Prius c and Harley Davidson Comparison. What??? Read On!!

First, let me say this is my first posting on this forum and thanks to all who have shared and helped me to make my decision to buy a Prius c. I also own a 2009 Prius Touring Edition which was at one time my company provided leased car. For safety reasons, I was required to stop driving the car during the floor mat/recall nonsense and order a new, different car. I was however allowed to buy the Prius (as I am with any other leased vehicle due for replacement) and got a fantastic price. It is actually worth as much or more today than when I bought it in 2010.

Anyway, I have two daughters now of driving age and needed another car. Went shopping and liked the Yaris and Corolla. Didn't know about the Prius c at the time I visited the dealership. I did some online shopping that evening and noted the Prius c, became interested in what I saw and read, both professional reviews and this forum. Took a test drive a few days later and was immediately convinced to buy one. I've had it for a month now and I'm very satisfied with the car. In most ways, I enjoy driving it more than the Prius Touring; more sporty feel, more responsive steering, lower seating position in the c, more comfortable seat, etc. (I'm 6'-0" tall).

Now, for the Harley Davidson comments. I've been riding motorcycles since I was seven years old and have continuously owned a motorcycle since that time. I've owned numerous Japanese motorcycles until my first Harley purchase in 2004 and have owned five different Harley models. Having owned both numerous Japanese motorcycles and Harley Davidsons (and educated as an engineer involved with manufacturing quality management) I'm well versed in the subtle and not so subtle differences between Hondas, Yamahas and Harley Davidsons, some differences favoring the Japanese brands and some favoring Harley Davidsons.

What I find interesting, humorous and annoying at times is that other non-Harley Davidson motorcycle owners bash Harley because they are too slow, too heavy, technologically deficient, etc. What these bashers don't understand is that discriminating customers buy vehicles (motorcycles, cars, boats, aircraft, bicycles) for a multitude of reasons. Certainly, most Harleys are not the fastest, smoothest, quietest, most technologically advanced, etc motorcycles out there. But that's not the reason many people, especially me, buy a Harley. I bought my Harleys because of there long heritage (110 years), style and design cues from the past, older technology traced back to the company's founding, the unique sound and feel, heavy duty design, build and finish quality, etc. I believe Harley's have more soul than other brands. Another anology is the Japanese Bullet Trains compared to an old steam locomotive. One is certainly faster, smoother, quieter and more efficient than the other, but honestly, which one would get the most attention and interest from the average person if both passed you by at a street crossing?

Anyway, back to the Prius c. I've read many of the online reviews, some of which bashed the Prius c, specifically the Consumer Reports review. While I think they actually do get it at CR, the Prius c is not trying to pretend to be a BMW, a Corvette, a Rolls Royce or a Cadillac. It does an outstanding job of what it IS trying to do and was designed to be, which is a high quality, long life, low cost, efficient, fun to drive, nicely designed automobile. That's it.

So if your expectations are clearly and honestly defined going in to any vehicle purchase, you will then be able to sort out the different choices out there, make an intelligent and informed decision, and be a satisfied customer.

So there you go. Who would have thunk a Toyota Prius c and a Harley Davidson motorcycle could have anything in common?

I love my Prius c II and I love my Harley Davidson 2004 FLHR Road King because both of them do and are what I want them and expect them to be!

 

Yes, the girls will share the car for their high school commute plus part time jobs, church activities, etc. My wife uses the Prius c since she has the longer commute and the c has more value. I'm proud of my older daughter because she knows how picky I am about parking lots and avoiding door dings. Her high school allows the students to select their personal parking space each school year and she purposely chose a spot between two of her friends. I've already had a "talk" with her two friends (jokingly) about protecting my Gen2 from any additional door dings.

 

Great question! I meant to address that in my original post but forgot. Most of the large touring Harley Davidson bikes such as mine get around 40 to 45 mpg, depending on wind conditions, terrain, passenger or not, etc. So my Prii get better mileage than my Harley. Some of the smaller bikes I've owned in the past would get well above 50 mpg but I rarely checked mileage back in the day because gas was so much less expensive then, relatively speaking.

I didn't mention that I also own a 2004 Honda 50 mini bike, just like the ones many of you may have ridden in the late sixties and early seventies. In the early 2000's, Honda was still manufacturing them for the Japanese and European markets for use as mopeds/commuter vehicles but they are not distributed in the U.S. I purchased mine from a dealer in London, England; shipped to my doorstep in a small crate via FedEx. It gets well over 100 mpg (no kidding!!!). I ride it primarily around my neighborhood and adjoining school soccer field and rarely use more than one tank of gas each year. Size doesn't matter (much) as I get almost as much fun with the little Honda 50 as I do with the Harley!

 

xs650 - Your acquaintance said it quite well. Put another way, "it's not the destination, it's the ride". I've read various articles that Prius drivers are criticized by other drivers for driving too slow, when in fact the Prius driver may be enjoying and practicing some high efficiency driving techniques or simply enjoying the drive and not in any hurry to get to the destination. I certainly can attest that owning two Prii has increased my awareness of wasteful practices.

What does your name "xs650" mean? That was a Yamaha streetbike motorcycle model in the late 70's that I loved.

 

I don't want to turn this into a motorcycle chat room forum but wanted to mention my first new bike and first street bike was a 1978 XS400 Yamaha; electric start and kick start. Good bike but I really wanted the XS650 but would have been most happy (at that time) with the XS 1100 Yamaha. Great bike.

 

Erikon, you are correct, that's exactly my point! Hence the analogy in my original post comparing the technology of steam locomotives to the Japanese bullet trains.

 

My Prius c is magnetic gray. If I were to do it over again, I would seriously consider the Habanero although I've never actually seen one yet to compare to the Harley orange.