The biggest competition that Harley has is all of the used Harley's out there just wishing they had an owner that used them. Save yourself thousands - even tens of thousands.
When I see all the Harleys I think of the commercials that say spay or neuter your pets there aren't homes for them all. I wish all the Harleys out there had a good home where the owner loves them and does not think of them as a pile of money to be sold off if things get tight. If things got typed the last thing I would want to sell would be my motorcycle. It keeps me sane. Or semi sane. But hey I didn't blow up the world when I was in the nuclear service so I did good I think.
There’s lots of used bikes out there because to many people can’t make up their minds . I only have my second Harley because the first one got hit . The current one is a 2017 . I have no intention on selling it.
@@GixxerFoo they are weak and far to many used bikes were tampered with by all the diy previous owners. So those bikes are filled with aftermarket parts. Those are not Harley Davidsons anymore.
Agree, but I almost gagged when you said, "You're looking at $22K which really isn't that bad." Crazy how we normalize the price of $20K+ for a motorcycle. I was at my local dealer last week and they almost had to call an ambulance when I saw the prices on the bikes! For a CVO full-dresser they wanted $65K!!!
Im riding a 27 year old custom softail 1340 evo...made in the USA unlike these new overpriced hogs with engines that want to self destruct and parts from china and taiwan - new harleys suck
You are exactly right! The last bike I bought new was a 2012 Ultra and all I did was a Stage 1 kit. The last bike I bought was a 4 year old 2016 Heritage with 1200 miles on it! I also did a stage 1 kit on that bike. Point being that the bike was practically new but I didn;t have to pay new bike prices. Used bikes are the way to go! Most people buy them new and don't really ride them much but they buy all the fancy accessories and park them in the garage. The only way I would buy a new bike now is if they brought back the FXR and put a 131 cu.in. Milwaukee 8 in it!!! That would be right up my alley. They could sell it in all the same configurations. A Low ricer, Super glide, Convertible, FXRT etc..... Great video! Always so very informative.
The best way to avoid the Harley trap is not to buy one. Most brands sell a $10k bike for $11k, and a $20k bike for $22k (give or take). But Harley (and Indian) sell $10k bikes for $15k+, and $15k bikes for over $20k. Even a slightly used HD is still priced more than it is worth. If you love Harleys, then yeah get what you want, but do so with your eyes wide open as to what you are paying for. The name badge.
My biggest advantage was, being older, knowing exactly what I needed and wanted….. (because they’re two completely different things) before I went to the dealer.
Nice job man, that’s why I always have to buy used. I bought an 05 Super Glide with 2 sets of tins and a factory stage 4 in 2018. The bike only had 2500 miles on it and the owner paid $36 brand new in 05. $9500 for everything including all the original parts.
I'm converting my 98 Heritage Softail Classic to an Electra-Glide style bike. I bought an all original Heritage for $5k back in 2018. I love the leathered solo look I gave the bike. However, my better half caught the bug at 58 to ride shotgun if I could make the bike tour ready. Now I'm changing seats, exhaust, adding hard bags, tour pack, and fairing. I opted for the batwing without the inner fairing. No radio, no need. All total I'm just over $8k for a bike I love with the carbed 98 Evo and a 5 speed. I modified with the tranny sprocket with 2 over to lower RPMs about 200 RPMs at top end. So now my spouse can ride in comfort and if she decides to not ride I can go solo in about 30 minutes. That's half a new bike and it only has 25k miles on it. I plan on riding this one to the grave. New bikes are cool but until my ship comes in...I'm happy with my ride.
I purchased a 2016 FLSTC this past June with low miles for half of what a new one would have cost. I saved so much money that I was able to pick up a 2010 Ultra Limited with under 20K miles for $9K. Both bikes are beautiful and run better than new after installing Man O War compensator eliminators and S&S cam chest kits. Don’t plan on ever selling either one but I will be picking up a low mileage used Road King in the next year or so.
Bought my first Harley end of November 2022. A 2018 FLSB Sport Glide, loaded with $3000 in options the original owner spent on it to make it exactly the way he wanted it with fit, Saddleman Explorer seat, HD top box and rack, 6" risers 2 inches back, Garmin Zumo. 15k miles on it $10.5k. I figure the original owner had $23,000 into it. No regrets, cleaned out the fork seals, and she's got more torque and beans than I'll ever need with that 107 CI. Great day rider, and with the bags, maybe a 2 or 3 day weekender bike, too. But realistically not a touring bike. Nice thing about the FLSB is that it's a pretty loaded up Softail. The chrome works fine for me with the 107, the exhaust is nice and quiet, it's stock, it has removable fairing and bags, and the most important feature to me, it came with cruise control, which I find very, very useful. What's not to like ? Mine is in Twisted Cherry red, and I'll probably die with it.
I am the guy with the oldest bike in the parking lot I am disabled now but We did live it up back in the day. Love the 3 stooges knuckel head sign!! Have the same on the front of the shop!!! Ride On! Long live HD!!!
I did just that. I bought a sweet used low mileage Deluxe for cheap and sent it to Pro Twin Performance to have their Skunk Works engine job done on it. The bike sings for less $, more hp and ten x the dependability than a new bike. I’m a very happy camper.
Keep those wheel spokes protected. Some sort of spray on coating might be worth doing. I can't believe H-D discontinued the Deluxe, as it was the most gorgeous of the range. I've got the poorer cousin of the Deluxe, a Slim, but it's a daily workhorse so it actually fits the task perfectly.
@@Jonathan-L I’m old school with the spokes. I polish each one individually with a thing that resembles an old sneaker lace. They only need to be done about twice a year if their done right. Road grime doesn’t stick good to them and washes right off. Only takes me about 45 minutes a wheel.
@@johnlfrank8078 Good to hear that you're on top of your game. Regrettably, I didn't attend to my spokes well enough in 2022, so I will need to bring them back to a more presentable condition and keep them that way. Silly me, didn't think they would go rusty (I assumed that they were stainless steel or top notch chrome) and they ended up looking rather neglected in a short amount of time. Hindsight has taught me something important.
Used Harleys and new Harleys have one thing in common. The engines have the same flaws that need to be corrected. Why pay top dollar for the flaws that you can get for 1/4 the price. 😎You can use the difference in the price to finance the engine upgrades done by a top engine builder such as Pro Twin .
I've been riding for 45 years. Never bought a new Harley. Bought 2 95th anniversary, road king and Electraglide last year. Total price for both, 11k. Both had less than 15k miles.
I'm so glad I bought mine in 2000. A local factory trained mechanic who left dealership and opened his own shop told me his experience has been that the 2000 FXDWG has the sturdiest bearings in engine and in the wheels. My glide now has 86,000 miles on it and it runs as good as new. But I have always put NON-alcohol gas in it and faithfully changed the fluids at correct intervals using only full synthetic lubes. The engine and trans have never needed repairs. I recently had to remove spokes that would no longer turn to adjust. That was quite a job but I have a shop manual, so I managed to get it right and he trued the rims up for me. I called around to several shops that change tires and NO one was willing to true the rims. It is tedious and time consuming. I had him put new American Elite rubber on those wheels. I really like those tires. I will be swapping the cam tension shoes as my winter project and install the S&S 509 cam.
I'm more old school 🏫 when it comes to motorcycles and especially Harley-Davidson. I grew up in the 70s when chrome was all around. My next door neighbor had a Schwin Apple Crate with chrome fenders, shifter, handlebars, etc etc and my bikes had chrome as well. Most people that drove hotrods had chrome wheels, engine covers or polished aluminum. I'm a big fan of chrome and polished aluminum, I've never cared for the blacked out look myself. We paid cash for a 2005 glacier white with silver trim Dyna Wide Glide about 4 years ago and I've added a few personal touches to it since among maintenance items. We love our Wide Glide and it has plenty of chrome. I would however like to do a new top end kit to maybe 107 ci or whatever I can reliably put on it along with a new cam and plate kit, lifters, hydraulic tensioners and related parts. Maybe next year.
I took over a year to find the bike I now have. I bought it in 2019, it was a 2011 Ultra with 6,700 miles on it for 10,600. It was basicliy a new bike. I put a stage1 kit, handle bars and some hwy pegs on it for around 1,600 bucks. ( I did all the installs myself). It's a awesome bike, my wife loves it. We can ride for 12 hours and really not be hurting compared to our old bike, so I think I got a deal. Oh yeah, it does have the 96ci motor, but it pulls us just fine.
i had a 2011 softail blackline i bought new with the 96 ci. it had 80,000 miles (zero mechanical issues)on it when i traded for a 2009 street glide three years ago with 53,000 miles on it. it now has 105,000 miles on it and zero issues with it. still runs and sounds like the day it was made at least to me.
At that cost it’s like free! 😁 No shame in the 96. Traded in an 09 Glide for 2012 with 103. Not worth it. Keep oil in that bike and maybe change out the compensator when bad to a Darkhorse ManOWar. That bike will last a lifetime.
In previous century, you could sell a shovel for what you paid for it and sometimes more, because the MOCO wasn't flooding the market. Used value was high. That's why TCs are so inferior because these bikes are easier to put together on assembly line. They put more emphasis on volume instead of quality.
I think Harley put out that Softail Standard specifically because their customer base was complaining that Harleys had become too "factory custom" and expensive. Their solution being to offer that bike at a lower pricepoint, so people could customize a modern Harley themselves. I think it was a great move on their part and I probably would buy the bike, but with my budget I'm going for either a Wide Glide or Softail Springer.
