Since motorcycles are notorious for being more dangerous than passenger cars, safety isn’t usually the number one criteria on a person’s list when they buy, repair, or build their own motorcycle. Rather, speed, comfort, fuel economy and style are a few more common criteria.

With fuel prices climbing higher and higher, more consumers are interested in motorcycles for their fuel economy. The size and shape of your bike will have a huge impact on its gas mileage though. For the highest number of miles per gallon, buy a smaller bike with an aerodynamic frame. College students and young adult with no children are probably the best candidates for motorcycle use. Many gas pumps are designed with cars rather than motorcycles in mind though. This can make re-fueling somewhat difficult. Motorcycle owners consider the inconvenience a low price to pay for the money they save on gas though.

The design and brand of motorcycle that you choose will largely depend on the way you plan to use it. For example, stunt bikes and dirt bikes are usually light-weight while touring bikes, which travel longer distances and higher speeds, are often heavier to support a larger engine. Geographic location also makes a difference. For example, in a Southeast Asian country, where lane splitting is a common practice, small motorcycles and scooters allow motorists to utilize the space between cars and move through congested traffic quickly.
Although many Japanese brands, like Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha, dominate the motorcycle industry today, Harley-Davidson is still a popular motorcycle brand in America. Harleys are pretty much heavy weight motorcycles that have at least 750cc engines. They are usually designed for highway cruising and they are also very customized and showy. One of the big selling points for Harley-Davison is their American-made and historic quality, but many of the motorcycle parts are actually made in other countries. This outsourcing increases the quality and decreases the price of the parts.

Buying vs. Building

Buying a motorcycle facilitates immediate use and requires no mechanical expertise. And, if your new ride comes with a warranty, you can rest assured that everything will run smoothly or be covered for the first couple years. On the other hand, if you build your own bike, you can make your ride exactly the way you want it and you will always be able to make your own repairs. It can also be more affordable to build your own bike because consumers can buy custom Harley parts for less than wholesale price if they know where to shop.

While automatic transmission can do wonders for a four-wheel drive, don’t ever think that riding a motorcycle is just as easy. Getting from point A to B  requires more than just firing up the engine and setting it to drive. When riding a motorcycle, you have to embrace the adventure that goes with maneuvering a two-wheel drive. Remember that a motorcycle actually weighs just a few more pounds than you, and in able to control it, you have to be “one with it.” Any shift in movement and body weight would result in instant swerves and turns.
Perhaps for a lot of people, riding a motorcycle is most appealing because of its thrill, with wind blowing past your face and your feet mere inches from the ground. Add to that the benefits of fuel efficiency as well as speed and power that only a motorcycle can offer. For a real motorcycle rider, however, it’s also about accepting all the risks that comes with balancing a two-wheel drive and taking on the responsibility for a safe journey.

Much has been said about motorcycle riders and what it takes to be a good one, but little do some people know that behind a good motorcycle rider is a high-performance vehicle such as a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Investing on a Harley

Harley Davidson motorcycles have been around for more than a hundred years. Apparently, what started out as a dream for creating the first ever motorized bicycle has become one of the most influential names in the world of two-wheel drives. Thanks to Arthur Davidson and William Harley, the world has come to know a motorcycle brand that etched its legacy based on engine performance, handling, speed and power, and its classic look. It also doesn’t hurt that Harleys are seen in many films that involve fearless riders and crazy stunts. Another good reason for keeping a Harley Davidson motorcycle is that it is one of the only two motorcycle manufacturers in America to have survived the Great Depression.

Top reasons for investing on a Harley could also be one of these:

*Flying high with a classic ride

The name itself is recognized as a seal of quality and high performance. Though modern brands have lured many motorcycle riders to pick their own style and performance-driven two-wheel vehicles, you could say that Harleys are bound to stay. There are BMWs that are built for high performance for almost any road condition. The same may be true for Japanese brands such as Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda. But surely, owners of any Harley Davidson would say that nothing beats the original and the leader in motorcycle engine evolution for more than a hundred years. When you say Harley Davidson, what comes to mind is versatility, quality, and speed.

* Picking a Harley that suits your style

For any type of road condition, may it be a rough road or smooth pavement, on terrains or highways, you surely can find one that matches your riding style and capacity. Currently, there are CVOs (custom vehicle operations), Dynas, Softails, and VRSC models to choose from. Owners of Harley Davidson motorcycles would also have to say that it this brand is best for touring and roughing it out on the road.

Not just any motorcycle rider

Buying a Harley Davidson could spell a world of difference for the type of rider that your are. The model and make of your Harley Davidson could tell much about your preference for speed, comfort, style, and flexibility. The engine is also a prime consideration for many Harley Davidson motorcycle riders and owners. For such as classic ride, you surely have to know much about tuning, building, and maintenance to properly care for your Harley Davidson.

