I don't go riding with the local HOG Chapter, that's for sure. Actually my experience with the Harley riders I know is much like yours, nothing but respect for my bike, but there's also an underlying atmosphere of being an outsider since I don't ride an H-D product. Doesn't bother me, because I've always wanted a Triumph, and don't really care what other people think. If I did I'd probably be on a Harley sipping a Mimosa at the local H-D dealer Members Only bar.
Price shouldn't be the lone consideration. Build quality, performance, and handling should also figure into the mix. For me Harley puts too much effort into the first one, and not enough into the second 2.
If Triumph does come out with a twin cylinder Rocket based 1500cc cruiser, it'll blow the doors off a stock TC88 Harley performance wise, but probably be water-cooled so it'll be dismissed as being ugly and having too much plastic. That's what happens when performance is given just as much consideration as looks.
As far as metric riders being more bigoted than H-D owners, I'd just like to point out that I've seen plenty of H-Ders smashing a Japanese bike with a sledge hammer at some rally, but I've never heard of them doing the same to a Harley at the Honda Hoot, or any other metric brand gathering.
