In the 1st half of my professional life I worked for international blue chip companies, and I know too well how slow they are to take decisions, assimilate trends and produce their manufacturing products. But once again I am puzzled by the decision of Honda to launch their first chopper model a decade after the new chopper-style wave was started. This is the Honda Fury, a chopper-style production bike from Honda supposed to be unveiled today at the New York International Motorcycle Show. This Fury has the longest wheelbase of any production motorcycle, is powered by a 1312cc fuel-injected and liquid-cooled V-twin (radiator is tucked between the front frame rails), isequipped with a 200-series rear tire and a 21” front. It uses a shaft drive as opposed to the more traditional belt or chain associated with choppers. The price is cool: about $13,000. But what’s new? Nothing. 10 years too late, I think. Via Hell Leather Magazine.
Unveiling Of The Honda Fury Chopper
Published by January 16th, 2009 in Builders, Editorial and Events.75 Responses to “Unveiling Of The Honda Fury Chopper”
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It certainly appears that they got nothing right on this bike.
People might prefer it over other bikes from the likes of Big Dog etc. because of the price. I bet this thing will have a RRP around the $11,990 mark, and with that will come a level of reliability small scale production companies could only dream about.
If you want to attract new younger riders into the Chopper scene they have to start some where, and it today’s economic climate not every guy in their early twenties can afford to drop $30K or more on a bike.
Another innovative design from Japan. Soon I’ll get to hear how much better it is than the Harley it mimics. (Plastic and all) My biased opinion is, if you cannot afford to buy a 30K bike. BUY A USED BIKE, and learn how to fix it. A month ago I had to pull over and show a Shadow owner how to restart his bike. Once it started it was a beautiful affordable bike. Pretty Paint, very hardcore, bla,bla,bla
12k for an extremely reliable, everyday ridable, decent looking “chopper” ? Given the economy, sounds like the timing was perfect.
OMG, shouldn’t you be excited about something you’re supposed to sell??? Reminds me of Shakespear … “much ado about nothing”
No offense to Honda (cause they do build good products IMHO), but they need to stay out of this market–they need to stick to Dirt Bikes, ATV’s, sportbikes, cars and generators. I think that this will tank and they will hemmorage money on this bike. Whoever told them that this was a good idea needs to get fired.
Take the Honda name off this bike and half you guys would be saying cool ride. It has a decent look and being a honda it is probably reliable as well. I personally don’t buy or ride any bike ,car or anything else that is not American made if I can avoid it. but I am sure that Honda will sell a ton of these bikes. It’s just a damn shame that Harley is not building cheaper bikes so that this market does not go to the Japanese. But lets face it Harley would rather sell T-shirts than bikes anyone that does not believe that just look at how much of the showroom floor space is bikes and how much of that space is everything else with Harley’s logo all over it. T-shirts, BBQ’s, pool tables monololy games, ash tray’s and anything else they can fit there name on. I personally believe that if HD could sell all the B.S. with out making bikes they would. Some of the Harley dealerships look more like walmart than bike shops. At the rate things are going our children will be saying ” there used to be these really cool bikes called Harley Davidson made in America but now the Japanese make them.” Anyone that thinks that can’t happen try wrenching on a new HD alot of the bolts are already metric.
On one hand I have to say I think the idea may be a little late in coming but they are probably going to sell. The main reason being the price and the fact that not nearly as many riders care if it’s made in the USA . Look how many “Harley” riders are driving Toyotas and Acuras now and in most cases it’s because the Japanese have managed to build a very reliable, sensibly priced vehicle where the US auto makers would rather fly their private jets to DC to ask for more money. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of anything made in the land of the rising sun but reality tells me they’re probably going to sell. From a builder’s standpoint the bike has decent lines and I can see where they could be done up with some custom aftermarket parts and paint to really look pretty cool. Not my cup of tea but I bet there are a bunch of riders looking for something that looks cool and doesn’t cost a ton of money. Hey, if I could build custom bikes for that money I’d be doing it all day long. Truth is we can’t, not with any decent parts anymore.
