It is questionable whether you came to the right forum to post your query! The fact that H-D owners have already proven they are willing to pay the $$ for their rides (and image, brotherhood, lifestyle, etc.) will bias their opinion.
Any owner's group is comprised of individuals that are proud of their purchase and be willing to defend their choice. Check out forums for other brands.
Many metric cruisers sold in the US (maybe most?) are built in the US and support US workers. The cruiser style is popular in the US and that credit probably does go to Harley, since they were making and selling them in the US long before the metrics arrived. But that doesn't mean the metric makers need to re-invent the wheel or can't build a cruiser that will appeal to the tastes of US buyers.
Much has been said about the resale value of H-D. Asking price and selling price are two different animals, but it is true that the classified ads in my local paper are full of used H-D's for sale--probably 2 or 3 times as many as other brands. Not sure what that means, but ...
Paying the $$ for an H-D will buy you an image and gain you an entrance into a group that otherwise probably wouldn't notice you. Birds of a feather do flock together. And you will have a fine motorcycle as well.
The 40-50 ci (sorry, 750-900 cc) cruisers that are now days called mid-sized, made by non H-D companies, are probably the best bang for the buck for buyers on a budget.
Having said all that, if you truly want a Harley you'll never be satisfied until you get one. And then you too can tell everybody that you really did get what you paid for and you love it.
I just can`t help myself, I`m addicted to the Bar and Shield.
