"This has made me excited about the future of harley daverson has to offer to the American rider and the world in general...." that is something I thought I would literally never hear 💀
The warehouse full of amazing motorcycles that Harley has made and then completely forgotten about would like to have a word. Harley has made so absolutely bangers and then after it doesn't do well in the first year or two they say fuck it and drop the bike from production. I worry so much about the Pan-America is going to be dropped completely. They are following the Ford model of lets stop making all these other things that we sell a few of and sell f150s in the thousands. If Harley doesn't make the change to the industry and keeps its head in the sand after the American people have foot the bill... I won't feel bad at all if they die.
I'm not sure why nobody at Harley has ever thought of this before but they should branch off a company and make sport bikes based off of souped up sportster S motors... They can name it "Buell" ... Oh wait...
@@m.simonereale2540 Harley upper-ups didn’t understand that they just needed to get out of Erik’s way and let him build what he wanted. And the Harley sales team wanted to sale 30k Electra Glides instead of 10k Buell.
Not to play semantics but they put it on hold rather than cancelled it. I think they wanted to use the sportster and the pan am to build a little positivity among modern motorcyclists before just dropping a (hopefully very good) street fighter into the market to get a little buzz going on. Based on this video, it that’s the strat I’d say they’ve succeeded
Absolutely agree! I was in a HD dealership not too long ago just looking around at different bikes, found a fat bob that I really liked. Then I saw it had an 18 thousand dollar price tag on it, and no modern tech or anything. They're selling bikes with mid 1900s tech and expecting the customer to pay ridiculous prices for them. I'm looking for a cruiser, and I'm probably going to end up buying one of the metric cruisers instead just because they're half the price and they actually come with more modern tech
@@tomoates8568 What modern tech are you looking for that wasn't available on the Fat Bob? Harley tends to toe the line between adopting the newest technology and not alienating the DIY customizing crowd.
I have a sportster 48 and love it. But after I went to a Motorcycle museum in Anamosa Iowa I saw a lot of old bikes and saw so many Harley designs that could be modernized into a great sport bike design. Its time they make one.
Harley would have had that Sportsbike 15 years ago, if only they had not kicked out the only real sportbike builder they had. Now they just have to say "please, please pleaseeee " to Erik Buell and take him back. He is the perfect engineer to build that sportsbike for Harley.
So I went to my local dealer , asked to see the Sportster S and the Pan Am Boomer era dealer man said “You don’t want one of those girlie bikes, you want this CVO road kings with the screaming Eagle stage 3 kit, I can get you on it with 7 year financing” HD may be building better bikes, but their dealers want the margins the antique twins bring in . Same thing happened to Buell
YAMMIE papa, please please make a Honda magna video. My first bike is a ‘97 Honda magna 750. I got into bikes because of you and others alike and would love to hear what you’ve got to say about it!
Here’s my problem the bike is $15,000+, along with all harleys. They are overpriced for what you get. If I’m spending over $10k I’ll just wait to get a Mt09 SP 🤷♂️
So, the S has all the same tech goodies as the FTR, more power, less weight, same price. Same price because that's the bike it was designed to compete with. Why is the FTR a value purchase, but the S is "Overpriced"? Brand hate makes millenials retarded...
@@deangullberry5148 FTR is $2000 cheaper. MSRP of a base FTR is 13000 Which, for a bike that has been out for years now, seems slightly overpriced. Harley is my favorite brand so it’s not brand hate. If you read a history book you’d know that the sportster is supposed to be the cheapest model. It’s supposed to be cheap power. For what it is, even the regular sportsters are overpriced in terms of tech, power, and quality. In conclusion: both are overpriced.
And the Indian Scout is just a Victory Octane that was given retro fenders when Polaris axed Victory. Doesn't make the Scout unoriginal and boring. The 1000-1300cc v-twin cruiser class has been pretty well established for the last 50 years. Doesn't make it ununteresting or boring as a class. It's weird to say about a new bike, "This is boring because it is in the same class as this other existing bike."
@@johnraconteur1723 it is, because it is nothing NEW. Throw more horsepower-your words-different fenders and call it; A NEW REVOLUTION. It is uninspiring, played out and and I feel sorry for anyone that buys one...
@@zacpdx What do you consider 'new and inspiring'? Something so radically different that it defies all current classifications? When you bought your bike was it something so drastically different that it was unlike anything that came before it? I guess the emerging electric bikes meet that criteria. That's new and inspiring in its own way. I don't intend to sound rude. I'm truly curious to know what it takes for some people to feel inspired by a new model. To me, nearly every motorcycle in history has been a task of deciding what class in which to design (v-twin cruiser, straight 4 supersport, whatever), looking at the competition in that class, then attempting to build a better bike at a price point that will sell. Even bikes that were hailed as revolutionary like the Yamaha Vmax were just exploring new ground in a dead class (v4 cruisers). Doesn't mean the Vmax was boring.
People who want sport bikes won't spend harley davidson money and people who buy harley Davidson's probably won't even buy the sportster much less a sport bike
Yes Harley can be America's sport bike, But it will have to be as brilliant as the Buell 1190 SX and 1190 RX that has already been named the American Panigal ! Buell is not dead but lives and still assembled by hand in Grand Rapids, MI!