Bobfather: with the quality (or lack therof) when it comes to the cars made by the “Big 3”, well they are garbage compared to the Japanese-made cars nowadays, that is why they sell tons of them here in the US and you are right, they are sensibly priced for the middle class guy/gal–the bloated 3 used to do that for us and screwed us now, cause they don’t give a flying fuck about us anymore. I am sure that I will get attacked for that opinion but let’s face facts, they don’t care about quality anymore, just making obscene profits w/ shit products and ensuring the union thugs get their part of the pie. On the other hand, H-D has made strides in the last 25+ years to improve product, tighten up quality control and ensure that John and Jane Q Consumer get a better product. This might be a naive or foolish statement but I still do believe that H-D still cares about a quality product and if Ford, GM and Dodge felt the same way and acted as such, they wouldn’t be getting their ass whipped on a regular basis by the Japanese companies. (Honda, Nissan, Toyota, etc…)
Sorry boys….this Honda will never be a true “chopper”………
For the money, buy a used HD or a sportster. Lets face it, Honda is desperate due to the fact that their sales are down so they are trying to increase their US market presence by tapping into the so called “chopper” market. A day late, a dollar short.
I am sure that they will sell some of these units, primarily to ignorant or newbie riders trying to be cool…..
Let’s face it…..choppers are Americana……..and this rice burner is not.
I am sure that it sounds like your average shadow but with tighter EPA restrictions.
Like they say……..”there is a sucker born every minute”
Softail style frame, strecthed tank custom looking wheels chrome to spare looks like half the bikes in Daytona or sturgis after the owners have stuck $5000 in part on there $20,000 harley. No doubt these bikes will sell. If HD wanted to built a bike for less they could, but they have always used the business plan of build less and charge more don’t build too many so that the market gets flooded and that way the people that want them will pay more to get them. This has served HD well in the past and I am sure they will continue to do the same in the future. The only problem I see with there plan is that the japanese manufactures are now building bikes that look like HD’s, sell them for much less,the bikes are more dependable and are available today if you want one. It is a shame but the bike industry is headed the same way the auto industry went, people in this country don’t care were the bike is made if they can save a dollar. Nobody seems to care about lost jobs until it is there job that is lost. It is like a friend of mine was saying the other day you are only affected by unemployment when it is you that is unemployed. If people in this country don’t stop buying all the stuff being shoved down our throats by the japanese and all other countries for that matter we will soon be a country with no skilled labor force and people won’t want to come here to live they will be sneaking over the borders of japan and china. This is not something that will happen over night, it may take a hundred years but make no mistake it is happening. Those that are smart will find oportunities in any market good or bad and make lots of money but for many Americans the future is not looking so great. If you are a Harley rider and drive a foriegn car or truck or if you put all those foriegn parts on that Harley you ride you have no right to bash the foriegn bike riders. you are helping to kill the auto industry and the American part industry just the same as they are killing the bike industry. Thats my opinion its worth at least as much as you paid for it so there you go.
NEXT WEEKS HEAD LINES
” WILLIE G in WASHINGTON DC trying to get BAILOUT to save FAILING BIKE INDUSTRY”
As my favorite mechanic once said, “I have an aversion to water on the garage floor”. (No offense meant to the VRod owners).
Believer 45
Let’s face it…..choppers are Americana……..and this rice burner is not.
Thats what we used to say about cars.
By the way what kind of car are you driving?
More and more toyota’s on the roads every day.
SUCKS BUT TRUE
You can’t blame someone for wanting to buy a foreign-made auto whether it is from Europe or Japan. The American Auto Companies shot themselves in the foot. They got complacent, sat on their asses and counted the $$$ instead of pushing the envelope and striving to keep building better and better automobiles. Between the Bloated 3 and the UAW, they are the reason the Auto Industry in America is dying. Build us better products and we will buy it!!! I used to be a GM and Chrysler man, as my dad was a Ford and Chrysler man, and guess what, he has only bought one Ford product in the last ten years and I just bought me a Toyota two years ago cause I was tired of half ass-products from GM, I got tired of the hit-and-miss crap that they were producing. I grew up w/ family and friends that lived in the glory days of Detriot when they built kick-ass cars, hearing the stories of the Big-Block ‘Stangs, 4-4-2’s, SS Chevelle’s w/ the 396’s tearing up the asphalt, now when I go by a GM/Ford/Dodge dealership, I mainly see shit. That is a fucking pity. Just my opinion for what it’s worth, good or bad. Hope H-D doesn’t go down that road, there is still hope for them…
A guess you need to answer a few questions here;
1. Is it a descent looking bike? For a stock bike, I believe so. I especially like the frame, it has a semi stripped down look to it.
