Harley-Davidson Bagger Trend Killed The Cruiser (No Ones Laughing Now)
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- čas přidán 20. 06. 2024
- Harley-Davidson bagger models have taken over everything these days. It's hard to believe there was a time no one wanted a heavy touring Harley to cruise around town on. Harley-Davidson cruiser models have all but almost disappeared from the local bike nights and bar scenes, the parking lot is pretty much all Harley-Davidson baggers these days. If you ride a cruiser to bike night it might even be hard to find your bike in the sea of large Harley touring bikes out there. The custom bagger scene may have come and gone but the Harley-Davidson bagger models still remain insanely popular today.
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What do you think of the Harley-Davidson bagger trend? Do you feel it's killed off the basic cruiser market?
Almost every rider in my area of the PA mountains has a bagger. With extras! If you need that much storage take the van. Windshields with stereos and bluetooth headsets? It's still laughable; defeats the point of being on 2 wheels and in the wind...👌
@@JamesMorton-hf3xb
That’s why I got a road king , after riding my low rider for 35 years I wasn’t sure I would like a windshield so the RK windshield is detachable & I don’t need a Radio or anything but the pipe music
I feel like the new rider wants the fairing so they can have a big ass stereo just to turn heads going down the road… when before ,,they could never turn heads… ha ha
Love my Breakout. Had a Roadglide but happy to be back on a Softail.
@@lanceandmelanierogers6255
I think a bagger is too heavy for new riders. Just my opinion but I rode a Harley FXS for 35 years before I got a RK and I was amazed how much heavier it was specially in tight spots
My wife and I are both 70. I ride a 2010 FXDC Superglide (no shield, bags, warm grips or tunes). Wife rides a 2015 Sportster 48 Special also (no shield, bags or crap) We are doing a 21 day trip across Canada again this year. I dont buy that getting old thing. Ive always called baggers "geezer glides".
Right on! That's awesome to hear, I love those 48 Specials!
Less you sir!
That and the 3 wheelers
Yeah. Gotta make it tough on yourself in the 70s
I'm 60 and absolutely agree. I'll never own a full dresser. Love my cruisers.
I did it backwards. I started out on a used RK police bike. When I sold it I went to the cruiser, and that's all I've ridden since. I don't crush miles anymore, just do day trips or morning rides in the mountains. I want simplicity on my bike. No ride modes, ABS, info screen, stereo's, heck I don't even care to have a tachometer. Just be connected to my bike and road. I love listening to how my motor is running. Just tuned in to the bike and not blasting music. I'm not a fan of those giant front wheel stretched baggers dragging the road. All show no go. Just gonna be me and my Fatboy till I am no more. Great topic and video GixxerFoo!
Thank you! That's about how I am anymore these days, I just like some day trips and maybe some overnighters but I don't venture nearly as far as I used to.
I luv choppers i dont want a bagger
A Fatboy is a close in between. I mean that's a beefy cruiser.
That's how it's done.
Very well said, I've felt the same way for years, a simple, no frills cruiser. I've always loved the sound of a Harley V twin and the stripped down look. That's what made me gravitate to bobbers. I never liked the baggers/touring bikes for the look, weight, and unnecessary excess.
Been riding cruisers all my life and recently while on a day trip I switched my wide glide with a friend’s street glide because he kept telling me how great it was. At 57 years old I figured at some point that’s the direction I would have to go due to age and fatigue. It gave me the same feeling as riding a school bus. Not bashing the baggers but just didn’t have the same feeling I’d grown to love on bikes without all the bells and whistles. Give me a naked cruiser any day, I may have to rest more frequently as I get older but that’s fine with me. 8:09
I like the baggers out on the highway, you can for sure ride longer and farther without the fatigue. They just don't feel as good as the naked bikes to me either!
@@GixxerFoo I took your advice and recently bought a 2016 Switchback. This will hopefully keep me on a Dyna for the rest of my riding days. Love the FLD! Thanks for the advise
Trends mean squat. Dumped my dyna for a road glide and it has been the best decision ever. Put the tour pack on when needed or ride without and have a bit of storage. Reality is, ride what you love and trends be damned…
Facts
Exactly! Doesn't matter what you ride as long as you're riding!
Riding a bagger in a sea of baggers. No thanks, not my thing unless it were a Road King. I ride a springer softail bobber cruiser, and absolutely want for nothing else! I only take with me whatever will fit in the one swing arm saddle bag and my pockets!
You don't see many springers anymore these days! Honestly they draw a bigger crowd than any bagger cause you don't see them every day.
I do the same thing with my Wide Glide. I don't even have the saddle bag. My wallet in one pocket, my phone in the other. No shield.
I grew up thinking choppers were too extra and baggers were “old man bikes”. Watching Arnold and Sylvester Stallone riding cruisers in their movies, I really wanted a cruiser. It’s still my bike of choice at 33 years old today.
Terminator 2 sold a ton of not just Fat Boys but Harleys in general!
@@GixxerFoo oh 100%! lol and all the bikes in Cobra I thought were cool too. Especially when Stallone is riding by the camera with the girl on a Harley Cruiser while the credits fade in. These moments stuck with me lol
Wild Hogs was a hilarious movie too. Added more fuel to the fire
Zach, that movie will make a LOT more sense in 20yrs. Enjoy it while you can!
