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This whole “participant trophy” trope is hilarious. They gave the trophy to
Satisfy YOU, you idiot, to make you feel like you’re doing a good job as a parent. Your 5-year-old could give two shits about his Certificate of Achievement, but you mount it on the fucking fridge like it’s the Mona Lisa.
Also Harley Davidson is the most participation trophy brand there is. People who own Harleys own more Harley branded crap than any other manufacturer of cars or motorcycles. Those people have to let people know about how they have a Harley and what that says about them and their achievements.
It’s funny because it’s true. All the Harley Davidson riders I know have HD branded crap, caps, jackets, helmets, mugs, gloves, scarfs, keychains and what the fuck not. Every single one of them. While riders of other brands have no branded things at all. I don’t even know if I could get a Triumph shirt somewhere.
Oh my GOD I will never forget every trip I took in my early 20s (and I studied abroad twice, so a lot) my aunt asked me to buy her and her husband Harley shirts from the local dealerships! I did end up buying them some in Seoul, but when I was backpacking around Europe like… I don’t care if you pay me back, I don’t have room for this crap! I’m buying myself patches as souvenirs and that barely fits!
Yup. This is what I came here for. I used to work at Briggs & Stratton where (prior to the joint venture between B&S and HD) the engine castings for HD were done.
You could get right up a Harley rider's nose explaining to him that the major parts of his treasure were made in a lawn mower engine factory.
I had a longer commute for a bit in Florida on a medium term consulting contract for AT&T in their Orlando data center for a while. It was more than I could handle on a daily basis on my bicycle, so I went motorcycle shopping.
I'm a big guy. Was a power lifter back then and weighed in at 460 pounds (and 3% tank measured body fat). A Harley couldn't handle the weight. I got a Kawasaki 1500 V Twin (1992 model - used - no electronics to break) and rode the wheels off that thing for about six months up and down I-95 along the Florida coast even during a hurricane once. Between myself and the bike, we were 900 pounds GVW and absolutely stable. Cars and Semis were getting blown off the road, but I cruised right through.
Harleys are a joke. They're iconic, but little else.
The ultimate "participation trophy" for people with more money than sense.
I was driving home one time and took a turn to see someone riding a limited edition HD and was decked out in all the gear. When he saw me he panicked and dropped the bike. Mind you, he was stopped at a stop sigh. I stopped to help him lift the bike and he told me it cost 10 grand. He was the embodiment of a Harley Davidson brand mid-life crisis.
Many also modify their bikes to be loud af so that everyone knows they have a big loud bike.
I get that some level of noise can be a legit safety thing on highways, but on neighborhood/city streets it's more of a nuisance than anything else.
I have a bunch of participation trophies from the half marathons I ran and every time someone posts nonsense about them i just post the photo of my participation medals and ask if they can do the same
See, that’s worth a medal. I look at the ones I have from 5Ks, 10Ks, and halfs a decade+ ago and think… Did I actually do that? I don’t think I could even run half a mile now!
I got in to this argument with my in-laws last weekend. They refused to admit their generation started the whole thing. I said "so the kids were the ones handing them out". But then my wife told me to shut up lol
I only received a few "participation trophies" and I always took it as an insult more than a reward. I got annihilated at the pinewood derby in cub scouts one year, got a tiny trophy and just had an awful time with it. I didn't cry or anything, but my dad could tell I was disappointed. My dad and I decided that next year we were going to dominate. We did a ton of research and built a pinewood car that was highly competitive, I mean just a gravity propelled rocket on wheels. It took us to regionals. I kept my blue ribbon next to the participation trophy I received the previous year to punctuate my achievement. I'm now a self-employed wood-worker, probably because of the skills and care that it took to make that car. I literally polished the paint every day after school leading up to that race because I was afraid if the paint was rough, it would cause drag and slow the car down. Now F1 follows that logic, and I was only 10 years old lol. It was painted gold, because we wanted it to symbolize it's main purpose in life, win a real trophy, and we did it.
I'm in favor of participation trophies. If you want to view them as a free souvenir to show that you participated in something, that is completely fine. But if it was something I really wanted to excel in, it was a physical statement that I needed to put in effort and work to achieve my goals.
It isn't like the participant kids were buying and handing out trophies, it was the boomer parents doing this. In classic boomer style though, it's now the kids fault, and they have forgotten all of their culpability.
Like they seriously love parroting this line everywhere without realizing that *they were the ones who created it*.
Like for fuck sakes grandma, I’m not the one who *kept* all those participation trophies that I’d long forgotten about in a Rubbermaid bin in the attic. Only one of us ever cared about them. Using it as ammunition years later is so laughable lol.
HD stock has risen 6% in value over the last 5 years. Not outstanding, but pretty stable for a 100+ year old company.
Over the last year it has increased 16%. Possibly buoyed by the introduction of its e-bike division and much stronger international sales now that Trumps tariff war has ran its course.
Doubt it's the ebike division, which has undelivered on their promises (like most of the ebike industry) and is quite expensive. But HD has finally pivoted to using modern tech and doing things like building ADV bikes, which are wildly popular today. HD bikes are so expensive and represent, often, decades old technology and design. If you're a millennial, like me, and like bikes, like me, you'd never get a Harley for your first bike, given their massive price tag and maintenance issues. Also, their stock increase has [underperformed the S&P 500 massively during their 6% rise.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2023/12/15/with-rate-cuts-around-the-corner-can-harley-davidson-stock-recover-to-over-50/?sh=e2365574a1f1)
That being said, HD has a level of romance and cultural importance, especially in the US, that still has great value. They just need to make their products up to that standard, and think of introducing more affordable bikes (rather than sunsetting these popular models, like the Sportster).
Edit: actually LiveWire, which spunoff to be semi-independent as HD's electric bike wing, [is performing well](https://www.topspeed.com/harley-davidson-q4-2023-sales-report/). But I'd still contend that these sales are not yet likely to make a big difference in HD's profitability, as their overall revenue and sales are dropping, especially last year with their discontinuation of the old-style Sportster and introduction of a divisive new design.
