Modern Vespa

Get them when they're young.

https://powersportsbusiness.com/top-stories/2019/03/07/harley-davidson-acquires-stacyc-inc/

Amazing to me that they think this is a growth business that will impact their bottom line and /or provides a strategic positioning for them.

Thanks for posting

Best Miguel

On a side note with all the talk of MC sales in a decline, our city has a new HD dealership. Miracle City HD. Grand opening is tomorrow. Live bands and all. I'm going to make sure Vespa is represented when I park with all the hogs.

There is a super big Harley Dealer in my home town Eden Prairie MN.

I have stopped at the Harley Dealer on several occasions with my Vespa.
They have a pretty good free Hot Dog/Hamburger BQ on Saturdays.

This Dealer is huge. Over half the floor space is dedicated to Harley Davidson clothing and other branded merchandise. So despite m/c sales going flat, they are selling Harley clothing. Also, tons of Harley apparel for ladies. Sure makes those middle aged housewives look like bad girls.

Bob Copeland
Frost Bite Falls Minnesota
6-12 inches of snow coming in Saturday

Of course we'll be wanting pictures....

I dunno, I think Harley is at risk of promoting electric bike as much as MC sales.

I guess it's Harley's version of candy cigarettes.

H-D has made more sales $$$ from clothing and the "H-D Lifestyle" items than they have selling motorcycles for the past 20 years.

Your comment about the middle aged ladies in Harley apparel made me recall when I worked a Bon Jovi concert a few years back. The fan club meet and greet was downright scary. Plenty of middle aged and older women wearing leopard miniskirts and fish net stockings. They all thought they were still 18 yrs old.

And then this is supposed to lead kids to the Street 500 or Street 750 when they acquire a license? You know, I have never seen a Street 500 or 750 on the road. I'm expecting Harley to discontinue those fairly soon as another failed idea.

As unsightly as these people might seem, I bet they are very happy holding on to the symbols of their carefree youth. I see lots of folks around here in Harley tees with Harley stickers on their vehicles, and most of them don't ride. The brand and symbols will last well beyond the death rattle of the last hog, simply because they are a way to "stick it to the man", at least in the minds of the fan base.

PICTURES PLEASE!!!

I'm hoping more for pics of middle aged ladies in HD baby-t's. I'd prefer a carefully curated selection though

However a pic of a Vespa with all the hogs will do.

I hope they don't. There are many problems HD has to make. They're closing down manufacturing facilities here in the US. They've relied on the cruiser/bagger bikes for far too long! They even got one of my cousin's to buy a 1000cc+ bike for my cousin. She's like a buck 20 soaking wet. I laughed when she told me that she bought the bike. My exact response was "What happens when you dump it?!" She told me she had and a stranger had to help her pick up the bike as it was too heavy for her to lift. He had to ride it to her house, while she drove his truck. To me it's the sales people fault for not thinking about what's best for the rider. They pushed the financing through for her, she had great credit so it wasn't an issue. But had they pushed her onto a 500cc bike, she might actually still be riding now.

Inversely, one of my aunt's has a new boyfriend. He's got a 1200cc cruiser style HD. He took my aunt to Sturgis this last year. They enjoyed the ride immensely and plan on continue doing that ride (For as long as they date and or if they get married) but as they are 20 years older than me. Realistically, he's got about 10 years or less of riding that machine (He bought it new...2 years ago) IF he were to continue riding, he will need to trade down to a smaller and lighter bike.

A local Hell's Angel member told me recently that many of the older brothers are leaving HD for BMW. They're lighter, more comfortable and get better gas mileage. If the MC associated closest to your brand is ageing out and switching to a competitor...

Sorry back on to a train of thought I meant to post:
HD has also made a huge market for customization. I think they need to bolster that option for those smaller cc bikes.

I LOVE my Vespa, but miss shifting (Well at times I don't) and I do wish I had larger wheels. I am so in LOVE with the idea of the Genuine 400cc bike. I'll hop onto the local Craigslist and see what's up for sale in the 250-750 range. A lot of Honda Rebels! Which I'm okay with. They just look like older smaller frame HD knock off's to me. So I'm even interested possibly in the HD 500cc model.

I hope they don't go out of business. I truly don't but I think they need to readjust their priorities as their core buyers (Baby Boomers) are ageing out/dying out. The international sales are stalling as electric scooters and other smaller more affordable/economical bikes are available.

Just to clarify, by 'hogs' you mean the motorcycles, right?

There's no integrity any more. It's all greed. Make the most money as quickly as you can.

When I was 21 the new Honda 750 lured me to the dealership. I was tall and very lean, all of 140lbs. My 'riding experience' was mini bikes and a trashed Sears Allstate 'Vespa' ridden in parking lots and off road. The salesman there very pointedly told me i'd be making a big mistake with the 750 and even said he wouldn't sell one to me!

I settled on a CB360 twin and rode that for two years and then traded it for the CB550 Four. I always think back to that salesman and realize he did me a favor, but at the time i felt insulted!

Yes sir

Beautiful bikes.

Darn right. The 550 was a two year leftover that was heavily discounted. Orange and bright yellow were the leftover choices. I bought the Orange one.

