Buying a Harely need opinions

Why would I pay $7000 more for a technically inferior bike? The other manufacturers are getting much better as well and they already had a head start because they are not handcuffed by "tradition". They don't have to shut off cylinders to keep the bike from overheating so they can continue to use 60 year old engine technology while using Japanese parts in many other places that do not ooze "tradition" and "heritage". HD is squeezing the last drop out of a turnip to spew other vegetables from their exhaust pipes.. Yamaha's big bikes are still air cooled and don't have overheating issues!!

Here is a perfect example of HD fail..... Yamaha Raider vs Harley Rocker..same class bike...

1. The Raider bitch-slaped all the SOFTAIL's 96ci lump of decades old technological metal including the now defunct in class Rocker.
2. The Raider's 83 dynod RW horsepower dwarfs the meek Harley¹s 61 hp at the rear wheel. (not exactly a "copy")
3. The Raider delivers 105 ft-lbs of torque found at before the 2,500 rpm mark, VS a weaker 85 ft-pound of torque and ft pounds at the same RPM
4. Yamaha has TWO single discs up front Harley just one (Given the HD engine I do understand this)
5. The Raider has a FAR more refined and modern transmission...Another HD tradition that has long seen its day, Does make the engines easier to work on though...for good reason.


IMO The Raider and mega metal Yamahas are WHAT THE HD SHOULD HAVE EVOLVED TO!

Yet there are a handful of people who need acceptance and belonging so badly they will would pay $6000+ MORE for a ROCKER or a Softail Custom . I prefer a modern day technological marvel not decades old technology wrapped in and the American flag and the "joy" to wear and exhibit Chinese made overpriced orange and black fashionable garb and accessories. Harley sells far less cruisers in their own country of origin than Honda alone. Most people prefer Function WITH their "form" at a far lower price.

So who would pay $7000 more for a Rocker?

Apparently not too many of them because Harley discontinued the Rocker soon after release while the Raider is still selling. People are wising up.

But there always is the Rocker C. Throw some parts on that badboy and maybe no one will notice.....oops they did..discontinued as well.

 

Buy what you want!!!

Having said that, if you don't have to have a harley, then you can save right much coin by buying a honda or yamaha cruiser and still have a great time. But if do have to have a harley, I understand, for whatever reason there is a difference in sound and feel. (yes i've ridden both) As far as reliability, my dad has owned two harleys over the past 4 years and never had any trouble with either. Right now he has a 2004 Road King Custom, black and completely chromed out. It's a sharp bike, very sharp.

My advice is to buy used and never pay over trade in. Always go look at it and always ride it, paying very close attention to how it runs and how it feels. Lots of chrome and exhaust on harley's does sometimes raise prices, but almost never as much as the owner thinks it should. Check craigslist everyday twice a day and be patient and you'll come across some great deals.

Good luck, and keep the rubber side down.

 

The thing is...if you want a Harley..buy it and gt it out of your system, otherwise you will never truly appreciate any other manufacturer's cruisers. I wanted one,got one, sold it and never had the urge to repeat. It is one of those rights of passage some of us have to pass through when entering V-Twin Cruiser world.

 

Wow, someone sounds like they didn't get invited on the last toy run. I have rode metrics, and I have rode Harleys. I even have friends that own/ride metrics and we get along fine.

IMHO I think alot of this Harley vs Metrics BS comes from the weekend badasses that are more into their vibrating toys than actually being a rider. While I haven't been riding since the '70s or '60s (hell, I wasn't even born then); alot of the guys that I ride with were. The majority of them were riding Hondas and Yamies back then because they could and wanted to. They are riding Harleys today because they can and want to.

As for me, I'm currently looking for a lightly damaged crotch rocket to chop out. So I guess that I don't count because I like bikes from both sides of the "line"

 

HA HA so true. I always tell everyone never to buy a new harley. Let someone else take the initial hit on it, because only 1 in 10 really like them The rest just think they do; so they're always up on craigslist. Maybe over priced, but talk em down

When face to face with owning a harley many are overwhelmed. If nothing else than by the polishing and re-torquing of bolts. Never mind the other reasons that can be subjective.