Sorry, but HD is incapable of making a motorcycle that a metric bike won't do better for less money. When you buy a harley you pay more to get less. That wasted money is basically an entrance fee to buy yourself into the name and image to satisfy your ego. It's that simple.
Buell was ahead of the times. At the time, Harley’s business model relied heavily on baby boomers, and now we’re at the beginning of the end of their generation, so maybe it’s time to try again.
I’m with you, Spite. I bought a used Ducati XDiavelS because I wanted the crossover between sport naked and cruiser. The 1250 v-twin with overhead cams (and variable valve timing) is an amazing power plant for next gen bikes. It’s really a race now between Harley, Indian and Ducati to find the the right bike designs to wring the most out of these new v-twins.
Folks were writing off Harley for dead this past winter. Then they drop two of the hottest bikes of the year. If they drop a Bronx by December, this will be one of their greatest years in history.
Response from HD - Yamms we know what are you expecting, but if we really wanted to build one SB we would have done it earlier. Please think of those people who were leather jackets, smoke cigars and looks like papanomaly.
The request for HD to make a sport class motorcycle isn't far from what they've attempted. The HD Bronx 975 was a street fighter style naked. However it was scrapped, or possibly at least pushed back. Hopefully they still manage to come out with this beauty.
I'm thinking honestly that they're going to gauge sportster s and pan am sales to see if the market is receptive to them and based on their sales already om hoping they start to come out of their shell
No, it wasn't scraped. It has been put on hold to focus on the bikes they've already released. They can barely keep up with the production of the Pan Am. It would have been a big mistake to release both the Pan Am and Bronx t the same time.
Nemo road from Rapid City to Vanocer Canyon blvd is a great ride. About 20 miles to the intersection he stopped at. Only reason I know that is the end of the video is filmed with my in-laws house behind the camera.
Great video ! I worked at the Harely plant in Kansas City before it closed down. I’m like you I e been waiting for them to build something like this for a long time now unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to build it. I’m also excited about Harleys future because they are actually trying to compete now! Case in point King Of The Baggers series. Harley-Davidson went all in on that series even after they dropped out of racing all together. Someone or something finally lit a competitive fire under the company.
I come from Germany and drive a Kawasaki Z1000. I have ridden the Sportster S and for me it is a sports motorcycle with a Harley soul look. The performance convinced me to buy it. I am excitedly waiting for my future love. I think that's it.Thank you for your Videos i love to see the american landscape🏍♥️
Hopefully they will do it. They obviously know how. If they could make something that stylistically appeals to the classic crowd I think it would be a win. I think the VROD was an example of creating something that was pretty cool but which looked too different to appeal to that crowd.
They just fucked up real bad when they cancelled Buell. Imagine what an evolution of the Buell would be 11 years after. They would have an amazing Street fighter.
"Please Harley-Davidson. Please build a sportbike" - Tons of people everywhere have been saying the same thing for DECADES. But we don't want some half-ass pretender to the throne. Because this is America. And we can do anything. And nothing short of a Ducati V4S killer will do!
You guys NEED, ABSOLUTELY NEED to ride the 16a in the black hills south Dakota. It is an amazing ride. Way more challenging than the tail of the dragon. So much more beautiful, so much more fun
I reaaaally hope they release the Bronx. They looked incredible from all the screenshots and footage I saw, and that new Rev-Max engine seems like a total peach
I will say that the Livewire has surprisingly sport-bikey ergos for a Harley. (slightly more rearset "mid" foot controls, low bars, leaned forward riding position) So I could honestly see them doing a proper sport bike if they wanted to.
If Harley could move those pegs back and knock a few grand off the MSRP i think the sportster would be competitive with offerings from Yamaha, Honda, etc.
At 12:40, you just described about the single most dangerous situation I could DREAM of... Sturgis, open to both cruiser and sport-bike riders. It would look like trying to hold a Moto GP race in downtown Singapore at rush hour! Between what would happen on the roads and in the bars, it would chalk up a casualty count that would make a war zone look peaceful.
I would love to see a Harley sports bike, maybe bring back the Buell brand, but more than that I would love to see Harley making good cruisers, bikes with decent lean angle, good handling, good suspension and breaks but with the beautiful style they’re known for.
They did not cancel it, they put it on hold so that they could see the reception they get from the Pan America and Sportster S. Particularly the reception they get from those who normally would not be interested in Harley-Davidson, which for the most part seems to be pretty positive.
@@BarnettSpeedSuzukiThou The sales figures for the Pan America very much disagree with that. No need to be so pessimistic and you should consider looking at the bright side a little more often :P.
I would love a supersport from HD that mechanically resembled the KTM RC8R. Being it's coming from Harley they should have two models with an R version being more leaned over and aggressive. Or even something brawly that could swing toe to toe with the Super Duke.
Saw a Buell Fireboat the other day. It's a lightweight sport bike with a 72" air-cooled engine. Great looking bike. HD has a terrific engine now (don't even have to adjust the valves) and could make a true competitor to the Indian FTR. Competition is good!
