Buying the Cheapest Harley-Davidson at a Dealership
Just under three grand gets you a chromed-out, custom-painted Sportster chopper you wouldn’t be ashamed to own.
When you buy a used motorcycle from a dealership, you’ve got options for easy financing and, generally, some recourse if the bike ends up being a total dud. There are quite a few benefits to buying a used motorcycle from a dealership, but price certainly isn’t one of them. It’s no secret that you can save quite a bit of money by buying a motorcycle from a private seller instead.
With that said, there are still some deals to be found. In this video from the excellent motorcycle vlogger Shadetree Surgeon, we tag along on a visit to Bert’s Barracuda Harley-Davidson in Clearwater, Florida. Talk about a cool name for a dealership.
Bert’s Barracuda apparently stocks a lot of budget-minded bikes. These are great for folks who are just getting started or those who just want to enjoy motorcycling on the cheap. Let’s find out what happens when you buy the cheapest motorcycle the dealership has. It’s usually a metric bike, but in this case, it’s a chopper/bobber style 883 Sportster for just $2,900.
It’s All About the Vibe
The lace green paintjob, chrome, and overall attitude of the bike reminds us of classic ’70s choppers we’ve seen. It’s an exceptionally cool bike, despite its low price and low displacement. We certainly wouldn’t be ashamed to ride this bike to our favorite watering hole for a round of pool. At under three grand, you’ll have plenty left over for a basket of hot wings. You might feel inclined to splurge for the pretzels, too.
Unlike some Harley-Davidson elitists, Shadetree Surgeon loves Sportsters. For him, it’s all about versatility. You can make a Sportster look like anything you want it to. Bobber, tracker, chopper, cafe racer – you name it, the Sportster can pull it off and look great doing it. Want to change the style? With the right parts and a weekend of work, you can totally transform the look and feel of your Sportster.
He also points out that you can convert an 883 to a 1200 for about $1500 in that same weekend. You could wind up with a bike that looks great, sounds great, and runs great for under five grand. Who said this was an expensive hobby?
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