Why do YOU care SO much about a BRAND?

Why do YOU care SO much about a BRAND? Harley, Indian, Triumph, BMW, the list is endless. What makes one particular brand earn your loyalty?

[kjaubrey]

I always gravitated towards Honda because I liked their style, how they ride and the reliability. I now ride a Benelli because I liked the looks and the price was right.

On a side note, I do like that I am seeing mixed groups with touring bikes, sport, naked, cafe racer...all riding together and having fun.

[Viper-MotoVlogger]

I really don’t care much bout brands. I have a Suzuki cruiser and a Yamaha sport cruiser. I buy what I like and what I can afford.

[Paul-kptu]

Not sure I agree, just because a big company is behind a product doesn’t mean they don’t care. In particular the big 4 Japanese companies have wonderfull museums, racing history, classic and heritage workshops and dedicated engineers who care for their old bikes and their corporate history and culture. That a particular dealer or distributor is crap does not necessarily mean the company is.

[Bkamaclean]

I care about brand because of parts availability for bikes that are older than ten years old. Harley has so many aftermarket parts...while many other brands just go obsolete for the parts market.

[vincenttarquini]

I am with you, Abusa! I owned a Victory Bagger for 5 years and it was a great reliable motorcycle, but my riding needs changed so I sold it. I now have a 2017 BMW R1200 GSA. The reason for the change was because I needed a better motorcycle for my ever increasing off pavement riding. The Victory was not designed for that. I am tall and very athletically wide of build. The BMW fit perfectly and the price was good. I don't regret the change one bit and the motorcycle is a hoot to ride. You get what fits and checks the boxes, screw the badge.

[ruedigerfriebel]

It boils down to reliability and reliability is at least partly connected with a brand. There are companies that have different policies when it comes to quality assurance.

says the guy who rides a Kove at the moment.

[kerrymcclure]

I've never been loyal to any brand in car, truck or motorcycle. They all have their good points and bad points and none of them's worth what it takes to buy them.😂😂😂
I love the group I ride with We have all brands we ride with anything Nobody cares what it is.
We just ride, eat and have fun.

[TennRides]

Great video, and I completely agree. Back in 1978, for my 21st birthday, I bought a used HD Electra-glide. That bowling ball company, AMF, bike was a POS! It kept breaking down. I sold it roughly a year and a half later and told myself I would never buy another one. All of the guys I rode with back then were "Harley Fan Boys." They felt, not me, but they felt that any other bike besides a Harley was a joke and not a real bike. I call people like that "Harley Snobs." When I sold that HD and bought a Honda, none of them would ride with me anymore. I told them that if I saw them broken down on the side of the road, in the mountains before cell phones, and we have bears here, that I would smile and wave as I rode past on my "Jap Bike" Honda. Hahaha. I have always said, "My butt can't read anyway, so what do I care what the sticker on the side of the tank says" Many of the current folks I ride with ride Harleys, but they are not Harley Snobs. They may be zealous about the brand name, but they don't care what other people ride. They are some great people, even though I question their taste in bikes. Hahahaha

[BoDean]

Lot of truth my friend, thanks for making it clear 👍. Just ride baby

[WOLFIE-B-UK]

Very good points! I don't have any brand loyalty, I've owned Japanese, British, German and Italian bikes and ride a Harley Softail Custom and my old R80 Airhead (170, 000 miles so far) right now. Every bike I bought was what wanted at that stage in my life. Like you I love all bikes I just prefer some to others, as do my buddies and we ride out together on different brands.

[The_RC_Guru]

Remember when brands used to care about their customer? Pepperidge farms remembers.

[nextupcamping]

First bike (last year) was a Triumph Speedmaster and loved it. Wanted something bigger so sold the Triumph and bought a super-low mileage ‘06 Honda VTX 1300 and love it. I’ll ride it a while and something else will catch my eye. Who cares what brand it is?? I’m a “live and let ride” kinda guy. I hear it all that time that “it’s not a Harley” and I could care less. I find it funny that what I ride matters so much to other people, but not one has offered to buy me a Harley. C’mon people, if it matters that much to ya, put your money where your BIG MOUTH is.