Maybe it's different in person, but on camera the styling of the new Sportster doesn't seem to gel for me. BUT, clearly they got the performance that folks wanted, despite some weird choices. Correct those choices, stop trying to be weird about the design, and they could easily turn that into a perfect mid price sporty naked. The catch will be that it will compare to bikes that cost thousands less in terms of actual performance, but clearly that hasn't been a real issue for HD as long as they can get the bike right.
A new xr1200 would be nice. Sportster flatform, 17" wheels. Up to 150 hp. Naked bike ergos. Nice suspension. (And round headlight...i'm sure hd have alot of those)
They already have one, it's called "The Bronx", they just haven't released it for manufacturing yet. They used to have an engineer Buell that was building cool sport bikes back in the day.
@@browngreen933 Ide Rathaus it sound like this or the Vrod. Your not gonna keep the classic Harley sound with a high performance motor unless the thing is 2000cc 😂
What I think harley should do is use the sportster as their ultimate customization model. Allow there to be parts that move the controls to the rear like a sport bike Or have them forward like a cruiser. It's the perfect bike to function either way..
Maybe now is a good idea to start investing in Harley. I personally think that the engine for the new sportster and panam, is a great platform for a sport bike. They just gotta pull the trigger.
This is a really great video and I hope people at Harley saw it and got excited. There is so much praise and hope in this video, so much encouragement and appreciation. The Sportster S is likely to be my first bike. I will drive it in rain mode for a while I'm sure, but just look at what Harley has achieved with me... I've been semi interested in bikes for about 4 years now after selling my Camaro SS. I saw the Sporster S, I watched the videos, see the amazing looks and performance combo and I need to make it happen. Getting my license, taking courses, and getting into motorcycles for real now. When I wasn't into bikes I had absolutely ZERO interest in Harley's as they all looked like they were designed in to 1950s to me. I could appreciate sport bikes but not Harley cruisers. But that has been changing. But these new Harley's are modern, cool looking, and have great performance as well. First the Fat Bob 114 grabbed my attention, they the Sporster S came out (Pan Am is cool also). Now they need to make the Bronx!!! Again... I really liked this video and hope HD saw it... and the visuals/landscape were great to watch while listening.
Undoubtedly I would buy a HD sport bike. It’s just so nice to have. And, yes, there is a sense of pride that great about have a HD, as no other else, and doesn’t need to be just on cruisers.
I think you’d backtrack on your statement of the Indian ftr even if you sat on the new one. Miles difference from the old gen that y’all have right now for give away.
Road this bike the other day. Sooo much torque. I road it back to back with the FTR 1200 and it was incredibly similar (just different riding position). Every time I shifted, the torque made me Almost slip out of my seat. Super super fun bike.
That thing would be so sweet w/out the gaudy pipes & maybe a mini windscreen/fairing! HD is without a doubt shooting itself in the foot with no sport bike! Does R&D not rely on sport/racing? Is that not how the industry works!?!? Indian has a f^&king sport bike for petes sake!
Is that really the speedo in the middle of the handlebar? I can't believe you were critiquing a bikes handling qualities at 44 mph, on a road like that. Find an interesting road and wind the throttle.
I would still buy a ftr 1200 over this. The ftr looks gorgeous and you can take it off-road. This thing in the other hand is just a fresher scout bobber.
Talked to HD last weekend. They said my Sportster S should be in around the 3rd or 4th week of this month. But if they dropped a Bronx with this 1250T engine the Sportster S would be traded in immediately. I can't wait for my S, but the Bronx 1250T would be what the world needs.
Ever heard of the Bronx 975? It's Harley's take on a naked bike/street fighter. Should be quite excellent. Made in Milwaukee but named after the Bronx? Potential is sky high.
My problem is the fact that it would cost a ridiculous amount. The Sportster S is 18K CAD without taxes, and dealer markup. At the end of the day that's over 20 thousand (Canadian) and for that money, I could buy a ultra high performance Japanese sport bike with 190HP good reliability and amazing handling.
Then do that instead, triumph thruxston rs which is way less power than the sportster s and is about 17k usd before all that mark up and people buy the hell out of them. That's the whole reason Japanese bikes sell as well as they do they're cheap, not a bad thing but that is what it is. Don't point fingers at just hd when ducati, mv, bmw, triumph, etc do the same thing to their bikes. A duc v4 and a gsxr 1000 are about the same in performance but cost about 8k less, yet why do people still buy them, its all about what people want if it was all about specs I would've just gotten an mt09 then my vitpilen 701 or a versys instead of my pan am
@@Ebbeebbeee thats completely true, you make a good point. the only other thing though is that I can't see the harley crowd getting into sport bikes, but it would be cool if they made one
@@rowanthomas6428 I honestly think it wouldn't be harley people buying them but the people like me and some others who want an American sportbike which would be nice to have you know us Americans patriotic
Yo I bought the pan America last weekend and love it. I traded my road glide and I don’t wanna go back. I do gotta find some way to make it obnoxiously loud though.;)
if Harley just kept making their aircooled bikes and added in the addition of a sport bike, the new pan america, and the super cruiser that is the new sportster S and they will have a very serious future in my opinion
Spite, you really need to ride the 2022 FTR. The handling is better than your 2019 giveaway. Heck, put some decent tires on your giveaway and it will out handle the Sporster S. And has anyone considered how much tire wear is going to deteriorate on that peaked HD front tire? As it wears down that sharp turn in will probably lose that crisp feeling.
