. We always get their early and my Triumph takes front and center stage by the entrance. Later on all the Hardelyies show up and take second tier parking priviledge and I'd bet 90% of em ride em on weekends only.

Hey HD may make an inferior product...but you sure have to hand it to them they know how to market. And how about that "if you have to ask you would not understand" crap.

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And how about that "if you have to ask you would not understand" crap.

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The easy answer is "I understand. That's why I ride a Triumph."

I swung by my wife's cousin's place for the 3rd time this riding season, to get them out on their bikes. The first 2 times it was too early and too cold to go out. This time it was the truth the girl is scared of her 883, its top heavy and doesn't run well. This is same girl who has a HDbaby vanity plate and made fun of my wife for not buying a sportster. Now her bike has 150 miles and she wants to sell it or trike it. There are 10 883 huggers on our local clist currently with less than 1k miles. He got an electra glide and has put about 500 miles in 2 years on.
I give up.
Man I love my bike.