I think it’s admirable of you to stand up for an American company and I wish I could stand shoulder to shoulder with you but it’s been my experience that the really reliable Harleys have been the ones were a guy like you tore it down to the frame, rebuilt the engine and threw a boatload of aftermarket parts at it, tore out the wiring harness and built one from scratch, rerouted them and protected them in certain spots and reassembled everything with care. I’m also sure there’s exceptions but most seem to be in a love/hate relationship with their HOG. Maybe I’ve been a little harsh because of all of the horror stories I know from guys that can’t turn a wrench. Bottom line to me is that they could and should be better.
It also had a lot to do with local pride. Back in the day, no one I knew would be caught dead drinking Clydsdale Piss. Our motto: Flush twice. It's a long way to St Louis.
But you are 100% correct. I had friend I used to score weed and cross tops from named Mike. ( I did a lot of stupid shit as a kid.) Mike was your
prototypical barrel-chested 60s/70s biker dude. He lived in a ground level apartment and the bedroom had a sliding door he'd ride his hog in every winter. I'd show up and find him working on his bike, oftentimes wearing nothing but his Fruit-of-the-Looms. "No reason to get my clothes dirty" It would be in a thousand pieces scattered across the the place. Even if it was just to replace seals and gaskets so he didn't leave Lake Michigan sized puddles of oil everywhere he went. It was the nature of the beast and you learned to deal with it or give up.
Like a lot of things, those days are long gone.