If H-D builds a 1250 (not a 975) cafe racer I will be at my dealer next day! Purchased a 2021 Triumph Thruxton RS in April for $16,200. I would have gladly waited if H-D gave us a teaser. I’m pretty sure the H-D cafe racer would outperform my Thruxie at a similar price.
Because Harley has such a rich pedigree in high-power engines, performance suspensions, rigid frames, light weight, great brakes, riding dynamic software, and racing. That's what makes them perfectly situated to make a great sport bike. No, just no.
They used to race superbikes, the vr1000, they have plenty of history of high performance engines in there drag bikes and flat trackers, and you can't forget about the KOTB bikes
I was seriously considering buying the Bronx. I know the new motor is good. I’m willing to sacrifice a LITTLE speed and a LITTLE handling for the right sound and feel and look.
I've narrowed my list down to the Sportster S and the XDiavel. They are very different yet very similar at the same time hence my indecisiveness. I know you ha some time on a Diavel (close to the X), any comments on two? Could this be a future video?
I think H-D should get back on the Bronx streetfighter they had once shown. Maybe they set that bike aside to see how the Pan America and Sportster S work out. I'm hoping for a Cafe Racer with the Rev Max. I love my Road King, but I also need something else, like what you're talking about.
"This has made me excited about the future of harley daverson has to offer to the American rider and the world in general...." that is something I thought I would literally never hear 💀
The warehouse full of amazing motorcycles that Harley has made and then completely forgotten about would like to have a word.
Harley has made so absolutely bangers and then after it doesn't do well in the first year or two they say fuck it and drop the bike from production.
I worry so much about the Pan-America is going to be dropped completely.
They are following the Ford model of lets stop making all these other things that we sell a few of and sell f150s in the thousands.
If Harley doesn't make the change to the industry and keeps its head in the sand after the American people have foot the bill... I won't feel bad at all if they die.
Just because you heard it doesn't make it true 🙄
Wooopppp
I'm not sure why nobody at Harley has ever thought of this before but they should branch off a company and make sport bikes based off of souped up sportster S motors... They can name it "Buell" ... Oh wait...
I loved that bike! The Buell. What is ever happened to that line?
@@m.simonereale2540 Harley upper-ups didn’t understand that they just needed to get out of Erik’s way and let him build what he wanted. And the Harley sales team wanted to sale 30k Electra Glides instead of 10k Buell.
They had the chance to make a sport bike, the Bronx, and literally scrapped it. That would have been the bike to put me into a HD dealership
Would’ve had 2 tbh lol
Yea I was legit excited to see it. After they scrapped it I wouldn't care if Harley just went away forever
They could make a faired sportbike that would be interesting
Not to play semantics but they put it on hold rather than cancelled it. I think they wanted to use the sportster and the pan am to build a little positivity among modern motorcyclists before just dropping a (hopefully very good) street fighter into the market to get a little buzz going on. Based on this video, it that’s the strat I’d say they’ve succeeded
Same here. Was there one shot at my business
I think more than just a sports bike, people just want a Harley that feels like it totally justifies the price tag beyond just the badge
Absolutely agree! I was in a HD dealership not too long ago just looking around at different bikes, found a fat bob that I really liked. Then I saw it had an 18 thousand dollar price tag on it, and no modern tech or anything. They're selling bikes with mid 1900s tech and expecting the customer to pay ridiculous prices for them. I'm looking for a cruiser, and I'm probably going to end up buying one of the metric cruisers instead just because they're half the price and they actually come with more modern tech
They wanted $13k for Iron 883. Lol nope. Went and bought a Kawasaki Vulcan S 650 instead. So happy with my decision.
@@johnnycatR58 Nice! I've considered that one as well, but I'm thinking I'll probably go with a Honda Rebel 1100. I really like the look of it
@@tomoates8568 I wanted to look at the Rebel 1100 but no dealer within 500 miles had it in stock so it wasn't an option for me.
@@tomoates8568 What modern tech are you looking for that wasn't available on the Fat Bob? Harley tends to toe the line between adopting the newest technology and not alienating the DIY customizing crowd.
Spite : "Please HD, make a sportsbike for us Harley Fans."
Actual Harley fans : 16:51
Hahaha
💯
I don't think a $15000, 500lbs, 1250 cc motorcycle is in direct competition with a $9400, 415 lbs, 900cc motorcycle. (MT09 killer? what?)
Highway pulls I could see it being faster with the torque and hp. But no way in hell it has the comfort and fun factor like an MT09 in the twisties.
Not even close lol. For that price you're paying for more than you would for even the mt10
I have a sportster 48 and love it. But after I went to a Motorcycle museum in Anamosa Iowa I saw a lot of old bikes and saw so many Harley designs that could be modernized into a great sport bike design. Its time they make one.
Yes didn't they make some old cafe racer style bikes in the early 80s?
Saw one like that driving past a dealer
@@morgancornwall3254 not only that they made some great dual sport styles and nakedish bikes.
Harley would have had that Sportsbike 15 years ago, if only they had not kicked out the only real sportbike builder they had.
Now they just have to say "please, please pleaseeee " to Erik Buell and take him back.
He is the perfect engineer to build that sportsbike for Harley.