I’m 57, a still ride a cruiser. It suits my needs and desires better.
You grew up with the correct opinion lol
I don't care much for baggers. A full size touring bike would be my option for the long hauls. But I'll never give up my DYNA for cruising.
It's just not the same riding around the lake with fairing out front, cruiser you can actually feel the wind out there.
I’ve never had a touring bike, or even a windshield. I’ve been riding for 40 years. Now I have a 2022 114 street Bob. Mainly I love day trips. I only take some water, some chewing tobacco, a usb charger for my phone, a hat and a pair of sunglasses, which all fit nicely in my tank bag or swingarm saddlebag. Don’t need all that storage space slowing the bike down. And I feel Part of the adventure is, getting a bug in the face occasionally. Hahaha
I believe the idea of Harley owners aging is true. Sportster riders are now cruiser riders. The cruiser riders are now bagger riders. The bagger riders are now trike riders. The cruiser to baggers are 30 to 50 and the baggers to trikes are 51 to 70 or whatever. Point is no one is coming off of the rev motor line-up to get on a cruiser which pales in comparison in performance. So I believe we are at a stand-still in search of a group to occupy the cruiser line-up in the next 10 years
That's a really good point! I could see there being a cruiser drought for a while!
Well said, that is very true.
That's why I like my Road King Classic-- cruise and tour.
That really is an awesome bike that splits the difference the two worlds there!
I think the touring bike thing blew up because everyone wants to keep up with the Joneses and talking down on bikes that cost less than theirs. It's a flex. There's a certain segment of Harley owners that are more concerned about flashing money than riding.
could notagree with you more spot on
I'm 35 and have an 07 R1 and an 08 Ultra Classic... paid around 5k for each and am able to experience either extreme whenever I want! The real answer is have more than 1 bike!
Now you've got the setup right there! I would love to get another sport bike eventually, even if it's a naked bike.
@@GixxerFoo Track days on the R1 have actually greatly improved my bagger riding.. especially with braking technique and confidence since neither bike have ABS! Nothing better than pushing a personal limit safely on the track and translating those skills to touring and twisty back roads on the Ultra Classic. Highly recommend!
you got a great deal on your Ultra Classic, these days you cant find anything less than 7.5-8K for used UC.
I’m almost 56 and ride a 2015 gsxr 600. I’d like another bike, a Sporty or a Dyna or Softail. It has to be no more than 6 grand so I don’t have sell the Gixxer.
@@RomVlad That's awesome! I hope I'm still riding sport bikes 20 years from now! From personal experience though, I would highly recommend a bagger if you can find one. I sold a Sportster to get the UC. There's nothing like the ability to carry stuff in the saddlebags and top case. Makes grocery shopping on a bike actually doable!
At 63 still ride my Sportster with a windshield and top box. Had her 25 years and see no need to change. Bike is heavy enough for me don't need 200 more lbs to deal with.
I absolutely love a Sportster, they can be anything you want them to be!
@@GixxerFoo They are not a gateway to big twin ownership. They are a bike unto themselves.
I’m 67. Still riding my Sportster. Easy to ride. Easy to back up into a parking spot. Been riding them since 1975.
@@GixxerFooquick, nimble and have exhaust note all their own
@@billcarson1971 i,ll be 74 next month....still ride my 96 fxds most of the time (widshield and bags optional) or fire up my 2012 flhp throw on the tour pac and away we go...
My 1981 FXS low rider was the shit back in 82
Those were some seriously popular models, it iconic enough they emulated the same style in the later models!
I think people finally came to their senses after asking a thousand times "Can I put my jacket and gloves in your bags"?
Lol I can't say I am not guilty of that myself.
That cuts deep, bro. Took me two weeks to get my little bag back from my buddy's saddlebags. FXDB for me! Dyna!
People were strapping things to their bikes way before dressers budro. Get some straps and bungee cords 💨
@@amerigo88 I see you brother! Dyna crew
@@brandonmacon3317 I have a sissy bar and a Biltwell bag that carries more than my Dad's saddlebags.
We Got Old! We need to take our Sh*t with us. LOL
Cruiser's are your roots . Got to love them . Older folks want comfort . I like simpler rides
I like the simpler rides myself too, really felt the 90's was the golden era for cruisers.
I could never get a modern Harley who needs half the electronics on it. Fuel injected softail heritage is the peak for me.
I love those Heritages, they will do anything you want them to!
In the same boat , new bikes just have too much technology that I don't need or want . I have bags, and a batwing on my 2008 Fat Bob , it gets the job done
During the chopper craze, I bought a Road King Classic (discontinued). During the bagger craze, I picked up a hard candy Sportster 72 (discontinued) and a Dyna Low Rider (discontinued). Keeping all three! Fads are for followers! 👌
I never got into the choppers either, you've got a garage full of awesome bikes!
You have serious good taste in Harleys! The 72 is really underrated.
Fact!
68yrs and still kicking over my solo extended springer ridged shovel fishtail Frisco style pull backs rear brake only 60s era Chopper. Bad back and all. Keeps me loose fast and dangerous. And wouldn't have it any other way.
