The Honda Shadow 1100 looks an awful lot like a Wide Glide but you can pick up a good used one at a dealer for $2500. (I used to have one, traded it in on a Sportster and then the fever really got going and I bought a '98 FXDWG.) Kawasaki makes the Vulcan, Suzuki makes the Boulevard, and Yamaha makes the V-Star. These are all HD ripoffs at less than 1/2 HD prices.
Maybe it just takes people some time to realize you get what you pay for.
In the great divorce, I could not longer afford a Harley. I rode a Suzuki C50 Boulevard and I had a great time and met great friends who remain riding friends today. But they are not the same. They are a great substitute, but still a substitute. It was a happy day to walk into Harley, having saved up and pay cash and ride out on a new Road King. One of those moments when you know you have recovered from the divorce.
I never understood those who do not ride because they are saving for a Harley. Ride your ride, the Harley will come when you are ready. Whether divorce, too many kids, or loss of job, I even rode a $200 Honda that I bought at a garage sale before the C50, as I had a house, but no furniture for several years. It is not what you ride, but that you have the desire to ride and make it happen.
I think motorcycles are being used for cheap transportation for younger people who can't afford Harley's and those in their 20's and 30's see them as recreational vehicles. There is plenty of competition for recreation vehicles though when you want a motorcycle, a boat, an RV, etc... a lot of my friends just buy dirt bikes and don't want to buy an expensive street bike just to have it sit for 5 months in the winter when they can have plenty of fun on a dirt bike at 1/4 of the cost and still be able to get a four wheeler, a boat, and a camper.
In the great divorce, I could not longer afford a Harley. I rode a Suzuki C50 Boulevard and I had a great time and met great friends who remain riding friends today. But they are not the same. They are a great substitute, but still a substitute. It was a happy day to walk into Harley, having saved up and pay cash and ride out on a new Road King. One of those moments when you know you have recovered from the divorce.
I never understood those who do not ride because they are saving for a Harley. Ride your ride, the Harley will come when you are ready. Whether divorce, too many kids, or loss of job, I even rode a $200 Honda that I bought at a garage sale before the C50, as I had a house, but no furniture for several years. It is not what you ride, but that you have the desire to ride and make it happen.
Well said, and The Great Divorcesounds like an understatement. I'm glad to see you recovered nicely. The Road King purchase day must have been special indeed.
the cost of a new harley is way to much for what you get. and the quality is not there. most dealers suck and everything there is overpriced. why pay more when you can go aftermarket and get a better product ? harley lets the same problems go on from year to year without ever fixing them.
First off, when I was younger I rode only pocket rockets and BMWs. Truth be told, Harleys are NOT more expansive if you are an educated buyer and locate the invoice pricing on these bikes. I can compare any like bike to a Harley and negotiate with-in price of a comparable bike. Even though on the MSRP end they may seem more expensive. No other manufacture maintains the huge mark-ups Harley does. One other factor you are forgetting. Resale value. Harley hold their value better then most ride out there. If you buy it right and not pay full MSRP I guarantee you will sell it right too. Try that with a Gold Wing or any of the Jap machines. Even Triumphs and BMWs don't hold a candle to Harley trade values.
Second, I always had this idea before buying my first Harley in 2015 that Harleys were junk. To be honest BMWs have way more technical problems then Harley's. Don't even get me started about one person who talked about Ducati sales up. They are worse then BMWs. I know from first hand experience thats not true. They may not be as reliable as a Honda or Yamaha but they are not the worse either.
Third, most Harley Dealerships suck??? Really??? Thats was one of the main factors that sold me on a Harley a second time around. loved my dealer and every other Harley dealer I ever did service with. They are everywhere and roll out the red carpet when I go in for service. Go to a Honda, Kawasaki, BMW Triumph or Ducati dealership. If you are lucky to find one with-in hour ride. They usually sell so many other brands your nothing more then a number there. Most of their dealerships lack style and the people there have high turnover. They are the ones that suck not Harley Dealerships. Harley is second to none period!
Look, before I bought my first Harley in 2015 I drank the cool aid all the BMW people were talking. They made fun of Harley's and Harley drivers. I did not even plan on buying a Harley back in 2015 when I stopped into a Dealership. I figured I visited every other manufacture and would make one last stop before I went and bought my new BMW 1200 RT at that time. Well when I was there I started to understand. Then I took an Ultra Limited out for a spin and that was the end. I WAS HOOKED!
I still ran out and tried everything from everyone else when I just picked up my second Harley (2018 Street Glide Special) but came back to the dealership that did right by me and bought another Harley. I can't explain why I love these bikes so much! All I know is they put a smile on my face and make my wife happy. Much more so then any other type of bike I ever owned.
BMW R1200rt. Not everyone’s choice, but it works for me.
Great Bike!
My second favorite love is BMW. I had a 1150RT and was considering against a 1600 GTL. I loved the GTL but love the Harley more. The problems I have with BMW at the moment is their failure to better integrate the GPS system. Its too primitive for that bike. The Cost, the 1600 GTL would have cost me much more then an Ultra Limited and was simply not as comfortable for me. You can easily negotiate an Ultra Limited from 27k down to 23.5K for brand new bike. GTL with all the options I want only has about 2k markup so I would get it at 27k. The BMW dealer network just sucks in my area. And as much as I like the BMW, it just does not put a smile on my face like the Harley does. Well that and my wife hates them.
I still love BMWs but rather have a Harley now I am in my 40s.
Its not just Harley Davidson it the hole motorcycle Industry we know were paying for the name put the new riders cant afford them. Plus in todays life style there way more to do out there and riding is a dangerous hoppy not what it use to be.
01-26-2018 | 08:21 PM