Came here to say the same thing.
@@chud67 great minds think alike. 😉
A fully fared HD sport bike with that engine and rs660 ergos would be sick!
Agreed
IMAGINE THE SOUND! that would be wild to see
So I went to my local dealer , asked to see the Sportster S and the Pan Am
Boomer era dealer man said
“You don’t want one of those girlie bikes, you want this CVO road kings with the screaming Eagle stage 3 kit, I can get you on it with 7 year financing” HD may be building better bikes, but their dealers want the margins the antique twins bring in . Same thing happened to Buell
Harley Davidson said recently in an earnings report that they’re doubling down on boomer market (their 🥖🧈 ) translation: don’t hold your breath
HD Disability scooters.
Their "dick butter"? ewww...
J V, 🥖🧈, not 🍆🧈
@@JV-yx3mf 😂🤣
BOOOOOOOOOOO!
YAMMIE papa, please please make a Honda magna video. My first bike is a ‘97 Honda magna 750. I got into bikes because of you and others alike and would love to hear what you’ve got to say about it!
Let's be real, they're going to shit on it
The Bronx has not been cancelled. Guaranteed to be on sale by the end of 2022. Too much R&D went into that bike for it to be binned.
Here’s my problem the bike is $15,000+, along with all harleys. They are overpriced for what you get. If I’m spending over $10k I’ll just wait to get a Mt09 SP 🤷♂️
Where I live I can get a BMW R18 for less than a street Bob....
This is true. Japanese bikes tend to be superior reliability, technology, performance for the $ to a budget conscious buyer.
Drop the price by 3-5k and then people would be more willing to buy it. 15k starting price is waaaaay to high for what you get.
If it were 10 grand I promise you I would’ve already purchased it. This bike is number 1 on my list of bikes to purchase but the price is outrageous
So, the S has all the same tech goodies as the FTR, more power, less weight, same price. Same price because that's the bike it was designed to compete with. Why is the FTR a value purchase, but the S is "Overpriced"?
Brand hate makes millenials retarded...
@@deangullberry5148 FTR is $2000 cheaper. MSRP of a base FTR is 13000 Which, for a bike that has been out for years now, seems slightly overpriced. Harley is my favorite brand so it’s not brand hate. If you read a history book you’d know that the sportster is supposed to be the cheapest model. It’s supposed to be cheap power. For what it is, even the regular sportsters are overpriced in terms of tech, power, and quality. In conclusion: both are overpriced.
I’d also like to add: millennial hate makes boomers retarded.
@@coalymoley8396 That's why they tagged it as the S, and reclassed the Sportster line to cruisers, not sport.
BTW, I'm not a boomer, dumbass
Can we stop pretending Harley went out on a limb with this bike. It’s pretty much a Indian Scout.
🤦🏻
Ding ding... unoriginal and boring
And the Indian Scout is just a Victory Octane that was given retro fenders when Polaris axed Victory. Doesn't make the Scout unoriginal and boring. The 1000-1300cc v-twin cruiser class has been pretty well established for the last 50 years. Doesn't make it ununteresting or boring as a class.
It's weird to say about a new bike, "This is boring because it is in the same class as this other existing bike."
@@johnraconteur1723 it is, because it is nothing NEW. Throw more horsepower-your words-different fenders and call it; A NEW REVOLUTION. It is uninspiring, played out and and I feel sorry for anyone that buys one...
@@zacpdx What do you consider 'new and inspiring'? Something so radically different that it defies all current classifications? When you bought your bike was it something so drastically different that it was unlike anything that came before it?
I guess the emerging electric bikes meet that criteria. That's new and inspiring in its own way.
I don't intend to sound rude. I'm truly curious to know what it takes for some people to feel inspired by a new model. To me, nearly every motorcycle in history has been a task of deciding what class in which to design (v-twin cruiser, straight 4 supersport, whatever), looking at the competition in that class, then attempting to build a better bike at a price point that will sell. Even bikes that were hailed as revolutionary like the Yamaha Vmax were just exploring new ground in a dead class (v4 cruisers). Doesn't mean the Vmax was boring.
People who want sport bikes won't spend harley davidson money and people who buy harley Davidson's probably won't even buy the sportster much less a sport bike
Yes Harley can be America's sport bike, But it will have to be as brilliant as the Buell 1190 SX and 1190 RX that has already been named the American Panigal ! Buell is not dead but lives and still assembled by hand in Grand Rapids, MI!
Sorry, but HD is incapable of making a motorcycle that a metric bike won't do better for less money.
When you buy a harley you pay more to get less. That wasted money is basically an entrance fee to buy yourself into the name and image to satisfy your ego. It's that simple.
Amen
That’s What Buell tried to do. But the HD GUY’s didn’t give him much Love.
Buell was ahead of the times. At the time, Harley’s business model relied heavily on baby boomers, and now we’re at the beginning of the end of their generation, so maybe it’s time to try again.
Buell is back
@@jandincheatwood4108 this… I’ll buy from Buell Before I Buy from Harley, if I’m looking for a sport bike.
@@jandincheatwood4108 nice.
Harley dealers didn't generally embrace Buell either. That hurts a lot too.
I’m with you, Spite. I bought a used Ducati XDiavelS because I wanted the crossover between sport naked and cruiser.
