I'm a first time viewer here. I've read some of the comments. the fact that some of you judge a bike by who you see on them tells me how small your minds are. I like all bikes as well, and Harley just happens to be one of them. I also believe that the people think that any bike makes them a bad boy is week minded as well.

I'm 60 yrs this year and have rode motorcycles since I was thirteen. I've owned 18 or 19 motorcycles in that time, and some were Harley's. A few years back Harley Davidson pushed for a bill from congress asking congress to put a 100% import tax on any imported motorcycle. Said they needed it to compete or be run out of business. Congress passed the import bill for motorcycles and evened out the playing field. As soon as the law was in effect Harley Davidson doubled there prices. Now harley davidson is one of the highest priced motorcycles. It also has the highest profit per item. of any motorclycle. The only thing that bill did was to increase HD's bottom line at the expense of all other competitors. They also took money out of your pocket if you buy any brand of motorcyle.

I just learned on Studio 360 that people actually value the sound the erupts from Harley-Davidsons and hold it up as it a symbol of American power and quality production!

I always thought the sound was a symbol of what is wrong with America: demonstrating that we are unable to make a decent motorcycle that isn't so loud.

They are disrespectful to everyone else in the vicinity. By their sound alone, without even moving from a parked position, they are aggressive and rude. They scream "LOOK AT ME!" and "I COULDN'T CARE LESS WHAT YOU ARE DOING."

I love the open road and American road trips. I love our city streets and American urban energy. But face it, if the noise from a Harley Davidson is a symbol of America, it is a symbol of the worst and ugliest qualities that Americans demonstrate on our great roads and wonderful streets.

As a motorcycle enthusiast, and former instructor - I will ride anything with a motor and two wheels. I'm open to all brands, and resent the closed-mindedness of so many Harley devotees. Especially those mid-life crisis males who discover that after a life of conformity they can go out and BUY a Persona of Rebelliousness. Who think that buying a $20K bike and all the off-the-rack clothing and accessories makes them a Bad Boy.

Hardly. It makes them gullible and no better than the girls who buy their LOOK off the rack to imitate their Fav pop-star.

The number of actual Bad-Boys riding Harleys is probably in the single digits, compared to the Wanna-be's who helped HD make a killing the last 2 decades. Which now they cant sustain, as its apparent that riding a Harley doesn't make anyone cool, or rebellious. And the products cost is in no way relative to the quality. Harley's are over priced, and poorly designed for the weekend warriors who ride them now.

As a former instructor, I lost count of the number of men who bought bikes too big and too powerful for their weakened 9-5 bodies, and how often the bikes got away from them in real traffic conditions where its not the OPEN road they fantasize about, but rather a bump and grind of steel and asphalt and idiot car drivers.

HD must adapt and find a new Demographic to sustain it, and their support of the Buell line was a start, but it got little respect in the dealerships, so that failed.

Moral, riding a HD doesnt make a man tough, cool or a rebel. It does point out that you think you can purchase those things at a ridiculous price - which is exactly what is wrong with the American psyche right now. Off the shelf personalities for sale.

I was looking to see what comments there are on this episode and found there is a completely different set of comments on this same site here: http://www.studio360.org/episodes/2010/10/15/segments/158274

Harley Davidson is truly something I hate, that the mere mention of bothers me. I dislike the wannabe rebel fashions and all that sort of thing, but I don't think aside from sneering, that's any of my business.

The part of Harley Davidson that is EVERYBODY's business is the noise. If you go to almost any downtrodden city in the US, you will find along with blight, a noise problem made up of Harley's and/or boom cars. Effectively it is like gang graffiti, telling law abiding good people, this territory is marked. The law and civil society don't reign here. The productive and civil people who could afford to leave have gone, and the criminal element has taken over. If you want to put your children to sleep, read, watch TV, study, relax, good luck. Because some hairy pot bellied guy paid $20,000 to destroy your neighborhood.