2. Is it priced well? We all know the answer to this, the price is well below the competition.
3. Is it a Harley? No, and all of us that ride Harleys or American built bikes will probably never even consider this bike but those that don’t will. No matter what there will always be a market for foreign bikes no matter how much we bitch and complain. Suck it up.
Most riders who have never owned a Harley that I have spoken to have no idea about them. They will always give you the drivel about their bikes reliability or power. They will probably say something about a 100 YO air pump but every rider I have ever talked to that purchased a Harley after owning a foreign bike will tell you he doesn’t plan on going back.
Let them sell their “chopper”. Are you going to buy one? Didn’t think so, myself I still like my Dyna and plan on riding it for a while. If I wanted a chopper, I would start with a basket case instead of some turnkey contraption that I polish every day anyways.
I hear they are making a new Biker movie in Japan using these models.
I think it’s called E-Z Wider, starring Denis Hopperyama, And Peter Fondazuki
harry,
unfortunately there are as many young riders that think of Harley the same way you think of chevy and chrysler. I would not buy one of these bikes. I only ride Harley’s but I know many younger riders that may like and buy one. As far as HD being as reliable as the Honda’s that is simply not reality. Go to sturgis and you will see that almost half the bikes there are not HD they are japanese bikes. Twenty years ago it was rare to see anything other than HD but sadly today about it’s fifty fifty. Now back too reliability if you visit the harley dealer people are lined up for at least 100 yards getting repairs done in fact at black hill Harley I have seen it so backed up that if your repair was not something that was totally neccesary they did not have time too fix you. The Harley dealers fly in mechanics from other areas just to deal with all the breakdown. But at the Honda dealer they had some repair work but if you had an hour or two your fixed. The Japanese are kicking our asses big time and I think part of that is because they sell for less and sell more because of it. It does not matter what you manufacture. The more peice’s of one item you manufacture at one time the cheaper it will be to produce. Yes the auto workers are partly to blame but if you still bought American someone would still have a job in this country and someone in japan would be out of work. And remember that auto worker that lost a job may have been the guy that would of bought what ever it is that supports your family but because he lost his job he won’t be able to buy it. I personally wish the government would encourage people to buy American and tax the shit out of products coming into the states instead of taxing the shit out of us. That would level the playing field. But don’t hold your breath the Japanese have more money to buy our politicans then we do.
Ugly proportions, boring style, missed the mark on every point.
I don’t see this being a sucessful model.
Some valid points made. Will I own one of these? Nope. It is a decent looking stock, mass produced bike? Yes it is. Is it better priced than an H-D? Probably but then again I don’t track their prices. haven’t owned a Harley since 1988. Wouldn’t buy one again and I won’t support them. They are responsible for trying to kill off the independent bike shop/builder as much as anything or anyone else in this country. I’ll never support them or anything they do again. When they were producing absolute junk it was the independent shops that kept their piles of shit running and worked on keeping their brand alive. BTW, they asked for help back when Reagan was in office, maybe you all don’t remember those days but they did. I’m a firm beliver in the motto of buy Americna, the job you save may be your own but I’ll never own another Harley. My motto lately has been this”Fuck the Factory”.
It looks a lot better than a HD rocker! Honda is way late with this, but at least they did it. Desperate or not for sales, HD lawyers would never let “the factory” build something stretched and raked like this.
No this bike isn’t a Harley and never will be.
Including myself so many of us have tunnel vision and who pays in the end .
Who put the notion of motorcycles in the hands of the Japanese? Big mistake !
Who developed the foot shifter for Harley?
Who developed telescopic forks for Harley?
Who developed the electronic ignition for Harley that works ?
Who bailed Harley out during the depression?
WHO SELLS OVER TEN MILLION BIKES A YEAR WORLD WIDE!
I don’t own a Honda and never have but facts are facts and to say Honda doesn’t know what there doing is very misleading.
The big three got caught up in there products and lucky for Harley that they had a good run at the right time.
I hear people pound on the Japanese but who put them where they are. Partially Idid just like every one else .
To say choppers are American may be true but as I remember very well.
Many of the choppers of the day not only were Harleys but many Brit bikes and Oh! those so easily used honda fours. And of course those XS 650 Yamahas. probably one of the most durable engines built.
How easy we forget or don’t want to remember.
To each their own. I’m not a hater. I think competition is good. Remember how bad the US car companies were before they felt threatened by the Japanese? They were making garbage & didn’t have an incentive to improve. Competition helps keep them honest, and force them to make a better product.
