crash n bern, I've been reading up on the Harleys and you're dead right about them keeping to a format.
When they were losing ground/sales and tried to go head to head with the Jap market (CB 750's, Kwaka 9's) they took a real floggin'.
Sales were down to the point of the factory nearly going under.
It's when they woke up to recognise they should build what they know best.
I must confess to disliking Harleys all my life; but then I rode one...
And another and another.
If they weren't so damn pricey I'd buy one in a shot.
I lean towards the Custom Deluxe and the Fatboys.
I think the Deluxe needs to stay true to the era but the FatBoy can have as much or as little bling and mods as you can afford.
My mate Sleazy has a theory about tattoos - and I think it applies to Harleys as well.
People who have tattoos don't care if you don't have one, but the opinions flow thick and fast from those without.