Yeah but it doesn't have the newer softail motor it's got the 107 when the smallest there doing is a 114 next to that anyways. I live the idea but that bothers me
I bought my first Harley in 1990, FXRS $8700 tag/title/tax out the door. Rode it 4yrs put 63,000 miles and sold it in 94 for $14,000. Bought a 94 FXLR $12,800 out the door. Sold it with 40,000 about 3 years later for 17,500. Yes I probably had what I sold them for in them, but I also put miles on them. Harley stood behind their bikes then, they completely rebuilt the engine on my 90 with 53,000 miles and 3 years out of warranty.
The old joke back in the day from the old hard core bikers was. A used Jap bike is worth about a buck a cc, engine size. A lot of good used HD bikes out there, even the dealers are packed with with them from trade ins. Will a used HD motorcycle fall into that old joke ?
Something else to know is that $14,000 motorcycle by the time you're done financing it will cost you over 18,000 if you finance through Harley-Davidson Arch can be much cheaper at swap meets we're some Yuppie took off a primary because it has a scratch on it hey 252 $300 part you get adjust swap meet for about 25 bucks $700 Vince & Hines pipes for about 50 bucks a little blued
I had the opposite problem. I wanted a 2021 Heritage 114, but it only came with black trim. I like the chrome which was only available in the 107. So at no small expense I got the 114 and replaced 80% of the black trim with chrome. Really like the look. Of course in 2022 Harley offered the 114 in both chrome and black. I am now stuck with a lot of black parts boxed up and sitting in my garage.....
The all black look is just a fad, brought over from the more modern Superbikes and Racing bikes that are mostly blacked out but really use Cabon fiber parts painted over with a black matt primer.
@kris c. Well it was expensive, but this will be my last Harley. So no regrets getting it just the way I wanted. Plus the 2022 and 2023 models, while available in chrome, had crappy colors and only one gas cap. Service Department employee told me later that they thought I was nuts. However when it was done they marveled how good it looked with chrome and the remaining black as accents!
I never bought a new Harley, I don't think I ever will. I bought my '99 Heritage Springer on 11/12/13 it had low miles , in mint condition. She's just a beautiful motorcycle.
I agree. Bought a 1998 Road King Classic EVO (Vivid black) with 15,000 miles. Mint condition. Looks like it just left the showroom floor. Paid in full and no monthly payments to deal with.
You are right, Harley has been like that as long as I'v been screwing with them ( I'm 77 ) People that bought standard models keep my aftermarket shop going for ever ten years
In 2019 I was looking to get a new Indian for a little north of $22K, ended up looking around to see what was out there used and found a very clean and well maintained FLSTC with very low mileage for about 1/2 the cost of the Indian, absolutely no regrets!
2nd comment is about buying a 98 Springer. Dealer wanted $9k. Stood my ground for 3 months and got it for $6300. Injected a little TLC. The bike gets looks every place I go.
I've been told in the past quit messing with it and just ride it. I've done that with my current sportster bought it had everything I wanted and never changed a thing, just rode it.
After my life crashed and among rest, I had to sell my Dyna, I was 5 years without a bike. I've gather my shit together, and set a goal - I was saving for 3 years straight for HD, no fancy car, no parties, no swag - Work, train, sleep and save. Year ago, after long and frustrating searching I bought my dream Fat Boy on ape hangers, screaming eagle, and tons of perfect tiny addons. Previous owner put a lot of love there, but for me that 8k euro was a huge buy. I took a risk. And now, a year later, I am even more in love in this bike, still no car, using this babe daily 365 days a year, and sell is not an option - even when the price on NL market now is like 10-14k. Bikes chose bikers, not dealers.
Yup, the trap, I quit riding for 30 years, the wife was gone, the kids were grown, I found myself missing motorcycles though about it for a few years, a friend pushed a little and I bought a cheap used Harley not sure if I would really still like it in my 60s, Found out I loved it, spent a ton of money restoring that old bike, much more than it's worth, as far as research you can't know what you don't know, but I did know that I wanted a bagger, and I found that the road king I bought was really what I wanted, I bought a new road glide, and just couldn't get used to it, and I really didn't like the perfection of that new bike, (too hard to live with) The stress of maintaining that new Finnish, the old road king has become a familiar friend, the things I've done to it were the things that I wanted, more important than the motorcycle are the friends that I've made, a group of guys that love to ride guys that I really enjoy spending time with the adventure of traveling new roads and seeing new sights, the challenges of enduring the road and the weather and the reward of the laughter around the table at the end of the day, That motorcycle is the common ground that creates friendship and adventure, mistakes will be made, friends will be lost, life is short, get out there and ride, do the work, plan the ride, make the call, reach out to a stranger,
You forgot one thing when buying from a dealer, dealer markup. Here in my town the Harley dealer is marking new and used bikes up $5k+. I will almost always buy from a private seller. I'll take the risk.
Excellent advice ! I have fallen into the trap once and it still stings. Thank you for pointing the logic out HD’s marketing strategy out. That’s one reason they have survived and others haven’t. Selling parts and clothing. 👍🏻
They need to have a longer parts lifetime. I have a 93 Heritage and getting ready for Sturgis in 2021 it needed new brake lines. Harley no longer provides parts for a 93 FLSTC. It took two months to search out rear brake lines, fronts were available. This year, just in case, I picked up a 13 Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Thundermax computer, Screaming Eagle for a steal. Now I figure I have a spare Heritage and a bike I can get parts for for 15 years. Swap meets are perhaps a thing of the past.
So true, I knew going into the purchase of my dyna (3rd harley) that it was gonna be expensive to turn it into my stunt bike. My next bike will be the lowrider ST, not for stunt riding at all. But the only thing that bike needs is a pipe cam and tune, everything else is there!
The Softail Standard would not work for me. I have to have tubeless tires. During my 46 years and around a million miles of riding, I have had a LOT of flat tires. And they were almost always on bikes with tube type tires. A few were with tubeless tires, but they seem to be a lot less likely to have a flat with, and can usually be fixed beside the road when you do. A flat tire with tube type tires always means a tow truck. I have paid a small fortune in towing bills because of flat tube type tires, plus I almost crashed a few times when they blew out. I would seriously take that into consideration when buying any motorcycle. The last thing I want is to black things out. I'd be swapping all those black pieces for silver and chrome pieces. Chrome is definitely in today for me. LOTS of chrome. I put over $1000 in chrome on a 2006 Sportster I only paid $4200 for. And it already had a lot of chrome on it. I spent another $600 for a single stage single color paint job on the tank and fenders. I have spent exactly $0 on any kind of performance mods. That red Street Glide with all the chrome at 6:45 sure looks sweet. Unfortunately it does not feel or sound like a Harley, so I don't see any way it's worth Harley money. There is simply no way you can buy a new Harley Davidson, no matter what you want, and not get seriously ripped off. Forget about MSRP. You're not going to get one for anywhere near that. And they are going to try and coerce you into buying tons of parts and accessories, a whole new H-D wardrobe, 7 year extended warranty that gets voided as soon as you modify anything, a service contract, a long term loan with super high interest, plus you have to pay full coverage insurance for as long as it is financed. It could easily cost you $1000+ a month for five, six, or even seven years. And by the time it is paid off it will be almost completely worthless. And after all that, you STILL don't get the Harley riding experience with the M8 motor. You would be better off with a new Honda Goldwing, it's a LOT cheaper, faster, more reliable, and sounds and feels about the same. When I was a lot younger, I rode a 1200 Goldwing all over the country. Over 100,000 miles. And not a single problem. Those older ones look a lot better than the new ones, but the new ones seem to be just as reliable. Or if you really want a REAL Harley, get an EVO and fix it up a bit (an EVO engine can be rebuilt very cheaply unless there is something seriously wrong with it) or a Twin Cam and completely rebuild it with an S&S crank, oil pump, and geared cam drive. Either way it will be a tiny fraction of the cost of a new Harley Davidson, and it will sound and feel like a Harley should. Unless you are wealthy, and can buy a new Harley Davidson with what is pocket change to you, and really don't mind the fact that it doesn't have the Harley sound and feel, there simply is no sane reason to buy a new one.
I fell into that trap, bought a new 2020 Road Glide Special, got bored within 10,000 miles and decided to install a crate 131. Caveat though is I purchased Christmas '19 and paid for the Special what a Standard cost and about 10 months later I was able to purchase the crate motor at dealer cost. (Since I purchased the bike new the dealer offered to sell me parts at their cost and my good fortune is I am able to turn a wrench), so basically I was able to pay for the upgrade with the upfront money saved. Good luck doing that in today's market but as the Gixxer mentioned, there's plenty of 107"s out there looking for a new home at a reasonable price point, (Wish I'd done that now). The motor upgrade is relatively inexpensive, there's plenty of UA-cam University how to videos available, there's upcoming swap meets for that bling craving at a discount and since it's winter now what better time to spend in the garage to be able to go smoking down the road in the spring. Happy motoring all and thanks Gixxer for your videos
Using your analogy, the best bang for your buck is either Ultra Limited or RG Limited. There is a $20k difference between those and CVO’s. That’s a lot of money to play with. Put a quick detachable kit on them for the SG/RG look and still have plenty of money to customize with.😂
You know honestly though trying to make a RG or Ultra a CVO, you'll actually spend 10 to 15K more than the price of a CVO. If you get a break down on the CVO and add it up in catalog, it's ridiculous how much all that cost. But on the flip side, you lose your butt buying a CVO new and selling it three years later.
