Ok guys, I really need some advice here. I'm having a lot of trouble deciding if I want to sell my 94 and buy a newer lower milage bike or start working on this one.
Here's why I'm thinking about selling. Its a 94 FLHTCU with 33,000 miles. It gets bad gas milage (low to mid 30's), it has started leaking a little oil, it uses a quart of oil every 1000 to 1500 miles, the black is really starting to come off the motor (looks kinda bad), the seat is just starting to wear thu and the motor is starting to get a little noisy in the top end. Other than that the bike is great. It rides good, it looks good and for the most part it runs good. It has taken us a lot of miles and on a lot of great unforgetable trips. I guess I'm kind of attached to it, which is weird, I've never been attached to one of my other bikes. They were all just pieces of equiptment.
But we have a lot of trips planned for next summer and I don't want to be stranded on the road. I went to a shop last Saturday to see approx. how much it would cost to rebuild the top end. They told me around $1500 to do it right. Does that figure sound about right? I just don't know if I want to put that much money in it when I'm thinking about another one. I've also thought about my son and I doing the work ourselves. I've worked on a lot of tractors, trucks and jap bikes but never a harley.

Help! Any input ya'll can give would be greatly appriciated.

 

That's a tough question Teamroper40...

1 that will take some soul searching.

Only you know weather she's woreout and needs the repairs.
What's to say you wouldn't have problems with a new 1... crap happens.

Is $1,500 a lot of money, maybe/maybe not... but worth it if you don't want to do the work yourself.

Keep us informed.

 

believe me, Soul searching is what I've been doing the last couple of months. I do pretty good until I go to a dealership. Then I get to thinking about it again.

Thanks for the reply.

 

Well stay out of the dealership!!! Spend the 1500 and keep your baby with you. If after another year of good riding and you stilll got that "New Bike" bug then go for it or better yet, let your son have it and then ride together, this way the bike is still in the family!!!!

 

Thanks for the advice Striker. I try to stay out of the dealerships as much as possibable. But then the next thing I know I'm in there buying something for the bike. I guess it's lucky that the nearest dealership is 60 miles away or I'd be there more. As soon as it warms up a bit I'm going to ride there today and do some Christmas shopping.

My son's only 20 and and doesn't want anything to do with a big bagger. He rides a kawasaki but I'm trying to convert him.


I guess one thing I'm asking is If I spend a couple thousand on the old bike will it be dependable to go on a 4 or 5 thousand mile trip without worry.

 

The fear is the worry in itself.

New 1's break down too.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: Ironhead

The fear is the worry in itself.


Wow that's deep. But your right.

We took a 3400 mile trip on this bike in July. Had no idea where were going or if we would get there. Or if the bike would make it alright. Looking back, thats what turned our trip into an adventure. Made it great, not a minutes trouble.

 

Well, Harleys are prob one of the simplist mechanical applications out there. You can get a big bore kit (cylinders, pistons, cam), everything to do the top end with for around $800 dollars. Your mileage really isnt all that high, so if you like the bike, spending a little money on it would work in your favor being that replacing the bike would be far more expensive. Good luck.

 

Well I went and did it! Ordered a new 05 Ultra yesterday. It should be he in Feb. I did a lot of thinking on this one. Road to the local dealership last Satruday just to see how they would trade. They really suprised me. They are giving me more that I paid for the bike over a year ago and they are throwing in a Stage one kit, remaping the computer and told me to pick out any exhaust I wanted.
Another thing that helped me make up my mind is where I work we make the exhaust for most Harley models. I got the protype parts for the 06 Dyna's in this week. They have added sensors to the header pipe just as it comes out of the head.
Just thought I'd get a new one before they all kinds of junk on them.

Thanks for all the advice

 

WOW!

I was on an emotional roller coaster as I went through that email. I was going to tell you that $1500 is cheaper than a new one, but was going to throw in that peace of mind is priceless.

Sounds to me like you made the right decision, the tone of your latest post tells me you did.

Congrats! Hope you get miles of smiles from this one as well.

Mac