The 1250 v-twin with overhead cams (and variable valve timing) is an amazing power plant for next gen bikes. It’s really a race now between Harley, Indian and Ducati to find the the right bike designs to wring the most out of these new v-twins.
Folks were writing off Harley for dead this past winter. Then they drop two of the hottest bikes of the year. If they drop a Bronx by December, this will be one of their greatest years in history.
Response from HD - Yamms we know what are you expecting, but if we really wanted to build one SB we would have done it earlier. Please think of those people who were leather jackets, smoke cigars and looks like papanomaly.
The request for HD to make a sport class motorcycle isn't far from what they've attempted. The HD Bronx 975 was a street fighter style naked. However it was scrapped, or possibly at least pushed back. Hopefully they still manage to come out with this beauty.
I'm thinking honestly that they're going to gauge sportster s and pan am sales to see if the market is receptive to them and based on their sales already om hoping they start to come out of their shell
No, it wasn't scraped. It has been put on hold to focus on the bikes they've already released. They can barely keep up with the production of the Pan Am. It would have been a big mistake to release both the Pan Am and Bronx t the same time.
That is a beautiful road. I wish I had roads like that where I live.
Nemo road from Rapid City to Vanocer Canyon blvd is a great ride. About 20 miles to the intersection he stopped at. Only reason I know that is the end of the video is filmed with my in-laws house behind the camera.
As a self hating Buell owner I approve this message, the Bronx is HD's shot at getting me in a dealership.
Great video ! I worked at the Harely plant in Kansas City before it closed down. I’m like you I e been waiting for them to build something like this for a long time now unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to build it. I’m also excited about Harleys future because they are actually trying to compete now! Case in point King Of The Baggers series. Harley-Davidson went all in on that series even after they dropped out of racing all together. Someone or something finally lit a competitive fire under the company.
I am literally begging Harley! Bring back the Bronx! Or make a modern version of the xr1200 out of the new sportster s.
"MT09 killer" hahahahahaha yeah right..
Spite got jokes. For real though, I'm sort of over even hearing about HD.
Busted up laughing at just the title. Gotta be a long time yammie fan to truly appreciate
IF Harley can keep themselves from shoving a premium price on a sport bike they could sell it.
The only way Harley should ever consider building a sportbike is if they rehire Erik Buell to design it.
We don’t need anymore Old People designing HD. We’ve had enough for the past 40 years.
The buells were ugly as heck.
I’m hoping we get a 1250 Bronx. Tuned for 160+ horsepower. Like an American super duke!!!
@@brandensteele4486 was gonna be my 3rd, I wound up going with a 2021 z900. No regrets
I come from Germany and drive a Kawasaki Z1000. I have ridden the Sportster S and for me it is a sports motorcycle with a Harley soul look. The performance convinced me to buy it. I am excitedly waiting for my future love. I think that's it.Thank you for your Videos i love to see the american landscape🏍♥️
Hopefully they will do it. They obviously know how. If they could make something that stylistically appeals to the classic crowd I think it would be a win. I think the VROD was an example of creating something that was pretty cool but which looked too different to appeal to that crowd.
They just fucked up real bad when they cancelled Buell. Imagine what an evolution of the Buell would be 11 years after. They would have an amazing Street fighter.
"Please Harley-Davidson. Please build a sportbike" - Tons of people everywhere have been saying the same thing for DECADES. But we don't want some half-ass pretender to the throne. Because this is America. And we can do anything. And nothing short of a Ducati V4S killer will do!
Mt09 killer? Hmmm I'd like to see that race.
You guys NEED, ABSOLUTELY NEED to ride the 16a in the black hills south Dakota. It is an amazing ride. Way more challenging than the tail of the dragon. So much more beautiful, so much more fun
Someone at HD would have to have a set of balls for them to ever make a sport bike. So probably won't ever happen.
I haven't seen this passionate video about a specific motorcycle in ages.
I reaaaally hope they release the Bronx. They looked incredible from all the screenshots and footage I saw, and that new Rev-Max engine seems like a total peach
Just call it something else.
I will say that the Livewire has surprisingly sport-bikey ergos for a Harley. (slightly more rearset "mid" foot controls, low bars, leaned forward riding position) So I could honestly see them doing a proper sport bike if they wanted to.
If Harley could move those pegs back and knock a few grand off the MSRP i think the sportster would be competitive with offerings from Yamaha, Honda, etc.
Seeing yammie beat the hobgoblin with a hammer is officially my 2nd fav outro lol. Classic
At 12:40, you just described about the single most dangerous situation I could DREAM of... Sturgis, open to both cruiser and sport-bike riders. It would look like trying to hold a Moto GP race in downtown Singapore at rush hour! Between what would happen on the roads and in the bars, it would chalk up a casualty count that would make a war zone look peaceful.
I would love to see a Harley sports bike, maybe bring back the Buell brand, but more than that I would love to see Harley making good cruisers, bikes with decent lean angle, good handling, good suspension and breaks but with the beautiful style they’re known for.
Buell still makes new motorcycles
So many people were genuinely excited to see the Bronx and then they pulled the rug out and cancelled it. Ridiculous decision if ever there was.
That’s why I’m back on a gsxs.
