Anyone seen the new Blackline up close? If so, impressions??

Just wondering....

As a matter of fact, I saw my first one this morning, 02-23-11, at Capital City Harley in Madison, Wisconsin.

It was a maroon one. To me it's a "stripped down Soft-Tail Super Glide." Or, a Super Glide built in a Softie frame. Big tanks, Super Glide sized rear tire.

To be honest, I haven't the faintest idea what biking demographic this model is supposed to be aimed at. For example, we have vanilla Super Glides. We have matte finished Fat-Boys. We have "gunslinger" Sportster 48s. We have that Cross Bones thing--which I've never seen on the street, not once.

But if the club affiliated lesbian biker with a tough attitude and a tender tush is looking for a factory custom, this might be it. It's kind of ho-hum up close.

THIS is funny right here...I don't care who ya' are...

Sounds like you saw up close what I've been seeing in the photos...doesn't really appear to be "centered" on any specific design idea huh? I wonder if riding one would offer some clarity...I know riding the Fat Bob and Crossbones helped ME understand THOSE bikes. I enjoyed both of those as far as riding them...interesting...

I'll tell you how I saw it.

My 48 is actually a my company's delivery bike. My tax guy needed some further documentation on the upkeep charges. I called Sue, their CFO, and she printed a copy. I stopped by on the way to the gym.

I walked in the front door and walked right past the bike.

On my way out I saw the bike, and recognized it. I gave it the once over, and noticed it had black handlebars--like my 48--and checked out the rear tire, which is supposed to be a big deal. In truth, it's a big twin made from MoCo's existing parts bin. That's all.

New developments.

I just received the latest HOG rag I get for buying a new Harley. There is a story on how this new bike was created. Things like how they picked a designer--a young guy to reflect a younger direction--and how they 'slammed' the look and how the exhaust pipes were polished with Justin Bieber's old underware. I have read such blurbs my whole life, and all of it is "used oxen fodder."

Down in the story is the fact that the Marketing Department played a key role working with the design team. Additionally, emphasis was stressed on using "existing parts bins." They provided the example that using a leather part was scrapped in favor of a sheet metal part and then tried to use spin on why this was a good thing.

I interpretted this article to actually mean the bike is "cheaply made, a repackaging of old parts and aimed at dumb kids." And this comes from a long time Harley client who had to pull off a limp front end that pogo'ed and add five hundred bucks to a repackaged Sportster to exactually use it. I understand cost containment, but there comes a very important tipping point where "black unpolished old parts" truly insult the customers.