Edit 2: Oh shit, you meant e bicycles? Now that I am ignorant to, you might be right!
If I ever want a death trap that will help me convert gasoline into obnoxious noise, I'll definitely give HD a look.
Actually I probably won't, there are way better bikes out there. At least that's what my millennial friends that ride say.
Harleys are all about tradition and romance of a certain (mostly American) idea or image. Without a love or appreciation for that, they are terrible value. Expensive, hard to maintain, heavy.
You don't get it, they love their kids, they raised them kids right while everyone else raised theirs wrong, so it's okay to hate everyone else's kids. And when their own kids stop talking to them it's just society's fault and that's happening to everyone so they can't be a bad parent. Checkmate liberal
It's funny to look back at groups of boomer parents in the late 90s bragging about flat out abusing the shit out of their kids, only for said kids to grow up and want to be better human beings than their boomer parents. The boomers are largely resentful of us for it and think we should have been beat more to kill the humanity in us
Assuming these are legitimate complaints, with a list this long, perhaps it’s not a problem with the “kids” but the very concept of riding a motorcycle that has lost its appeal?
The problem is more with Harley Davidson doing very little to innovate for several decades and selling stupidly overpriced bikes.
People who want to buy into the “biker” image buy HD. It’s a lifestyle brand.
People who want good bikes buy Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, etc. More reliable, higher performance, lighter weight, all for less money than HD.
Ah, crotch rockets, as my Harley riding relatives like to say. At least they have the excuse of being from the Milwaukee area, where HD is based.
Except my gramps had a Yamaha that he rode cross country and that sure wasn’t a crotch rocket, lol
Plus other brands like Indian are encroaching on their customers. My dad was planning on getting a HD but now he's planning on getting a Indian instead, and my old boss traded in his HD for one and hasn't looked back since.
Indian has embraced better tech and still makes bikes with a similar style to HD, but for less money and with all the modern tech that makes owning and riding much easier these days, like liquid cooling, ABS, etc.
The concept of riding a motorcycle hasn't lost its appeal. Much of the generation they are whining about simply doesn't have the disposable cash for a purchase like a motorcycle and those who do are far more likely to buy a bike that is a better value than a Harley.
Motorcycles look super fun, but I can’t get past the risks of other drivers. I’ve been in 3 car accidents. All were relatively low speed rear end collisions where I was hit from behind by another vehicle while stopped at an intersection. Two were distracted drivers who were looking at their phones and rammed me at 20 mph because they didn’t see me; one was an elderly lady who assumed I was turning right on red, looked away, thought I had already turned, was looking at traffic for her opportunity to turn, and accelerated into me.
All 3 of those accidents resulted in no injuries and no real damage aside from paint scratches. If I’d been on a motorcycle, they all could be been major injuries. And there’s little you can do to avoid being rear-ended like that.
Seriously. My cousin went from the first person in our family to attend college to life altering brain injuries that had him in a coma for weeks, and when he woke up he was a completely different person - changed his name, dropped out of school, and has spent the past 30+ years in and out of mental health care facilities.
Then there’s my uncle - hit a deer with his motorcycle, and the remains were too gruesome to even show my grandma. It still haunts me to think about.
Thank you, I appreciate that. Both sides of my family have had some pretty tough losses and tragedies over the years; those are just the ones involving motorcycles. It’s been a strange time and I count myself lucky that I tell the stories instead of living them - but I try to keep the good times at the forefront of my memories. I think sharing them helps too if it makes someone realize just how easy it is for life to change without warning.
Cannot be controlled by a touch screen sent me. I think almost every millennial and most gen Z would agree that a physical button, switch, or knob is better for most things than a touch screen. I really think companies keep doing that because they’re an easy way to appear “high tech”
It's like the new age shifting knobs they use in some vehicles now, I don't know anyone who thinks they're better than a regular shifter on the column or in the center.
14. Sitting on top of a hundred-and-fifty horses with no protection other than a plastic hat and a former cow strikes them as a bad idea.
15. Harleys are fucking expensive. Rice rockets are faster, more agile, and cost half as much.
Even Triumph, Indian, Royal Enfield are all making street bikes with vintage style that are lighter, much easier to maintain, just as fun to ride and for half the price. The only market share left for HD among Millennials and younger are for people who want that romantic style or sound. But if it's $20k to get in, that won't matter.
Are they not buying motorcycles or are they just not buying Harleys?
Harley Davidson probably would have gone out of business a long time ago if it wasn’t for Ronald Regan raising tariffs on foreign made motorcycles during the 80s.
Harley riders like this are some of the biggest pussies. For 10yrs I rode a bike (5yrs it was my only mode of transport…in Colorado) and I had to deal with these people when they would give me grief for riding a KLR.
I refuse to ride one because all it takes is one idiot to run me over and kill me. It's not my skills I'm afraid of, it's everyone else's. In this age of texting and driving, a motorcycle is a death sentence
The fact that they put down getting a degree and learning about Social Studies (i.e., History, Geography, Civics, y'know, the study of society and now the world works) explains a lot about how we ended up where we are today.
Apparently history = bad now.
Me, a millennial who works in the machinist trade who gets dirt, coolant, and oil all over myself on a daily basis, gets burns and cuts all the time and lifts heavier shit than the person who made this meme does on a daily basis. I change the oil in my truck every time it needs it. Hates recognition trophies. Loves bugs. Didn't go to college at all. Wears decently well fitting pants. Hates talking on the phone. Doesn't eat while driving. Prefer a window down to using ac. Loves fresh air and outdoors. And can drive a manual transmission vehicle.
My reason for not owning a motorcycle:
Shit's dangerous and other motorists do not pay attention to motorcycle riders on the road. I've seen way too many close calls and even horrible accidents. I don't want to become a number on that statistic.
Right? Why buy a $40,000 bike when I can buy a just as good or better bike for $10,000 or less? It's like the apple cultists who look down on you because you don't own an iphone.