I Personally don’t feel obligated to buy American vehicles just because the vehicle is from an American company. Weren’t some foreign bikes built in US factories with American workers, and aren’t the salespeople selling them in the US dealerships usually Americans?
Bad ass start.
This and any other 2 wheel contraption may be considered the gate- way ride that leads to a life long addiction to all 2 wheelers ( any brand will do …..2 wheels forever ) .
WE ARE ALL ENTHUSIASTS WITH A COMMON GOAL .
RIDIN OUR HOT RODS AND NOT BEING FUKED WITH .
No matter what you ride , If you are man or women enough to ride 2 wheels , bless your freedom lovin heart .
What ever you own and ride from. a … SCOOTER TO DRAG BIKES … GO FOR A RIDE AND BE PROUD .
All of you critics , show us what you started on , if you even ride .
Ray
I started on a Bonanza mini bike at age 5. Now for street bikes never owned anything but US made, or as much as H-D was back then. Raced a lot of dirt bikes in my day and still have a few but I do ride nothing but USA made iron on the street. I’m not a hater, I can appreciate a decent looking bike for what it is, I’m just not interested in ever owning another mass produced, cookie cutter bike.
hey…victory’s answer to the honda fury:
http://motorcycledaily.com/16january09_victory_core.htm
To all the rice sucking faggots out there…………..
IT IS NOT A CHOPPER!!………Honda can call it what they want.
Once again, it’s a 4th quarter effort from Honda trying to get into a game that they have been losing since the beginning…….and will never win!!
As for the car comparison, you are smoking crack. The classics are getting more and more expensive every year.
Like I said before, for the price, you can buy a new sportster or a used harley and do you thing on it.
Believe me no major american aftermarket parts maker is going to be running to the drawing board to develop “custom” parts for this shadow/wannabe chopper knock-off.
The majority of the “buyers” will be newbies…..I assure you.
Oh one more thing…..if you are stupid enough to think that this bike will put a dent in Harley you should go out and get yourself a FURY!!
fuji ……. Don’t help me here ….. huh …. let me think, which side of the coin you would be on here ….. the Jap side or the American side? fuji …. doesn’t sound like a name from around these parts.
Believer45 ….. Dude take a deep breath, drink a beer, take two aspirins and don’t call me in the morning (it is Saturday I will be sleeping late) …. everything will be alright!
Over & Out,
Jeff
AKA: Nickwood
Nickwood……
I’ll take your advice on the deep breath and the aspirins….as for the suds, I’ll pass on that one. The last time that I started hitting the suds I got so wild and crazy that I got beat up by two girl scouts…..
And don’t worry Nickwood, I won’t be calling you in the morning……I don’t want to disrupt your beauty rest……..cause boy do you need it ! As a matter of fact you could sleep the whole entire weekend and by the time Monday came around, it wouldn’t have helped one bit! LOL
Ride on cowboy…..
Nickwood : If I ‘am misleading or wrong in what I stated , correct me and I will retract it and appologize. This is my bate , flip your coin.
By the way you make some good looking bikes and if your photos are fairley current then I can assure you that I had my legs wrapped around a pan head before you wore diapers. Don’t make fun of old people either for thats the ride we all work for. Enjoy your weekend mi amigo.
Why u cry now? You likey me. You buy Japan stuff 50 yea. You no Japan look fo maket you mae fo sef, tae, mae better an cheapu and sell many many ba to you. Ma Honda vey happy!
Aragato USA
He, no makey fun of name! I big star over here!
The Japs build choppers and win American bike shows.Honda builds chopper and it sells.
Anothe piece of shit for the ignorant.
my kaw made more american jobs than the same year h-d so yell rice all you want but think about why you see more tundras in tx. as far as the bike goes, looks like a good cheap rolling chasis when some newbie learns why real bikers have scars. just hope they get rid of the shaft drive soon
Hey dzbuster
All the profits GO BACK OVERSEAS to Jap land. I’m in TX and still don’t give a dam about rice,tundras or any Jap vehicle. I’m certian we beat these bastards on Iwo Jima and I will never forget.
In Japanese tradition they reverse engineer everything so the 10 year wait was for them to figure out how we do it over here.
It doesn’t look like a chopper to me. They tried this years ago with a 450cc Panhead knockoff and it didn’t work then either.
