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Be most excited about Indian. I am, though not *quite* enough to buy a Scout yet. I didn't get out enough on my regular bike this year, another would just sit. Nor did I buy a Buell, or Victory, when I had the chance. Buell had fascinating frames with 1960s tractor engines, which never really turned me on. That does not discount the resourcefulness of Eric Buell and his crew, though.
Indians seem to be modern tech on modern platforms. Most other industries, that would kick H-D very hard indeed much like JPN did to Chrysler back in the early 1980s. That would, however, assume a level playing field. I "think" Polaris and H-D in fact do have such a level playing field, making it all the more interesting. I wonder...Polaris and their Victory line could never seriously displace H-D., much as I wished they would. Just did not happen. But the Indian thing, going right at them literally toe-to-toe with tradition? That's ballsy.
Of course, another time H-D had something like that happen, they went to the Reagan Government and talked them into a "tariff" on all bikes over 700cc's due to what they claimed was "dumping" by JPN. Must have been 1983 or so. It was a big tariff, for a few years there 750s and bigger were extra-expensive and rare. Lot of 700s proliferated, however: I remember the Nighthawk S of that era being best of a bad lot by far. That was gone, but not forgotten, by what: guessing about '86. But don't underestimate the lobbying ability of backward, retrograde companies like H-D to get the government behind them if the chips are down. Politicians can and will do that, with success.
I just picked up a used Indian Roadmaster about a month ago. I like it-tons of cool convenience features and the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. Power is, well, what it is-it's a cruiser after all. But very nice to jump on and ride several hundred miles and not feel exhausted at the end of the day. Best part-you don't see 25 of the same bike every day. Not to mention a bunch of features that you can't get (or pay a LOT extra for) on a HD.
Why do you figure Indian will be dead in 10 years? The Scout Sixty is near the top of my list for next bike (along with the Iron 883). Every comparison review I've seen between those two has picked the Scout as the clearly superior choice. It has more power, rides smoother and has a more linear and robust powerband. The only area I would give the Iron the nod is in the looks department. However, now Indian has come out with the new Scout Bobber. It's a great looking bike, no doubt.
I'm also hoping Indian comes out with a standard or mid-control cruiser based on their flattrack FTR750 model.
Same reason Victory died. Because for people who drink the 'over priced American made cruisers and baggers kool-aid' there's Harley, and then there's everything else.
Indian will push the same bikes for the next 5 years and then sales numbers will fall off the cliff.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,373,658 times
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Originally Posted by Dport7674
Same reason Victory died. Because for people who drink the 'over priced American made cruisers and baggers kool-aid' there's Harley, and then there's everything else.
Indian will push the same bikes for the next 5 years and then sales numbers will fall off the cliff.
What indication is there the smart phone/iPad generation drinks that same Kool-Aid?
Personally, I'd like to see HD do something completely over the top, like a V-8. What's more American than that?
People keep saying this is an earth shattering change for Harley. To me they are just shuffling already existing bikes around. If they want to shock the world with drastic changes, how about they come out with some brand new bikes? Is that too much to expect?
They offer trikes now.......I thought that was drastic!
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,373,658 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dport7674
The IPad generation aren't going to buy nearly enough bikes to keep Indian profitable.
This is all just my opinion. But I honestly feel like I'm just reading the writing on the wall.
I'm amazed from what I read and hear from friends with kids/grandkids by the lack of interest among many of that generation of even getting a driver's license. Who knows what the future is for any of the bike manufacturers?
I cant understand why they dont try a V 4 cyl. The bike could have the same basic look, but much better performance than that stupid low performance V twin. Yamaha used to make one.
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