One characteristic distinguishes the Harley-Davidson from all other American Icons previously covered in this series. The sound. If someone doesn't like one of the songs, movies, books, or other Icons, they are free to simply ignore it. However, there is nothing they can do to keep the sound of a modified Harley exhaust system from entering their life whenever someone else chooses to make this happen. This explains why, although Jay Allison covered a number of points in his story, most comments mention the sound they make.

Some motorcyclists commented on the attitude of Harley riders. I have been riding for over 40 years and I, too, remember some bad behavior. However, evolution has wired us to be especially conscious of bad experiences -- I fly many times every year, with a large number of mostly neutral interactions with people each time while in transit, but the few bad ones are what I remember.

Whether or not you are upset by the sound of the machines, or the attitude of the riders, a segment on Harley- Davidson was very appropriate. More so than most of the other Icons, Harleys are used in advertisements worldwide to evoke a positive attribute of American culture. What I find interesting is how this came about. Although today Harleys represent "freedom," fifty years ago they were used to represent something dysfunctional about our society.

It would have been disappointing if this piece had not raised some ire on both sides. I am always impressed by the power of Harley Davidson to inspire both love and hatred. Maybe that complexity and contradiction helps creates a myth.

Take a look at the slideshow above these comments, or look at the "guest" links. There are all sorts of people represented in those images; Harley's reach is wide.

By the way, I've gotten email about things I left out of this short portrait, and it's true that we had to make hard editorial choices in the very short time we had. I didn't deal with women riders, Harley's racing legacy, choppers, Evel Knievel, Malcom Forbes, international bikers, Sturgis, the company's ups and downs, and a lot more! Those would be important in any story about Harley's history, but our intention was not to be comprehensive--and certainly not to proclaim Harley Davidson as something good or bad--but to explore its iconography, and its American-ness.

It's great to read these comments in that regard. Thanks for posting.

I want to leave a counterpoint to the inevitable "Harley Davidsons are for knuckle-dragging misanthropes" comments that this piece will draw.

First, my bona-fides: I ride a Ducati 996, the third Ducati that I've owned. I've had a Yamaha FZ1 and several Honda Hawk GT's. For the non-bikers. Finally, I also have a Buell Ulysses, so I guess you could say that I have some Harley DNA in my riding, but for the most part these bikes are the opposite of the Harley style.

However, it irks me that most of my non-Harley riding compatriots have as much of a knee-jerk anti-Harley sentiment as the newbie Harley riders have against non-Harleys. I have met many Harley riders on the road, and I'd say that they have been enthusiastic riders who have been open and friendly, at least as much as any other brand-loyal motorcyclist you would meet on the road. Harley riders don't have a monopoly on the occasional obnoxious rider; I've met as many mileage-snobbish BMW riders as RUB Harley riders, and I chalk it all up to the fact that humanity is diverse and there are those who always take their stereotype seriously.

Also, I have rode rented Harleys many many miles. This is due to the fact that in the past few years about the only type of bike you can rent when on a far off business trip is a Harley. This has taught me that they actually are very fun to ride. No, I don't ride it like a hypersport bike, but they are very high quality and you can push them way harder than my sportbike friends would believe. Plus, if you stay within normal street safety limits they do really have a certain feel all their own which is extremely satisfying. That's sacrilege for a sportbike rider, but it's the truth.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Jay Allison's piece on Harley Davidson motorcycles and the mystique that surrounds this American icon. I also read with interest and dismay some of the comments left by other listeners. A few of you have had less than desirable interactions with Harley Davidson riders. That is unfortunate and I wish you could have had the experience I have had. One listener commented that "Harley Davidson riders represent the most disgusting, arrogant, ugly American at it's best". I belong to an American Legion riders group in Tennesse and don't recall meeting anyone who fits that bill. We have members who ride Harleys, Triumphs, Victorys, and other brands. I have never seen any of our riders snub others because of the brand of bike that they ride. We have ridden as a group to raise money for various causes such as school supplies for children, cancer awareness, toys for tots, and individuals in need. I see nothing "ugly" in that. As Legion riders we are all active in the military or are veterans. I see nothing "disgusting" in serving your country. It is also motorcycle riders who work as a unit to provide privacy at funeral services for fallen soldiers. All this being said, I know nothing I write here will change anyone's opinion about HD riders. I want only to show the other side of the coin and express how thankful I am to know such a great group of people and share with them a sense of community and compassion for others while also enjoying the freedom of riding a motorcycle.

