agingrebel.com
First the FXR. Now the Dyna.
Harley-Davidson introduced its 2018
lineup of 29 motorcycles and two tricycles last week. The company is no
longer building Dynas or V-Rods.
Instead there is a 500cc baby bike that
costs seven grand plus tax and license and a couple of 750s that are
aimed at millennials and foreigners. The Motor Company is still selling
five Sportsters including the 883 with an Evolution motor for $8700.
Somebody in the aftermarket must be making the big cylinder conversion
kits. You can get three 1200cc Evolution Sportsters. One of them comes
with a two-gallon peanut tank. The press release doesn’t say who wants
to buy an $11,000 bike with a range of 80 miles. If you like the V-Rod
you can still buy a new Sportster with a Revolution engine.
Harley is now selling eight Softails
that start at about $19,000, sticker; ten touring bikes that start at
about $27,000; three factory customs that start at $40,000; and of
course, the tricycles.
Authentic Noise
The press release runneth over with blather. Here’s a big, deep drink. Try not to gag.
“Leading into its 115th Anniversary
year, Harley-Davidson today launched five new Touring bikes and eight
all-new Softail Big-Twin cruisers designed under the largest product
development project in company history. Part of the Motor Company’s
commitment to launch 100 high-impact motorcycles by 2027, each new
cruiser was redesigned from the ground-up and features the
Milwaukee-Eight engine, an all-new frame and advanced technology to form
a new foundation of style, comfort and performance.”
“To build excitement, the company
partnered with celebrity and motorcycle enthusiasts around the world to
be among the first to experience the new models. Each will reveal the
new bikes to their fans with unboxing sessions across their social media
channels. Check out #FreedomMachine to see who’s involved and what
happens next.”
Celebrity enthusiast Kurt Sutter got a new bike in a big, black box. So did Jason Momoa from Game of Thrones.
So did Kristen Lassen who is a “Motorcycle Technician and Influential
Content Creator” in Orlando. So did Mark Atkins, who “is the face behind
Rusty Butcher, a clothing and leather goods brand.”
Did you get one? Me neither.
Blah, Blah, Blah
The press release also informed: “‘The
new Softail models are the result of the most extensive research and
development program in the company’s history,’ said Paul James, manager
of product portfolio, Harley-Davidson. ‘Thousands of hours of testing
were put into the complete redesign of these new cruisers. We focused on
taking the total rider experience to a higher level, where
authenticity, heritage and soul meet the modern edge of technology for a
ride that must be felt to be believed.’”
“One of the primary ethos that we follow
is that form follows function but both report to emotion,” Brad
Richards, Harley’s Vice President of Styling and Design, wants you to
know. Well, maybe not you. Maybe, more like somebody who hopes to live
through you.
“The authenticity of Harley-Davidson
design comes by sweating the details from start to finish, ‘hard to do
and hard to copy.’ Harley-Davidson motorcycles are not a commodity; they
are handed down from generation to generation,” Richards continues,
Apparently if the same soulless suit just says the same nonsense enough
times people must believe it. “We look at every nut and bolt on the
bike, all the finishes, and every small detail. The new Softail frame is
like a piece of art, and the more you take off the bike, the more
beautiful it becomes. Its design speaks to the teamwork that our styling
and engineering processes demand.”
There are many thousands of words of
this. Many of the words are “authenticity.” Others are “authentic” and
“influencer.” Let’s all wish Harley good luck with this.
