I would say why trade unless you want a diferent model and are not happy with the one you have. I have a 2000 maxima with 126,000 miles on it and it runs and looks as good as the day I bought it. I had a 1991 sporty that I sold to my brother becauseI finally could afford my Heritage that I wanted since 1991! I will keep it until it dies and when it does I will have the engine rebuilt. Harleys are not like cars other then mechanical diferences the Heritage softail looks the same now as it did when it came out in 1985! In 10 years it will still look the same so I might as well just keep adding bling to it. I don't do any cross country touring so I have no reason to buy a Glide.

 

I'm with keep them forever unless they become unreliable.
One extra thought, with the EPA jumping all over stuff at some point, 1 year or 10 years, the older bikes may be worth more than the new ones will be with all the possible future restrictions.

 

At the risk of sounding old and preachy - years of thinking that "newer is better" passed beforeI realized thatevery purchase made the dealera lot more happythan me. My"keep it forever or trade it" decisions areNOWbased onhow much I enjoya machine's realiability, performance and appearance - in that order - and not on what anyone else thinks.

Consequently, I am content to "keep forever"a 98 FXSTC and an 01 FLHRCI whose combined value might allow for a newbike purchase but which provide me with more enjoyment than any single bike that I can imagine.

 

thats some fantastic retail value. a stock deuce is like $15000 no? heck, sounds like he _made_ $2k, not including add-ons. you just cant lose money on a harley.

 

keep it forever

 

If I did trade, it would be for an older bike not a new one. I want a 1947 FL for my next one. The year I was born.

 

As long as it's the size/model you want - keep it as long as possible...especially if you've put a lot of money into getting it customized.

 

When my 05 Fatty is paid for, I'll buy another. I will then have two. When that is paid for, I'll buy another. I will then have three. When that is paid for, I'll buy another. I will then have four. When that is paid for, I'll buy another. I will then have five. When that is paid for, I'll buy another. I will then have six. When that is paid for, I'll buy another. I will then have seven. When that is paid for, I'll buy another. I will then have eight. When that is paid for, I'll buy another.

Somewhere in the middle of this I will either go broke, get rich from selling all these old bikes, or die.

 

I wish I had my first Harley otday, a 1980 Fat Bob Superglide in black. Though I've been though a gaggle of them - I am now riding a Street Bob. I guess the more things chamge - the more they staty the same.

Despite the rhetoric, they;re not investmentds - they're motorcycles. You oculd get a better financial return by putting your money into a bank, but you would not have near as much fun!

 

Nice Bike. I have a picture of my bike at the same place ( the summer white house Plymouth Notch VT). I would keep it.

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