I look at all the parts that used to come with an Electra Glide Standard that are not there anymore a whole shopping list of parts that you can pay for on your own but used to come stock on the motorcycle
I believe in the old saying: "indecision can be the worst decision". If your strategy is to wait another year, keep looking, hoping for that awesome deal, then the one thing you'll never ever get back and that's a lost year of not having the bike you want. It's not so much of a problem if you have a good bike to ride in the meantime until you get the one you want, or you can't ride due to temporary health/weather/money factors, but if you can pick a good bike and avoid that 'bikeless' period, then you're doing a good deed for yourself.
I currently own 2 Harleys. I bought a new 1340cc Shovelhead in "84, which I still own & ride. Luv Harleys! Having said that, anyone who buys a NEW Harley today w/ its Current Corporate Culture is a sucker. Plain & simple!
I have a 2016 and a 2007. They haven't made anything that I want since 2017. The M8 might have power potential over the Twin Cam. I don't care. You can make 175HP on pump gas with 130 or so cubic inches, naturally aspirated. That's fine with me.
Just purchased my 5th Harley, which is also the first PRE-OWNED Harley I've ever owned. Last new Harley was a 2013 FLHXS that I sold in 2018. Couple of weeks ago I bought a "garage queen" 2014 FLSTFB Fatboy Lo with less than 5k miles on it for 1/3rd the cost of a new model with this level of customization. I tend to agree with ya, but at the same time I'd rather ride a Harley than any other brand, and this is from a guy who has also owned Honda's and Kawi's, and would STILL buy a Zuki Busa if the right deal came along. Other mfr's have some nice bikes for sure, but I just prefer what I prefer. YMMV.
One of my BIGGEST gripes of new HDs. They leave the chrome off the cheap models, to cut cost. BUT the expensive models still dont have chrome. So right off your spendin THOUSANDS to put all the chrome on that should have been there to start with
Very interesting. I was going to buy a brand new Softail in 2012, with Screaming Eagle 124, & various other accessories for $50k (in Australia). At the last minute I walked away, & bought a 1997 aSoftail Custom with most of what I wanted already on it for $13k. I will never buy a new Harley. They really are not worth it
You are spot on . I have been looking around for another bike to add to my 2008 Fat Bob , but have not found anything that fits my like my Bob , my other bike is a 48 special and I love it for just buzzing around town and would like to find another but since the EVO sportsters are done , have not found a used one that I liked or fit me .
Most bikes have been ridden, and customized, with paint jobs, aftermarket do dads, the next owner doesn't want to pay a huge price for all that stuff. They'll want to customize it to their liking
Then there's guy like me who are riding the same Harleys for decades. I have a 72 FLH and a 98 FLSTF I do my own work and plan to ride um until I'm too old to sit them up . While it's not a Harley I'm restoring a 1946 Indian Chief Roadmaster right now.
Marketing is what sold Harley"s design flaws. They somehow made something that was unbalanced, odd firing a cool thing. Most manufactures evolved and engineered smoother well balanced, even firing engine's with increased HP. My hat is off to Harley marketing, they simply sold it as being cool and a lifestyle , They did manage to overcome many of the oil leakage problems, made the clutch wet , designed better motor mount's to absorb some of the balance issues. and made a fortune. Harley marketing , your the greatest.
When in 2010 the E-glide standard got out of production, they made that bike in a nice blue color, just for that final year. Normally it was only in black, so I bought the blue version. Now 14 years later I still ride this stock bike with the original 96CI engine, and I just added stuff to use the bike for the cross country or longer rides thru Europe. I added a four point luggage rack and a sissy bar for taking more luggage, a cruise control, a trailer hitch, wind deflectors, highway pegs, and a bigger windshield. No need for chrome or a radio/cd player.
I went through the same thought process. I considered the standard with the idea of upgrading but the math didn't lie. I bought a '22 LRS instead and it is a blast. I put got the obligatory slip-ons and that is all I plan on doing besides a tune come summer. The 117 responds well to a stage 1 given how it is tuned from the factory for emissions.
Blacked out finishes are overrated. Too much black doesn't look good, and too much chrome does't look good either. That's why I personally balance the two. People spend thousands just making the bike be more visually appealing to them. The most important lesson I learned before I got involved with changing the appearance was to solve handling problems that touring bikes have with suspension and hand controls. It's a much better riding experience with better suspension and 8" risers. Chrome doesn't get you home and black just shows you where all the dust is.
I bought a 100 anniversary roadking with the matching front fairing . Couldn’t beat the price I got it for especially with it being a collectors bike . I was going to get a new bike but for what I got mine for I couldn’t resist buying it . And I saved 1000s going the route I did .
Good advice on buying what you like instead of building the bike. I have a Road King Special and for the most part I love how it looks from the factory. Every time I think about changing anything I always think it will look worse and not better. I had a twin cam Night Train and it was a great bike too but I ended up changing out half the bike until I was happy with how it looked 😂. Obviously that wasn’t cost effective.
This is absolutely correct! 😃 😁 Harley’s I’ve owned since 1995 - 1980 FXR, 1996 FLSTC (put cam, carb, and pipe), 2003, FLHR (put chrome lowers, bars, and pipes), 2011 FLHTK, 2012 FLHTCUSE7, now none. Sold my 2012 to get a new CVO in 2016 and bought a 2017 Shelby Mustang instead.
If you purchase any Harley, please keep every part you replace. Clean that part, wrap it, and securely put it away. If you ever decide to sell or trade it, put the parts you replaced back on the bike. You can bet that $900 exhaust probably won't add anywhere near that amount to the overall value of your bike. The odds are good you'll lose way more money on expensive bolt on upgrades than on the bike itself. You worked hard for that money, don't give it away.
It all depends on what you buy, for instance, an 883 Sportster won't bring very much on the open market because it's not that desirable. Unlike a Street Glide, Road King which will hold a higher resale value due to their versatile usage. I personally built a custom 04 FatBoy that rivals everything. Might not be worth tens of thousands, but it looks and sounds FN cool going down the road. So, don't buy a Harley based on what your neighbor or some guy at the local Bar has, purchase what you want and what feels good to you. Too many times people buy the Street Glides and a $600 HD jacket because that's what they think is acceptable to be a Harley owner. However, that is the most returned and used bike sold. If you're buying for the "resale" aspect for when you get tired of it, then you're buying for all the wrong reasons. Don't buy a Harley Davidson, maybe start with Honda, but how many people have Honda Tattoos.
Bought my 2014 Ultra in 2016,It had 900 miles on it. And I think I'll just hang on to her. AllI did was put Boneshaker Exhaust and Stage 2 on the 103 and in my opinion she rips just fine for my old butt.
Another good vid!I will always buy older used for the simple reason that I can’t leave anything alone!If I buy the standard,I’ll modify it. If I buy the street bob,I’ll modify it. Pretty sure I’d find something to change on the cvo models as well. I’ll keep buying 10k bikes and modifying the hell out of them.
Harley’s new vision is getting snubbed by Harley’s old vision, the irony. People love the classic look and sound, the new bikes just don’t have that anymore. I’m a pre 2017 kind of guy, I just can’t get onboard with this new “vision” they have. It’s killing the heritage and tradition of the brand.
Harley Davidson big twins are going for $5,000 to $7,000 in my neck of the woods. 9 out of 10 Harley's are Garage Queens waiting for the owner to make up their minds......Keep or sell. They let the bike sit for 10 years and sell. My buddy has a Shovelhead that he just sold last week for 4K. Nice bike, too! No way would anybody buy a new HD for big bucks if they knew what is out there for cheap. "But it's not brand new". Neither was my '31 VL when I pulled it out of the barn where it had been hiding all those years. Cost? $1,000. I can put $ into the engine rebuild without going broke and no way am I getting rid of the original paint. The bikes are out there, ask around, somebody's always selling.
Another Great Video 👍My 14 Firefighter Shrine Streetglide was on the floor for $25,000. Got it for $22,500 but must have 28,000/ maybe 30!! Into it now😳. Thing is i knew this BEFORE because if your not trying to trade every 5 minutes then over time the cost for seats / air suspension ect works its way out . The bike goes plenty fast enough. Also have a 2005 Deuce . So from what I paid initially for the Streetglide $22,500 AND Deuce 7,800 i have approximately $30,300 for TWO beautiful Harleys.This is WAY under the price for one CVO . With extras on both bikes I'm thinking maybe $39,000 🤔 all together with S+S upgrades ect .👍🇬🇧🇺🇲😎
“Chrome is not in today..” Chrome is eternal lol I don’t follow fads. I have 20 yr old chrome that looks great with a little steel wool, much better than the black finishes. I do like the blacked out look.
