Harleys and other cruiser motorcycles

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Michelle Widell

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In another post some members posted their Harleys - nice bikes guys! Keep posting!



My question is... from a Harley owners perspective - the BF is afraid to buy one because someone he knows says that they have a poor service history as compared to the jap bikes. He's looked at the Suzuki Marauder, the Yamaha Vstar & Warrior, etc., but he'd really love a nice cruiser Harley. (We live in the Northern IL area, btw, so if you have a favorite dealer in this area, post it.) My opinion on the subject of "what to buy" is along the lines of why I bought a Jeep Wrangler - the availability of accessories, the community of Jeep lovers, etc. The same for the ST - if this board didn't exist, I may not of kept my ST for the almost 5 years I've owned it. I've found in the past that I have compromised and bought something "good enough", but wasn't happy with the purchase in the long run, and ended up buying what I wanted in the first place.



Bang for the buck tho - you can't seem to go wrong with a Marauder or a Warrior.. Haven't been to the Kawi dealer yet to compare them.



What do people here have? And what's your experience with the different makes? Looking at a new or a couple year-old bike here - not a classic.



Michelle
 
The newer Harleys are pretty good, not nearly as bad as they used to be. My brother-in-law has a 2000 Road King with over 70,000 miles on it (you read that right, and he lives in Ohio), he did have the engine freshened up last year as a preventative, but otherwise no problems.
 
I down own a motorcycle, but would love to have one.



One thing Harly-Davidson motorcycles have that the others lack is Class.



You just can't put a price on class.



I would not even consider anything, but a Harley.





Tom
 
I agree with JohnnyO. The older ones virtually required a tool box to go on the ride with you... LOL



With the new electronics and modules the newer Harley's are as good as anything else. It is just a matter of where you want to spend your money.



There is nothing like a Harley as far as the class goes. I think it has to do with being American more than anything else.



Personally, I could care less if mine sells. My wife would like to see it go for no other reason than I have had a life long career of risks.



I still fly 5 days a week 2 to 4 times a day. Sooo, if the bike goes she would be happier...
 
I'll start off by saying this is my opinion and if you don't like it don't read it :p



The ONLY thing that harley does better than the jap/euro manufatures is market. Harley is nothing more than a status symbol in the US. You can get WAY more features and better products with more power if you look at jap/euro.



If you've got the money look into a BMW, they are shaft drive and have cool boxer engines. Every review I've ever read about ANY BMW has been positive.



 
I'll start off by saying this is my opinion and if you don't like it don't read it
Click to expand...



I asked for opinions. :)



Do you have a motorcycle, Hoaxci5?



And honestly, I think that the "American" aspect of the Harley is one of the allures. What about resale value, etc? Would a Harley retain a higher resale value than a "look-alike" metric-cruiser?
 
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I owned a Harley back in the 70's, back when AMF owned the company and it definitely was a piece of crap. But I here they are much better today. However I believe you CAN put a price on class and HD has definitely done it. Todays Harleys are priced way to high for the common person. Only people buying them now are rich yuppies. If HD is not careful they are going to screw up their image big time. It's no longer "look at me, I'm cool because I drive a HD", but "look at me, I'm wealthy and drive a HD". HD riders are becoming like Hummer drivers , fat cats just showing off.
 
Caymen,

We agree on something!!



TomT,

It is not only yuppies buying Harleys. I've heard all that before, and still do, I won't apologize for being successful.



Michelle,

I have had both, metric and now HD, so I can and have a right to be objective. You'll probably be hit with opinions from one side or the other, that has only had one type. I choose what I ride and am not swayed at all by cost either way.



The metric I had (Kawasaki Classic) was cheaply made. You get what you pay for. Cheap fit. Cheap finish. Cheap chrome. I live near a big salt water pond, and it would degrade a little everytime I rode down A1A. I had it for 5 years until I realized I was fooling myself, I could do better. Again, this was my experience and doesn't mean you wouldn't have a positive experience with a metric.



Metric cruisers are fairly new to the game, and they all are cloning off of Harley's (and Indian, to be precise) long standing line of v-twin cruisers in appearance and halfway in performance.



For HD reliability, a new motor came out in ~2000. It is called the Twin Cam 88, at 1450 cc.

Two configurations the "A" model (unbalanced motor, rubber mounted to frame) and the "B" model (balanced motor, no shakey at idle, hard mounted to frame) The TC88's have proven to be tanks. Change the engine oil, chaincase oil, tranny oil every 5k and it will go almost forever. EFI is somewhat standard now, it is a new era for Harley engineering.



Hope this helps some.

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I do own a motorcycle it is my second, however I ride sportbikes. If I had disposible income I would also have a cruiser but I'm still fairly young (24).



Harleys will hold their resale value better than a both imports, but euro will typically be higher than jap. Say you buy an import for 8k and a harley for 10k (same year same everything) 5 years down the road you sell the the import for 5k and the harley for 8k. (just looked those prices up the first is for a 2000, and then second is for the same bike in 1995) Very similar depreciation (sp?) rate but the import is does loose it faster.



If your going to hang on to it forever the harley will be worth more in the end. But I don't buy bikes to hang on to them for the monitary valvue, I want a bike I enjoy.
 
I also forgot to mention that if this is your first bike I wouldn't spend a lot of money. Get some crapper and learn to ride then drop the coin on what you really want no matter what you decide on.
 
No, it's not his first bike (he's 45, and ridden all his life). He's owned quite a few - enough to make my head spin and I've really lost track of just which one he owned when. Right now he has a Yamaha cruiser-type bike.
 
Given a choice and an unlimited wallet, I'd take an early-50's Indian Chief. But like I said elsewhere here about the Trac, I've never wanted what everyone else has.



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For a new Harley, I'll take a Superglide, red, wire spokes. Same reason. Next year probably.



 
Michelle..I agree with chops..go with the new Harley, they are dependable and hold resale value..I had a '75 superglide it had problems at first..they were all minor..I fixed them and it was a very dependable motorcycle...despite there are some nice Metric cruisers out there for alot less, I hope to get another harley someday...
 
...and the sound. Nothing like the sound of a Harley. The imports can try, but they fail.





Tom
 
I've ridden a Victory V92C since 1999. 126,000 miles so far.



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The new Victory motorcycles are turning heads, its more than an image. I recommend test riding any of Victory models as part of your purchase process.



Dave
 
Tom,

My neighbors are very forgiving, they know I try to keep the bike quiet until I get away from the houses. I live in the country so it not very long before I can twist the trottle and let her roar. My bike doesn't have that patented sound of a Harley. but it sure sounds great to me. I do a lot of trips on my bike, I have to admit that after 6+ days on the road, as good as the bike sounds, I wish I had quieter pipes.



Dave

 
Dave,

That's a nice bike. They make good power, are very smooth, and my hat's off to you with all those miles.



I haven't owned a Victory, but the feedback I hear from present and post owners is the Polaris dealer network sucks eggs. Lack of good dealers, lack of aftermarket parts, and unknown resale value are the three main issues with owners.
 

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