Every product has a niche.
I don’t think it does any good to put any one down for what they ride.
I think it is better to lead by example I drive a Dodge 3500 Dully and ride a 2001 FLSTF and buy as many American products as possible all though it is getting more difficult by the day.
Ride free and buy American and be Proud is the only advice I can give.
first off all hd groupies out there,if your not totaly ignorant, mr. “just my opinion” said much. for example
“If you are a Harley rider and drive a foriegn car or truck or if you put all those foriegn parts on that Harley you ride you have no right to bash the foriegn bike riders.”
i couldnt agree more. the thing is, it goes deeper than some chrome do-dads. if a hd groupie maks extra sure his forward controls ARE made in the usa good for him, ittl sound great in the barroom. but what if the delivery truck was korean, the forward controls machine shop used a cnc made in taiwan,or the electronics are produced in the uk?
this is much adoo about nought. (<- nothing)
ive read of exotic skins used for seat covering as well as other trim needs. well kangaroos arent grown here,that means….sigh,yes imported. springbok,gazelle and impalla from africa, sting ray hmmm we can look that one up.
to stop my thinking about such a dumb topic,there are thousands of ways other countries contribute directly and indirectly to the manufacture of your h.d. and in the end, if you didnt know this craap,,,,your probably very happy with your “amaeicn” made motorcycle.
your hog is as american made in millwauki as my honda element made in some southern state.(souhern states counting as “american” is a argument for another day.
now quiet and eat your rice, OR YOU CANT HAVE ANY PUDDING!
~R~~
I remember many years ago when all of these same types of comments were being said about the import car market. “Nobody is going to buy that Japanese piece of crap” was about the most common type of thing I would hear. “The Big Three will blow those guys out of the water”. Well……….Seems to me that the “Big Three” are in in some deep crap at this point. Why………..because they didn’t open some eyes to the reality of the situation.
I applaud Honda for breaking into the chopper market with a pretty nice looking ride.
If I could afford a new Harley…….I MIGHT buy one (I think there are some much better American built choices to spend my money on). I can afford an older Harley but will not buy one because they involve WAY to much maintenance to keep them on the road (I would rather ride than wrench). Would rather buy a newer, much more reliable bike than an old oil dripper that is always breaking down.
Don’t get me wrong……….I have taken my Uncles 2007 Ultra out quite a few times (he doesn’t even trust his own son on it) and tremendously enjoy the feel of the bike. I can’t afford that much of a bike though. I can do an older Goldwing that is just as reliable as a newer Harley for a fraction of the cost (while being at least as reliable and just as comfortable as the Ultra).
fuji,
I just turned 60 years old in July … how bout you? My designs are as young at heart as I am ….25-30 years old. That is my story and I am sticking with it!
Over & Out,
Nickwood
Its a cool bike, its never too late to have a chopper configuration on a bike.
What’s wrong with an 80 cu.in. chopper at an affordable price? Am I wrong or choppers have been around for decades?
They covered both sides of the market with a monochrome/black wheels, and glossy paint/polished wheel version.
Anyone looking at the cruiser/chopper segment of the market should have noticed like Honda did, the gaping hole in the “mid size/medium priced” segment. Honda through Honda finance can even lease this bike at an affordable monthly payment.
Their VTX 1300 is fugly, this bike is the ideal trade up for the individual with a VT750 looking for a bike with chopper configuration and no desire to spend 30K on a custom bike with a 120 inch motor, a 250 back tire, a Baker 6 speed, and RH drive, and often with a solid rear suspension.
Jeff ,
Great looking hot rods .
Ray
Nickwood : If I ‘am misleading or wrong in what I stated , correct me and I will retract it and appologize.
I appologize. But did you mislead us with a five year old photo of yourself ?
If not you are showing yourself well. I have you by eight years.
Good luck and ride on.
fuji,
In keeping with my principles of not arguing with my elders (lol) I will therefore not question your statement of facts, however, I must draw the line there. We must, as a country, support OUR people not some other country or their economy. If the Honda’s are built here in the U.S., using American workers, I have no problem with that nor do I care who the principles of the company are or their ownership nationalities.
No, the photographs of me are all taken within the last year +/-. I do seem to be weathering well ….. must be the clean life I have lead! LOL!
Over & Out,
Jeff
AKA: Nickwood
If there’s one thing I know for sure it’s this little statement right here,” there’s an ass for every seat”.