They did not cancel it, they put it on hold so that they could see the reception they get from the Pan America and Sportster S. Particularly the reception they get from those who normally would not be interested in Harley-Davidson, which for the most part seems to be pretty positive.
@@asmodai2025 too late now they dropped the ball, again!
@@BarnettSpeedSuzukiThou The sales figures for the Pan America very much disagree with that. No need to be so pessimistic and you should consider looking at the bright side a little more often :P.
@@asmodai2025 lol, I do that’s why I ride that which my handle suggests ... 😁
I would love a supersport from HD that mechanically resembled the KTM RC8R. Being it's coming from Harley they should have two models with an R version being more leaned over and aggressive. Or even something brawly that could swing toe to toe with the Super Duke.
Saw a Buell Fireboat the other day. It's a lightweight sport bike with a 72" air-cooled engine. Great looking bike. HD has a terrific engine now (don't even have to adjust the valves) and could make a true competitor to the Indian FTR. Competition is good!
I believe the Bronx will be out as a 2022 model along with a performance bagger with a larger version of the Revolution Max engine.
Spite: harley! Please make a sport bike
Me: looks at my XR1200
BY FAR the best outro I've ever seen on this channel.
I still think it was a mistake that they cancelled the Bronx. I was really looking forward to riding that.
Maybe it's different in person, but on camera the styling of the new Sportster doesn't seem to gel for me. BUT, clearly they got the performance that folks wanted, despite some weird choices. Correct those choices, stop trying to be weird about the design, and they could easily turn that into a perfect mid price sporty naked. The catch will be that it will compare to bikes that cost thousands less in terms of actual performance, but clearly that hasn't been a real issue for HD as long as they can get the bike right.
A new xr1200 would be nice. Sportster flatform, 17" wheels. Up to 150 hp. Naked bike ergos. Nice suspension. (And round headlight...i'm sure hd have alot of those)
I have an Electraglide Limited and would buy a Harley 1000cc sport bike tomorrow if they brought one to market. It would make an awesome second bike.
Erik Buell has left the chat...
They already have one, it's called "The Bronx", they just haven't released it for manufacturing yet. They used to have an engineer Buell that was building cool sport bikes back in the day.
Damn, that was well done. Spite, HD should give you their first SB.
I want Harley to make a sport bike, but I want the cool look of a classic Harley
What about the sound of a classic Harley?
@@browngreen933 Ide Rathaus it sound like this or the Vrod. Your not gonna keep the classic Harley sound with a high performance motor unless the thing is 2000cc 😂
This is not a letter, what the hell are y'all trying to trick me?
Come on spite ...how much is HD paying you?
What I think harley should do is use the sportster as their ultimate customization model. Allow there to be parts that move the controls to the rear like a sport bike Or have them forward like a cruiser. It's the perfect bike to function either way..
I’m currently waiting for the Bronx. If they don’t make one then a MT09 will be what I get.
Bingo. Commented this elsewhere. After seeing the PanAm, the Bronx may actually be pretty decent!
I have an MT 09 don't wait for the bronx.The Yamaha is less expensive and better.
@@johnrettburg8224 Damn, you got to ride a Bronx? When?
Maybe now is a good idea to start investing in Harley. I personally think that the engine for the new sportster and panam, is a great platform for a sport bike. They just gotta pull the trigger.
This is a really great video and I hope people at Harley saw it and got excited. There is so much praise and hope in this video, so much encouragement and appreciation. The Sportster S is likely to be my first bike. I will drive it in rain mode for a while I'm sure, but just look at what Harley has achieved with me... I've been semi interested in bikes for about 4 years now after selling my Camaro SS. I saw the Sporster S, I watched the videos, see the amazing looks and performance combo and I need to make it happen. Getting my license, taking courses, and getting into motorcycles for real now. When I wasn't into bikes I had absolutely ZERO interest in Harley's as they all looked like they were designed in to 1950s to me. I could appreciate sport bikes but not Harley cruisers. But that has been changing. But these new Harley's are modern, cool looking, and have great performance as well. First the Fat Bob 114 grabbed my attention, they the Sporster S came out (Pan Am is cool also). Now they need to make the Bronx!!! Again... I really liked this video and hope HD saw it... and the visuals/landscape were great to watch while listening.
Undoubtedly I would buy a HD sport bike. It’s just so nice to have. And, yes, there is a sense of pride that great about have a HD, as no other else, and doesn’t need to be just on cruisers.
Harley-Davidson: I wish but I can't. I'm not a motorcycle manufacturer, I'm just money printing Factory
I think you’d backtrack on your statement of the Indian ftr even if you sat on the new one. Miles difference from the old gen that y’all have right now for give away.
Yes...several of us rattled on about that in that video. AT least put new sport/tour tires on it and re test
I would love to see this review with the optional mid-mounted controls installed.
Yes! Mids on this would bee perfect
I still have my Sylvan Park tag on my bike :)
Yes a sport bike would be awesome! There is a dealership less than 10 miles from my house. I would be there in a heartbeat to buy a sport bike!
Man... could you just imagine a bunch of Squids at Sturgis? 🤣
Road this bike the other day. Sooo much torque. I road it back to back with the FTR 1200 and it was incredibly similar (just different riding position). Every time I shifted, the torque made me Almost slip out of my seat. Super super fun bike.
