Been reading a bunch of posts for a couple weeks now (new member). I find it facinating the number of people with "new" bikes. The overwhelming majority of signitures and tag lines mention 07, 08, and even 09 bikes. I just recently bought a used (2002) dyna with 13K miles on it and put another 1000 on it in the past month.

So I guess my question is... what kind of mileage can one expect from a Harley before it's time to trade/retire it? Is it pretty much like a car in that I can expect 100K miles on it? Assuming regular maintenance, and such.

All that said, you guys with brand new bikes are either really lucky or really in debt. Please take no offense, I'm just envious.

 

The debt part sounds right. Also it was easier to buy new then to buy used.

 

Well.....Harleys are the kind of things that will last forever if you take care of it. The after-market is deep, as is the knowledge-base.

I'm one of those guys who bought a new Harley (actually two--my wife's also). Financing actually works for me. I paid enough of a down payment and got a good rate that costs me well below what my money earns in interest in other accounts. If I bought them outright, I would have lost money on potential interest earned *and* taken a hit on depreciation.

Don't get me wrong, we got our bikes because we like to ride 'em, but since there are a few approaches to purchasing one, I went with the one that cost me the least over the next five years.

 

The Debt part is right on, you hit the hail on the head, But there are two things that I will never again buy used, one is a bike and the other is a boat, you never know what you are getting buying someone elses junk.

 

Well, I got the Dyna from a guy who wanted to buy a Road King. Which, by the way, is another trend I'm seeing alot. People trading in their Dyna's for RK's. Maybe that'll happen to me someday but for now, this Dyna puts a big smile on my face every time I hit the highway.

 

Guys I ride with put a lot of miles on their bikes, with many of them having well over 100,000 miles on the original engines and transmissions.

The TC's are very sturdy engines, and if taken care of you can even expect 100,000 trouble free miles out of the BT EVO's.

Of course, like anything else, if you take care of a bike, don't 'beat on it' all the time, and perform regular maintenance, it will have a better chance for a long life than a bike that has been neglected and abused.

 

Hey dope man. I like that seat you got, and your bars. What kind are they?

 

I decided to buy new when I saw the market eating up my life savings and realized that I could take a few grand out myself and have something to show for it instead of losses. Probably not sound investing policy, but I said "screw it"!

 

Righton with the "someone elses junk" comment.

I've been shopping for a year for a used HD. Just for a second bike. Man, between all the mods and $$ asked for, I felt it was just best to pick up a new one and not worry about a damned thing. I pulled out the "shot up Jarhead" line and got a good price, so i was happy. Money makes the world go around, after the ride atleast.

I've put over 200kmiles on ST's without a hitch and hopefully the HD will get me 1/2way there.

 

I only buy new and only the best.......But then I'm stinkin rich and money grows on trees out here where I live..........


But seriously.....Can anyone lend me 10 bucks till Friday?