Harley vs Honda Motocycle: Which One Suits You Most?

Waiting to buy a ride but can’t decide which one of these two to go for? Stop worrying because your internet searches have led you to the right post. Here we talk about several differences between Harley vs Honda to help you choose one over the other.

That brings us to our next big question. How exactly do the two differ from each other and which one is the better option? If you’re a motorbike guy you already know that the answers can be quite versatile depending on the rider’s goal.

Differences Between Harley And Honda

Harley and Honda have their fair share of differences in their bikes and business strategies. So factors such as origin, efficiency, reliability, and overall experience play a big role in this comparison.

This leaves you to dive into greater depths on each factor so that you can figure out which one suits you better.

Origin and Variety

Funnily enough, the argument on almost everything always ‘originates’ from the difference in ‘origin’. Harley Davidson is an all-American company established in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It’s one of the flagship producers of cruiser motorcycles.

Their variety of automobiles is limited to motorcycles only. But they have started to broaden their spectrum within the motorcycle world since the last decade.

The Japanese brand Honda started their journey late in 1948 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. They have been the leaders of motorbike manufactures since they began in 1955. Honda started its journey in the American market during the 1960s. Today this Japanese brand makes and assembles their motorcycles in the US soil as well.

Honda offers a huge variety of automobiles starting from sporting bikes to luxury cars. But for the sake of fair argument, we will only be comparing the elements of motorcycles only.

Price Range

The cheapest Harley costs $6,899, and the prices may climb higher up to $45,000. So it’s not exactly a cheap choice for many. If you take a look into the used-market of Harley bikes, you’ll find out that the prices are very close to what a new bike might cost. But that does not stop Harley riders from their purchase.

On the contrary, Honda offers its cheapest bike at $2499. Their dirt-bike lineup begins at $1500. Used Honda bikes can be found a lot cheaper than the original price as well. So that can be a huge upside to riders with a limited budget.

Latest Techs and Trends

Who doesn’t like upgrading to the latest techs and staying tuned to the trends? Everybody does, right? Wrong, Harley doesn’t. And it hasn’t caused any significant harm to their revenues. Yes, you read that right.

In fact, by sticking to their core style and originality of apparel manufactures, they managed to hold on to their riders quite strongly. The demography that Harley deals with specifically demands the American brand to do so. And just by simply listening to that, Harley is able to rule their share of the motorcycle market quite successfully.

Honda decided to develop by adapting to the latest trends, demands, and technologies. By investing a lot in research every year, they stay up to date with newer and newer technologies for their riders.

Honda even has a separate team dedicated to figuring out what newer bikes would look like in the next 15 years. How cool is that! And this is exactly why they can target such a wide variation of customers from all over the globe.

Fuel Efficiency

Just like their price tags, Harley’s refueling cost is also pretty steep. In layman’s terms, Harleys can be very fuel hungry so if you choose to walk that path remember that you might have to make frequent visits to the gas station.

On the other hand, Honda has adapted and introduced newer technologies in their rigs, every now and then. They don’t require frequent visits to the station. Their fuel cost is therefore low which is why riders consider them as an economical choice. So they have the benefit of mileage over Harleys.

Demographics

Harley is a well-accepted brand with the largest demographic. Riders who are big fans of the traditional muscular sounding motorcycles will always choose Harley over Honda. They target the cruiser market through its unique business strategy.

Even though riders of all age ride Harleys, most die-hard Harley bikers are more than just middle-aged. That’s because Harley always decides to stick to its originality by sacrificing several modern changes. They are an instant favorite to people who like the classic look on their bike to stay the same.

It’s not true that only the old and rich choose Harleys. But Honda is considered as the motorcycle brand for all walks of life. It’s widely accepted due to flexibility towards newer adaptations. In other words, Honda likes to evolve. So you’ll find plenty of variation in age and style among the customers.

Vibration and Sound

Harley specifically focuses on their signature sound, and they have never tried to get rid of it. Their hollow pipe and engine design have always been a part of that loud trademark sound. Honda produces both silent chains and noisy rigs for the noisy boys/gals. So you can’t really recognize a Honda by its sound.

If you’ve had the chance to ride both these brands then you might recall that they vibrate very differently. Harley has stronger and muscular vibrations. While this is preferred by many riders, it can start to grow on you during long trips.

Honda has the upper hand in technology and well-designed engines. So they can manufacture motorcycles that have smoother vibrations and a muffled sound.

You can’t really call one better than the other, so it all comes down to your preference for the aforementioned factors. So don’t forget to trial ride both the brands more than once before choosing your favorite. Go for the one that gets your heart pumping. Happy riding!