[Jeff Higgins]

Not so fast, guys - I think HD know exactly what they are doing. While lots of old farts like us are riding them, I certainly do see a lot of younger guys (and gals) riding them as well. I think whatever intangible thing they have has succeeded in transcending the generations. They are certainly different than other bikes; both in some very obvious ways, and in ways you can't quite put your finger on. A lot of riders find those differences very appealing, regardless of their age.

Riding for many is not all about the latest and greatest high tech wizardry, or the highest performance. Let's face it - even as relatively "slow" and low-tech as Harleys are, their performance vastly exceeds what many riders would ever be comfortable with using - they will never begin to approach its limits, and would never even want to try. They have no reason to. Anyone who buys HD can essentially afford to buy whatever they like; many who buy far higher performance import bikes only do so because it's all they can afford. Then they wind up riding it well within the Harley's performance envelope anyway.

I ride with some pretty serious touring riders at times. A few have owned Gold Wings, BMW K and R bikes, FJR's, and various other touring or sport touring bikes. All have come back to, or eventually wound up with, Harley touring bikes. Some are 20 years younger than me. There is just something about HD touring bikes, something that you really start to appreciate a week or so into a multi state ride. Enough so that these guys all abandoned technically "superior" bikes in their favor.