Enjoy your channel. Biggest advantage to help get an affordable, cool and functional bike is learning to work on it yourself. Some good tools, a factory manual and UA-cam tutorials will help anyone secure their dream bike. FYI, my dealer asked me to trade in my 2012 Glide for new. Nope. 85k miles of memories and it still does all I need it to do. And new Glide with what I’ve got is $30k. 🤢
Harley's model plays on Human psychology, that's why those CVO models are so expensive. They think that's what everyone wants to strive for but they forget the fringe customers that are the core attraction to the sport. The people that strive to get out there and ride are the ones that customers want to be like, those folks are just cool and we all would like to be more like them. Spending tons of money doesn't really make you cool and having a big payment doesn't allow you to go on as many trips and really get out there so most folks get trapped in a viscous cycle. One breath of fresh air was the program where they were going to give you back as much as you paid in a trade up scheme but it still had some issues when you consider dealer fees, I would like to see them do this more because it would make it easier for new riders to start out on an appropriate machine and work up to the one that suits them long term.
I've had BMW, Harley, Honda and Yamaha. My best bang for the buck bike was a Yamaha v star custom . I rode 85000 km on that bike without needing anything but pads and fluids . Currently a GS rider and thinking of getting rid of it .
Do the Harley dealers now still treat old school Harley riders like crap ? I mean if you ride in on a really pristine Shovel, Pan or Knucklehead , and we're supporting Harley from the early 1970's you'd think they would appreciate your business .
Harley has such an after market you could just build your own. I wonder what it would cost to do that if you are already a mechanic and have the tools like most motorcyclists that perform their own maintenance? You could use the comparison option on the web sight to see which bike has the most bang for the buck. Use the parts guide to see which options you could add the base model and compare it to the top of the line. Indian has a builder option on its web sight that a potential buyer can do multiple bike builds on for comparison between models. For example you can build a base model challenger and turn it into a pursuit and come out with a higher performance engine and it will be a little less than the pursuit but you give up some of the finish options and some technology. A friend of mine said with Harley do the same thing. What do you want as a priority on your bike in that model?
Videos like this prove my points that when people say Harleys are expensive because they hold their value yet the truth is otherwise. Thank God for the posers who threw money at Harley corded out their bikes did engine work all that stuff and then they sell their bike to you in mint condition with low mileage for 25 to 50 cents on the dollar. It is a buyer's market. People should buy as many bikes as they have room to store because they have hit the point of Rock Bottom in prices. People laughed at me when I bought unwanted British motorcycles for $500 a piece and now I can get seven times what I paid for them. But I like my bike like I like my dogs I don't look at my motorcycle and see a pile of money because none of my bikes are worth a whole lot certainly not silly money. Instead of buying a brand new Harley people should put the money down on a house and ride a Honda. When I bought my little house guys bemoans the fact that I could have bought a brand new dresser for the price of my house and I said I already have five motorcycles now I have a house where I live rent free and mortgage free. Now I have a couple of dozen motorcycles but like my dogs I give them a forever home. I tell everyone to buy a nice used low mileage garage Queen Harley and tell the motor company to go fuck themselves. Good video man. Happy New Year
Happy New Year! Harley hold their value better compared to Japanese bikes, but no you can't buy one new and sell it three years later for a thousand less than what you paid retail.
I've seen that happen to guys that settle for or buy a bike that wasn't the one they really wanted only to have buyer's reget a few months or a year later. Only having to trade it in or sell it at a loss. It is important to take your time, do research to be sure the bike you buy is the right one for you.
as far as i'm concerned,all of those used bikes out there are parts for mine,i bought mine to keep,i've had family members lusting after it,nope,its mine,its hidden when not ridden,i put too much money in it 25 years ago,there are things you don't sell,my shovelhead is one of them,lots of parts,choose the one you want,if they're cheap gives you more time to ride and check out the one you do want,i care less what the motor company does,hell its had ups and downs its whole existence,its survived wars and depressions,it'll survive anything AS LONG AS IT SERVES THE RIDERS AND AMERICAN OWNERS IT SOLD TOO,40000 DOLLAR BIKES IS PIE IN THE SKY,time to come back down to earth HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR CORP,you'd think you'd want to everyone on ONE
Bikes Vehicles food, everything has become way to expensive for the average working MAN and WOMAN!!!! And your automatically assuming everyone wants the bigger engines, my 103 runs excellent, has plenty of power and will get me anywhere a 131 will go or a 117…. People just are never satisfied in today’s world, example, guy a a badass Twin cam Road Glide paid off, went down got roasted by the Harley dealer to get a 114 Road Glide that he automatically hated because of the sound, now he’s paying all the money for exhaust and cams just to get it to sound as good as the twin cam that he owned, ITS MIND BLOWING
I bought a new 99 Harley softail standard FXST. I still have it but all that is left of the original motorcycle is the frame, the fork tubes, the wiring harness, the dashboard, and the headlight.
Great video! I would have also mentioned for those guys that like to say to buy the standard and build it up, however, come selling or trading it’s still a standard and will get that value only! Blows me away how many don’t understand this and if you’re keeping your bike long term that’s great!
Since when did $22,000 become "not bad" for a motorcycle, basically a toy, something, depending on where you live, you might get 7 or 8 months to ride ? It's amazing what you get used to. I never would have thought a motorcycle would ever get anywhere near that much money. I can remember being able to buy a brand new Chevy pick up for $3000.
I know exactly what I want. And exactly what add on I want. The last time I bought a bike was 1997. But you are so right. I have seen so many people do just what you are warning about.
Twin cams are running even cheaper than an EVO because everyone knows an EVO is a reliable motorcycle and a twin cam needs a ton of work to be as reliable as an EVO so you can use that when you go to buy one. One guy bought a low mileage twin cam that the chain was rattling opened it up the cam chain tensioner was missing and the chain was just dangling. He did the cam plate oil pump all of that shit and he still had a beautiful bike for less than $10,000 now that's money well spent at least in my opinion
My 08 street glide in 09/10. I put a 103 kit on it. And that was it. It had tuner cleaner and slip ons. But now. I’m putting stretched bags and s&s headers and wheels. Maybe chrome std or maybe fatboy if can take twin disks. But I have had the bike since 09. Now it’s 23. So I think it’s cheaper to play with what I have than upgrade to a newer model M8
The fun part isn't buying it. The fun is making it yours. That's the best part of buying a Harley Davidson is the wide range of aftermarket parts and accessories. Unless you're the guy that changes the grips and foot pegs and calls it good. Well there ya go!
im trying to buy a 06 Electra glide classic ultra. I had a sportster and then other motorcycles, i just cant see a better bike for what i do. and i was going to avoid that bike because of the twin cam rumors, but thanks to your videos im not going to fear a twin cam.
There’s no value in buying ANY brand new Bike and after 60 years of riding I’ve bought a grand total of 2 Bikes brand new. When I was 17 and 20 years of age.🤣
Very true, don't settle and buy what you really want!!! I hear it often as well with the truck guys settling with a gas engine when they really wanted that diesel
I have sold Harleys and you know what your talking about. The only time it was different was during the covid spills chain issues and they had limited inventory. ❤then they would give you quite a bit more for a trade in if you bought one of the more costly bikes like the special and limited.
The biggest competition that Harley has is all of the used Harley's out there just wishing they had an owner that used them. Save yourself thousands - even tens of thousands.
Literally Harley's worst enemy is their own used bikes!
When I see all the Harleys I think of the commercials that say spay or neuter your pets there aren't homes for them all. I wish all the Harleys out there had a good home where the owner loves them and does not think of them as a pile of money to be sold off if things get tight. If things got typed the last thing I would want to sell would be my motorcycle. It keeps me sane. Or semi sane. But hey I didn't blow up the world when I was in the nuclear service so I did good I think.
There’s lots of used bikes out there because to many people can’t make up their minds . I only have my second Harley because the first one got hit . The current one is a
2017 . I have no intention on selling it.
@@GixxerFoo they are weak and far to many used bikes were tampered with by all the diy previous owners. So those bikes are filled with aftermarket parts. Those are not Harley Davidsons anymore.
Ooh yeah !!! It's a smörgåsbord, ya can have a tweaked custom ready to roll and another for a hack 👍
Agree, but I almost gagged when you said, "You're looking at $22K which really isn't that bad." Crazy how we normalize the price of $20K+ for a motorcycle. I was at my local dealer last week and they almost had to call an ambulance when I saw the prices on the bikes! For a CVO full-dresser they wanted $65K!!!
I would never pay 10k for a bike, too many good models under 9 and even 8
Enjoy your channel. My approach is to buy a used carbureted Evo, pull the wrenches myself and make it my own. Chrome never goes out of style.
That's what I like, you can't replace that Evo with anything else!
Agree 💯% 🤘✌️😎🇦🇺🍻
Amen Brother...
I did just that lol too.
Im riding a 27 year old custom softail 1340 evo...made in the USA unlike these new overpriced hogs with engines that want to self destruct and parts from china and taiwan - new harleys suck
You are exactly right! The last bike I bought new was a 2012 Ultra and all I did was a Stage 1 kit. The last bike I bought was a 4 year old 2016 Heritage with 1200 miles on it! I also did a stage 1 kit on that bike. Point being that the bike was practically new but I didn;t have to pay new bike prices. Used bikes are the way to go! Most people buy them new and don't really ride them much but they buy all the fancy accessories and park them in the garage. The only way I would buy a new bike now is if they brought back the FXR and put a 131 cu.in. Milwaukee 8 in it!!! That would be right up my alley. They could sell it in all the same configurations. A Low ricer, Super glide, Convertible, FXRT etc..... Great video! Always so very informative.
You can get so much in a used Harley at someone else's expense for cheap these days!
The best way to avoid the Harley trap is not to buy one.