Your amazing I hope to make it to thaat age and ride at that age mate
@@anthonymasluk2295 Appreciate you, Live to Ride - Ride to Live
@@danielcombs3048 thanks mate
Hell yeah my friend! Keep it loose, fast and dangerous!!
Good job 👍 I’m 64 and I have only kicked a handful of times after I broke my knee cap in a dirt bike wreck in 1980 and had 5 surgeries on it since. I can still kick in an emergency if I must.
Trends happen in "Cycles." Back in the 60s only old men and cops rode something with saddlebags. We chopped everything else. Then we got older and our butts and backs started hurting so we started looking for bikes that weren't all cut up. The next generation comes along in the 90s and they want "cool". So they buy choppers. Ten years later their butts and backs start hurting so they started looking for something more comfortable. I imagine that another 10 years from now you'll start seeing choppers again.
Good Point.
Yep, it's just about whatever trend is in at any given time & everything cycles back around eventually.
I ride a Road King so I'm not sure where I fit in, however the plastic windshield works on long runs....I can build it up or strip it down for whatever occasion and I'm not stuck with all the crap.
Go live on your bike and you’ll find out. People just get tired of bungees and rock straps. Dry bags are often beat by hard cases. I ride an FXR, but that’s why the nomad bagger crowd rolls like they do.
That's a very good point, having something that is designed for it makes a huge difference not having to think about how and where to tie something down.
It doesn’t really matter what the reason is as long as there are people still buying and still riding! We all belong to a unique community be glad the community still exists!! Safe riding and keeper out of the ditch!!!
It truly is a unique community, I really hope that it makes resurgence back to where we were before the 2008 recession.
I'm 62 now. My body aches getting out of bed in the mornings but I'm not crazy about holding onto another 200 lbs at a light either. My cruiser is 720 lbs on a flat and 1400 lbs on its side. 😂 A bagger is what 900 lbs? I'll pass on that hernia, Thank You very much...
That's the big thing with the touring bikes is just the sheer weight you have to deal with.
I'm also 62. I've been on cruisers since '93, switched to a Street Glide in '09. Ultras and now a Street Glide again since then. The weight is an issue but it's not that bad, especially if you've been riding for years and know how to balance a bike, guessing you have. No hernias. The comfort for myself and my wife is huge on a touring bike compared to a Dyna or Softail. Those body aches you describe are the reason TO get a touring bike. Have had several of each (Dynas & Softails) and they are all gone now but an Ultra and Street Glide remain (Ultra at cabin, SG at home). Traded my '13 Super Glide Custom for that used Ultra for the cabin this spring, and that was a great move, I loved my Super Glide and didn't ever want to part with it but the Ultra is so so much more useful for us at the cabin.
I'm guessing very few if any on here who are bashing touring bikes for some reason have ever owned a touring bike because if you have, you know how much more comfortable they are and how insignificant the weight difference is relative to the improved comfort. Sold my '17 Ultra a couple years ago and bought a Low Rider ST for a more back to the basics, light weight, simple experience. I was all about lighter, simpler, easier, more fun... Well that bike is gone now & back to the touring bikes. When I'm riding several hours on a weekend for fun, I want to be comfortable. Or I will just stay home on the couch, it's that simple. Street Glide and Ultra just fit us so good, and the storage in the bags and tour pack make them useful as well. Jackets, helmets, groceries, etc., once you get used to having storage for stuff you feel like you're on a useless bike when it has no storage. Street Glide weighs over 100 lbs more than my cruisers did, but no big deal. We love music & the sound system adds a new level of entertainment to any ride. Cruise control is a must for me in whatever vehicle I'm driving these days. And the built-in GPS is great when you're out exploring new roads (and NO, you do not know every cool back road within a few hours of your house no matter who you are). The wife is 100% more comfortable on a touring bike as well, the tour pack backrest and the floor boards make it a much better experience for her. Maybe some of you ride alone or don't care if your significant other is comfortable, then a cruiser is much more feasible.
I was cruiser cruiser cruiser in the '90's and 2000's, but got spoiled in a big hurry when I got my first touring bike in '09. When I tried to go back to a cruiser 2 years ago, that was a total failure.
I traded in a ‘17 Heritage Softail for a 2024 Roadglide, best decision I ever made. The new bike is super comfortable and super fast, I love it!! Way more powerful and comfortable than my Softail was and the motor runs much cooler.
I'm 73 and still ride my 2000 Fatboy all over the West. It is set up to fit me perfectly, and I don't need an 800-900 lb. behemoth to enjoy the trip! My bike is basic......carburetor, detachable saddlebags for long trips, and minimum electronics to fail. I do my own work on it and know the bike intimately. It is the last Harley I will own!
Amazing your a year older then my mom I hope to ride at your age if I make your age cheers
I ride a. 09 fatboy zero issues had it from brand new
There was a time when you couldn't find a Fat Boy in the dealers! I love to hear they are still out there on the road, you can anything with a Fat Boy!
