Way back when I had one of the first Honda step-thru 50s, I was down on Harleys because they tried to compete with Honda's small bikes by importing Italian made ones. They weren't the good ones either, and IMHO they would have been better off importing Huskys or Derbys, made in Spain. I have a 750 Shadow, my daily ride, which gets a steady 53 - 57 mpg in town, depending on how hard I twist the throttle. It looks so close to new it's difficult to tell it's an '03 ACE. Even guys on Harleys comment on how beautiful the bike is, all black and chrome. I pulled up to a brand new HOG at a stop light a few days ago and it looked good, but its rear end, hard saddle bags and all, shook like a gal shakin her booty. I looked at the engine, and it was thrashing worse! It looked like it could drop to the ground any moment. I held my tongue and quietly took off when the light turned. I could not hear my exhaust over noise of his loud pipes, and I was accelerating harder than he was. Well, his woman was on the back... When I was younger I did like and respect the older Harleys, admiring their craftmanship. But today, there is no reason why a Hog should cost so much when a comparable Shadow only costs $11,000 and up, especially when so many of the parts are made elsewhere. Mine was only $3,600. I have the records of maintenance from Honda and it's only had routine maintenance subce new and now has 42,000 trouble - free miles. - Except for one flat rear tire, at which time I replaced the drive cushions as well.
________________________________ From: Joey Kelley <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 10:07 PM Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] Harley: Made is USA? Nope.............. You guess! A long time ago (not in a Galaxy Far away) I wrote in a piece to an 'all Harley' publication called the Thunder Press. Its a good monthly paper and if they haven't changed it, you can pick them up for free at your local friendly HD dealer. At the time I was drooling over various HDs (still do in some respects) but being a teenager I was both opinionated and appreciative of the design work that goes into a finely tuned machine. (Aka, Anything Japanese) I was standing in a dealer here in Maine - and I had the following experience which I sent to the Thunder Press - sorry but I don't have the original e-mail and I have no idea when this was printed. While looking at the Honda RC51 - the street version of the liter bike that had won the previous years 1000 cc international racing championship (sorry - forget which series it was) a 'grizzly old biker' went by on his way to the parts counter (ironically you had to go through the Honda section to get to the parts counter) and he hissed 'RICE' at me. Now I understand that the battle between the HD and the Japanese bike fans is old and epic - but - when you realize that the Harley Davidson spark plugs are re-badged NGK plugs - plus all the other references we've made in this thread - how much of the bike is really 'All-American' anyway? I think this is one reason why Indian took hold and why Victory has such a loyal following - better bikes - better price tag - still made just as much in the US as HD. Just my thoughts! -Joey On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 9:23 PM, Hanghank <[email protected]> wrote: > > > http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_japanese_parts_on_a_harley > > How many Japanese parts on a harley? > > In: Harley-Davidson Motorcycles [Edit categories] > Answer: > Suspension: Front forks and shocks are made by Showa, a company owned by > Honda. HD has been using Japanese parts since 1972! > > Electrical system: Starter, alternator, wiring harness, gauges, handle bar > switches are made by Nippon Denso (ND) > > Brakes: Calipers and master cylinders are Nissin. > > Carburetors are made by Keihin, another Honda owned company. > > So if your Harley stops, goes, or lights up at night thank the Japanese... > > > From: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110406181942AAbB1GM > > > Best Answer - Chosen by Voters > > In all honesty, about 60%. > > Pistons, Austria > Forks, Japan > Wiring harness, Mexico > Various, electrical components, Mexico and China > Some brake components, Italy > Evolution, Twin Cam and V-Rod engines designed by engineers from HD and > Porsche.... > just to name a few > > Source(s): > > Master Tech and Engine Builder > > 1 year ago > > > > Other Answers (5) > > > > bonehead > It depends on the model and the year. The harley salesman used to say its > 100% American parts. But that was when they referred to the American > Continent, therefore it included Mexico and Canada and South American > sources. Now they say it's 100% American meaning that the final assembly > point is always Wisconsin but the source of the parts is no longer important > because they come from all around the world including China (both Taiwan and > Mainland China). The exact percentage of foreign sourced components is > unclear, however, the largest foreign source nation of Harley components is > Japan. This is comforting to HOG members because Japan builds very high > quality Harley components. > > 1 year ago > > Scooter > Well now that depends on how you look at it. If you go part by part, it's > maybe15 or 20 percent. Now if you talking about assembled parts, that will > be much higher, that 60% would be closer. There are a lot, of raw parts made > in the U.S. Shipped outside, assembled, then shipped back, to be assembled > into a motorcycle. Major parts of the frame, motor, trans. and body, are > made in the U.S. > > A finish part may say on the box, that it was made in China. But that does > not mean, it started out there. > > Source(s): > > Drove a truck, for a Subcontractor of Harley. > > 1 year ago > > Andy > It used to be about 20%.But given how America has sold it's soul to China > there's no telling now. > Edit I just saw the 60% answer from Harleyfixer.I had no idea it was that > high these days.I guess if you bought all the made in China junk accessories > they make to bolt onto a bike you could get that percentage up to about > 85....sooooooooo sad. > > Edited 1 year ago > > bluff mike > It was nearly sixty percent in the 1990s. Since they started outsourcing to > China, there's no telling. > > 1 year ago > > > > > > > From: Allen Thomas > Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 7:24 PM > To: Nightwawk Lovers > Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] Sick and tired! > > Better yet point out the Japanese forks, brakes, shocks, and carbs on their > bikes. Also I think the evo engines are built in Korea. They just assemble > them in America to my knowledge. > Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T > ________________________________ > From: nighthawkin <[email protected]> > Sender: [email protected] > Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 20:22:03 -0400 > To: <[email protected]> > ReplyTo: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] Sick and tired! > > tell them they were made in america? > > On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 8:15 PM, Allen Thomas <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Amen brother Kurt! >> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T >> ________________________________ >> From: Kurt Nolte <[email protected]> >> Sender: [email protected] >> Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 20:10:44 -0400 >> To: <[email protected]> >> ReplyTo: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] Sick and tired! >> >> Perhaps we can turn this into a sort of "sick and tired" email chain to >> concentrate gripes? 'cause I have one... that I'm truly sick and tired of. >> Loud effing pipes. >> >> I hate them. I hate them, hate them, hate them. I want to go Chuck Norris >> on whoever first thought up the notion of "loud pipes save lives." I'd love >> to go Jackie Chan on the salesnakes that perpetuate the notion to drive pipe >> sales. and I'm SICK AND TIRED of the neighbor's earsplitter Harley waking me >> up early in the morning! >> >> -Kurt >> >> On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 8:00 PM, Bill Sandifer <[email protected]> >> wrote: >>> >>> Man, that is distressing. It's seems to go along with an increasingly >>> troubling undercurrent of nationalism that excludes things perceived as >>> un-American, that is, outside a very narrow mainstream. I can really >>> sympathize. Hang in there. Bill S. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> mailto:nighthawk_lovers%[email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> mailto:nighthawk_lovers%[email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. -- -Joey Kelley JoeyKelley.com - My Life Online JoeyFixesComputers.com - Its What I Do! JoeyKelleyPhoto.com - Photographing Today, For Tomorrow -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
