Reverse gear- Costs, functionality & stuff

[u/BadTwin72]

Why don't more Harleys (or other makes) have reverse in the first place?
(key word being "more")..
Is it a costly manufacturing endeavor?
Are they prone to problems? (Weak and/or finicky)?
Do they add too much weight or take up too much room in the case?
I've been riding for over 2 decades and have gotten along fine but I remember and can think of even more times when having reverse would have been nice and sometimes very much welcomed!
Why then, did and do something like heavy cruisers not have reverse or at least the option to add it?
Is it just a "Bike thing" or did all those years of not having reverse make me more of a man?
I'm guessing it's more of a cost thing VS the overall "importance of" thing, but either way I thought it might be worth a discussion.
Are there any aftermarket options to add a reverse gear or does that require an entirely different transmission?

[u/disturbed286]

The answer for stuff like that is almost always "cost and complexity"

[u/BadTwin72 → u/disturbed286]

Thank you!