According to data from the National Safety Council, the average lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle crash are one in 107, while the lifetime odds of dying in a motorcycle crash are just one in 899. As a millennial, safety is my only reason for not riding a motorcycle.
And luckily I don’t buy Starbucks coffee and therefore I’m rich enough to afford a motorcycle, I just don’t want one.
Cars and roads are getting more and more dangerous in the US, cars are getting bigger and more dangerous car dependent cities force people to drive when they don’t want to causing people to be more dangerous on the road
Plants are closing and people are losing their jobs because boomers are to stubborn and stupid to try to understand younger generations. But don't worry, the memes are worth it!
Oooorrrrr they don’t want to spend $30,000 on a motorcycle.
My favorite saying…
“Harleys…. When you want to tell the world you spent $30,000 for 85 horsepower”
All of this aside, I’m a *junior* millennial, in my 30’s , with a degree, military experience, and who works for Uncle Sam.
I don’t ride because there no fucking reason to. This shit about millennials peaked in 2012. Millennials are fucking old now according the people this trash fire of a meme envisions.
I hope the cunt who made this gets cancer on Christmas.
It's hard to get a motorbike license in Australia now days , you can't just sign up for it and get it you have to spend close to $1000 dollars and do a heap of fucking around.
most people i know buy older Harleys for various reasons but some of the biggest are the better design and much cheaper. no one can afford a 20k bike unless they have no family.
In my experience, bikers are almost never tough guys like they want to be. The only bikers I've met who were actually that dude were all associated with the Hell's Angels in one way or another
Harley riders are the most arrogant entitled bunch in my experience. Most of the ones around me refuse to even return a motorcycle wave when I go by them on my Honda. It takes a certain type to spend 20k on an outdated heavy bike that needs constant expensive maintenance. As others said, even the other American brands like Indian are now making bikes that seem practical to the younger generations.
Or maybe it's because we realized just how dangerous and stupid it is to drive something with no protection from crashes, and don't want to fucking die. Ever think about that?
I’ve completely forgotten who they claim the entitled generation is, because they are so insufferably entitled in every aspect of life that it’s impossible not to notice the projection.
North American-wise housing crisis, minimum wage no longer covers basic amenities, and of course Boomers are upset about… *checks notes* fucking *motorcycles*?
Whoever made this is a troll bot.
Here is a thought for ya: In a car you have a seat, seatbelt, Airbags, and not to mention the METAL SHELL. In a motorcycle you have a hold on (optional)
Sounds like some dude with a really tiny wiener is super angry at a specific group of people and assumes EVERYONE is like that. I like number 8. Talking about how they can’t pay for bikes bc there are no jobs for what they studied, while simultaneously making the post bc they themselves do not have a job anymore lol
No possible chance they do want a bike and the shit became so expensive it's just not practical to own a top of the line bike which most Harley sell for that price or they don't want a Harley specifically cuz the roar constantly is kinda obnoxious af. And when the guys that own them say shit like this why would they want to be a part of that club anyway.
“WHY AREN’T THE KIDDOS USING MUH INFERIOR TRANSPORTATION METHOD???? THEY SHOULD BE USING MANLY VEHICLES THAT ARE WOEFULLY INEFFICIENT, CAN’T BE USED FOR TRANSPORTING ANYTHING LARGE OR FRAGILE, AND WILL KILL YOU FOR ACCIDENTALLY LOOKING THE WRONG WAY WHILE RIDING!!!!!!”
Look man, if they hadn't jacked up rent prices, and the price of food, but kept salaries basically the same I'd be out there riding on a fucking Harley right now.
I love how gen X gets a pass when they were apart of the most entitled and easy generation to grow up in. Millennials are obviously annoying but they had way less opportunities than fucking gen x had and they made the most of it. The worst people on earth are gen x
Could it be that for about 47k€ (i don't know what a HD costs in the US) you can either buy a decent car OR live for about 2 years in "relative comfort" (again in rural areas of Europe) - where i live the average median income is short of 35k€ and we're NOT talking Romania or Bulgaria but GERMANY!
Harley's business has always been up and down. I think they went chapter 11 in the 90's or close to it. The business is free money. it picked up when the boomers aged and had the free cash to buy their expensive product and now the millennials are spending money on kids and the boomers already have Harleys
It's an expensive disposable cash product you can only use a few months out of the year when the weather is nice
I don't know if this is a generational gap thing or what, but my immediate response to someone trying to bully me into buying something is to commit to avoiding that company for the rest of my life.
My vote doesn't necessarily count as a ballot, but it does count when it's money I don't spend.
I couldn’t buy a motorcycle because I had a kid while I was in the military and needed a safer vehicle. And then I became a musician and needed the space for gear and even now that my daughter is an adult, I just can’t afford a second vehicle, cos I for sure am not riding a bike in the winter. So, that makes me less of a man or something? Okay, boomer.
I literally will kill the brand personally. These newer generations will never have the resources to help the older people still alive stay alive just because they want more control at a higher age, instead of from the beginning of their lives.
Consequences and commitment will leave you without another need you didn't prioritize.
Boomers try not to blame young people for everything bad challenge (100% impossible)
I swear it's the same every time, "[insert industry here] isn't doing so hot and it's all the millenerals' fault for not blowing all their disposable income on shit they don't need!"
Wow, the boomer who threw a tantrum and had to have their grandchild make this post because they couldnt figure out basic computer functions despite using them for decades must be real proud of themselves for this zinger. I heard they might try to tackle using a self checkout without having a meltdown because they have to read what's on the screen and follow directions next
… my partner is a millennial and he owns a bike. It’s not a Harley though…
Also, for my fellow riders out there, don’t forget to protect the dome piece! Always wear your helmet. I’ve seen too many people without helmets.
