Yeah - Pity the Raider is not available out here. Nice bike!!

The jappa cruisers all look too me to be a straight out copies of the popular HD Fat Boy and pro street styles of the Vrod , M109R Boulivardes , yamaha`s and such where made to blow HD`s off the lights , at the time , releasing them with a bigger capacity donks , slipper clutchs and 5 speeds to do so , though to ride , they viabrate , feel and sound like tractors rather than motorcycles , i wouldn`t trade me `09 FLHRC for anything , not sure what HD`s ya`s are riding for a jap cruiser to be faster , better handlin , brakin and more comfortable , maybe they were just tryin harder , ride whatever floats ya boats emotionally or what ya can afford , but sounds like bullshit too me or ya`s are quoting older models or something , maybe ya need to test ride a new tourer and re evaluate ya thoughts on cruisers ?
After riding me bro in laws boulivarde 500 kms on 2 occassions , i couldn`t wait to get off the thing , honestly , and he traded up to that from a Vstar that would shit it on hills 2 up and just traded the boulivarde in on a `12 HD Ultra and now seems happy with his choice , though funnily enough he used to say the same , don`t go , stop or turn , unreliable shit about HD`s ?
All bikes do have their faults and although some jappas do go and look ok , they almost always are compared to HD`s which definately seem to be the benchmark that they all aspire to ?

Just to throw something else in the mix, a Fatboy custom built in .............Tiawan !

Walka would have seen this at the Japan Mooneyes show.

www.bikeexif.com/fat-boy-harley

fatbat , i think you`ll find it`s HD that lead the way and evolve every 5-7 years , possibly even sooner these days "as the other brands seem to be pushed into throwin out a bigger capacity donk" and spank off about em in comparison to HD , but then HD does it`s usual thing and shows them all where it`s at , again !
Can`t work out why confushus say jappa`s stop go , turn better and are more reliable than a HD , but i won`t ever go back to owning a jappa , strange indeed hey ?
The jappa`s may be getting better , afterall lets face it , they`re all just 2 wheels and a donk hey , though they are still a blattant "copy" and some are pretty fuckin woefully lame attempts at that !
If it`s bigger capacity people are after there is always them V8 bikes , where`s it end though ?
Some may sight HD price gouging , but as if they are going to reduce price significantly , when they have no problem sellin 5000 units here or near half a million units globally per year , when ya on a good thing , stick to it they say ?
I`m happy with my ride and i guess that`s all that counts , though there`s always bound to be the next best thing around the corner ?

I agree some what with Fatbat.

I don't think the HDs are a superior bike, and as we have argued on this forum for ages, they certainly are priced way above what they should be. But what you are paying for is the name and the legend that is HD. I personally don't think they are engineered better than some of he Jap bikes, but I don't own one for the engineering. LOL!!

As mentions earlier metrics in the USA are big business, so as long as they keep pumping them out, the HD will have to keep on its game as well, and that can only be of benefit to us HD fans.

I've got a 98 Suzuki LC and an 84 Evo.
I have to agree that the Harley blows the Suzuki away in Build quality, no comparison.

I've seen some brilliant metric cruisers, good on them for making it their own!