@@GixxerFoo I agree that’s why my ride is a keeper I bought it brand new in November 2008 I had to wait 5 months for it as I wanted vivid black it was worth the wait
Once I bought my wind-up bike and built it as long hauler with legends front and rear, upgraded stereo, hopped up the motor, and having place for all my and my Queens crap there was no going back to the night train. Myself and 3 friends all got baggers and all kept our soft softails, dynas even one Big Dog K9 chopper because we were confident we would ride the hell out of them and our old man baggers for trips. None of is currently own those bikes because no matter the destination or distance the baggers were the choice. No going back. If you have ridden for ever and plan on ridding until you die, trust me you too will "Wind-Up" on baggers. Love your content and are the only creator I've followed from the start of me watching CZcams until now. Stay safe.
Exactly! I have had 2 in my shed for years, until recently. An Ultra (now Street Glide) and a Dyna. Touring bike for longer trips, Dyna for shorter trips / day rides. Or so I thought. Not true at all, no matter how long the trip, I still wanted the comfort and convenience of the touring bike. Finally sold the Dyna, it did not get ridden.
I detest what they broadcast on the radio, so I'll stick with my dyna and fxr. The radio really makes me wanna barf.
Bluetooth your phone into it. I haven’t listened to FM in 10 years.
in the 60s we called em garbage barges!!
Amen to that. Remember we was skeered we'd sprain our thumb if'n it didn't have a kicker
Geezer Gllde
I'm still on my '86 FXR I got in 1991 four $8K. Had the engine rebuilt in '07, an S&S engine installed last month, and at age 71 it is still all I'll ever need.
For me it started back in 1975 riding back from Daytona’s Bike Week up I-95 to Ft. Bragg NC on my then naked 1973 Kawasaki 900. The ride was extremely wet, I must have looked like a drenched water rat about to drown. Laying on top of the gas tank trying to maintain the double nickel speed limit, I all of a sudden hear music coming up behind me. Here’s this rider on the same bike as mine smoking a cigar and listening to his tunes appearing to look far dryer than me. The difference, his bike was sporting a Windjammer fairing with radio, as he passed me in his cocoon of dry comfort. I decided I wanted a fairing on my bike. Once I got over my cold that I developed on that ride, a few days later I had a Windjammer fairing installed on my bike. It didn’t end there, I had to have a CB radio self installed as well.
Anyway, I’ve been known to crush miles during my military days and once out I’ve been riding over 1M miles since 1972. My present bike a 2015 Road Glide CVO it has 143K miles on her, and it’s never been out of the state of Florida. All those miles within a 250 mile radius of my home.
I do like cruisers, I’ve owned several, however the bugs the size of small birds here in South Florida are no fun hitting them at 70 plus’s MPH.
Personally I’m so use to riding my bagger everywhere that its size and weight is easily forgotten. I believe it also gives me an edge on safety over the cruisers due to the visibility over the smaller bikes.
YESSS the WindJammer, fairing and bags! I been there too on my Kawasakis getting drenched and fighting the elements, it's amazing how all the sudden those baggers ain't so bad. That's some impressive miles on that CVO!
those kaw 900's were one fast machine
As a present owner of a Softail Custom EVO and TC88 Superglide, I can say the best years riding (1984 to 2018) were on full-dress Electra Glides. I took them grocery shopping, bar-hopping and interstate rally-going - anywhere...
I've been riding Harley since 1977.I've seen baggers come and go I'm sure it'll come and go again. I'm sure Harley Davidson is loving it. Selling these bikes for that whole lot of money.
Baggers are popular because of their versatility. You can go to the hardware store or grocery store and have a place to bring home your purchases. You can ride around town or bar hop on one as well. When you park outside one of these establishments, people know your bike is more expensive and feature rich than a cruiser. Most riders crave that acknowledgment. Highway travel of any type, whether it be a day trip, weekend trip, or m/c touring vacation, is waaaay more pleasant on a bagger or touring bike. Additionally, many riders, including myself, like having a cruise control and stereo on these longer journeys. So versatility, prestige, and comfort combined to make cruisers kind of like the small hatchbacks of the motorcycle world!!!
Youre correct , at laconia last week it was like tourfest , u had to look hard to c cool choppers , low riders etc. The HA' s who were there in numbers have nice cool rides , dynas , fxrs , cool custom designed fairings etc 👍
To each their own. I still ride a Dyna Super glide. No windshield, stereo, heated grips etc… I like the wind and the simplicity. To me, baggers are old geezer or yuppie bikes. I’ll never be a yuppie and I’m not an old geezer yet.🤷
I've always felt that the road king was the best motorcycle for the money. They are comfortable to ride long distance and has storage. Remove the windshield and you got as cruiser.
Man, I sold my Road King last year and got a 23 Low Rider S. Added a pair of quick detach leather pros and it's an amazing all around bike with awesome power. I don't like fairings, windshields and radios. The FXLRS is so much lighter and faster, still very comfortable to ride.
As a young boy, I grew up riding the tour bikes of old (evo/shovels) with my old man. When I was in my 20s, I went with dyna and softail while friends rode crouch rockets. But in the last 20 yrs I went to the baggers like my old man and been happy. Had a buddy who trying to sale his chopper for a cheap price but I am still looking for an evo or shovel in dyna or softail just for the nostalgia and old memories of my old man.
I love that, I been trying to talk my old man into a touring bike but he 76 and just absolutely stuck on the Vrod.