Most brands sell a $10k bike for $11k, and a $20k bike for $22k (give or take). But Harley (and Indian) sell $10k bikes for $15k+, and $15k bikes for over $20k. Even a slightly used HD is still priced more than it is worth.
If you love Harleys, then yeah get what you want, but do so with your eyes wide open as to what you are paying for. The name badge.
I'm with you Gixx, I totally understand dumping a wheelbarrow full of money into the bike. If I had that much $$. Get as much as you can afford!
My biggest advantage was, being older, knowing exactly what I needed and wanted….. (because they’re two completely different things) before I went to the dealer.
Nice job man, that’s why I always have to buy used. I bought an 05 Super Glide with 2 sets of tins and a factory stage 4 in 2018. The bike only had 2500 miles on it and the owner paid $36 brand new in 05. $9500 for everything including all the original parts.
I'm converting my 98 Heritage Softail Classic to an Electra-Glide style bike. I bought an all original Heritage for $5k back in 2018. I love the leathered solo look I gave the bike. However, my better half caught the bug at 58 to ride shotgun if I could make the bike tour ready. Now I'm changing seats, exhaust, adding hard bags, tour pack, and fairing. I opted for the batwing without the inner fairing. No radio, no need. All total I'm just over $8k for a bike I love with the carbed 98 Evo and a 5 speed. I modified with the tranny sprocket with 2 over to lower RPMs about 200 RPMs at top end. So now my spouse can ride in comfort and if she decides to not ride I can go solo in about 30 minutes. That's half a new bike and it only has 25k miles on it. I plan on riding this one to the grave. New bikes are cool but until my ship comes in...I'm happy with my ride.
Lmao that's funny I paid 5k for 99 same bike as you. I would love to see the Electric glide style when your done.
I purchased a 2016 FLSTC this past June with low miles for half of what a new one would have cost. I saved so much money that I was able to pick up a 2010 Ultra Limited with under 20K miles for $9K. Both bikes are beautiful and run better than new after installing Man O War compensator eliminators and S&S cam chest kits. Don’t plan on ever selling either one but I will be picking up a low mileage used Road King in the next year or so.
I like my 06 SG but still miss my 01 RK. Best of them all IMHO.
For less than the price of one new cvo you got 3 sweet bikes!
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Road Kings are the best value in FLH models out there. Most buyers have unrealistic expectations so you need to negotiate hard.
@@65JTM I gave my '01 RK to my son after I bought a used clean '06 Springer Classic. We did S&S camchest kits in both..
Bought my first Harley end of November 2022. A 2018 FLSB Sport Glide, loaded with $3000 in options the original owner spent on it to make it exactly the way he wanted it with fit, Saddleman Explorer seat, HD top box and rack, 6" risers 2 inches back, Garmin Zumo. 15k miles on it $10.5k. I figure the original owner had $23,000 into it. No regrets, cleaned out the fork seals, and she's got more torque and beans than I'll ever need with that 107 CI. Great day rider, and with the bags, maybe a 2 or 3 day weekender bike, too. But realistically not a touring bike. Nice thing about the FLSB is that it's a pretty loaded up Softail. The chrome works fine for me with the 107, the exhaust is nice and quiet, it's stock, it has removable fairing and bags, and the most important feature to me, it came with cruise control, which I find very, very useful. What's not to like ? Mine is in Twisted Cherry red, and I'll probably die with it.
I am the guy with the oldest bike in the parking lot I am disabled now but We did live it up back in the day. Love the 3 stooges knuckel head sign!! Have the same on the front of the shop!!! Ride On! Long live HD!!!
I did just that. I bought a sweet used low mileage Deluxe for cheap and sent it to Pro Twin Performance to have their Skunk Works engine job done on it. The bike sings for less $, more hp and ten x the dependability than a new bike. I’m a very happy camper.
Good stuff! Kevin Baxter's shop builds hella good engines!
Keep those wheel spokes protected. Some sort of spray on coating might be worth doing. I can't believe H-D discontinued the Deluxe, as it was the most gorgeous of the range. I've got the poorer cousin of the Deluxe, a Slim, but it's a daily workhorse so it actually fits the task perfectly.
@@Jonathan-L I’m old school with the spokes. I polish each one individually with a thing that resembles an old sneaker lace. They only need to be done about twice a year if their done right. Road grime doesn’t stick good to them and washes right off. Only takes me about 45 minutes a wheel.
@@johnlfrank8078 Good to hear that you're on top of your game. Regrettably, I didn't attend to my spokes well enough in 2022, so I will need to bring them back to a more presentable condition and keep them that way. Silly me, didn't think they would go rusty (I assumed that they were stainless steel or top notch chrome) and they ended up looking rather neglected in a short amount of time. Hindsight has taught me something important.
Used Harleys and new Harleys have one thing in common. The engines have the same flaws that need to be corrected. Why pay top dollar for the flaws that you can get for 1/4 the price. 😎You can use the difference in the price to finance the engine upgrades done by a top engine builder such as Pro Twin .
Right on! I’m looking for a low mileage 2015 - 2016 Road King with a 103 in it. I don’t need a race horse, I need a mule.
I've been riding for 45 years. Never bought a new Harley. Bought 2 95th anniversary, road king and Electraglide last year. Total price for both, 11k. Both had less than 15k miles.
I'm so glad I bought mine in 2000.
A local factory trained mechanic who left dealership and opened his own shop told me his experience has been that the 2000 FXDWG has the sturdiest bearings in engine and in the wheels.
My glide now has 86,000 miles on it and it runs as good as new.
But I have always put NON-alcohol gas in it and faithfully changed the fluids at correct intervals using only full synthetic lubes.
The engine and trans have never needed repairs.
I recently had to remove spokes that would no longer turn to adjust. That was quite a job but I have a shop manual, so I managed to get it right and he trued the rims up for me. I called around to several shops that change tires and NO one was willing to true the rims. It is tedious and time consuming. I had him put new American Elite rubber on those wheels. I really like those tires.
I will be swapping the cam tension shoes as my winter project and install the S&S 509 cam.
Beautiful scoots those pre 08 Wide Glides. I also us the 509s in a stock 88.
I'm more old school 🏫 when it comes to motorcycles and especially Harley-Davidson. I grew up in the 70s when chrome was all around. My next door neighbor had a Schwin Apple Crate with chrome fenders, shifter, handlebars, etc etc and my bikes had chrome as well. Most people that drove hotrods had chrome wheels, engine covers or polished aluminum. I'm a big fan of chrome and polished aluminum, I've never cared for the blacked out look myself. We paid cash for a 2005 glacier white with silver trim Dyna Wide Glide about 4 years ago and I've added a few personal touches to it since among maintenance items. We love our Wide Glide and it has plenty of chrome. I would however like to do a new top end kit to maybe 107 ci or whatever I can reliably put on it along with a new cam and plate kit, lifters, hydraulic tensioners and related parts. Maybe next year.
I took over a year to find the bike I now have. I bought it in 2019, it was a 2011 Ultra with 6,700 miles on it for 10,600.
It was basicliy a new bike. I put a stage1 kit, handle bars and some hwy pegs on it for around 1,600 bucks. ( I did all the installs myself).
It's a awesome bike, my wife loves it. We can ride for 12 hours and really not be hurting compared to our old bike, so I think I got a deal.
Oh yeah, it does have the 96ci motor, but it pulls us just fine.
i had a 2011 softail blackline i bought new with the 96 ci. it had 80,000 miles (zero mechanical issues)on it when i traded for a 2009 street glide three years ago with 53,000 miles on it. it now has 105,000 miles on it and zero issues with it. still runs and sounds like the day it was made at least to me.
At that cost it’s like free! 😁
No shame in the 96. Traded in an 09 Glide for 2012 with 103. Not worth it. Keep oil in that bike and maybe change out the compensator when bad to a Darkhorse ManOWar. That bike will last a lifetime.
Damnnnn them pre Covid prices!
In previous century, you could sell a shovel for what you paid for it and sometimes more, because the MOCO wasn't flooding the market. Used value was high. That's why TCs are so inferior because these bikes are easier to put together on assembly line. They put more emphasis on volume instead of quality.
I think Harley put out that Softail Standard specifically because their customer base was complaining that Harleys had become too "factory custom" and expensive. Their solution being to offer that bike at a lower pricepoint, so people could customize a modern Harley themselves. I think it was a great move on their part and I probably would buy the bike, but with my budget I'm going for either a Wide Glide or Softail Springer.
Harley is the new Queer Bait be sure to bring your Bud Light.
Yeah but it doesn't have the newer softail motor it's got the 107 when the smallest there doing is a 114 next to that anyways. I live the idea but that bothers me
I bought my first Harley in 1990, FXRS $8700 tag/title/tax out the door. Rode it 4yrs put 63,000 miles and sold it in 94 for $14,000. Bought a 94 FXLR $12,800 out the door. Sold it with 40,000 about 3 years later for 17,500. Yes I probably had what I sold them for in them, but I also put miles on them. Harley stood behind their bikes then, they completely rebuilt the engine on my 90 with 53,000 miles and 3 years out of warranty.
The old joke back in the day from the old hard core bikers was. A used Jap bike is worth about a buck a cc, engine size. A lot of good used HD bikes out there, even the dealers are packed with with them from trade ins. Will a used HD motorcycle fall into that old joke ?