Whether for street or race riding, any motorcycle rider have to be mentally alert and physically prepared for what could be an intense ride. As they say, riding a motorcycle is 90% mental preparation. This means that much thought is given to every swerve and turn you take. Many Harley Davidson riders are also known for their classic sense of style that goes with their choice of jackets, helmets, and other original Harley Davidson accessories and merchandises to accentuate their riding style.

So, you are thinking of getting your first Harley-Davidson motorcycle? Well, there are a few things that you’ll want to become knowledgeable about if you want to have any hope of fitting in with the custom Harley Davidson crowd.

Owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle brings you into a tight knit brotherhood with a culture all its own. But getting a Harley doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be included into this self-proclaimed elite group of America loving, free spirited souls. The Harley culture is a proud one and, like any organization, they have traditions, expectations, and unwritten rules that each biker is expected to follow.

Right off the bat, you should know that your Harley isn’t really a Harley unless it’s a custom Harley Davidson. In other words, you don’t want to pull up to the local biker bar in an “off the shelf” Harley bike. A man’s (or woman’s) bike should be a reflection of themselves, and therefore no two Harleys should be alike.

Your bike tells others who you are, what you are like, and may very well be the thing that other bikers judge you by.

Secondly, make sure all your custom parts are made by American companies. You bought a Harley because of the pride, sophistication, and attention to detail that went into its creation. By customizing your bike with non-American parts, you go counter to the made-in-America attitudes of the Harley culture. If your bike has parts that aren’t made in America, then the bike itself is no longer a work of American art.

And when it comes to the helmet that you wear, forget the face mask. Those are for wimps!

Sure you can buy a Harley motorcycle and not follow any of the brotherhood’s rules, but you can expect to be shunned by every other Harley biker on the road. Think I’m joking? Maybe the following story will change your mind.

One part of the Harley culture, as mentioned earlier, is to buy American. Harley-Davidson is an American company and owners of these American-made bikes are very proud to be riding on a machine put together by American hands. That means your bike should be running parts from American manufacturers right down to the spark plugs.

A biker entered a parts store one day and complained about the rough running of his V-twin engine. The parts manager recommended replacing his spark plugs with the NGK (a Japanese company) brand. The biker did so reluctantly. Turns out he liked the NGK spark plugs much better and chose to run them instead of the OEM plugs that his bike came with originally.

Only problem was that he knew he would be shunned by his fellow bikers for running a Japanese part on his bike, so he manually painted the HD logo onto his NGK spark plugs to prevent any suspicion.

When working with your custom Harley Davidson, remember where your “hog” came from and be sure to honor the culture that you have joined.

What is the perfect mix? For Harley Davidson, they have mixed their Harleys with Baby Boomers and found they are a perfect mix. Baby Boomers are approaching their social security age so why in the world do they want a Harley? Boomers are not like any of the prior groups of people who have already approached retirement. Boomers still want to continue to live their youth.

Harleys offer fun, excitement, thrills and also a position of class envy. Harleys ain’t cheap so these Yuppies want to buy one and show off their financial status. They aren’t the fastest bikes or the easiest to ride but that don’t matter to a Boomer. It is all about perception. Harley motorcycles, Harley babes, Harley road trips are all part of the dream that unites the Boomer with his Harley.

Even the name of the Harleys seems to point toward us older folks. Harley Softails reminds me I need a soft place to park this old rear end. Harley Fatboy motorcycles and a peak in the mirror reminds me of my physical condition. Let’s not forget the Harley jackets, sunglasses, riding pants and the hundreds of other must have Harley accessories. Face it, Boomers may be getting old but they still need it all.

We even enjoy motorcycle auctions especially if there are some good buys on Harleys. Heck, we even buy a Harley Davidson and rarely ride it. We just park it in the garage and wait for it to appreciate. Funny think; it usually does.

We grew up watching biker movies, the call to Sturgis, and Hell Angels. When we sit down on that hog, we can’t help have vision of being one of those “bad” but misunderstood biker. We just know owning a Harley comes with Harley *****. It is probably a myth but a boomer worth his salt is certainly not going to deny it. It is all about image.

Bottom-line, the good folks over at Harley-Davidson have nurtured this image of Harley motorcycle riders being a tough guy. This image has been translated in quite a successful profitable business that just keeps going on and on. Harleys and the Japanese bikes have no comparison. The Yamaha’s, Suzuki’s, and Kawasaki’s have a reputation of fun, power and sports. Yet they can’t compete against the rumbling sound of a Harley with a Baby Boomer straddling this beast with a huge smile of his or her face.