I'm going back to 1994 when Harley introduced the Road King. Then upped the ante with the Road-Glide before upping the ante again with Willie Gs Street-Glide. With cruise control, radios & air ride suspension etc, the yuppies & older guys wanted to cruise in comfort. I always owned my 46 raked & stretched flathead chopper & Softails. I looked down on baggers as Geezer-Glides. Until I realised they had twin disc front, & the biggest lean angle. So I bought a rusty 94 Electra-Glide Classic with broken fairing & touring pack. I'm making it naked into a Road King. I then found a 98 95th Anniversary Electra-Glide Ultra Classic with a matching painted trailer to circumnavigate Australia on. It was a bargain I couldn't pass up. I will not modify that
A Streetglide is just an Electraglide Standard. The Roadglide is a Tourglide, In the late 90's and early 2000's all I had was my FXR which I still have. I rode that to Myrtle beach from New York every year with no problems. When I got a girlfriend who wanted to ride I picked up an Electraglide Standard for her comfort on the long rides. I currently have the FXR, a Heritage and a Ultra Classic. Most of the people I ride with have Baggers and I now noticed alot of them are moving over to Trikes! I just think that it's a comfort thing as alot of them carry passengers. As for me, well there is nothing I like more than going on a blast on the FXR!!
That FXR has to be a blast to ride! I do have to admit the trike are pretty comfortable and easy to ride without having to deal with all the weight!
@@GixxerFoo 28 years and counting. 120K on the clock.
The handling is what helped the bagger craze. Seven years ago I was looking for a touring bike .I test rode them all .I test the Gen 5 Goldwing the k1600 BMW the ultraglide even the road master and the Kawasaki Voyager. They handled really well for their weight and out right size . The other thing is the availability of really great used bikes of every name plate. Due to coming off neck surgery I chose a 06 Goldwing, got it for 8500 out the door with a 3 year warranty. Two years ago I helped a 20 year old young man get a 07 ultra with 19 k on the odometer. I was a little shocked that someone his age was considering a touring bike. The bike had 6 thousand miles on a rebuild using a SnS kit. He ended up getting it for 9 k out the door. All the big touring bikes handle extremely well and you can't go wrong with any of them. The suspension tech has gotten so good that you have to test ride them all .
Back in the '80s about a dozen of us out of one bar had stripped down Electraglides. No windshields, leather throw over bags, the one guy with plastic bags drilled a hole in the bottom for the ice over the beer to drip out of. Just about anything is a cruiser.
LMFAO I remember seeing that years ago with holes in the bottom of the bags to make them ice chest. That was a pretty cool idea, probably wouldn't fly today the way most are anymore.
I like my HD 1200 Sportster with leather bags and a removable windshield. My bike is light compared to full baggers. I don't really like overly heavy motorcycles. Because i do ride on a lot of back roads that are mostly dirt and gravel.
They might be dead in your world but they are alive and well in mine. Got a 77 FXE, 80 XLH, 02 FXD, and the closest thing I have to a touring bike is a 00 Road King Classic.
nice stable you have there my friend
Thank you, keeps me sane
The looks, comfort, excellent wind deflection, loud radio and more storage is what i think the bagger had over your typical cruiser. I was a diehard Sportster guy. That's all i rode bc they are so much fun but the aggressive look of the street glide had me hooked. I ended up buying an Electra glide that was stripped down to look like a SG and then i eventually traded for one. A 2014 SG special. Unfortunately i wrecked it and now am in the process of buying another street glide.
It has always fascinated me how people follow others with all kinds of trends that have always happened .It is at the point where people come up to me and ask what my older Softail Custom is. I wonder what the next trend will be in the motorcycle world. For me I am not ready for the full touring design. I go wherever I choose on my Evo and know if I have any issues with it on the road I most likely will fix it. I guess I am at the old-school age now like when I saw the shovel head riders back in the day. Everyone be safe out there.
One other thing, baggers are amazing because there is alot of real estate to paint graphics, loud stereos and comfy ride to cruise across the country. I do not like fairings or windshields so that’s why I purchased a Road King recently.
Harleys aren't a bike for a rebellious American who wants to get on two wheels anymore, they're a status symbol of wealth now, and most of the folks buying them want to feel as close as possible to being in a car. They're doing everything they can to get a bike that doesn't feel like a bike lol
Also, once all the modules, computers and electronics fail in 15 years, there's no replacing them. Unless the afternarket figures out a simple wiring harness swap for old school ignition and carburetors.... our bikes are doomed to obsolescence and a junkyard.
They've for sure got the control and planned obsolescence down on the parts, especially with the elctronics.
Ya need to go look what Billy Lane is working on these days, older springers and Dina’s! Love them
I just added a second bike to my collection -a '23 250 EFI duel sport as an occasional alternate to my Road King. 242lbs of easy to handle, 60mpg, goofy high seat height, cushy suspension -fun to tool around on and take bumps. Thing has been a blast to cruise the city streets, and so now I intend to trailer up it north this summer and hit the trails (my ATV gets a rest) It's helped make sense to me now why the Pan America has been so popular -and maybe yet another reason people have distanced themselves from choppers. Road Kings have certainly had their following for being tour friendly and can also zip around in cities with no issues -as I have. Just found something new that does it differently, and it sure as hell ain't a chopper. Trying to imagine Sean (Bikes and beards) taking a west coast chopper on ATV trails like he did the "sherf" Street Glides? I sorta think too gutting the motor from the Geico one he has now is actually a reasonable option 😆😆😆
I love my Harley but I have always wanted to get a dual sport, that's been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I always loved the idea of seeing some cool and being able to pull off the pavement to go explore it.