That thing would be so sweet w/out the gaudy pipes & maybe a mini windscreen/fairing! HD is without a doubt shooting itself in the foot with no sport bike! Does R&D not rely on sport/racing? Is that not how the industry works!?!? Indian has a f^&king sport bike for petes sake!
I'm going to buy one, move the footpegs back, add a wider tank, add clip ons and have a good cafe racer without cutting shit.
Is that really the speedo in the middle of the handlebar? I can't believe you were critiquing a bikes handling qualities at 44 mph, on a road like that. Find an interesting road and wind the throttle.
That made one in case you guys forgot or are to young. It was called BUELL XB12 fire bolt .
We need poppa yams on this thing ASAP we have a rogue Spite on a Harley making all kinds if bold statements!!
I would still buy a ftr 1200 over this. The ftr looks gorgeous and you can take it off-road. This thing in the other hand is just a fresher scout bobber.
I bought an ftr... not good for off road 😕
Talked to HD last weekend. They said my Sportster S should be in around the 3rd or 4th week of this month. But if they dropped a Bronx with this 1250T engine the Sportster S would be traded in immediately. I can't wait for my S, but the Bronx 1250T would be what the world needs.
Ever heard of the Bronx 975? It's Harley's take on a naked bike/street fighter. Should be quite excellent. Made in Milwaukee but named after the Bronx? Potential is sky high.
My problem is the fact that it would cost a ridiculous amount. The Sportster S is 18K CAD without taxes, and dealer markup. At the end of the day that's over 20 thousand (Canadian) and for that money, I could buy a ultra high performance Japanese sport bike with 190HP good reliability and amazing handling.
Then do that instead, triumph thruxston rs which is way less power than the sportster s and is about 17k usd before all that mark up and people buy the hell out of them. That's the whole reason Japanese bikes sell as well as they do they're cheap, not a bad thing but that is what it is. Don't point fingers at just hd when ducati, mv, bmw, triumph, etc do the same thing to their bikes. A duc v4 and a gsxr 1000 are about the same in performance but cost about 8k less, yet why do people still buy them, its all about what people want if it was all about specs I would've just gotten an mt09 then my vitpilen 701 or a versys instead of my pan am
@@Ebbeebbeee thats completely true, you make a good point. the only other thing though is that I can't see the harley crowd getting into sport bikes, but it would be cool if they made one
@@rowanthomas6428 I honestly think it wouldn't be harley people buying them but the people like me and some others who want an American sportbike which would be nice to have you know us Americans patriotic
@@Ebbeebbeee Yea you're right makes sense, it would be awesome to see what they could do though
Yo I bought the pan America last weekend and love it. I traded my road glide and I don’t wanna go back. I do gotta find some way to make it obnoxiously loud though.;)
if Harley just kept making their aircooled bikes and added in the addition of a sport bike, the new pan america, and the super cruiser that is the new sportster S and they will have a very serious future in my opinion
Agree. Need a small starter/old man model too.
I asked / requested they (HD) put that Bronx out this Fall or by January 2022. I do not understand why not --- it is a goldmine waiting to happen.
They would make the engine as big as a 1000cc bike and it would only put out 80hp then charge you 25k for it.
If they were lucky...
The revolution max engine is making a reputation for itself already, everyone knows it's a powerhouse
Spite, you really need to ride the 2022 FTR. The handling is better than your 2019 giveaway. Heck, put some decent tires on your giveaway and it will out handle the Sporster S. And has anyone considered how much tire wear is going to deteriorate on that peaked HD front tire? As it wears down that sharp turn in will probably lose that crisp feeling.
Mt09 killer? Maybe cut the price in half?
Maybe they'll release the Bronx one day!
If H-D builds a 1250 (not a 975) cafe racer I will be at my dealer next day! Purchased a 2021 Triumph Thruxton RS in April for $16,200. I would have gladly waited if H-D gave us a teaser. I’m pretty sure the H-D cafe racer would outperform my Thruxie at a similar price.
I watch your videos, and you guys don't understand windy roads 😂😂
Because Harley has such a rich pedigree in high-power engines, performance suspensions, rigid frames, light weight, great brakes, riding dynamic software, and racing. That's what makes them perfectly situated to make a great sport bike.
No, just no.
They used to race superbikes, the vr1000, they have plenty of history of high performance engines in there drag bikes and flat trackers, and you can't forget about the KOTB bikes
That belly on the Sportster S is aesthetically pleasing.. super slick and aggressive
An Open Letter to Yammie Noob... STOP SIMPING OVER HARLEY DAVIDSON.
Why?
I was seriously considering buying the Bronx. I know the new motor is good. I’m willing to sacrifice a LITTLE speed and a LITTLE handling for the right sound and feel and look.
I've narrowed my list down to the Sportster S and the XDiavel. They are very different yet very similar at the same time hence my indecisiveness. I know you ha some time on a Diavel (close to the X), any comments on two? Could this be a future video?
I think H-D should get back on the Bronx streetfighter they had once shown. Maybe they set that bike aside to see how the Pan America and Sportster S work out. I'm hoping for a Cafe Racer with the Rev Max. I love my Road King, but I also need something else, like what you're talking about.