William Harley and Arthur Davidson built their first motorcycle in 1903, initially working out of Davidson’s basement, then moving to a 10-by-15-foot shed in their backyard. They were soon joined by Davidson’s brothers, William and Walter, and Harley-Davidson has grown to become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the United States. The company is now publicly traded and has expanded its manufacturing footprint around the world. The company’s bikes have become national symbols and have played memorable roles in television and film. Harley-Davidson buyers registered approximately 350,000 motorcycles worldwide in 2014, but sales have fluctuated between approximately 150,000 and 250,000 units between 2017 and 2022.
advertisement
Harley’s first-quarter 2024 profits fell 23%, with Reuters attributing the drop to high interest rates and an overall decline in interest in motorcycles. Harley has produced some duds over the years, and the brand has a poor reputation among younger buyers who are flocking to more efficient, high-performance bikes from Japanese and European manufacturers. Harley also faces new competition from its biggest rival in the U.S., Indian Motorcycles. But Harley’s declining market share is partly self-inflicted, as the company has produced some less-than-popular models. Some of these bikes were poorly designed, unreliable, or simply unpopular. Here are five Harley models we all love to hate.
advertisement
The 1981 Sportster came at the end of the AMF era.
Harley-Davidson introduced the Sportster in 1957 and it has since become the brand’s best-selling model of all time. The Sportster was a popular, affordable, and easy-to-ride bike for nearly 70 years on the market. However, it definitely had some down years. 1981 is generally considered one of the worst years for the Sportster.
advertisement
Part of the reason for this is a change in Harley’s business model that occurred in the late ’60s. At the time, Harley-Davidson was in financial trouble. American Machine and Foundry (AMF) stepped in and bought the brand in 1968. AMF was better known for making tennis racquets and bowling equipment, and its tenure as Harley-Davidson’s steward was not well-received.
In 1981, a group of investors and Davidson’s grandson Willie teamed up to buy the brand back from AMF, but it was too late to save the Sportster that year. The model was powered by a notoriously unreliable 997 cubic inch Ironhead V-twin engine that was prone to excessive vibration. Owners also reported clutch and transmission problems, and the long forks and top-heavy design earned the model a place on liveabout.com’s list of the 10 worst handling bikes of all time. On top of that, the engine only produced 55 horsepower. By comparison, the 1981 Honda CB750F’s four-cylinder engine produced 77 horsepower.
advertisement
The 2001 Electra Glide Ultra Classic had engine problems.
The 2001 Electra Glide Ultra Classic was an impressive bike, but its beauty was only visible behind the fairing, fenders and saddlebags. The 1,449cc Twin Cam 88 V-Twin engine used a short-life plastic cam tensioner that could cause shavings to seep into the oil pump and cause engine failure. This model was also subject to a 2004 recall for a faulty main circuit breaker that could cause a sudden and dangerous loss of power. Early Twin Cam 88 engines were also prone to oil leaks, resulting in poor internal lubrication and a fouled exterior.
advertisement
These engines were also prone to crankshaft runout (when the shaft rotates off the true centerline), which produced excessive noise and vibration and premature wear on the engine’s internals. Many Twin Cam 88-equipped Harleys also suffered from transmission and stator problems, and the air-cooling system often was inadequate in traffic or at idle. Some of these issues were addressed with the Twin Cam 88B engine that debuted in 2002, but it was too late for the 2001 Ultra Classic. Even with the engine swap, the bike, which weighs nearly 850 pounds, remains unwieldy for city riding.
Iron 883 was decidedly mediocre.
sylv1rob1/Shutterstock
The Iron 883 may not be the worst Harley-Davidson ever made, but it has few standout features. This Sportster variant was released in 2014 with a price tag of $8,399 (about $11,300 in today’s dollars). Its 883 cubic inch V-twin engine produced just 51 horsepower, and Jordan Gibbons of Motorcycle News called the lumbering 540-pound bike “expensive, underpowered and overweight.” Harry Fisher of Top Speed wrote that the Iron 883 “is one of the most vibration-inducing bikes on the market today.” He also criticized the stiff suspension and sluggish acceleration, and noted that the rear cylinder was too close to the rider’s thighs, generating excess heat.
advertisement
Both reviewers reserved praise for the Iron 883’s customizability and noted that its small size makes it ideal for beginner riders, but the Iron 883 is going out of production in 2022 as Harley phases out the Sportster’s Evolution series engine for the new Revolution Max.
Harley traditionalists have a lot to criticize about the Street 500 and 750.
No model may be more jarring to Harley purists than the Street 500, which was released at the same time as the Street 750 in 2014. The brand’s loyal fans opposed the move from water-cooling to air-cooling and the abandonment of Harley’s traditional pushrod construction. The smaller engine was targeted at younger buyers, but Harley’s core Baby Boomer generation objected to the lack of torque at low speeds and the throaty sound. Harley’s CEO told Ride Apart that the new model was made “for people who want to identify with the brand but want to ride a less intimidating, more engaging bike.”
advertisement
Because of their entry-level familiarity, the simple Street 500 and 750 proved popular with riding schools, but the small, agile Street models never caught on with Harley’s loyal fans. That fault may lie mainly with a demographic known for its aversion to adaptation, but even younger riders were disappointed with the build quality and reliability of the Street 500 and 750. British rider Stephen Bush commented in a forum post on Youmotorcycle.com that “the fit and finish was cheap and shoddy, and the handling was very poor.” Harley-Davidson heard the echoes of these complaints and discontinued the Street line for 2021.
The Livewire was a step too far for many Harley fans.
MaggioPH/Shutterstock
If old-school heads were bothered by the disruption of tradition typified by the Street Line, they must have been infuriated when Harley went electric with Project Livewire. The battery-powered bike was released as a prototype in 2014 and went into production five years later. Even the most open-minded, eco-conscious hogsheads shied away from Project Livewire’s nearly $30,000 list price and limited range. Harley introduced the more affordable $21,999 Livewire One in 2022, just as it was spinning off the Livewire into its own company.
advertisement
The latest Livewire bike, the S2 Del Mar, will be available in 2023, will cost $15,999, and will have a city cruise range of up to 113 miles. On the highway, however, the range is less useful, at 70-86 miles. Slash Gear’s Justin Owen, who rode the S2 Del Mar last summer, agreed that it’s progress. “After a false start, at least, Harley has put significant investment and resources into getting this right,” Owen wrote.
The Livewire bike is targeted at urban commuters, and a big improvement in highway range could help it win over some loyal fans, though investing in development efforts to change the minds of long-time internal combustion engine buyers could be a losing battle.
advertisement