I had a bike in my shop for almost two years that had the worst paint job,” flesh and pea green” and then God smiled on me one day and sent me a buyer for it. Looking at it on my web site a guy called and said ” Damn I hope no body has bought that bike yet, I just have to have it! ” Guess those were his colors….. go figure.
There will be people who’ll buy this Honda Chopper too.
This bike has OCC all over it. UGLY style,the look, everything about it says ugly. And when something looks that ugly, OCC designed it. LOOK again at the picture isn’t that Janitor MIKEY mopping the floor?
Made YOU LOOK!
You’ve got to be F***ing kidding me… I thought the point of a chopper (please, correct me if I’m wrong) was to bloody your knuckles building the damn thing yourself… Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for anyone out there riding a whatever style they like and what they can afford, and I’m not a violent person by any means… but if I saw some poser rolling on this piece of crap I would kick him off and curb-stop his yuppie poser ass. Seriously, can I get a witness?! I think this bike made by Mr. Honda or anyone else other than a trure-grit American is an insult to everything we stand for. Would you go to Japan and try to sell them Sushi or Samurai Swords and think your shit is better than the culture who invented it?!
kudos to Honda!
Id rather spend my money on a reliable bike I can ride.
You “hard core” guys can send your money to the Harley bailout fund.
JJM
You truly are an IDIOT !
Well, I have to say that the best bike is the one between your legs but if I had to either have this one now or wait with nothing for 4 years I would wait.
Really this is the kinda thing that really make me sick.
It can probably be had for 89 dollars a month with nothing down with virtually no resale value.
Chopper, I don’t think so, It looks more like a victory with some stretch in the downtubes and backbone.
As far as reliability, it might be but if goes down, it will suck to work on.
Best advice I can give
Buy american
hold people accountable
Fair trade, not free trade
Stop the greed
support your local community
We have to stop the seperation of classes and bring back the middle class and support each other and stop thinking we have to have everything buying the cheapest so we can make our money go further.
Unfortunately it is probably hopeless until we hit rock bottom and realize what we have done to ourselves
Damn I am pesimistic tonight
Fuji – Nicklus, You kids go sit in the corner and stop fighting. ( I hate it when kids fight)
Hey Sugar Bear,
fuji and I aren’t fighting we are sparring with each other. With this industry in the shape it is in I find myself with some free time on my hands …. you know the old saying …. idle hands (and a keyboard) are the Devils workshop.
Over & Out,
Jeff
If anyone want to check out the video of the debut of the Honda Fury at the New York International Motorcycle Show then just go here: http://bit.ly/tHBG. I think it is pretty sick.
Very bad video. Uninteresting bike. Let’s move on.
Hey Hotrod, how much cheaper should Harley’s be? I also find these comments funny. Sportsters start at $6995. Dynas start at $12,995 & Softails at $15,995. 90% of the time, if you compare equal bikes of any other company to Harley, they are close in price.
New Triumph Bonnevilles, Thruxtons, & Americas, which are smaller then an 883 Sportster are the same price as an 883.
Hey everyone! Excellent discussion here. I started riding 10 years ago cuz my some Harley riding buddies were so into riding he rubbed off on me!
I couldn’t afford a nice Harley so I went metric. I got a 1988 Honda Magna, with 24k on it for $1800 bucks.
I thought it would be my starter bike and then I’d move on quickly to a Harley.
But my buddy’s bike broke down on many of our rides and put the damper on man cruises. And another rider who sold HD/Buell for a living had n confidence in HD. He told me he never knew when he saw his customers coming through the door if they we back to complain or not, but most of the time folks were back with issues, so he stopped selling HD after 5 years as a sales dude.
Anyway, I rode the hell out of my Magna over the last 10 years and put 50k myself on that bike with not a single problem!
Meanwhile my buddy went through3 Harleys. Now, he has one he’s happy with, but the others were headaches. I was there when he cussed, kicked the thing, threw his tools and swore he’d never own an HD again…but..he’s die hard.
I gave my Magna to a friend just getting into riding. It has 75k, looks good, run great.
I got a Vulcan Mean Streak and love it. I love to ride, but do not want to be broken down and pissed.
Recently I hooked up with an old pal who owns a 2001 HD touring bike. We roade for 3 days together and he constantly had to tinker with the thing. It sounded like some things were loose, He sung the praises of HD of course, but told me his yearly maintenance was expected. My Jap bike never had a problem. I even forgot to change oil 2 riding seasons!