And... speaking of HD riders moving over to BMW, here's a newer BMW entry I find appealing... the C 400X! About the power of a 2014/2015 BV 350...

https://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/en/models/urban_mobility/c400x.html

Two things about Harley Street models. I went into HD of Danbury to see the Street models. They steered me to the one 750 they had in stock amongst legions of traditional twins. One.
The bike was covered in dust while the others gleamed. The bike itself was pretty crude up close with hoses and what seemed to be a PAIR cannister hanging under the gas tank on a thin painted bracket.
It almost looked Chinese built like a few of mine.
Not real confidence inspiring.

I think an updated modernized version of the Harley Topper makes a lot more sense than a bicycle line.

fried okra

http://harleytopperclub.com/data.htm

I saw several 500s and 750s at the big Harley dealer in Fort Myers. They had parked them out front of the building as part of a display. They were already starting to rust.

Went to the new Miracle City HD dealership in Titusville, Fl. Parked amongst the Harleys. Received lots of looks as expected. What I didn't expect was 100% of the comments were quite positive. This was the first time many of these riders actually looked at a Vespa up close. A few of them actually asked to sit on it for pics.

The new store manager left the sales floor to come outside and look at it. He was impressed. This is crazy to probably say, but these Harley guys were much friendlier than the scooter types that I met up with at Orlando's Ace Cafe recently. Strange.

As for the people there, just the usual outfits. Think there's more enterainment value watching the shoppers at our Walmart.

Oh god yeah, they are fine people. I talk to HD and other 'biker' folk all the time and never a problem. The scooter Scene. I've had the same experience as you before more than once.

I parked outside the Harley dealer in Danbury, CT. once to take a picture of my scooter there to prove I had made it. One of the sales staff came out to look at it and asked me questions too. People are curious since they see so few on the road.

I try that all the time and they just tell me to " f**k off! You dirty old man."

The psychology of the programme is a positive marketing tool used by many
commercial operations, political parties, religious organizations, etc.
The pre teen success rate I believe is the highest.

H.D. needs something to boost its sales, that's for sure. Talked to a Harley mechanic in my area and he says sales are way down and repairs are generally on a par.

Very nice looking bike......

Yup. I have its big brother and am very happy with it.

Here is a pic I took of it at the dealership.

Yes it is an attractive step through, but what is the dollar damage on it??

Never mind I got the $damage off the site. Can't see the $1500.00 difference between the C400X and the GT model. Or the OTD price from $8700.00 to $9900 for the GT. Typical BMW price structuring.

Lots of hate for Harleys here, huh? Wonder why? I've had Harleys for a VERY long time, logged about 100,000 miles on them. Have had Goldwings, the only bike that EVER left me stranded on the side of the highway. I still have a Harley full dresser and now a little Vespa. They're 2 different bikes, 2 different rides for 2 different needs/wants. I'd get rid of the Vespa before the Harley, just my choice, yours may vary and guess what? I couldn't care less which you prefer, that's what makes the world go round. Ride your ride and why worry what someone else rides? Like a bunch of little girls around here, sheepish !


Oh yeah, don't forget to leave me some negative karma. As if there is such a thing.

Am I missing something?? I don't see "hate".
I see some very positive comments w/r/t/ Harley.

Gosh, I missed the "hate." Considering this is a forum dedicated to scooting in general, and Vespas in particular, I think one might expect a bit of poking at other PTWs. There are more than a few HD owners/past owners here that seem to handle it quite well. Thought I'd seen some earlier comments on Harley riders being nicer about scooters than other scooterists as well.... Looks like that's already been done, FWIW.

Yup....

I don't really see the HD hate in this thread either. Actually I think I even said I find them nicer than many of the scooterists (read: Vespa, vintage Lambretta) I've met . Hell at the last bike show in Toronto one of the vintage scooter groups was there and I tried to strike up a simple conversation as I used to ride and own the old shifties. I found them a little dismissive and less friendly than the HD and other rider/enthusiast groups there. It was actually really disappointing and a bit of a turn off.

As a Harley owner myself let me say - lighten up. Have you gone to an HD forum or an HD FB page? HD owners are some of the biggest haters of the MoCo. What some put on MV is mild by comparison and mostly just a bit of poking.

I had the same thing when I started up a conversation with a PX 125 owner.

As soon as he knew I rode a GTS he started to sneer and take the piss out of it.

I walked off half way though one of his sentences.

Twat.

Bill x

Would you agree with me that Harley Davidson and BMW are brands that you actually commit to rather than just dip your toe in ?

It's a lifestyle that you buy in to rather than just dabble ?

Discuss.

Edit- Also I see no hate either......

Bill x

Well gee. I thought this was a thread about Harley's entry level programs that diverted a bit into how Harley people sometimes show some interest in Vespas. Don't see much hate there. Maybe some criticism of Harley's attempts at entry level programs, but who would disagree with that?

As Bill observes, Harley tends to be a lifestyle thing and Harley riders are mostly quite loyal. Nothing wrong with that either IMO. (try Ural for a lifestyle choice - "Krunch! Loud gears save lives!" )

I'm a daily rider. I don't understand the brand specific apparel need. I don't wear Honda or Piaggio clothing. I don't have brand specific nick nacks or stickers anywhere. Maybe I would if they paid me to advertise.
I do have a Harley Davidson Face/neck guard, but only because I couldn't find one I liked at Cycle Gear.