I’ve got a street glide and a night train so I completely understand why a lot of people decided to go with the baggers, I absolutely love my softail and tbh I prefer riding it over the street glide but there’s no denying that after a 5 plus hours ride that your definitely feeling it on the softail. I think at the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference, baggers are just more of an all round convenience than the other. As far as choppers go, I’ll always love them whether they’re out of style or not, they’re just beautiful bikes.
I like the wind blast, makes me feel like I’m riding at brake neck speed all the time, no bagger and most definitely not a chopper.
The last bike I owned before my current one was a Softail Springer. I had it for nine years. I loved that bike but I couldn’t do more than 100 miles on it before it just kicked my ass. I’m 60 years old now so I sold it and bought an Ultra. It’s not as cool as the Springer but I can ride it all day long. At some point you just want the comfort. Softails ain’t soft.
The ride pretty well but not as much as the name implies lol.
Just bought my first Harley Davidson Road glide 2021 love it back in the day I worked for a motorcycle shop building choppers, but you can’t beat a bagger man
I think baggers became popular because the base customer became older and the luxuries provided by a full bagger are much more appealing and older people tend to have the income for such a purpose
It’s the motors that kept us from wanting a touring bike for everyday use. 60 hp on a 850lb bike doesn’t sound appealing. Same motor in a 600 lb soft tail chassis and it’s doable.
That's a good point, the Evo powered tourers were very underpowered and they were much heavier back then as well.
I ride a 2000 model Roald King, best of both worlds. Not weighed down with useless stuff like stereos and such but still have the saddlebags and suspension of a tourer
The touring models are great, don't get me wrong. I bought my first Harley in 2015. A 2000 FXST with 5,083 miles. I put a set of throw over bags on it, upgraded the clutch, cam and support plate, carb/intake, and heads over the years. It's a fun, comfortable bike to ride. Just no radio.
That's awesome to hear! You got a deal on that bike with only 5K on the clock, that's the way to find them!
I bought a brand new 1998 FLHTC. AND I have over a 100,000 miles on it. And absolutely love it. Also have a 2006 FXSTD-I DEUCE with 17000 miles on lt. Love it also. Long distance ride will always be my bagger.
As you pointed out, Baggers are where the money is. HD pretty much conceded as much when they killed off the Dyna line back in 2017. My friend and I ride 2017 and 2008 Fat Bobs. We have removable saddle bags, but that's about it. We tried the HD windscreens, but over 50 MPH your helmet just gets hammered by the wind, so we hardly ever use them. Recently test rode a 2024 CVO Bagger - hated it. Big, bulky, digital display was way too busy. Give me an analog speedo and tach, and I'm good to go. As for the price of the bagger, hell, I could buy a used late model Cadillac for the same price, if I wanted that level of comfort. Interestingly, I was told by a BMW dealer that they are seeing the same thing with their R18 cruiser model. Nobody wants them. They want the R18 Bagger, or even more so, the dual purpose on road/off road 1250 GS model. Personally, I think HD is going to price itself out of the market soon. I have no intention of buying a new (or even a late model) HD.
I still have a 70's era chopper that is sitting in the shed. Someday soon plan on getting it going this year. Not seen one for years around here.
Back in the day you didn’t need or have all the fancy gear you now need to stow when you stop for a beer. There weren’t any cellphones , gps units , ezpass , helmets , rain gear or anything. Now a days everyone is carrying so much stuff you need a place to stow it.
Yes people carry to much stuff
I remember just going, not packing anything or worry about nothing. I am guilty of packing everything now for those long rides in case it rains or what if I have to plug a tire.
@@anthonymasluk2295 like my old man always said....if your going on a trip...lay out all your clothes and all your money.....cut the clothes in half and double up on the money
@@samcuratolo3885 that’s a good one Sam I love it mate
I remember, back in the day when I bought my first Harley, more than 20 years ago, Touring Bikes were boring n uncool old men’s bikes! Nowadays it seems like the other way around!
1) if it has a Cupholder, it is NOT a Motorcycle 2) If it has a stereo, it is NOT a Motorcycle Cars have those things, and windshields too. Just drive yer cars with the side windows down, same effect as a Bagger
That's a very interesting take, I like it!
Nope, not a car just because it has a stereo and a cup holder and a windshield. There are still quite a few differences. Your definition of a "motorcycle" is different than the actual definition of a motorcycle. Maybe you are confused between a bicycle or tricycle and a motorcycle. People have been running around with "stereos" on their bodies (Walkmans) for many decades now, so having one built-in on a motorcycle in 2024 does not seem like a huge stretch or stop it from being a motorcycle. If you are heading out on a 500 mile day (not a trip around the block, an actual 500 mile day in the elements), you might want to bring your coffee with you in the morning or a bottle of water during the day... hence the cup holder. And yup, on an actual motorcyle, hard as that might be to comprehend for some folks.