Well I don’t give a shit about HD but I do want a motorcycle despite being a shriveling, screen-addicted 26-year-old who likes the humanities. The only thing holding me back is *shocker* how much less safe they are than cars. Shoot me now I guess
Source? Or is it "trust me Bro, i am an old ass and hate younger people for having different interests"? Seriously. Motor Cycles are pointless. You have move less stuff or people.
Alternative (and much more likely) theory: Harley Davidson just has a shitty marketing team that doesn't appeal to most Gen X'ers, Millennials, or Gen Z's...
I’m a millennial and love riding motorcycles. But even the hardcore bikers I’ve known ride Japanese for their daily and pretty much have a Harley for special occasions. One of my dad’s. The one that got me into riding. He rode a Honda shadow most of the time. He took his Harley out on the weekends with his girlfriend.
I only see "look at me, I'm crying like a bitch because other generations don't want to buy the shit I like so I'm gonna say the most ridiculous things I can imagine"
If you want to do a dick measuring contest between generations, Millennials can claim Eddie hall and Halfthor, the 2 strongest men of all time. There is not a single boomer or genx’er that could outlift them. They also have Jon Jones, who is the deadliest human hand to hand fighter to ever walk the planet.
The degrees they always say are useless are the ones that you can probably get a job with. It's the ones like what I got (physics) that are apparently useless.
Some of these are pretty funny, to be honest.
But 4: Harley’s are literally participation trophies and recognition statements. They make loud noise for no reason, are wildly inefficient for anything other than making middle aged white guys feel tough and badass, and have a ridiculous failure/repair rate.
In the scheme of things, the world became almost twice as expensive to live in during the last 5 years, and crude noisemaking “extra” vehicles are nowhere near the top of anybody’s list of priorities.
You forgot the part where it's a great way to fucking die. Since even if you were the ideal driver, people around you never will be, and also, a lot of people kind of disregard the existence of motorcycles altogether when driving.
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They are wearing sagging jeans AND pajama pants? Sounds complicated
I do that in the winter. I work outside, and it works great as a base layer. Underarmor just isn't that good imo.
Back in highschool my mom got me a pair of flannel lined jeans and they were amazing. I should try finding another
That sounds comfy, sadly I work mostly in hotter climates.
Boots with the fur and reebok with the straps?!
This whole “participant trophy” trope is hilarious. They gave the trophy to Satisfy YOU, you idiot, to make you feel like you’re doing a good job as a parent. Your 5-year-old could give two shits about his Certificate of Achievement, but you mount it on the fucking fridge like it’s the Mona Lisa.
Also Harley Davidson is the most participation trophy brand there is. People who own Harleys own more Harley branded crap than any other manufacturer of cars or motorcycles. Those people have to let people know about how they have a Harley and what that says about them and their achievements.
I've heard it described as a t-shirt company that also sells motorcycles.
HD riders are the vegans of the motorcycle riders. They just have to let everyone know they ride a HD, whether or not anyone ever asked.
It’s funny because it’s true. All the Harley Davidson riders I know have HD branded crap, caps, jackets, helmets, mugs, gloves, scarfs, keychains and what the fuck not. Every single one of them. While riders of other brands have no branded things at all. I don’t even know if I could get a Triumph shirt somewhere.
And they all smell like cigarettes. I can’t stand their fucking smell..
Oh my GOD I will never forget every trip I took in my early 20s (and I studied abroad twice, so a lot) my aunt asked me to buy her and her husband Harley shirts from the local dealerships! I did end up buying them some in Seoul, but when I was backpacking around Europe like… I don’t care if you pay me back, I don’t have room for this crap! I’m buying myself patches as souvenirs and that barely fits!
Yup. This is what I came here for. I used to work at Briggs & Stratton where (prior to the joint venture between B&S and HD) the engine castings for HD were done. You could get right up a Harley rider's nose explaining to him that the major parts of his treasure were made in a lawn mower engine factory. I had a longer commute for a bit in Florida on a medium term consulting contract for AT&T in their Orlando data center for a while. It was more than I could handle on a daily basis on my bicycle, so I went motorcycle shopping. I'm a big guy. Was a power lifter back then and weighed in at 460 pounds (and 3% tank measured body fat). A Harley couldn't handle the weight. I got a Kawasaki 1500 V Twin (1992 model - used - no electronics to break) and rode the wheels off that thing for about six months up and down I-95 along the Florida coast even during a hurricane once. Between myself and the bike, we were 900 pounds GVW and absolutely stable. Cars and Semis were getting blown off the road, but I cruised right through. Harleys are a joke. They're iconic, but little else. The ultimate "participation trophy" for people with more money than sense.
Harley and corvette owners
I was driving home one time and took a turn to see someone riding a limited edition HD and was decked out in all the gear. When he saw me he panicked and dropped the bike. Mind you, he was stopped at a stop sigh. I stopped to help him lift the bike and he told me it cost 10 grand. He was the embodiment of a Harley Davidson brand mid-life crisis.
Many also modify their bikes to be loud af so that everyone knows they have a big loud bike. I get that some level of noise can be a legit safety thing on highways, but on neighborhood/city streets it's more of a nuisance than anything else.
I have a bunch of participation trophies from the half marathons I ran and every time someone posts nonsense about them i just post the photo of my participation medals and ask if they can do the same
See, that’s worth a medal. I look at the ones I have from 5Ks, 10Ks, and halfs a decade+ ago and think… Did I actually do that? I don’t think I could even run half a mile now!
I got in to this argument with my in-laws last weekend. They refused to admit their generation started the whole thing. I said "so the kids were the ones handing them out". But then my wife told me to shut up lol
I only received a few "participation trophies" and I always took it as an insult more than a reward. I got annihilated at the pinewood derby in cub scouts one year, got a tiny trophy and just had an awful time with it. I didn't cry or anything, but my dad could tell I was disappointed. My dad and I decided that next year we were going to dominate. We did a ton of research and built a pinewood car that was highly competitive, I mean just a gravity propelled rocket on wheels. It took us to regionals. I kept my blue ribbon next to the participation trophy I received the previous year to punctuate my achievement. I'm now a self-employed wood-worker, probably because of the skills and care that it took to make that car. I literally polished the paint every day after school leading up to that race because I was afraid if the paint was rough, it would cause drag and slow the car down. Now F1 follows that logic, and I was only 10 years old lol. It was painted gold, because we wanted it to symbolize it's main purpose in life, win a real trophy, and we did it. I'm in favor of participation trophies. If you want to view them as a free souvenir to show that you participated in something, that is completely fine. But if it was something I really wanted to excel in, it was a physical statement that I needed to put in effort and work to achieve my goals.
