The great "Harleys aren't worth that much anymore" observation

[Molinoman]

Well Bruce I'm glad you haven't seen one broke down because in the US (more of them on the road here than in Austrailia) there are a good many that are. But in the last few years they have become more "dependable" and as my own ride will bear out it does get me from one place to another. And as many have noted here...now and in the past....they are everywhere and the uniqueness of owning a motorcycle especially a Harley is soon lost in the crowds as it appears everyone has to have one. I fell into that for a little over a year and after reaffirming that they pretty much look the same from year to year (other than paint color) and finding out that to get any kind of power or the lower end of the performance spectrum out of them...it just takes too much money to do it and as I am finding out now...it's a black hole and is about to get a lot worse (see other posts of mine that have to do with the "Rushmore" project).

I will only be too happy to get back onto a bike that is still pretty rare and has a great deal of "uniqueness" to it. If you want a Harley...feel free...to me they are just bland and make noise.

Dennis

 

[IMFASTTOO]

TOO many HDS for sale and thats old news

 

[BillB]

Harleys are like any other piece of machinery, some years/models are great. Some......... well not so much. The first big HD I had was a 79, 80ci FXEF. Bought it brand new in 79 and it was the biggest POS that ever fell off the line in Milwaukee. Built with a bent valve and no thrust washer behind the main drive gear in the trany from the factory.

Traded that one off for a 1960 PanHead police special in 1980 and I still own it to this day. That bike has had to be trailered home twice, both times for a flat tire which sure ain't the bikes fault. And yes, it has had some serious miles put on it.

'Old blue', the 94 ElectraGlide had 129,000 miles on it when I traded it in on a 2007. Just had to have the 96" engine and the 6 speed transmission. That bike is one of the not so much years/models.

Now I have a 2013 R3T for my primary ride and I certainly think and hope that it will be a lot more reliable than the old 69 Bonnie that I had back in the day.

Bill
I could fix that diode bridge with my eyes closed

 

[veemax]

i bought my one and only HD back in 89 a few years before the phenominom took off. it was a 90 sportster and it was 4100 bucks. i sold it six years later for 5000. on one hand you could say hats off to HD for pulling off such a huge success story, but they didnt really do anything! all the american "sheep" did it for them! HD just sat back and grinned and laughed about this amazing thing that dropped right into their laps!!

 

[TOMCAT]

TOO many HDS for sale and thats old news

Supply and demand .. when they were thin on the ground they held their price , that was a looong time ago. Now every man and his dog has a Harley .. buyers market that's for sure. Bought my first HD when I was 20 yrs old , 35 yrs ago .. a XLH 900 Sportster. Had to fight off two other guys that wanted to buy it back then. They were rarely for sale , not now !!

 

[rayjay]

I love my R3T, but it's not really a "touring" bike, especially with the loud pipes. Probably an Ultra Classic or Goldwing addition to my stable sometime soon.

Don't tell these F*ckers if you get a Goldwing..i mentioned it once but I think I got away with it

RJ

 

[Dawg68]

As for dealers giving you a good return.....nuf said there I think. I'm pretty confident that if your price is very reasonable, in time you will find the right buyer, it's the time it will take that you have to make peace with. Like all investments, you haven't lost anything till you sell. It's all about timing.
Good luck.

 

[Rocken C]

When I was looking at getting a new bike i looked at the Harley. Then the Triumph. The salesman for the triumph made the statement "go ahead and get a Harley Then when people ask you what u ride u can say really me to!"

I like to think that i live my life to the beet of my own drum. As i am sure most of you do as well.

Why do i have a harmonica?

 

[R3Tex]

I don't have a problem with Harleys...I own two. My Ultra is primarily a V Twin powered touring seat that my wife loves, and my Breakout is just a blast to ride. HD dealers...whole nother issue...I would crawl on my belly naked through a mile of broken glass before I would take either of them to a dealer. Those a$$ hats have seen the last of my dollars.

 

[mexican]

I don't have a problem with Harleys...I own two. My Ultra is primarily a V Twin powered touring seat that my wife loves, and my Breakout is just a blast to ride. HD dealers...whole nother issue...I would crawl on my belly naked through a mile of broken glass before I would take either of them to a dealer. Those a$$ hats have seen the last of my dollars.

Very nice Harleys you have