Ah crap… the other day, I was lamenting to my spouse about never being able to find a new four-wheeled vehicle (if I ever were to replace my aging truck) because I don’t want bluetooth, rear backup cameras, on-board computer or GPS, satellite radio or internet, or any of that crap. It’s a truck (or car), not a friggin rocket ship! But so few vehicles made today come without those bells and whistles that I will never use and do not want to pay for.
And now Harley-Davidson is promoting their new “Boom! Box InfoTainment System” on certain 2014 motorcycles. Inevitably, this new system will be “standard” on almost all new Harleys. So Harley-Davidson is emulating what many 4-wheel vehicle manufacturers are doing in what they say is in response to customer demand.
How do I feel about that?
[statement removed. Remember, this is a G-rated blog and I do not use profanity — much.]
Let’s suffice it to say that I feel that a motorcycle has a particular appeal by NOT having a phone, music, GPS, and other electronic crap distracting the operator. When I ride, my music is the wind. The GPS is reaching a fork in the road and mentally tossing a coin to chose a direction. Getting lost is the adventure. I’ll eventually find my way home.
Okay, full disclosure: I DO have a GPS on my bike, but only use it when leading rides for my club. It does not work with ride planning software (despite Harley’s claims to the contrary) and very frequently directs me the wrong way. I laugh when it says, “recalculating” as frequently as it does. It is fine as a general tool for guidance, but not reliable or accurate whatsoever for a directionally-challenged guy like me.
But no way do I ever, EVER, want anything to connect a mobile phone to a moving motorcycle. And subscription (i.e, pay-through-the-nose-for) satellite radio? Or a method to connect a smartphone to the motorcycle to stream audio? NO.FRIGGIN.WAY!
Harleys are expensive enough without all these added features. Arrgggh!
Another disclosure (if you are not a regular reader): I cling tightly to two things — being a disconnected dinosaur who will be the last man on earth to adopt certain unneeded technology like smartphones and “infotainment systems,” and second — I’m cheap. I resent paying for things that I will not use and subscriptions that result in a hefty monthly charge that makes rich companies richer. Sorry, they’re not going to make their ga-zillions off of me!
Jes gimme simpl. Plz!
Life is short: just give me the wind and the bugs in my teeth.
You know what, I go walking in the park near where I live and every once in a while, there is this guy who I see at the park riding his motorcycle and that motorcycle has a radio in it. I find that very fascinating that he has a radio in his motorcycle. I didn’t see that coming.
Jerome, thanks for your message. Larger touring styles of motorcycles have had radios on them for a long time. What I object to is adding on all those distractions, including a mobile phone hookup, as well as the subscription (for an added monthly ransom) to satellite radio. Oh well, no budget constraints for aging yuppies and their toys.