Harley 48 vs Yamaha Bolt

Hey guys, currently I have a 2016 Moto Guzzi V7 II Special. I’ve always wanted a cruiser and I think I’m ready to sell this Guzzi and go for a cruiser. I’d be buying used, and I’m looking at the 48 or the Bolt. I know power wise they’re two different bikes, they’re just the two that are the most appealing to me.

So if you own a 48 or a bolt could you give me you pros/cons about them please. Or if you yourself crossed shopped them why did you pick one over the other? Ideally riding both would make my decision final but i hate going to dealers for a test ride then having them constantly bugging you to buy.

On top of that I went into my local Harley dealership 5 years ago ready to buy an 883 and not one sales person approached me to offer help. So no Harley back then for that reason lol. Thanks for any info, here’s my current bike

 

Good looking bike! The 48 is a different animal than the Guzzi and the Bolt. The Bolt would be the middle ground. The Bolt will probably be very comfortable, agile, and polite. The large front wheel on the 48 when make steering feel a bit heavier than you're used to. He newer 48s have larger front forks and improved rear shocks for a better ride. I'd try to forego the HD dealership at all costs and find a good used unit. You can grab used 48s in the $5k range these days. I have no experience with the Bolt, but I've had a 48 for about seven months now and am pleased with my experience thus far. My model is an older '11 model, so I'm looking to upgrade rear suspension so but tail isn't so beat up after a long ride.

 

So my experience of sportster Harleys is as follows... I've owned both an iron 883 with a 1250 kit and a 48, and the main piece of advice I'd suggest is consider your own height/weight. These bikes are not meant for tall riders. At 6-1 I could never make myself comfortable on either bike, and poured money into seats, forward controls, different bars etc etc. I've now moved up to a dyna platform and the bike is immediately comfortable as well as more stable at higher speeds.
I've briefly ridden a bolt, and found the frame to be slightly longer which in turn made the bike more comfortable for me. The bolt had a better turn in/lean in and was comparable to my stock 1200 in terms of pick up. I only rode the bolt for about 20 minutes so I can't say if I would've felt cramped later but, my overall feeling is that its less raw and more refined - that's a matter of preference. I like the visceral feeling of a harley.

Ride both. Try to disassociate the branding, as difficult as it is. Just remember that both of those bikes are branded as entry level. Try to buy them used and sell privately, cause you'll probably move to something bigger with more power after a couple of seasons.

 

Aside from the forks and rear shocks there really no difference between an ‘11 and ‘16 and up right?

Yeah I know the Guzzi is probably more flickable/agile than the 48 or bolt, but I’m ready for a cruiser. Guys and their toys haha. I’m definitely only interested in buying used since I want to buy cash.

I’m much shorter than you so I think the ergos of the 48 would be fine for me. Definitely not interested in buying new, only used. It’s going to come down to a test ride. I just have to track down a 48 to test ride

 

I bought my '48 from a guy who was about 5'5". I'm 6' and I feel fine riding with forward controls installed. If I were a tick taller, I'd need a bigger seat. My butt is right on the back end of the seat as is. The 48 is more agile than I thought it would be. It's certainly the quickest bike I've ever had.

 

I rode the Bolt R (reservoir rear shock) . Bike rode really nice except for 2 things, I could scrape the mufflers the whole way thru a sweeping turn, at a moderate speed, so the ground clearance I wasn't used to and I kept checking for more gears on the freeway. (950cc) Those 2 things took me by surprise. Other then that it's a really nice bike.

 

I have a 2014 Bolt, it's a sweet bike really fun to ride. It does scrape pegs sometimes but I installed Progressive rear shocks that added ~1" of ride height and are a big improvement over stock. Also did ECU flash/air intake/exhaust which really woke it up.

I like the Forty-Eight too but HD's are so expensive even used, would have cost close to double what I paid for the Yamaha.

 

If you're wanting a cruising bike, I'd look at the Harley Dyna's.

I had a 02 Wide Glide and loved it to death.

Riding a bagger now.

 

I’m leaning more towards the 48 now. I was drawn to the bolt for the low price, but a used 48 is still within my means.

I officially put my Moto Guzzi on the market today. That might take awhile to sell since they are not a common or highly sought after bike. So once that sells, I’ll really start the shopping.

 

My Bolt is currently for sale. It’s a good city bike but I want something bigger for interstate commutes. I’d be doing the same if I had bought a Sportster I think. No 6th gear.

Basically built a mini-street bob.

 

That's a nice bike.

 

I just traded my 48. It was a fun bike. The biggest gripes I had were 5 speeds and the 2.1 gallon tank. But it was a fun bike. Actually it was my 2nd 48. Both were great.

and i had the pleasure of riding with @FreshOldTaco who has a Bolt. His was definitely faster or maybe it was the rider..

the red one was my recent one. 2019.
Blue is a 2018 Anniversary 48. Basically the same mods on both.

 

I'm hammer down on the Bolt lately, I've gotten so comfortable with this bike.

I think the HD has the better fit and finish. Also love the 16" front wheel!

 

I was considering both the Bolt and the Iron 1200 (kinda the same).

What it came down to for me was ultimately the availability and eventual resale. The Bolt seems to drop in value somewhat quickly, when you see Sportsters, especially of the 1200 variety, with super steep price tags.

I went to my local Yamaha dealer after seeing online that they had a few Bolts in stock. I get there, wait around for a while, and finally someone gives me the time of day. I asked where they had the Bolts and if I could check it out. After a long search of their computer system, he says "I can have one in about 3 weeks for you to check out"..

So I went home, sat in the driveway on my phone searching for a Bolt to take a look at for an hour or so.

Then I said fuck it, I like the red white and blue AMF theme, I like the power, I like the look and feel, I love the resale value, and 3.9% financing stole my heart. I drove down to the local Harley dealership and picked up the bike I was drooling over a few weeks prior when my GF and I took the rider course. (I've ridden for years on a permit, now I finally have my endorsement).

 

I do wish my Iron 1200 had forward controls like the 48. A set of forward controls and exhaust are on the list for me!

 

That is true the HD's do seem to retain their value better. I paid $4,000 for my Bolt and it had under 3k miles on it. Was able to use the extra money saved to throw parts at it right off the bat.

 

That's a good angle for those bikes too. You get better overall performance (without your teeth rattling out) and you can mod them with the savings!

 

Agreed

And congrats post a pic of your bike!

 

I picked her up 7/3.


Then I scooped up this bad Larry for FREE!

 

That’s a sweet tank design on the harley. So the Guzzi ended taking 4 months to sell but the right buyer found me and I came out okay on the sell. I was searching for harleys after that but I put the money away to pad the savings since I bought a house around that time. I’ve been bikeless for about a year now and I’m getting the itch hard! So maybe in the fall/winter where bike sales slow down I’ll find me a good deal. I live in San Diego so it’s always riding season after all.

Keep showing off the bolts and harleys, you guys have some nice ones!