Something else to know is that $14,000 motorcycle by the time you're done financing it will cost you over 18,000 if you finance through Harley-Davidson Arch can be much cheaper at swap meets we're some Yuppie took off a primary because it has a scratch on it hey 252 $300 part you get adjust swap meet for about 25 bucks $700 Vince & Hines pipes for about 50 bucks a little blued
Will be keeping and enjoying my 96' Evo Heritage....
I had the opposite problem. I wanted a 2021 Heritage 114, but it only came with black trim. I like the chrome which was only available in the 107. So at no small expense I got the 114 and replaced 80% of the black trim with chrome. Really like the look. Of course in 2022 Harley offered the 114 in both chrome and black. I am now stuck with a lot of black parts boxed up and sitting in my garage.....
Might as well put your money in the garbage disposal
The all black look is just a fad, brought over from the more modern Superbikes and Racing bikes that are mostly blacked out but really use Cabon fiber parts painted over with a black matt primer.
@kris c. Well it was expensive, but this will be my last Harley. So no regrets getting it just the way I wanted. Plus the 2022 and 2023 models, while available in chrome, had crappy colors and only one gas cap. Service Department employee told me later that they thought I was nuts. However when it was done they marveled how good it looked with chrome and the remaining black as accents!
I never bought a new Harley, I don't think I ever will. I bought my '99 Heritage Springer on 11/12/13 it had low miles , in mint condition. She's just a beautiful motorcycle.
That heritage Springer is a work of art
I agree. Bought a 1998 Road King Classic EVO (Vivid black) with 15,000 miles. Mint condition. Looks like it just left the showroom floor. Paid in full and no monthly payments to deal with.
Hang onto that one! Those are getting hard to find!
@@GixxerFoo I forgot to mention. I bought it from the original owner, back when there was a waiting list.
@@GixxerFoo Definitely will! Have had loads of offers from people wanting to buy!!!
You are right, Harley has been like that as long as I'v been screwing with them ( I'm 77 )
People that bought standard models keep my aftermarket shop going for ever ten years
In 2019 I was looking to get a new Indian for a little north of $22K, ended up looking around to see what was out there used and found a very clean and well maintained FLSTC with very low mileage for about 1/2 the cost of the Indian, absolutely no regrets!
Indian makes a nice bike but they are as pricey if not more than a Harley. Getting you a good used Harley is the way to go!
i bought a used soft tail heritage 20k miles ‘12 love it
@@mkd7961 mine's a '10 w/ 16K when I bought it. Only thing I did to it was install a new comp. just because.
@@mikehammer2075 stage 1 on mine v&h true duals n air cleaner dynojet tune
@@mkd7961 previous owner put in a 103 kit, V&H Straight Shots and a Screamin' Eagle Super Tuner Pro
2nd comment is about buying a 98 Springer. Dealer wanted $9k. Stood my ground for 3 months and got it for $6300.
Injected a little TLC. The bike gets looks every place I go.
I've been told in the past quit messing with it and just ride it. I've done that with my current sportster bought it had everything I wanted and never changed a thing, just rode it.
After my life crashed and among rest, I had to sell my Dyna, I was 5 years without a bike. I've gather my shit together, and set a goal - I was saving for 3 years straight for HD, no fancy car, no parties, no swag - Work, train, sleep and save. Year ago, after long and frustrating searching I bought my dream Fat Boy on ape hangers, screaming eagle, and tons of perfect tiny addons. Previous owner put a lot of love there, but for me that 8k euro was a huge buy. I took a risk. And now, a year later, I am even more in love in this bike, still no car, using this babe daily 365 days a year, and sell is not an option - even when the price on NL market now is like 10-14k. Bikes chose bikers, not dealers.
Yup, the trap, I quit riding for 30 years, the wife was gone, the kids were grown, I found myself missing motorcycles though about it for a few years, a friend pushed a little and I bought a cheap used Harley not sure if I would really still like it in my 60s,
Found out I loved it, spent a ton of money restoring that old bike, much more than it's worth, as far as research you can't know what you don't know, but I did know that I wanted a bagger, and I found that the road king I bought was really what I wanted, I bought a new road glide, and just couldn't get used to it, and I really didn't like the perfection of that new bike, (too hard to live with)
The stress of maintaining that new Finnish, the old road king has become a familiar friend, the things I've done to it were the things that I wanted, more important than the motorcycle are the friends that I've made, a group of guys that love to ride guys that I really enjoy spending time with the adventure of traveling new roads and seeing new sights, the challenges of enduring the road and the weather and the reward of the laughter around the table at the end of the day,
That motorcycle is the common ground that creates friendship and adventure, mistakes will be made, friends will be lost, life is short, get out there and ride, do the work, plan the ride, make the call, reach out to a stranger,
I started with a 69 Sportster and up graded to a 48 Flathead.
You forgot one thing when buying from a dealer, dealer markup. Here in my town the Harley dealer is marking new and used bikes up $5k+. I will almost always buy from a private seller. I'll take the risk.
Excellent advice ! I have fallen into the trap once and it still stings. Thank you for pointing the logic out HD’s marketing strategy out. That’s one reason they have survived and others haven’t. Selling parts and clothing. 👍🏻
They need to have a longer parts lifetime. I have a 93 Heritage and getting ready for Sturgis in 2021 it needed new brake lines. Harley no longer provides parts for a 93 FLSTC. It took two months to search out rear brake lines, fronts were available. This year, just in case, I picked up a 13 Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Thundermax computer, Screaming Eagle for a steal. Now I figure I have a spare Heritage and a bike I can get parts for for 15 years. Swap meets are perhaps a thing of the past.
So true, I knew going into the purchase of my dyna (3rd harley) that it was gonna be expensive to turn it into my stunt bike. My next bike will be the lowrider ST, not for stunt riding at all. But the only thing that bike needs is a pipe cam and tune, everything else is there!
The Softail Standard would not work for me. I have to have tubeless tires. During my 46 years and around a million miles of riding, I have had a LOT of flat tires. And they were almost always on bikes with tube type tires. A few were with tubeless tires, but they seem to be a lot less likely to have a flat with, and can usually be fixed beside the road when you do. A flat tire with tube type tires always means a tow truck. I have paid a small fortune in towing bills because of flat tube type tires, plus I almost crashed a few times when they blew out. I would seriously take that into consideration when buying any motorcycle.
The last thing I want is to black things out. I'd be swapping all those black pieces for silver and chrome pieces. Chrome is definitely in today for me. LOTS of chrome. I put over $1000 in chrome on a 2006 Sportster I only paid $4200 for. And it already had a lot of chrome on it. I spent another $600 for a single stage single color paint job on the tank and fenders. I have spent exactly $0 on any kind of performance mods.
That red Street Glide with all the chrome at 6:45 sure looks sweet. Unfortunately it does not feel or sound like a Harley, so I don't see any way it's worth Harley money.
There is simply no way you can buy a new Harley Davidson, no matter what you want, and not get seriously ripped off. Forget about MSRP. You're not going to get one for anywhere near that. And they are going to try and coerce you into buying tons of parts and accessories, a whole new H-D wardrobe, 7 year extended warranty that gets voided as soon as you modify anything, a service contract, a long term loan with super high interest, plus you have to pay full coverage insurance for as long as it is financed. It could easily cost you $1000+ a month for five, six, or even seven years. And by the time it is paid off it will be almost completely worthless. And after all that, you STILL don't get the Harley riding experience with the M8 motor. You would be better off with a new Honda Goldwing, it's a LOT cheaper, faster, more reliable, and sounds and feels about the same. When I was a lot younger, I rode a 1200 Goldwing all over the country. Over 100,000 miles. And not a single problem. Those older ones look a lot better than the new ones, but the new ones seem to be just as reliable.
Or if you really want a REAL Harley, get an EVO and fix it up a bit (an EVO engine can be rebuilt very cheaply unless there is something seriously wrong with it) or a Twin Cam and completely rebuild it with an S&S crank, oil pump, and geared cam drive. Either way it will be a tiny fraction of the cost of a new Harley Davidson, and it will sound and feel like a Harley should.
Unless you are wealthy, and can buy a new Harley Davidson with what is pocket change to you, and really don't mind the fact that it doesn't have the Harley sound and feel, there simply is no sane reason to buy a new one.
I fell into that trap, bought a new 2020 Road Glide Special, got bored within 10,000 miles and decided to install a crate 131. Caveat though is I purchased Christmas '19 and paid for the Special what a Standard cost and about 10 months later I was able to purchase the crate motor at dealer cost. (Since I purchased the bike new the dealer offered to sell me parts at their cost and my good fortune is I am able to turn a wrench), so basically I was able to pay for the upgrade with the upfront money saved. Good luck doing that in today's market but as the Gixxer mentioned, there's plenty of 107"s out there looking for a new home at a reasonable price point, (Wish I'd done that now). The motor upgrade is relatively inexpensive, there's plenty of UA-cam University how to videos available, there's upcoming swap meets for that bling craving at a discount and since it's winter now what better time to spend in the garage to be able to go smoking down the road in the spring. Happy motoring all and thanks Gixxer for your videos
Using your analogy, the best bang for your buck is either Ultra Limited or RG Limited. There is a $20k difference between those and CVO’s. That’s a lot of money to play with. Put a quick detachable kit on them for the SG/RG look and still have plenty of money to customize with.😂
You know honestly though trying to make a RG or Ultra a CVO, you'll actually spend 10 to 15K more than the price of a CVO. If you get a break down on the CVO and add it up in catalog, it's ridiculous how much all that cost. But on the flip side, you lose your butt buying a CVO new and selling it three years later.