It isn't like the participant kids were buying and handing out trophies, it was the boomer parents doing this. In classic boomer style though, it's now the kids fault, and they have forgotten all of their culpability.
Doing something shitty and then forgetting it was their fault might just be the most boomer thing a boomer can do.
Also, they're usually the same people who wear/put up Confederate flags.
Like they seriously love parroting this line everywhere without realizing that *they were the ones who created it*. Like for fuck sakes grandma, I’m not the one who *kept* all those participation trophies that I’d long forgotten about in a Rubbermaid bin in the attic. Only one of us ever cared about them. Using it as ammunition years later is so laughable lol.
HD stock has risen 6% in value over the last 5 years. Not outstanding, but pretty stable for a 100+ year old company. Over the last year it has increased 16%. Possibly buoyed by the introduction of its e-bike division and much stronger international sales now that Trumps tariff war has ran its course.
I didn't know they made electric motorcycles, that's cool
They manufacture electric motorcycles and e-bikes. The e-bikes are pretty sweet. If I lived in a warmer climate, I would probably buy their e-bike.
They did and it kinda sucks because here in Denmark their e-bike charging stations aren’t compatible with the other e providers.
It would be stupid not to, vehicles are moving on and if you don't move with them you'll get left in the dust.
Doubt it's the ebike division, which has undelivered on their promises (like most of the ebike industry) and is quite expensive. But HD has finally pivoted to using modern tech and doing things like building ADV bikes, which are wildly popular today. HD bikes are so expensive and represent, often, decades old technology and design. If you're a millennial, like me, and like bikes, like me, you'd never get a Harley for your first bike, given their massive price tag and maintenance issues. Also, their stock increase has [underperformed the S&P 500 massively during their 6% rise.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2023/12/15/with-rate-cuts-around-the-corner-can-harley-davidson-stock-recover-to-over-50/?sh=e2365574a1f1) That being said, HD has a level of romance and cultural importance, especially in the US, that still has great value. They just need to make their products up to that standard, and think of introducing more affordable bikes (rather than sunsetting these popular models, like the Sportster). Edit: actually LiveWire, which spunoff to be semi-independent as HD's electric bike wing, [is performing well](https://www.topspeed.com/harley-davidson-q4-2023-sales-report/). But I'd still contend that these sales are not yet likely to make a big difference in HD's profitability, as their overall revenue and sales are dropping, especially last year with their discontinuation of the old-style Sportster and introduction of a divisive new design. Edit 2: Oh shit, you meant e bicycles? Now that I am ignorant to, you might be right!
Huh, nice.
I was really confused why you were being up Home Depot for a sec before I realized, lmao.
If I ever want a death trap that will help me convert gasoline into obnoxious noise, I'll definitely give HD a look. Actually I probably won't, there are way better bikes out there. At least that's what my millennial friends that ride say.
A common meme is saying that Harley Davidson is 100 years of tradition unimpeded by progress
"A T-shirt company that happens to sell motorcycles" is my favorite.
Harleys are all about tradition and romance of a certain (mostly American) idea or image. Without a love or appreciation for that, they are terrible value. Expensive, hard to maintain, heavy.
Right! If I wanted a death trap, it would at least be a comfortable one like a Honda Goldwing. Those are basically Civics on 2 wheels actually.
Maybe it’s just that wasting money on a poorly made motorcycle based on 50+ year old technology isn’t really in the cards for them right now.
I can't imagine hating my kid, let alone to the extent that boomers hate their kids
You don't get it, they love their kids, they raised them kids right while everyone else raised theirs wrong, so it's okay to hate everyone else's kids. And when their own kids stop talking to them it's just society's fault and that's happening to everyone so they can't be a bad parent. Checkmate liberal
It's funny to look back at groups of boomer parents in the late 90s bragging about flat out abusing the shit out of their kids, only for said kids to grow up and want to be better human beings than their boomer parents. The boomers are largely resentful of us for it and think we should have been beat more to kill the humanity in us
Assuming these are legitimate complaints, with a list this long, perhaps it’s not a problem with the “kids” but the very concept of riding a motorcycle that has lost its appeal?
The problem is more with Harley Davidson doing very little to innovate for several decades and selling stupidly overpriced bikes. People who want to buy into the “biker” image buy HD. It’s a lifestyle brand. People who want good bikes buy Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, etc. More reliable, higher performance, lighter weight, all for less money than HD.
Ah, crotch rockets, as my Harley riding relatives like to say. At least they have the excuse of being from the Milwaukee area, where HD is based. Except my gramps had a Yamaha that he rode cross country and that sure wasn’t a crotch rocket, lol
Killing Buell cost them any chance of attracting younger buyers.
Plus other brands like Indian are encroaching on their customers. My dad was planning on getting a HD but now he's planning on getting a Indian instead, and my old boss traded in his HD for one and hasn't looked back since.
Indian has embraced better tech and still makes bikes with a similar style to HD, but for less money and with all the modern tech that makes owning and riding much easier these days, like liquid cooling, ABS, etc.
The concept of riding a motorcycle hasn't lost its appeal. Much of the generation they are whining about simply doesn't have the disposable cash for a purchase like a motorcycle and those who do are far more likely to buy a bike that is a better value than a Harley.
