Harley-Davidson

The community has sharply divided opinions on Harley-Davidson depending on the product category. Leather goods — boots, jackets, and wallets — receive consistent praise for durability and longevity, with multiple users reporting decades of use. The motorcycles themselves are more contested: modern HD bikes (post-mid-1980s, especially post-2010) get qualified praise for reliability when properly maintained, but the brand's reputation for oil leaks, expensive parts, electronics issues, and overpricing remains a recurring theme.

Harley-Davidson leather goods (boots, jackets, wallets) earn genuine BIFL praise, but the motorcycles themselves are a mixed bag — reliable for some dedicated owners post-2010, but consistently criticized for electronics issues, oil leaks, high parts costs, and a culture that inflates value beyond engineering merit.

HD leather goods are widely praised as genuinely durable and long-lasting, often cited as true BIFL items. Modern HD motorcycles, when maintained correctly, are reported by some owners to be reliable over high mileage.

• Leather boots consistently last 10–20+ years with minimal care
• Leather jackets reported to look the same after 18+ years of riding
• Wallets cited lasting 10–30 years by multiple users
• Modern M8 engine praised as robust with 150k mile rebuild intervals
• Sportsters post-2010 described as 'bombproof' with regular maintenance
• T-shirts from the 80s and 90s praised for exceptional longevity and feel

HD motorcycles carry a persistent reputation for oil leaks, unreliable electronics, overpricing, and a history of quality control issues especially in the AMF era and post-2005. The brand is also criticized for trading on cultural cache over engineering value.

• Chronic oil leaking is a long-running joke and documented complaint
• Electronics and wiring modules cited as common failure points by a dealer mechanic
• Parts and accessories described as overpriced compared to equivalent aftermarket options
• Brand compared unfavorably to Japanese motorcycles for reliability and value
• Post-2005 quality questioned by a former factory worker
• Described as 'yesterday's technology at tomorrow's prices' by multiple commenters

A mechanic at an HD dealership noted that while the engines are generally reliable, the electronics are not — most tow-ins were due to failed modules or vibration-loosened connectors.

One long-term owner described his 2009 HD with 97,000 km as every bit as reliable as the six Japanese bikes he'd previously owned, crediting regular maintenance and care.

Multiple users noted that HD leather boots bought in the late 1990s still look and feel great decades later, suggesting the footwear line is a legitimate BIFL product even if the bikes are debatable.

A commenter summarized the motorcycle ownership experience with a joke: when someone announces buying a new Harley, the punchline is asking if they're a bike mechanic — because they will be.