@@GixxerFoo I’m a firm believer that a CVO is a waste of money. They are pretty, though.
CVO’s are the bomb. But they are also the fastest depreciating vehicle money can buy.
here in uk over 1800 used harleys on ebay, over whelming majority mega low miles and been parking inside someone's lounge. better buys than new
I look at all the parts that used to come with an Electra Glide Standard that are not there anymore a whole shopping list of parts that you can pay for on your own but used to come stock on the motorcycle
I believe in the old saying: "indecision can be the worst decision". If your strategy is to wait another year, keep looking, hoping for that awesome deal, then the one thing you'll never ever get back and that's a lost year of not having the bike you want. It's not so much of a problem if you have a good bike to ride in the meantime until you get the one you want, or you can't ride due to temporary health/weather/money factors, but if you can pick a good bike and avoid that 'bikeless' period, then you're doing a good deed for yourself.
I currently own 2 Harleys. I bought a new 1340cc Shovelhead in "84, which I still own & ride. Luv Harleys! Having said that, anyone who buys a NEW Harley today w/ its Current Corporate Culture is a sucker. Plain & simple!
I have a 2016 and a 2007. They haven't made anything that I want since 2017.
The M8 might have power potential over the Twin Cam. I don't care. You can make 175HP on pump gas with 130 or so cubic inches, naturally aspirated. That's fine with me.
Just purchased my 5th Harley, which is also the first PRE-OWNED Harley I've ever owned. Last new Harley was a 2013 FLHXS that I sold in 2018. Couple of weeks ago I bought a "garage queen" 2014 FLSTFB Fatboy Lo with less than 5k miles on it for 1/3rd the cost of a new model with this level of customization.
I tend to agree with ya, but at the same time I'd rather ride a Harley than any other brand, and this is from a guy who has also owned Honda's and Kawi's, and would STILL buy a Zuki Busa if the right deal came along. Other mfr's have some nice bikes for sure, but I just prefer what I prefer. YMMV.
I’ll never buy a new Harley,I bought my 03 Heritage Softail Classic 100 year Anniversary model and will never look back until she dies on me!
One of my BIGGEST gripes of new HDs.
They leave the chrome off the cheap models, to cut cost. BUT the expensive models still dont have chrome.
So right off your spendin THOUSANDS to put all the chrome on that should have been there to start with
brother I got myself a 2002 roadking and still happy with it no complaints and still rocking and no upgrades nothing full stock and its good as new
I had a lot of parts in my garage to “Upgrade” my Road Glide Standard. And had a Stage 1 included on my 107 with purchase price. 😊
Very interesting. I was going to buy a brand new Softail in 2012, with Screaming Eagle 124, & various other accessories for $50k (in Australia). At the last minute I walked away, & bought a 1997 aSoftail Custom with most of what I wanted already on it for $13k. I will never buy a new Harley. They really are not worth it
You are spot on . I have been looking around for another bike to add to my 2008 Fat Bob , but have not found anything that fits my like my Bob , my other bike is a 48 special and I love it for just buzzing around town and would like to find another but since the EVO sportsters are done , have not found a used one that I liked or fit me .
Most bikes have been ridden, and customized, with paint jobs, aftermarket do dads, the next owner doesn't want to pay a huge price for all that stuff. They'll want to customize it to their liking
So true gixxer, I've found/bought so many nice older HDs for 5 grand. May not be for everyone but it works for me. Great video. 👍
Then there's guy like me who are riding the same Harleys for decades. I have a 72 FLH and a 98 FLSTF I do my own work and plan to ride um until I'm too old to sit them up . While it's not a Harley I'm restoring a 1946 Indian Chief Roadmaster right now.
Marketing is what sold Harley"s design flaws. They somehow made something that was unbalanced, odd firing a cool thing. Most manufactures evolved and engineered smoother well balanced, even firing engine's with increased HP. My hat is off to Harley marketing, they simply sold it as being cool and a lifestyle , They did manage to overcome many of the oil leakage problems, made the clutch wet , designed better motor mount's to absorb some of the balance issues. and made a fortune. Harley marketing , your the greatest.
When in 2010 the E-glide standard got out of production, they made that bike in a nice blue color, just for that final year. Normally it was only in black, so I bought the blue version. Now 14 years later I still ride this stock bike with the original 96CI engine, and I just added stuff to use the bike for the cross country or longer rides thru Europe. I added a four point luggage rack and a sissy bar for taking more luggage, a cruise control, a trailer hitch, wind deflectors, highway pegs, and a bigger windshield. No need for chrome or a radio/cd player.
I sure miss the electra glide Standard, I was glad to see it come back in the M8 for a few years. It was a pretty good deal at the time or about 18K.
Part of having a Harley is changing and customizing things to your taste.
But I wouldn't expect a guys who calls chrome "silver stuff" to understand.
I want another xl1200s. customised with forward control and lift kit.
also a racing ignition
I went through the same thought process. I considered the standard with the idea of upgrading but the math didn't lie. I bought a '22 LRS instead and it is a blast. I put got the obligatory slip-ons and that is all I plan on doing besides a tune come summer. The 117 responds well to a stage 1 given how it is tuned from the factory for emissions.
Harley is the new Queer Bait be sure to bring your Bud Light.
Blacked out finishes are overrated. Too much black doesn't look good, and too much chrome does't look good either. That's why I personally balance the two. People spend thousands just making the bike be more visually appealing to them. The most important lesson I learned before I got involved with changing the appearance was to solve handling problems that touring bikes have with suspension and hand controls. It's a much better riding experience with better suspension and 8" risers. Chrome doesn't get you home and black just shows you where all the dust is.
I bought a 100 anniversary roadking with the matching front fairing . Couldn’t beat the price I got it for especially with it being a collectors bike . I was going to get a new bike but for what I got mine for I couldn’t resist buying it . And I saved 1000s going the route I did .
Good advice on buying what you like instead of building the bike. I have a Road King Special and for the most part I love how it looks from the factory. Every time I think about changing anything I always think it will look worse and not better. I had a twin cam Night Train and it was a great bike too but I ended up changing out half the bike until I was happy with how it looked 😂. Obviously that wasn’t cost effective.
I love the way those enforcer wheels on those touring models around 14 to 17 looks. I'll never buy an aftermarket rim for my bike.
This is absolutely correct! 😃 😁 Harley’s I’ve owned since 1995 - 1980 FXR, 1996 FLSTC (put cam, carb, and pipe), 2003, FLHR (put chrome lowers, bars, and pipes), 2011 FLHTK, 2012 FLHTCUSE7, now none. Sold my 2012 to get a new CVO in 2016 and bought a 2017 Shelby Mustang instead.
If you purchase any Harley, please keep every part you replace. Clean that part, wrap it, and securely put it away. If you ever decide to sell or trade it, put the parts you replaced back on the bike. You can bet that $900 exhaust probably won't add anywhere near that amount to the overall value of your bike. The odds are good you'll lose way more money on expensive bolt on upgrades than on the bike itself. You worked hard for that money, don't give it away.
😊
I was very fortunate because my friend told me to just buy a RGS instead of the road king and i must admit he was right
It all depends on what you buy, for instance, an 883 Sportster won't bring very much on
the open market because it's not that desirable. Unlike a Street Glide, Road King which will hold a higher resale value
due to their versatile usage. I personally built a custom 04 FatBoy that rivals everything. Might not be
worth tens of thousands, but it looks and sounds FN cool going down the road. So, don't buy a Harley
based on what your neighbor or some guy at the local Bar has, purchase what you want and what feels good to you. Too many times
people buy the Street Glides and a $600 HD jacket because that's what they think is acceptable to be a Harley owner. However, that is the
most returned and used bike sold. If you're buying for the "resale" aspect for when you get tired of it, then you're buying
for all the wrong reasons. Don't buy a Harley Davidson, maybe start with Honda, but how many people have Honda Tattoos.
Bought my 2014 Ultra in 2016,It had 900 miles on it. And I think I'll just hang on to her. AllI did was put Boneshaker Exhaust and Stage 2 on the 103 and in my opinion she rips just fine for my old butt.
Love mine. Only advice I’d give is install a Darkhorse ManOWar when the OEM compensator goes bad. Those models are some of HD’s best.
Another good vid!I will always buy older used for the simple reason that I can’t leave anything alone!If I buy the standard,I’ll modify it. If I buy the street bob,I’ll modify it. Pretty sure I’d find something to change on the cvo models as well.
I’ll keep buying 10k bikes and modifying the hell out of them.
I want a CVO but they are too expensive even for a used one.
Harley’s new vision is getting snubbed by Harley’s old vision, the irony. People love the classic look and sound, the new bikes just don’t have that anymore. I’m a pre 2017 kind of guy, I just can’t get onboard with this new “vision” they have. It’s killing the heritage and tradition of the brand.
Harley Davidson big twins are going for $5,000 to $7,000 in my neck of the woods. 9 out of 10 Harley's are Garage Queens waiting for the owner to make up their minds......Keep or sell. They let the bike sit for 10 years and sell. My buddy has a Shovelhead that he just sold last week for 4K. Nice bike, too! No way would anybody buy a new HD for big bucks if they knew what is out there for cheap. "But it's not brand new". Neither was my '31 VL when I pulled it out of the barn where it had been hiding all those years. Cost? $1,000. I can put $ into the engine rebuild without going broke and no way am I getting rid of the original paint. The bikes are out there, ask around, somebody's always selling.