I bought one new once. Mistake. I might go in for a star cruiser new though. Those are damn nice. Just don't like the fake transmission cover and stuff on em. Ought to get off the harley dick and make it their own. The only other aircooled cruiser right?

 

+1 on never buying a new HD. There's so many who buy one thinking the Harley image will change their lives only to realize the truth a few months later. I always get a chuckle out of the Craigslist posting for this or that 4 year old HD with less than 1000 miles.
Meanwhile, I am trying to find my third Victory (Cross Country, I hope) with little success. People who have them don't seem to want to sell... even the dealers.

 

Everytime there's a motorcycle poker run its always the HD's that get to ride in the front then us rice burner bikers ride in the back and we are gagging on the exhaust fumes from the HD's up front.

 

That's why I don't go on those runs. 1st, I don't ride with criminals, 2nd I don't ride with people that can't. 3rd, i'm not going to go deaf listening to those god damned piece of shit straight pipes coming out of those rude ass mf'n dick's bikes.

If I'm in front they'll coast into me at stops, if I'm behind I go deaf or crazy.
Screw em. I'll stick to motorcycle riding. I mean, I like the bikes, but only assholes ride them. I don't want to be associated.

 

i own a 2005 kawasaki vulcan 800..Love it. I wouldnt hesitate to get another one either. Just needs mini apes, and ill be set. Yes, they are comming this spring.

 

I get tired of the same thing every HD guy says about my Japanese bike, they always call it a "rice burner" and they always say I am Un-American for buying one.

 

Yeah the big iron Yammys are air cooled (and they do it right). I bought the only water cooled Yamaha cruiser though. The 1300 only comes water cooled and I did not want or need the bigger engine. I am hunting down a used VFR now.

You can buy a lightly used Star for relatively little money. Yamaha will not get off the Harley Dick as long as those of us who like riding retro looking V Twins want one without the "traditional technical" restraints and crazy workarounds. I did remove a lot of the "plastichrome' from mine starting with the fat plastichrome air cover on one side and the matching fake one on the other.

 

LOL I challenge them to take all the Japanese parts off their bikes and race then race them 10 feet for pink slips....and remind them how Harley is using German design technology to keep their air cooled potato dream alive. They don;t bother me and i LIVE in HArley Country...hence the Toyota logo on my Yamaha. Confuses the hell out of them. And they believe THEY are the non conformist rebels....

Harley sells 300K bikes in their BEST year worldwide vs Honda's 24 million...... That is a lot of "un American Americans" in that mix... Harley cannot even make enough bikes to sell to American cruiser riders!!! When that was evident in the 90's they ripped off their American consumer charging thousands over sticker and putting $ 3000 worth of $5 chrome on a bike and telling the guy who waited six months for the bike he put a deposit on to "take it or leave it"

 

I don't do group rides. I don't need to be part of a public spectacle and never ride in any group. One rider goes down or does something stupid and others will follow.

Poker runs are just silly...

Toy runs are the worst though. Created by the HA motorcycle club. Making toy runs for tots they later will support themselves selling drugs to. Using a public spectacle of helping children to advance their "reputation" Right.

 

Ok... I've just been reading the stupid dripping off of this thread, but this is it. I guess I'm one of those guys that "has to belong"; even though I usually only ride with my friends. Maybe that's your problem - you don't have any friends. I dunno.

As for poker runs being silly... why? I personally run two poker runs a year that raise money for the local food bank. What is so silly about people having a good time for a good cause?

Then you attacked toy runs. Really? Your going to bash all toy runs off of one or two groups of bikers? What about the thousands of local toy runs that help kids get toys for Christmas that wouldn't otherwise? I have found a favorite toy run; and I'll make it each year no matter the weather. So far it has never been over 40 degrees at the take off; and yet there has always been at least 50 bikes that make this ride to the children's home.