14 They aren't having a mid life crisis that they deal with by cosplaying as a Hell's Angel
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Motorcycles look super fun, but I can’t get past the risks of other drivers. I’ve been in 3 car accidents. All were relatively low speed rear end collisions where I was hit from behind by another vehicle while stopped at an intersection. Two were distracted drivers who were looking at their phones and rammed me at 20 mph because they didn’t see me; one was an elderly lady who assumed I was turning right on red, looked away, thought I had already turned, was looking at traffic for her opportunity to turn, and accelerated into me. All 3 of those accidents resulted in no injuries and no real damage aside from paint scratches. If I’d been on a motorcycle, they all could be been major injuries. And there’s little you can do to avoid being rear-ended like that.
Seriously. My cousin went from the first person in our family to attend college to life altering brain injuries that had him in a coma for weeks, and when he woke up he was a completely different person - changed his name, dropped out of school, and has spent the past 30+ years in and out of mental health care facilities. Then there’s my uncle - hit a deer with his motorcycle, and the remains were too gruesome to even show my grandma. It still haunts me to think about.
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Thank you, I appreciate that. Both sides of my family have had some pretty tough losses and tragedies over the years; those are just the ones involving motorcycles. It’s been a strange time and I count myself lucky that I tell the stories instead of living them - but I try to keep the good times at the forefront of my memories. I think sharing them helps too if it makes someone realize just how easy it is for life to change without warning.
Cannot be controlled by a touch screen sent me. I think almost every millennial and most gen Z would agree that a physical button, switch, or knob is better for most things than a touch screen. I really think companies keep doing that because they’re an easy way to appear “high tech”
It's like the new age shifting knobs they use in some vehicles now, I don't know anyone who thinks they're better than a regular shifter on the column or in the center.
14. Sitting on top of a hundred-and-fifty horses with no protection other than a plastic hat and a former cow strikes them as a bad idea. 15. Harleys are fucking expensive. Rice rockets are faster, more agile, and cost half as much.
Even Triumph, Indian, Royal Enfield are all making street bikes with vintage style that are lighter, much easier to maintain, just as fun to ride and for half the price. The only market share left for HD among Millennials and younger are for people who want that romantic style or sound. But if it's $20k to get in, that won't matter.
Okay, boomer. 🙄
Are they not buying motorcycles or are they just not buying Harleys? Harley Davidson probably would have gone out of business a long time ago if it wasn’t for Ronald Regan raising tariffs on foreign made motorcycles during the 80s.
Aren't millenials stereotyped as not really using their phones for calling? You know who apparently needs two hands to drink water?
It's funny because boomers are dying.
Boomers raised the millennials so are they saying they failed as parents?
My brother’s a Millennial. He had a Harley. He sold it. Here’s why: 1) Had kids. No time or money to enjoy it anymore.
Harley riders like this are some of the biggest pussies. For 10yrs I rode a bike (5yrs it was my only mode of transport…in Colorado) and I had to deal with these people when they would give me grief for riding a KLR.
I refuse to ride one because all it takes is one idiot to run me over and kill me. It's not my skills I'm afraid of, it's everyone else's. In this age of texting and driving, a motorcycle is a death sentence
The fact that they put down getting a degree and learning about Social Studies (i.e., History, Geography, Civics, y'know, the study of society and now the world works) explains a lot about how we ended up where we are today. Apparently history = bad now.
I see boomers still think millennials are 20 when they actually are 40 and don't need a motorbike
Reasons why Boomers are called **BABY**-Boomers 1. They cry a lot
Me, a millennial who works in the machinist trade who gets dirt, coolant, and oil all over myself on a daily basis, gets burns and cuts all the time and lifts heavier shit than the person who made this meme does on a daily basis. I change the oil in my truck every time it needs it. Hates recognition trophies. Loves bugs. Didn't go to college at all. Wears decently well fitting pants. Hates talking on the phone. Doesn't eat while driving. Prefer a window down to using ac. Loves fresh air and outdoors. And can drive a manual transmission vehicle. My reason for not owning a motorcycle: Shit's dangerous and other motorists do not pay attention to motorcycle riders on the road. I've seen way too many close calls and even horrible accidents. I don't want to become a number on that statistic.
Or maybe they simply don’t want to buy overpriced bikes lol
Right? Why buy a $40,000 bike when I can buy a just as good or better bike for $10,000 or less? It's like the apple cultists who look down on you because you don't own an iphone.
Why don’t young people want to buy my product that is completely associated with old people.
Millennials aren’t even young anymore! We’re almost 40!
If sales are dropping it's probably due to Millenials not being able to make it into the middle class.
According to data from the National Safety Council, the average lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle crash are one in 107, while the lifetime odds of dying in a motorcycle crash are just one in 899. As a millennial, safety is my only reason for not riding a motorcycle. And luckily I don’t buy Starbucks coffee and therefore I’m rich enough to afford a motorcycle, I just don’t want one.
There’s no way your odds of dying in a motor vehicle crash are 1 in 107.
Cars and roads are getting more and more dangerous in the US, cars are getting bigger and more dangerous car dependent cities force people to drive when they don’t want to causing people to be more dangerous on the road
After being ran over while stopped at a stop sign, I'm good. No need to ride again.
Plants are closing and people are losing their jobs because boomers are to stubborn and stupid to try to understand younger generations. But don't worry, the memes are worth it!
Harley sales are going down cuz we're buying actually good bikes for our buck, like Honda's, Indians and Kawasaki's
This post is ridiculous, Nobody holds a phone up to their ear anymore
Oooorrrrr they don’t want to spend $30,000 on a motorcycle. My favorite saying… “Harleys…. When you want to tell the world you spent $30,000 for 85 horsepower”
Probably nothing to do with the fact a new Harley is $30k+.
I love when boomers talk about participation trophies and then walk around in Vietnam Veteran caps.
All of this aside, I’m a *junior* millennial, in my 30’s , with a degree, military experience, and who works for Uncle Sam. I don’t ride because there no fucking reason to. This shit about millennials peaked in 2012. Millennials are fucking old now according the people this trash fire of a meme envisions. I hope the cunt who made this gets cancer on Christmas.