Or a convertible. See many baggers at my shop that are 10 to 15 years old with less than 20,000 miles on em. I'm 57 years old and if you can't make a 100 mile ride on any bike it might be time to consider a different mode of transportation
I've rode dressers (touring bikes as they are called now) my whole life, and will continue to until I can't ride any longer, no matter what trend is happening. Good video.
Easy to explain:
1. Ego. Baggers got a bunch of features and knick knacks, high price tags. People want to flex their wealth and pull up on their high dollar custom bagger. If you have a softail or dyna, they’ll give you crap about your small bike. No one wants to be “left behind”, so they trade their cruiser for a bagger. That’s what’s “hot” right now.
2. Harley pushes them because, like you said, profit. Sales people gonna sell.
3. Harley’s aging customer base. The average Harley rider is much older now, and the baggers are road sofas. Aching joints and creaking bones want smooth rides and creature comforts. Can’t say I blame them.
I’ve toured on small Hondas, older softails, and touring bikes. You can tour on whatever you like, it’s simply a matter of ease and comfort. I stick to a RG because it’s a nice ride when you’re circling the continental US. I try and put down at least 20,000 miles a year.
As you said, a bagger can do pretty much everything and anything you want. Even in the peak custom bagger craze, the frames were mostly unmodified so making them usable wasn't the challenge that a hard tail is.
I do think that the love of gadgets we have in life plays a role too. Stereos and GPS(those things are handy) and comfy seats, especially for the pillion, make them hard to beat.
I can ride for hours to another state on my RG with all my stuff and spend a few days leisurely riding around to then head back eating miles all on the same bike. It's hard to deny how nice that versatility is.
Absolutely, well said!
I never liked baggers... but once you experience the camfort for 2 up & storage...its hard to go back. I own a sportster & Roadglide & I'm a happy man.
As a taller rider I've never been too interested in cruisers because they're just too small for me. I would have looked silly on one. Although the cruisers look great, and performed well, I would not ride one due to size.
With that said, I will confess that I was really interested in Cafe Racers at one time. I came real close to buying a GL 1000 Goldwing and then would have removed the windshield and saddlebags.
I decided on a Road King Classic that I always had also admired for many years for the sheer riding comfort and nostalgic looks.
With my Road King Classic minus the windshield and it's sleek retro looks this was my ideal "cafe racer" for bar hopping and at the same time pass as my Cruiser, as well as Tourer, if I so choose.
My Road King Classic handles well in all situations and is no slouch either and winds up and goes!!!
That's what a lot of people say about the Sportster, I know guys that love those bikes but they are just too tall to ride one. Even with the solo seat that sits you on the fender and the further forward controls with tall bars.
Cool video.
I've got a 2015 Street Glide special like it for long rides and hauling a passenger also just bought a FXLRST luv that one too. Got the best of both..
Thank you brother, having two bikes is a great position to be in for sure! Got one for whatever you choose to do on any given day!
I've got a 2017 CVO Street Glide with a stage IV, along with a zipper cam, bassani road rage two to one, and a dyno tune. Thing generates 130HP and a 147 lb-feet of torque. It goes...
I used to think it was stupid to hop up a bagger. When I got my 2015 RK I said I was going to leave it stock but nope I had to hop it up like my shovel 😂
I used to feel the same way too, but now that they handle pretty well they are a lot of fun to put some power in!
@@GixxerFoo I agree
I remember the days when baggers were called garbage wagons or geezer-glides, and Soortsters were called girl’s bikes. I rode a Sporty back then and some guys gave me a lot of crap for it, but that didn’t stop me from doing 600 mile days on that rattle trap. Softails pretty much ruled back then. I eventually bought one and didn’t really care for it. I still have both bikes and I enjoy the Sporty a lot more.
I bought a new 2017 Streetglide. I wanted something with a windshield, I never thought I would really like having the radio, and then how nice it was to have the hard bags.
I love my’23 Heritage Classic 114. It does it all. I’ve even been on a gravel road a time or two no problem.
Well, the chopper craze was just dumb from the standpoint of modern times. It worked in the 60’s but no one would realistically ride one today. $180k for a OCC bike. Only corporations who dragged them around for promotions is all those bikes were good for.
I appreciate the bagger just because it’s actually rideable.
Personally, I think a good ole Dyna is the way to go for most riders.
And this is why I have to bikes, although I’ve never been into the customized bikes. I bought my FatBoy back around ‘07 and then my Limited in ‘15 for the long rides
You hit the spot! I pulled up to a bar and was surrounded by baggers. I felt like an outsider on my 04 Fatboy. I loved every minute of it! People pay attention and give me compliments.
I love to hear that! That's the flip side of things anymore these days, you pull up on a Fat Boy and it's not something everyone sees all day every day now!
I loved my old Fatboy as a bar hopper. When I got married, I got my wife a Sporty. A few years later, she had back issues and couldn't ride anymore so I sold the Fatboy and the Sporty and got a Road Glide Ultra so we both could be together. Then years later, and one knee replacement and about to have a second one, I traded in the Ultra and got my Tri Glide. Tempted to get another Fatboy just for giggles when I heal up in a couple months.