I don’t say this to be an idiot, I jst don’t understand the blind loyalty.
I guess I would if I had ever own a Harley. I know that’s probably true. But from the other side I have heard too much bad from HD owners to take a risk with my hard earned cash.
Now, to be honest, I enter every sweepstakes, raffle and competition I can to win a Harley. I think they are beautiful and cool…but I won’t buy one.
What I find extremely funny, is that people keep bitching about wanting an American bike and not buying Honda for it. Never realising of course that the Shadow line (and most Honda cars as well) is built in America.
Well well.I have been riding for 33 years.I started on a Honda dirt bike.I have ridden Harleys,Hondas,Hodaka’s,Kawasaki’s,Yamaha’s,Ducatti’s,Indian’s about all of them.The best and most reliable i have ever owned or rode is a Honda.Harley has gotten better in the last few years on quality.Mostly what they sell is a name and sound.I like the sound.As for the rice burner comments better check out history.Remeber when the AMF outfit bought Harley?They were made in Japan and assembled in the US in order to keep the made in the USA thing going.I have a freind who owns a sportster from the 80’s and made in Japan is stamped on the shocks,inside the rims,inside the covers.He started putting black tape over stuff as he found it and finally just gave up,lol!!!This Fury is a damn good looking bike,will run and be dependabale.I will buy one and i’m no newbie.Harley could sell bikes at a affordable price but they don’t want to.Not sure i would want one if they did.Not dependabale enough for me.There was a few old saying’s in the 70’s.Buy a Harley,buy the best,ride a mile and walk the rest.Then there was,i’d rather have a sister in a whore house than a brother on a Honda.My answer for that was”i’d rather win on a Honda than lose on a Harley”.To each his own.We should all be a part of one group.The group who loves to ride the open road.
all u people knocking the Jap stuff and your ironically doing it on a computer that came from Japan or China…wake up dip shits most of the quality electronics, TV`s, cell phones, computers, your kids toys and quality motorcucles all come from Japan or China. They are quality smooth riding and reliable at an afforadable price, and most importantly you dont need to carry around a tool box to tighten up the bolts after a 25 mile ride like you do on a HD. To the guy who said buy a used HD and learn to work on it, well isn`t the idea of buying a bike is to ride the damn thing and not have to wrench on it all the time? If you look at some of the parts on a HD it states very clearly made in Japan so where is this American made shit idea comming from, wake up dummies. We buy the best quality products we can at a fair price and this is not part of the HD thinking, you are paying an extra 6 to 10 grand just because it says Harley Davidson on the tank and that is sure not worth it to me or anyone else that has a brain. I am not a wanna be hells Angel I just like to ride and my Suzuki Boulevard works just fine ad looks good, besides the wind in your face all feels the same no matter what you ride. I prefer to do it on a bike that is priced right and reliable, gets me from point A to point B without a mechinical problem. I could buy 2 of my bikes for what it would cost for a HD and the results would be the same with one exception, I would not have to stop and retighten the bolts because the vibrated loose. To all you HD riders I say good for you if thats your thing then go for it but to knock the Jap stuff is pretty stupid since the TV, computer etc you have in your houses all came from overseas.
I’ve ridden Hondas for a while now. Truth is they are dependable and low-maintenance. HDs are a cult. They are beautiful bikes, surrounded by a mystique that still makes me want one. But, why those inflated prices? they could sell a lot more and make big profits based on volume not in price. I’d like to buy a Harley, the Rockers are great. But I can’t afford one, so I’ll probably
end up buying a Fury. HD is another example of American mismanagement. The same trend followed by American cars. Will they ask for a bailout too?
Interesting site. Good points made for and against. I am fairly new to riding, so for what it’s worth….
I think the bike looks kinda sharp, like victory/vrod. Don’t really care who makes it, doesn’t matter anyways. Some suit’s gonna get the money one way or another, be he/she white, black, brown, red or yellow. I do think the blame for loss of american jobs is misdirected, I don’t support american companies so much as I support american people. I bought a barely running 1971 cl350 honda scrambler, tore it down to the last nut, sanded,cleaned, painted, honed, ringed, re-wired, replaced whatever and slapped it back together. I love it like a brother, eventhough it’s left me on the shoulder a couple of times. My point is, even if you don’t want to get to third base with your bike, I think it’s all about how makes you feel, free. After all, 2 dudes sharing coffee at the end of a run like Deal’s Gap (Tail of the Dragon) still have one thing in common no matter what name brand of motor, the ride.
peace
All I can say is I really like my Honda Fury. I bought it because I want to ride and not push it somewhere to work on it. If I was a follower I would’ve bought a Harley. I know people with Harleys and I hear about the troubles with them breaking just out of the blue. I’m a big guy and the 1300 pulls me just fine and the Harley riders who don’t wave in passing are afraid to let go of the handlebars.