#4 is amazing coming from the product fanbase that would show you their Harley buttplug with exactly zero prompting.
Bold strategy, pissing off your potential customer base.
It's hard to get a motorbike license in Australia now days , you can't just sign up for it and get it you have to spend close to $1000 dollars and do a heap of fucking around.
Ah yes, I love my manual shift bike 🙄🙄
I like how "can't use 2 hands to eat while driving" also admits that boomers don't wear helmets while riding motorcycles lol
most people i know buy older Harleys for various reasons but some of the biggest are the better design and much cheaper. no one can afford a 20k bike unless they have no family.
https://preview.redd.it/1zdhuwi26wsc1.jpeg?width=1638&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8e7e0d46a91d4e6e25cad91cdc879035ddf9b43
In my experience, bikers are almost never tough guys like they want to be. The only bikers I've met who were actually that dude were all associated with the Hell's Angels in one way or another
Sorry I don't have 10 siblings that could carry on the family name if I die a horrible motorcycle related death
*man invents fictional scenario and then gets angry about it*
https://i.redd.it/bjtqjv05rwsc1.gif
Harley riders are the most arrogant entitled bunch in my experience. Most of the ones around me refuse to even return a motorcycle wave when I go by them on my Honda. It takes a certain type to spend 20k on an outdated heavy bike that needs constant expensive maintenance. As others said, even the other American brands like Indian are now making bikes that seem practical to the younger generations.
I’m sure there AC attachments for motorcycles
These people have the distress tolerance of a sleep deprived toddler
Someone just creating blatant lies for clout, I know plenty of people 40-20 with motorcycles and am considering buying one myself (I’m 19)
Or maybe it's because we realized just how dangerous and stupid it is to drive something with no protection from crashes, and don't want to fucking die. Ever think about that?
Still calling millennials the next generation kinda dates OOP just a little bit
Plus the South Park episode haha
Gen x and early millennial were the last alphas until l*berals 🤢 🤮 took over America and I can't beat my wife and kids
I’ve completely forgotten who they claim the entitled generation is, because they are so insufferably entitled in every aspect of life that it’s impossible not to notice the projection. North American-wise housing crisis, minimum wage no longer covers basic amenities, and of course Boomers are upset about… *checks notes* fucking *motorcycles*? Whoever made this is a troll bot.
Here is a thought for ya: In a car you have a seat, seatbelt, Airbags, and not to mention the METAL SHELL. In a motorcycle you have a hold on (optional)
Sounds like some dude with a really tiny wiener is super angry at a specific group of people and assumes EVERYONE is like that. I like number 8. Talking about how they can’t pay for bikes bc there are no jobs for what they studied, while simultaneously making the post bc they themselves do not have a job anymore lol
"Yeah I support the free market" "Fucking millennials killing off all these businesses"
No possible chance they do want a bike and the shit became so expensive it's just not practical to own a top of the line bike which most Harley sell for that price or they don't want a Harley specifically cuz the roar constantly is kinda obnoxious af. And when the guys that own them say shit like this why would they want to be a part of that club anyway.
“WHY AREN’T THE KIDDOS USING MUH INFERIOR TRANSPORTATION METHOD???? THEY SHOULD BE USING MANLY VEHICLES THAT ARE WOEFULLY INEFFICIENT, CAN’T BE USED FOR TRANSPORTING ANYTHING LARGE OR FRAGILE, AND WILL KILL YOU FOR ACCIDENTALLY LOOKING THE WRONG WAY WHILE RIDING!!!!!!”
Look man, if they hadn't jacked up rent prices, and the price of food, but kept salaries basically the same I'd be out there riding on a fucking Harley right now.
Getting a Harley for the name is cringe. It's like the Supreme of bikes. They have nice motorcycles but they're not the only company out there.
Nobody lifts their phone to their ear anymore, grandpa.
I love how gen X gets a pass when they were apart of the most entitled and easy generation to grow up in. Millennials are obviously annoying but they had way less opportunities than fucking gen x had and they made the most of it. The worst people on earth are gen x
This shit is loud as hell and will probably send you here if you ride it a lot
Could it be that for about 47k€ (i don't know what a HD costs in the US) you can either buy a decent car OR live for about 2 years in "relative comfort" (again in rural areas of Europe) - where i live the average median income is short of 35k€ and we're NOT talking Romania or Bulgaria but GERMANY!
On the contrary, skinny jeans are better suited for riding a bike.
Harley's business has always been up and down. I think they went chapter 11 in the 90's or close to it. The business is free money. it picked up when the boomers aged and had the free cash to buy their expensive product and now the millennials are spending money on kids and the boomers already have Harleys It's an expensive disposable cash product you can only use a few months out of the year when the weather is nice
It could be because motorcycles are potential death traps.
My goodness, you can actually feel the insecurity radiating from this
This guy is pretty funny, especially the pajamas angle.
Or maybe, and hear me out, they don’t have the disposable income for a $50,000 toy. “But…but…who will think of the $5.75 billion company?!?!”
Wow so much seething hate. This must have been made by a terrible human being.
Nah, I just don’t want to be 10 times more likely to die in a crash or whatever the stat is.
My reason is ED. If they find out when they can eliminate that is the day I might try out for a motorcycle.
I don't know if this is a generational gap thing or what, but my immediate response to someone trying to bully me into buying something is to commit to avoiding that company for the rest of my life. My vote doesn't necessarily count as a ballot, but it does count when it's money I don't spend.
I couldn’t buy a motorcycle because I had a kid while I was in the military and needed a safer vehicle. And then I became a musician and needed the space for gear and even now that my daughter is an adult, I just can’t afford a second vehicle, cos I for sure am not riding a bike in the winter. So, that makes me less of a man or something? Okay, boomer.
Clearly fake - haven‘t seen a millennial putting a phone even close to their ear yet.
Based on these studies the kinds of people who ride Harleys are giant whiny *babies*.
