Harley Davidson motorcycles. What actually defines a bike as one?

Is it the gas tank? The air filter cover? The frame? There are so many motorcycles that look like a Harley. Some even better and cheaper. For example, Independence makes a beautiful bike that uses mostly the same parts. Custom bike builders use the same parts. But what part makes the bike a Harley?

If it's not made by Harley-Davidson, then it's not a Harley, plain and simple. That's just like saying"my toyota sort of looks like a ford, so is it a ford?"Or"I have a 350 chevy engine and chevy suspension in my kit car, so is it a chevy?"It has to be made by harley to be one.

Harley Davidson is a brand of motorcycle, just like a Ford is a car. It is not about a particular part. Just as if you have a Ford Mustang, and someone built a car similar, with similar or mostly the same parts, it would not be called a Ford Mustang because it was not built in a Ford factoryCustom bikes can look like them but if they are not manufactured in a Harley factory, then they are not Harleys, regardless of what parts they are made of.

There is only one Harley-Davidson, it's made by them. There are many imitators, but none of them seem to get it quite right.

In order for it to be a Harley-Davidson it has got to be the genuine item.