If you ride a motorcycle of any type, the point is to have fun and be safe riding. If you feel you belong in a club or just ride by yourself; you’re enjoying the ride. That’s it.
I like the basic look of the Fury and have been hearing good things from anyone who has got to ride one. A few thing I would like to see changed are the pipes (Cobra has already put out a a great looking set), the over sized air cleaner takes away from the open look inside the frame, and they really need to offer a set of chrome wheels instead of cast or painted
Well I’m going to rock the boat here. I just bought the Aussie spec Fury and it is the best bike I have ever ridden period. My other bike is a home built chopper powered by an Ultima 127 cube V-twin. Yes the “real”chopper is radical but the Fury is a much better all rounder. The Fury is the bike I can ride anywhere and I mean anywhere even in summer rush hour traffic. Hmm my American V-Twin can’t do that without over heating.
I like both bikes, but if you have not ridden a Fury then do so and I reckon you’ll like it.
God please stop… I have this bike and it is a great ride.. No issues and it is a good looking bike with great power and a smooth ride. Now with that being said, my Fatboy that I had to have the engine rebuilt and still leaks oil, new crab and a new trans and all with just 15,000 miles on it, sits beside my Fury in the garage. Harley is made in America and I love to ride it, it just got old that for every 1 hour of riding, I had to put in 2 hours of service. Tired of oil leaks and the “oh thats a Harley part and that will be $400 please!” Anyone knows that if your $30,000 truck leaked oil and needed motor work all the time, you would be mad as hell and buy something more reliable. Perhaps Harley should build a better product that works better with less repair and parts that the common man can afford.
Great looking bike at the right price… Honda should have absolutely no problem selling this bad boy!
So you Don’t like the fury, maybe you have vibrated your brane to much on your HD.
I just traid my 09 FXDL for a2010 fury, Now riding is fun again, and I can see things in my mirror, instead of a big blurrrrr. the fury also has a lot more power then the low rider had, and I haven’t even changed the air intake or new pipes, I spent about $5,000 in parts and chrome, seats, bars, pegs, risers paint, iwring, and everything else. but I like riding my fury just the way it is (for now) moer then I ever did riding that lower rider.
This is about bikes not cars right?( I have read more about jap cars then bikes ).
and by the way I also own a 1800 Honda VTX. that will leave any stock Harley about a 1/8 mile behinde me in the 1/4 mile.
Honda is not about allo the leather, belts or buckles, t-shirts, and all the outher stuff that makes Harley money they are about building great running and dependable bikes.
Try one out and find out for yourself.
And Honda parts come with everything needed to install the , You do not need to buy instal kits, like Harley.
I have been riding bikes for 17 years and was kinda perplexed about a Honda chopper. Went yo the Honda dealer….saw and test rode the fury. Omg! This bike is the real deal. No more HD bikes for me! Btw…HD building operations are moving to Indian in 2011. Yes…..HD will now sell slushies. Haha. No joke. Ride what you like. But if you want a “real American bike” …. Then check out a victory. Don’t be a follower or even worse….a hater.
To all the metric bike hatred out there. Don’t be pissed now that Honda has a decent looking chopper. Just ride whatever and stop all the bs about whose bike is better. If your a following newbie sheep….then be peer pressured into a overpriced air cooled no frills HD. If you want a badazz look and a dependable chopper….. Then test ride the fury. Flawless design….so good…I bought the limited edition after riding it. And the dealer took 2 k off the bike. See if the Indian made HD can do that.
HD is no longer an American made bike guys!!! Parts from china… Plus production in Indian. Shame shame shame! Want an American bike at a metric bike price? Try a victory Vegas.
Sportster HD are total junk.. A HD vespa. You may not like the fury….. But don’t get mad when people gawk at my fury and then see your sportster and comment…..”honey, there’s a good bike for you to ride”. Hahahahahaha