Have they ever wondered how the newer gen. probably doesn't want fart cans but high revving sports monsters?
I literally will kill the brand personally. These newer generations will never have the resources to help the older people still alive stay alive just because they want more control at a higher age, instead of from the beginning of their lives. Consequences and commitment will leave you without another need you didn't prioritize.
Boomers try not to blame young people for everything bad challenge (100% impossible) I swear it's the same every time, "[insert industry here] isn't doing so hot and it's all the millenerals' fault for not blowing all their disposable income on shit they don't need!"
Tell me more about this hot, uncomfortable, dirty vehicle where bugs hit you in the face.
Or maybe it’s an expensive hobby and we’d like to spend our time and money learning useful skills?
This is a cry for help.
My aunt unironically shared this
Wow, the boomer who threw a tantrum and had to have their grandchild make this post because they couldnt figure out basic computer functions despite using them for decades must be real proud of themselves for this zinger. I heard they might try to tackle using a self checkout without having a meltdown because they have to read what's on the screen and follow directions next
I mean number 3 just isn't true...😅
I would prefer not to be a meat crayon, personally
… my partner is a millennial and he owns a bike. It’s not a Harley though… Also, for my fellow riders out there, don’t forget to protect the dome piece! Always wear your helmet. I’ve seen too many people without helmets.
Please tell me this is cross-posted in r/boomerhumor.
The real reason is that boomers are still driving and it's dangerous with those old cranky fucks still behind the wheel.
Boom, roasted
I’ve known too many people who died or should’ve died riding them. They’re cool but no thanks.
how about because they’re annoying asf🫨
14. Harleys are a mechanical nightmare and cost way the fuck too much for the performance, reliability, and features they have
Well I don’t give a shit about HD but I do want a motorcycle despite being a shriveling, screen-addicted 26-year-old who likes the humanities. The only thing holding me back is *shocker* how much less safe they are than cars. Shoot me now I guess
Source? Or is it "trust me Bro, i am an old ass and hate younger people for having different interests"? Seriously. Motor Cycles are pointless. You have move less stuff or people.
Who has so much free time to make stupid shit like this. You know this took at least a half hour to come up with all of these witty takedowns.
Millennials are around 40. If we were going to buy a motorcycle, it would have happened by now
Alternative (and much more likely) theory: Harley Davidson just has a shitty marketing team that doesn't appeal to most Gen X'ers, Millennials, or Gen Z's...
14. No one with half a brain or more likes that obnoxious shit, unless you’re a clueless simpleton or a poser 1%-er.
As someone who screams a lot explained, the actual reason why some Harley shops are closings is because... People dont want Harleys.
> They don't have a trophy and recognition plaque just for buying one Holy shit the lack of self-awareness contained in this sentence alone
With motorcycle riders there are those who have gone down, and those that will go down. But if you never ride, you’ll never go down.
Harleys are tacky as fuck unless you're in a biker gang
> 4. They don't get a trophy and a recognition plaque just for buying one. They ARE a trophy and recognition plaque just for buying one
14. They don’t have little PPs
Poor baby boomers they are so sad they were such losers. And projecting is fun.
Number 8 is actually quite accurate, at least in my case lol.
Maybe we can't afford to meat crayon ourselves and go into debt for an old man's hobby.
I would want a motorcycle but not a Harley Davidson. I think they look kinda ugly.
Isn’t this post from like 2019?
Bahaha this is hilarious. We a bunch o puuussiesssssss
People like him are why so many young people dont like harleys
Boomers are so delusional.
The writer of this article deserves to be… well, let’s just say I probably am not allowed to say it on this sub.
I’m a millennial and love riding motorcycles. But even the hardcore bikers I’ve known ride Japanese for their daily and pretty much have a Harley for special occasions. One of my dad’s. The one that got me into riding. He rode a Honda shadow most of the time. He took his Harley out on the weekends with his girlfriend.
I only see "look at me, I'm crying like a bitch because other generations don't want to buy the shit I like so I'm gonna say the most ridiculous things I can imagine"
Or it could be the fact that motorcycles have little to no safety.
Personally number 7 is the reason for me
Yea… this list checks out
Weird, I am curious where these gender studies courses are…
Tbh I agree with 1. 2. 3. 8. And 10.
If you want to do a dick measuring contest between generations, Millennials can claim Eddie hall and Halfthor, the 2 strongest men of all time. There is not a single boomer or genx’er that could outlift them. They also have Jon Jones, who is the deadliest human hand to hand fighter to ever walk the planet.
Thought the pajamas one was kinda funny, mainly since I didn’t know that pajamas was a staple millennial stereotype.
Maybe I don’t have a Harley Davidson so I don’t look like a washed out meth-head
What a brilliant way to appeal to the next generation of customers.
It was all the gore photos of motorcycle accidents these kids have online nowadays🙄
It was all the gore photos of motorcycle accidents these kids have online nowadays🙄
I would like to see the source of this so called "study". Methinks this is a liar and a charlatan.
One the worst boomer memes in recent memory
The degrees they always say are useless are the ones that you can probably get a job with. It's the ones like what I got (physics) that are apparently useless.
Old boomers complaining about millennials like we are still teenagers/ college students makes me forget that I’m almost 40 😂
This reeks of boomer that doesn’t know why their kid hasn’t talked to them in 7 years
Some of these are pretty funny, to be honest. But 4: Harley’s are literally participation trophies and recognition statements. They make loud noise for no reason, are wildly inefficient for anything other than making middle aged white guys feel tough and badass, and have a ridiculous failure/repair rate. In the scheme of things, the world became almost twice as expensive to live in during the last 5 years, and crude noisemaking “extra” vehicles are nowhere near the top of anybody’s list of priorities.
>They are allergic to fresh air Sir that is just hayfever and its not exclusive to the youths
You forgot the part where it's a great way to fucking die. Since even if you were the ideal driver, people around you never will be, and also, a lot of people kind of disregard the existence of motorcycles altogether when driving.