[ruedigerfriebel]

people like to be part of a group of people, to have the company of even minded people around. To feel home, save, understood.... This is not only brands, clubs, religion, political parties, .... you cant change mankind.

[jgoogleheim]

Quality, comfort and fun. I used to frequent Indian day (Pre-COVID) at the Springfield Museums in Springfield MA with my Springfield blue 2014 Indian Chief Classic. The Indian display curators were snobs and said the Polaris was not an Indian ha ha. It was a great beautiful chromed out bike but ultimately became too uncomfortable as my bones ached with that awful low seat. Tried the KTM SA1290 and it was great with the high seat but was still oddly uncomfortable. You may be surprised but the KTM had the best suspension and awesome smoothest ride over these crappy New England back roads. Finally, I got the 23 DCT Goldwing bagger and discovered the Goldilocks scenario, just right. Not as smooth a ride as the KTM but very good on a par with the Indian. Overall comfort the Wing is King and may be my last brand. Ride what you like!

[jd]

Well, Brother, let me tell ya a thing or two 🤨🤣 At one point in my younger days I was totally a Harley guy. Didn't want to ride nothing except a HD. Now that I've aged and become a more mature man with discerning taste. If it strikes my fancy and it rides good and fits what I'm looking for, then that's what I buy. I'm not married to any particular brand. I enjoy motorcycles and riding them. Don't give a hoot nanny about their name. Great video and talking point! Ride and stay safe ABUSA!

[gregorytubbs]

My thoughts kind of goes like this...
I wanted a pickup with the 5.9L Cummins. It didn't matter what badge was on the tailgate as long as it was the Cummins engine. It happened to be Dodge.
I sort of have the same attitude about different motorcycle brands. Some I don't like because of the design, such as Moto Guzzi and BMW. I don't care for the engine style of either one.
Other European brands are avoided because of parts availability.
Some I avoid due to constant inherent mechanical faults that the mfg takes YEARS to correct. There's one problem known as the seven-eleven, because it was a problem from 2007 to 2011. If you really know about motorcycle mechanics beyond the look and sound, I don't have to say what mfg I'm referring to.
I've been tempted to make a list of all the faults this brand has had and the mfg has done little to nothing to correct.
For me it's about reliability, comfort, handling and repairable.

[mikebigeasyrider]

Ok, here we go, my perspective....I own 2 Harley's.... Touring and sportster....and owned several brands over my years of riding....not a brand guy, every time my Indian dealership has a demo ride I am there, the bikes are great, would love to own one. but imo Harley D. has dealerships all over esp. when traveling if you break down, usually a dealership close by. Also am a hog member, have meet some great friends in all fields of work, some have helped me and vis versa. I just like all the social events and rallies, to me gives me more activity than just riding alone which I also like. I wish Indian had network and events to be involved in. I have 2 friends with "Wings" I ride with. I am definitely not a brand guy but happened to own 2 Harleys. Good subject in reading all the comments.

[tennwingman]

I love my Goldwing because it is a great machine but I could care less what Honda thinks or does around their policies and politics. I think all that "woke" business is nonsense and why should anyone care.

[Jagshemasher]

Brand loyalty - I look at the individual bike, not the brand. I don't really care about the brand provided the bike meets my needs and it is reliable (that tends to be Japanese). I currently own a Kawasaki and a Yamaha but if I were adding some more bikes to my stable I would add a Triumph, a Moto Guzzi another Kawasaki another Yamaha, possibly a Suzuki. Newer Chinese brands - I would simply be wary about long term reliability as they are a bit unproven . . . but if the price is right. Harley's . . . .I like them but they are way over priced for what they are. BMW - I've owned a few of their cars and on that basis I would be wary about their motorcycles - the cars drive well but they are absolute money pits to own and I don't need any more of that.

Tee-shirts and clothes - I shop at Costco - Kirkland

[martincvitkovich]

we may come off as 'full of venom" only because we respond to the lies