Hey! Buy American, you jerk!!

[jwalters]

The best quote I read was one that said something to the effect:
"Driving smaller vehicles is true patriotism" or something similar.  I am no tree hugger, but I have to admit, reducing our dependance on foreign oil seems to be more patriotic than simply buying an American made gas guzzler.  I have no beef with owning a big truck either, if I did, I couldn't get to track days!  Its just that so many people drive them to Church or the store, or simply as a status symbol and as in your example, turn around and preach Patriotism to all us anti-Americans for driving a small efficient car/motorcycle made elsewhere (or made only MOSTLY in the US:grin:  ).

Just the other day I saw a jacked up F-250 crew cab diesal 4x4 with this statement on the tailgate: "If it ain't American.... It Sucks!" Under that in smaller print it said something to the effect that if buy foreign junk your an anti-American jerk. I can't remember exactly what else it said, but if I see it again I'll report it here.

[gyrogearcrunch]

Fellow I know saw my new Bandit and that's what he said to me!  Tried to explain to him the only American bike in the Bandit's class (even remotely) is the Blast but it isn't even close to being there.

I'd love to keep my dollars on this side of the pond, but what's a fellow to do?

The Honda Accords built in the States continually beat Accords for quality coming out of Japan.  So we can do it if we want to, right?

We have the smarts over here and the technology and the work force...why can't we build a great mid-sized bike for low dollars in North America??

Just point out what the Bandit costs versus what Harleys cost.  Why do many American corporations seem to have contracted a terminal case of GREED? That, combined with a "don't care " attitude by too many dealers, is why I buy Japanese. Let's not even get into how well Bandits go, turn and stop vastly better than American iron.  I've been seeing overpriced, under-designed, poorly performing American bikes since 1958, when I bought my first "furrin' " bike (Parilla) in Biloxi. I had the first one at the airbase, and before you could say "let's get a beer!", Parillas were all over the place. The local Harley dealer couldn't sell his 165cc Harleys anymore ($695) when the guys could get a 175cc Parilla for $595. One guy even ditched his 500cc BSA Goldstar and bought a 250cc Parilla Wildcat because of the vast handling difference.

[tacoman]

Harley has no need to go up against the Big 4, that's what saved it from going under.  You can't match the Big 4 dollar for dollar.  There are some out there starting to make a dent (KTM) but most end up like Canondale.