Harley-Davidson is selling a lifestyle/brotherhood/image, as well as a motorcycle. Harley is excellent, one of the best, at marketing and branding themselves to the public. Harley's customer base is very loyal; I read one of the highest of any company in any industry in the world. With very few exceptions, the Japanese manufacturers sell only motorcycles. Yes Harleys suffer when comparing performance capabilities or reliability to a typical Japanese bike, however they appeal to the subjective side of alot of people. Would I consider purchasing a Harley? No, the cruiser is my least favorite design, and Harleys typically have minimal performance, therefore they don't sell anything that would interest me. The fact that H-D dominates the large motorcycle segment in America vindicates their strategies. I have alot of family and friends who don't understand why I am passionate about motorcycling, but motorcycling appeals to me in a way that can't be satisfied in other pursuits. H-D has tapped into that very effectively. Ride whatever make and model that meets your needs. What irritates me is the attitude that many Harley riders have towards other riders. Harleys are far from 'exclusive', and people don't have to be a big, tough man to ride a 'real' motorcycle.