I got a Road King so could take long trips, if had the money and place to keep them, I get a cruiser for short rides, although the bags on the King make it nice for work and grabbing some things from the store.
cause you can store shit!!! sunscreen, bug spray, rain suit. All the shit we never thought about when we were young and dumb.
I was actually shifting back to a softail because of the weight of my road glide, but when I rode the new rode glide it seemed to have the best of both a cruiser and a touring bike . It’s light, handles well and has a lot of get up and go. I traded my low rider st and my road glide special for a 2024 road glide. Surprisingly, it’s been trouble free even with the tech they’ve added. In the past my luck with HD tech was never good. Hope my luck holds!
I sold my Street Glide couple years ago and now I have a Dyna. I got rid off wind buffeting, difficulties to duckwalk bike on parking lots if there's any gravel on, fear to scrape my pipes or bags when riding over curbs and overall clumsy feeling on slow speeds. Now I have better access to do little service on bike as there's no plastic fairings on the way, bike's more nimble, have better power to weight ratio, feels more natural to handle, better lean angle, tires and wheel bearings last longer and whenever I go for 7 day's road trip, I simply strap a 100 liter sack on the sissy bar and a sleeping bag on my ape hangers. That's much more than what I was able to carry with Street Glide's two little bags. How about music? Well, just use earbuds so you can actually hear the music while riding 70mph.
Great video, but 1 correction. The Street Glide came out in 2006. I was going to buy one, but the dealership's were getting a premium for it because it was a new model. I purchased a Yamaha Stratoliner instead. Again, great video!!!
My first Harley at 18 was a road glide.
Got an ultra at age 35. They’re not grandpa bikes anymore! I don’t see myself not riding one
I think that's the biggest thing as these new baggers aren't your dad or grandpa's touring bike anymore. The ST models touring bikes are pretty sporty right off the show room floor.
Got me a "geezer glide" 2yrs ago(2014 Street Glide)Love the cruise control, love the stereo, love momma being more comfortable.
But... smartest thing i did was keep my 2002 Softail Standard (which i bought new) Love to take the longer trips on the SG & shorter ones on the softail. Best of both worlds. Even take the wifes 1200 custom out occasionally. And just bought a 1980 CB900C last yr to re-live some of my youth. What a bunch of fun thats been. Variety is the spice of life!! Own as many as you can & ride as long as you're able
Road Glides was the FLT's built in 1980 , I had a 1982 FLT , knew the Test track guy that worked at York Plant. He Knew we ordered the Bike , he took it out on test track and Ran the Heck outa it Before Shipping it to our Dealership in Manassas, Virginia , Dealership was Manassas Harley Davidson , back then !!!
Thanks for making this interesting video 👍🏻
I appreciate you taking time to check it out, I have been thinking about this for a while!
In the 80s and 90s when I was a teenager you couldn't give a bagger away. The club my family was associated with most of my life would buy an FHL or some other bagger or dresser and rip the bags off and ride. Back then the bags were an add on for sure and underneath was this beautiful flowing fender. Now days you take the bags off and it's so butt ugly you have to put them back on. I for one will never own a bagger. Dyna or Sportster for life. I really don't even like the Softails.
I'm a Sportster guy myself, I don't know what it is but those have just always spoke to me more than any other model family in the Harley line.
The Big Wheel bikes in my opinion is,,,, well I won't say. Baggers are great if you are gone for days but I love my 103 Dyna. Still feels like a bike and what bike riding is all about. Still getting used to a gas gauge. LOL.
Hey Gixxer, we bar hopped on our Electric Glides all the time going back to 1980 and never once felt out of place. I love the FLH and will always take a bagger over a cruiser. However as we age the cruiser's are looking really cool, due to the weight of them. Take Care
That's awesome! I remember seeing touring bikes around back then, it was just mostly cruisers years ago.
Tour Glide came out in 1982 same frame mounted fairing as we now c
Refer to as RoadGlide.
We got old dude. 😂😂😂
Yeah there's that, I didn't want to call it out though!
7:16 I've always preferred the bigger touring bikes. My earliest memory of a motorcycle that i wanted was my uncle's brothers 1966 Electra Glide.
My first binge was a 500cc "custom" that i rode about six months before I bought a dresser.
I personally have never been a fan of the FX style.
I use to ride by what Jesse James said ' if it doesn't fit in my pockets, i don't need it". Then i rode an ultra, see ya bar hoppers.
Yeah I gotta admit I felt that way too, I haven't gone full on touring but I finally broke down and put on some hard mounted bags.
I only look for touring bikes. We do a couple major trips per year and have been through 30+ states in this fine country. Aside from that, it's just way too convenient to have bags for daily use anyways. Got rid of the bookbag and went with hard bags 5 years ago at 35.
Never looking back.
You didn't mention how the big wheel bikes evolved into the performance bagger. Less useless Jimmy jack now and more race inspired suspension, brakes and drive trains. My favorite fad so far and one that I will continue to embrace for a lo g time.
That's a really good point, I am happy to see more go than show after the choppers and big wheel bagger craze.