Why do I not like most "rice riders"??? Because most of them whine more than a stuck clutch and sit around having to justify why they bought what they bought. I don't give a damn what you ride - as long as you ride. The last couple pages have all been useless dribble about justifying your decision to ride what you ride. I don't know why your ride - but I ride for myself and couldn't give a damn less of your opinion about me or my ride.

But bad mouthing poker runs and toy runs is just ignorant.

--- Rant off ---

 

I have had my current Harley softail for over 10 yrs now and the bike has never had a problem and never never failed me. I did however upgrade it to a 95" and added some high lift cams and other goodies and will tell you that there is not 1 stock metric that will touch it.

If you go and ride a metric cruzer and then ride a HD Cruiser you will kick that lightweiight metric to the curb immediately. Not saying to buy new, you can pick up a low mileage used twin cam for cheap these days and get close to 50 MPG while enjoying the ride. And PLEASE, take those loud pipes off the metrics, they sound like popcorn machines pop-pop-pop.

IMHO: groups rides are totally OT here and leads to even more opinions

 

Wow! kicking around the HA now? proceed carefully my friend.

 

AMEN Tex. So stupid. Thanx for saying what I didn't want to give the dignity to respond to.

Way back when the OP expressed some "thoughts" about buying an HD. Amazing where these things end up. Then again, maybe not.

 

OH please give me a break...LOL I don't need a public "hey everybody look at me.....SEE ME..... HEAR ME ROAR" spectacle to donate to a cause. When I am invited by friends on any run for a cause I just give them the money and stay home. They understand are thankful and accept my reasoning. I see no reason to ride in any group to piss off Joe Q public who could care less what I am riding for and instead is pissed he cannot hear his radio or woke up his kid. NO different than a low rider with 5000 watt subs blaring at a stop light. We just had a female rider suffer a stoke and they will be riding for her. I sent far more than the entry fee for the ride and am completely satisfied with that,

The public is not enamored with 40 "bad ass conformist rebels" ` all looking alike and who obviously shopped at the same department store" " in a pretty little row blaring their existence for miles as an excuse "for a good cause" In fact it rather hurts their cause more than helps. They would be of more help just sending the money. No need for public spectacle to GIVE. Not an option?

Leave the "good time" for a less obtrusive situation on other's lives. People who don't ride DON'T CARE....You just serve to piss them off and there are your pipe laws, helmet laws, inspection laws ....Thankfully we don't have that crap here.But we came close..... The out of town week end warrior "wannabee bikers" almost ruined it here but thankfully and the laws were defeated that limited exhaust for responsible riders and eliminated helmets for all. Bike Week can come or not. Myrtle Beach did not fold up and go away.

And to be started by a group of outlaw 1%ers who then support themselves selling drugs to the same "tots" when they grow a little older is disingenuous at best, Now anyone who buys into that is Stupid dripping right there. Surely the HA themselves can see the irony in that!!!!

I get it though Many of you HD owners (I would say"bikers" but few actually ride all that much) need acceptance and back patting from each other..the brotherhood and all that.. That's fine. But you will be a lot freer if the voting majority public is not bothered by the spectacle. Really no one buys a HD becasue of it's technical prowess. Now THAT would be "dripping stupidity"

Stay under the radar and you will continue to be allowed to pretend to be what 1 % are. I don't need to justify my choice...Been there done that. Harley doesn't do it for me. The fake brotherhood doesn't do it for me...technical superiority and low prices for that wins my dollar every time. Don't need no Chinese made trinkets with HD shield on them. Just ride from the inside out like I live.

 

That is a bike I would own....They are not constrained by "tradition and heritage"., they have a clean sheet and design very nice bikes, People who own Victorys "don't need no stinkin costume" encouraged by the corporate machine.

 

your all about noise, if I *did* ride with you I would definately wear ear plugs just so you could not talk to me.