and bob,harley bashing gets so boring sometime
And I actually like Harleys, they're great bikes. It always makes me laugh when I look at the history of the Jap "Cruiser", how they tried so hard to imitate HD with their "Harley Clones" , while HD never tried to retaliate by building a "Honda Clone" etc.
To me that is a mark of their integrity, they were building V twins in 1903, and still are now. Look at the other old "Marques", the reborn Triumph looks just like a Jap bike, and even BMW are now making an across the frame four with "Hayabusa like" power.
You've got a wonderful AMERICAN Motorcycle icon in the US, and even if American riders don't appreciate their home grown product, the brand will survive because riders around the world respect the brand and embrace it's simple, honest philosophy, and the courage the company has shown to not just fall in line with rest of the manufacturers. Cheers, Terry.