I found the story about Harley Davidson culture very one-sided. All immature praise, bluster and chest-thumping with only a brief mention about how revolting many people find these machines and the idiots that ride them. The idea that people have the 'freedom' to make their motorcycles as loud and obnoxious as possible, terrorize quiet neighorhoods, and cause the most lawless noise pollution I can think of, is astonishing to me. They sound like broken, in-effecient, out-of-date, machines. They don't impress civilized people. I don't ride, but I have the heard the nice, modern, smooth hum of BMW motorcycle and was very impressed. This was a machine for people with respect for their surroundings and neighbors.

Harley Davidson riders represent the most disgusting, arrogant, ugly American at it's best. When they parade down streets in my neighborhood, I flash them the one-finger salute. When they wake me up at 4:00 AM after drinking at local bars...I wish I could puncture their tires. These noise-makers should be illegal and cops should issue very expensive tickets to the a-holes that threaten peaceful people with their noise and rage.

Does the HD make you feel secure about your limited mental abilities and your questionable manhood? Grow UP!!

This will draw ire, but my experiences with Harley Davidson motorcycles is not mixed, but poor. I rode old BMW classics which definitely made me look anti establishment. By appearances, I was not in the go-fast fancy schmancey bikes or gear. But in my many travels all over the country, almost consistently, Harley riders acted liked stuck up snobs and wouldn't so much as wave.

Tho I had many experiences, two define them. Years ago my wife and I pulled under an old gas station awning to duck a thunder storm that was passing through. 30 seconds later a Harley puled to within two feet of us to do same. As I always did, I said "Howdie!" The dude did not look at us, did not acknowledge us, nothing. It was the epitome of acting the Harley persona. The dude was in his "Harley role", aka being a world class jerk. Yeah yeah, real independent. A real rebel. Gag me with a spoon... this demeanor I see almost always.

While riding through the Black Hills, saw a broken down cycle. It was a Harley. Parts all over the road shoulder. It was getting dark. I stopped and as I always did, I said "Howdie! Need any help?" The dude blew me off with a terse "No" and turned his back on me, even though he definitely needed some assistance.

Add to this just passing Harleys. The Harley riders never waved, gave hand signs, nodded, they Harley ever started (sorry, couldn't resist that old joke), nothing.

Experiences like this were constant. My old bikes, my gear, everything about my ride including my appearance should have opened at least a small door. But these experiences were so consistent, I gave up. Maybe it has changed, but for years and years, this opinion was not something I developed, it was forced on me by the many Harley riders who rode around like that were all that and more, and I finally just stopped trying.

To this day, when I see a Harley, I could care less, and when we are coming up onto a stopped or broken down cycle I will say "probably a Harley" and 9 times out of 10, 'tis.

I didn't make this so. Harleys? And its fiction? You can have 'em. I made a far better sociable, friendlier choice in old BMers. And they start and run and Harley ever break down. And other non Harley riders at least, wave.

I wanted to thank Jay Allison on his reporting about Harley Davidson motorcycles. I no longer ride but when I did, I wouldn't ride anything but a Harley. I loved his enthusiasm and really appreciated the sound quality when they were recording the "loudest pipes"....it brought back wonderful memories. Don't worry about the minivan, Jay! It includes the wife and kid! Most Harley's can't boast that!