I had a friend come by yesterday and show me his new to him 99 Harley Sporster. He has always ribbed me about not personaly owning an "AMERICAN MADE BIKE" as he put it. As he was doing his show and tell to me, he commented that a local independent had just put on two new tires and I pointed out that they put the front tire on backwards. He looked at the roatation arrows and the tread, started calling the shop which had already closed up for Saturday. Being the good ole boy, I offered to correct the issue since he realy wanted to ride the next day, so we proceeded. About thirty minutes into the job I got to laughing so hard and could only point at his "AMERICAN MADE HARLEY WHEEL" that had stamped on the inside of the wheel right next to the Harley Part #, "MADE IN JAPAN". I bet I don't hear that out of his mouth again for a while.

The majority of their parts are made overseas. Go to any Harley shop and flip over the packaging on any of the parts hanging all over their walls - 90% will say Taiwan or Japan. I am a Harley fan, don't get me wrong. They have good and bad bikes just like every other manufacturer. To hear a guy riding a Sportster talk crap about a Road Star is hillarious though! Just my opinion, but the Sportster is a bike that Harley put out so the guys who can't afford the larger bikes can still go in there and buy T-shirts and Taiwan parts!

Two things if it is a Dunlop switch it back to the reverse they screw up rotation markings at the factory or at least verify it was one of the mismarked tires. I think it is funny most aftermarket are foreign and yamaha star parts are made in the USA so I've been told

I have several friends that ride HDs of various types but do good to check the the air in their tires. When we go on road trips I carry two baggies one with some metric nuts and bolts then I have the baggie for them that says Harely Davidson. I have been in that bag on every trip except the last which we did not have a Harley Rider in the group. But when we do, they know who to come see when the header comes loose or various bolts come up missing, the guy on the ROAD STAR. It's always funny and I love remaining quite until one of the mouthy ones has to ask for something. They just get verbaly mauled by the others. It's all in good fun though.

That's pretty funny. I happened to be in a Harley Store the other day, because our friends from north caralina wanted some colorado harley shirts. So while they were looking at clothes I was lookin at the bikes, they did have some nice looking ones in there. The salesman starts talking to me and asked what I ride. When I said Roadstar, he say's "Well we can fix that" and I said "it's not broken"

Good one!

MotorMike wrote:

When we go on road trips I carry two baggies one with some metric nuts and bolts then I have the baggie for them that says Harely Davidson.


yep, i do the same.

i can´t pass a stranded rider without at least offering help, so metric and inch nuts and bolts are in the bag with various types of fuses, electrical wire, insulating tape, gaffer tape (duct tape to you guys), bulbs, zip ties, hose clamps, and a couple of bits of perforated metal for emergency brackets.

figure if you can´t get a bike going with that stuff, it needs a recovery van

Trum wrote:
That's pretty funny. I happened to be in a Harley Store the other day, because our friends from north caralina wanted some colorado harley shirts. So while they were looking at clothes I was lookin at the bikes, they did have some nice looking ones in there. The salesman starts talking to me and asked what I ride. When I said Roadstar, he say's "Well we can fix that" and I said "it's not broken"

Thanks, now I can wear this smileall day!!!!!!!!LMAO

That IS a funny I've been told this by honest HD guys. They say you can't even buy a USA made HD T shirt, But seriously in Japan you can! WTH (Heck) When I get the "You should'a bought a HD comment I always say Well if you want made in USA you should'a bought a Victory.

Funny...The only thing that comes loose and I have to tighten on my Roadie are the Harley hiway pegs I have on it.