That’s one reason I bought the 21 blacked out FLTRK.
In AZ you can get hd's all day for 7000. Good used all the up grades
Talking of older bikes I've just seen a 2005 dyna low rider for £6000 for sale, now I'm thinking 🤔
Another Great Video 👍My 14 Firefighter Shrine Streetglide was on the floor for $25,000. Got it for $22,500 but must have 28,000/ maybe 30!! Into it now😳. Thing is i knew this BEFORE because if your not trying to trade every 5 minutes then over time the cost for seats / air suspension ect works its way out . The bike goes plenty fast enough. Also have a 2005 Deuce . So from what I paid initially for the Streetglide $22,500 AND Deuce 7,800 i have approximately $30,300 for TWO beautiful Harleys.This is WAY under the price for one CVO . With extras on both bikes I'm thinking maybe $39,000 🤔 all together with S+S upgrades ect .👍🇬🇧🇺🇲😎
“Chrome is not in today..” Chrome is eternal lol I don’t follow fads. I have 20 yr old chrome that looks great with a little steel wool, much better than the black finishes. I do like the blacked out look.
Harleys come in 2 colors.
Black and chrome.
chrome, always gets me home
@@harleyhawk7959 it'll get you home and win you first in show.
Like my chromed out black Harley.
Hey chrome!!!! Yea!!... I love the shine.
👍 🤭
Enjoy your channel.
Biggest advantage to help get an affordable, cool and functional bike is learning to work on it yourself. Some good tools, a factory manual and UA-cam tutorials will help anyone secure their dream bike.
FYI, my dealer asked me to trade in my 2012 Glide for new. Nope. 85k miles of memories and it still does all I need it to do. And new Glide with what I’ve got is $30k. 🤢
Harley's model plays on Human psychology, that's why those CVO models are so expensive. They think that's what everyone wants to strive for but they forget the fringe customers that are the core attraction to the sport. The people that strive to get out there and ride are the ones that customers want to be like, those folks are just cool and we all would like to be more like them. Spending tons of money doesn't really make you cool and having a big payment doesn't allow you to go on as many trips and really get out there so most folks get trapped in a viscous cycle. One breath of fresh air was the program where they were going to give you back as much as you paid in a trade up scheme but it still had some issues when you consider dealer fees, I would like to see them do this more because it would make it easier for new riders to start out on an appropriate machine and work up to the one that suits them long term.
I've had BMW, Harley, Honda and Yamaha. My best bang for the buck bike was a Yamaha v star custom . I rode 85000 km on that bike without needing anything but pads and fluids . Currently a GS rider and thinking of getting rid of it .
Tires too obviously.
Do the Harley dealers now still treat old school Harley riders like crap ? I mean if you ride in on a really pristine Shovel, Pan or Knucklehead , and we're supporting Harley from the early 1970's you'd think they would appreciate your business .
Makes zero sense to put a 114 kit on a 107 unless you just like spending money. More heat worse mileage.
Harley has such an after market you could just build your own. I wonder what it would cost to do that if you are already a mechanic and have the tools like most motorcyclists that perform their own maintenance? You could use the comparison option on the web sight to see which bike has the most bang for the buck. Use the parts guide to see which options you could add the base model and compare it to the top of the line. Indian has a builder option on its web sight that a potential buyer can do multiple bike builds on for comparison between models. For example you can build a base model challenger and turn it into a pursuit and come out with a higher performance engine and it will be a little less than the pursuit but you give up some of the finish options and some technology. A friend of mine said with Harley do the same thing. What do you want as a priority on your bike in that model?
Videos like this prove my points that when people say Harleys are expensive because they hold their value yet the truth is otherwise. Thank God for the posers who threw money at Harley corded out their bikes did engine work all that stuff and then they sell their bike to you in mint condition with low mileage for 25 to 50 cents on the dollar. It is a buyer's market. People should buy as many bikes as they have room to store because they have hit the point of Rock Bottom in prices. People laughed at me when I bought unwanted British motorcycles for $500 a piece and now I can get seven times what I paid for them. But I like my bike like I like my dogs I don't look at my motorcycle and see a pile of money because none of my bikes are worth a whole lot certainly not silly money. Instead of buying a brand new Harley people should put the money down on a house and ride a Honda. When I bought my little house guys bemoans the fact that I could have bought a brand new dresser for the price of my house and I said I already have five motorcycles now I have a house where I live rent free and mortgage free. Now I have a couple of dozen motorcycles but like my dogs I give them a forever home. I tell everyone to buy a nice used low mileage garage Queen Harley and tell the motor company to go fuck themselves. Good video man. Happy New Year
Happy New Year! Harley hold their value better compared to Japanese bikes, but no you can't buy one new and sell it three years later for a thousand less than what you paid retail.
True … never again will I buy one and then do aftermarket parts. Best to shop around
I've seen that happen to guys that settle for or buy a bike that wasn't the one they really wanted only to have buyer's reget a few months or a year later. Only having to trade it in or sell it at a loss. It is important to take your time, do research to be sure the bike you buy is the right one for you.
as far as i'm concerned,all of those used bikes out there are parts for mine,i bought mine to keep,i've had family members lusting after it,nope,its mine,its hidden when not ridden,i put too much money in it 25 years ago,there are things you don't sell,my shovelhead is one of them,lots of parts,choose the one you want,if they're cheap gives you more time to ride and check out the one you do want,i care less what the motor company does,hell its had ups and downs its whole existence,its survived wars and depressions,it'll survive anything AS LONG AS IT SERVES THE RIDERS AND AMERICAN OWNERS IT SOLD TOO,40000 DOLLAR BIKES IS PIE IN THE SKY,time to come back down to earth HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR CORP,you'd think you'd want to everyone on ONE
Bikes Vehicles food, everything has become way to expensive for the average working MAN and WOMAN!!!!
And your automatically assuming everyone wants the bigger engines, my 103 runs excellent, has plenty of power and will get me anywhere a 131 will go or a 117…. People just are never satisfied in today’s world, example, guy a a badass Twin cam Road Glide paid off, went down got roasted by the Harley dealer to get a 114 Road Glide that he automatically hated because of the sound, now he’s paying all the money for exhaust and cams just to get it to sound as good as the twin cam that he owned, ITS MIND BLOWING
I bought a new 99 Harley softail standard FXST. I still have it but all that is left of the original motorcycle is the frame, the fork tubes, the wiring harness, the dashboard, and the headlight.
Great video! I would have also mentioned for those guys that like to say to buy the standard and build it up, however, come selling or trading it’s still a standard and will get that value only! Blows me away how many don’t understand this and if you’re keeping your bike long term that’s great!
Since when did $22,000 become "not bad" for a motorcycle, basically a toy, something, depending on where you live, you might get 7 or 8 months to ride ? It's amazing what you get used to. I never would have thought a motorcycle would ever get anywhere near that much money. I can remember being able to buy a brand new Chevy pick up for $3000.
I know exactly what I want. And exactly what add on I want. The last time I bought a bike was 1997. But you are so right. I have seen so many people do just what you are warning about.
Twin cams are running even cheaper than an EVO because everyone knows an EVO is a reliable motorcycle and a twin cam needs a ton of work to be as reliable as an EVO so you can use that when you go to buy one. One guy bought a low mileage twin cam that the chain was rattling opened it up the cam chain tensioner was missing and the chain was just dangling. He did the cam plate oil pump all of that shit and he still had a beautiful bike for less than $10,000 now that's money well spent at least in my opinion
My 08 street glide in 09/10. I put a 103 kit on it. And that was it. It had tuner cleaner and slip ons. But now. I’m putting stretched bags and s&s headers and wheels. Maybe chrome std or maybe fatboy if can take twin disks. But I have had the bike since 09. Now it’s 23. So I think it’s cheaper to play with what I have than upgrade to a newer model M8
If I ever buy a brand new bike I would be looking to keep it bone stock, so yeah, it would have to be the exact thing I want. Good advice.
The fun part isn't buying it. The fun is making it yours. That's the best part of buying a Harley Davidson is the wide range of aftermarket parts and accessories. Unless you're the guy that changes the grips and foot pegs and calls it good. Well there ya go!
I've been riding HD since 1974 and would never be interested in buying ANY of their new models! They have no appeal to me!
I bought a rk m8 spent 10k in upgrades and traded it in on a rg limited 114, that was dumb...
im trying to buy a 06 Electra glide classic ultra. I had a sportster and then other motorcycles, i just cant see a better bike for what i do. and i was going to avoid that bike because of the twin cam rumors, but thanks to your videos im not going to fear a twin cam.
There’s no value in buying ANY brand new Bike and after 60 years of riding I’ve bought a grand total of 2 Bikes brand new. When I was 17 and 20 years of age.🤣
Very true, don't settle and buy what you really want!!!
I hear it often as well with the truck guys settling with a gas engine when they really wanted that diesel
I have sold Harleys and you know what your talking about. The only time it was different was during the covid spills chain issues and they had limited inventory. ❤then they would give you quite a bit more for a trade in if you bought one of the more costly bikes like the special and limited.
Oh yeah don't buy a cheaper new Harley and dump a butt ton of money in it... spend 5K to save 2K and you still don't have what you want.