Technology Rant

Technology Rant:

> I was wondering if someone could shed some light on people's attraction
> to Harley-Davidsons. [major snippage] My friends acknowlege the faults
> of their machines but have never given me a sufficent reason for their
> love of such a troublesome bike.

Bob knows I don't want to feed the trolls, but I've wanted to take a stab at this for awhile ... So set 'em up Shirley as I climbs up on m' soapbox.

The trolls try to get our dander up by spouting off on their perceptions that our bikes breakdown regularly, don't handle well, vibrate excessively, are too loud, and that the engines are based on old technology. Each of these points can be debated, but those who are slaves to technology one-upmanship, racing, and squid-like riding are never going to get it.

They'll never get that those of us who baby old iron do it for the love of doing so. That we love to tweak, modify and refurbish our bikes. And, they certainly never listen when we explain that newer Harleys are dependable machines [shrug].

They'll never get that the majority of us are cruisers who value comfort, stability and low to mid-range torque over speed, light, twitchy handling, and bragging about HP numbers.

They'll never get that we value the long-term support and tremendous after-market that grows up around engines which hang around for ten or more years and evolve from their predecessors.

I admire the engineering that goes into development of new technology, and I think we're generally better for it. At the same time, I'm dismayed about how we're adapting to "disposable technology." The exquisite little cameras Leica made on the 50s and 60s are certainly old technology in a world demanding immediate transmission of digital images, but a 30 year-old Leica fetches as much used as they cost new. How much will today's $900 digital camera be worth in 5 years? Who cares? The only folks buying them are those buying used 486 computers today.

The same is true of today's hottest bikes. Technological marvels they are. And their target market is those drawn to technological marvels. Next year those bikes will be, well ... last year's news. For many of us, Harleys represent more enduring values.

I think most of us genuinely love our Harleys for a lot of reasons that are hard to quantify. Tis hard to quantify love, lust, beauty, tradition, history ... It's hard to put a value on the feeling one gets when firing up and riding a big twin, or the sound that resonates in the pits of our stomachs... and our hearts.

Tis the blues vs techno and the trolls will never get it.

--
Chilly BS#226 Slob#5
"There is only one RE"
"Ride like yer invisible"