Going from a yamaha 650 to a 08 heritage softail
#21
06-10-2013 | 11:46 PM
Be prepared, if you're anything like me you'll buy a Harley as soon as you can after test riding it! I had a '12 kawi 900 told the wife I just wanted to look at some Harley's, I put money down about 15 minutes after the test ride! Still trying to make that up to the wifey!!
#24
06-11-2013 | 05:40 AM
Cruiser
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
The 08 is a good year. Make sure you get a deal though, and watchout for high mileage. Harleys can lead to financial ruin. My wife is in banking and was told in training that Harley riders tend to let the house go before their bike! Dont be a fool. Enjoy that Heritage! Harley dont make keyboards and guitars, they make ONE thing, thats Motorcycles!
#25
06-11-2013 | 07:06 AM
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 30
From: Rochester, NY
I went from a Yamaha XJ700 to a Sofatail Custom back in 06 and have never looked back.
The only thing that really spooked me about the Harley was the overall weight change and the fact that I couldn't make it turn around in my own driveway.
Fact it, its a bigger, longer, and heavier bike.
You won't be able to throw it around the way you can a shorter, lighter 650 in parking lots.
But get it out on the road and holy crap its a nicer ride.
Especially when your riding two up.
My old Yamaha could handle me and the wife, but it was a strain and I never liked the way it handled at higher speeds with both of us on it.
My Harley barely notices there's an extra body aboard and is rock solid well past any kind of common sense riding speeds.
One 'con' if you can call it that, is that the low end torque of a Harley is something that needs to be respected and taken into consideration.
When ever you come out of a turn with your Yamaha is was no big thing to crank the throttle hard while you were still leaned over.
With the smaller engine it had there was very little issue with over powering the rear wheel below 3 or 4K RPM.
Try that with a Harley at 2K rpm and you'll find out it has a ton of low end power and on uneven or smooth tar strips and the rear wheel can get a little loose on you.
Scared the crap out of me the first time it skipped sideways over some tar strips on me.
Have fun, your wife is going to love riding on the back so much she may end up with her own Hog.
The only thing that really spooked me about the Harley was the overall weight change and the fact that I couldn't make it turn around in my own driveway.
Fact it, its a bigger, longer, and heavier bike.
You won't be able to throw it around the way you can a shorter, lighter 650 in parking lots.
But get it out on the road and holy crap its a nicer ride.
Especially when your riding two up.
My old Yamaha could handle me and the wife, but it was a strain and I never liked the way it handled at higher speeds with both of us on it.
My Harley barely notices there's an extra body aboard and is rock solid well past any kind of common sense riding speeds.
One 'con' if you can call it that, is that the low end torque of a Harley is something that needs to be respected and taken into consideration.
When ever you come out of a turn with your Yamaha is was no big thing to crank the throttle hard while you were still leaned over.
With the smaller engine it had there was very little issue with over powering the rear wheel below 3 or 4K RPM.
Try that with a Harley at 2K rpm and you'll find out it has a ton of low end power and on uneven or smooth tar strips and the rear wheel can get a little loose on you.
Scared the crap out of me the first time it skipped sideways over some tar strips on me.
Have fun, your wife is going to love riding on the back so much she may end up with her own Hog.
#26
06-11-2013 | 09:23 AM
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 647
Likes: 7
From: Corning, Ohio
Some say that because of the balanced motors that aer in the Heritage, they have a buzz when at speed, or maybe a little above. I still have my '08 non-anniversary model as well a an '09 Electra Glide Ultra Classic.I have often times wondered and asked the dealership why they didn't put the balanced motor in other models but got no credible answer. Their balanced motor will sit in the frame and be rock solid at idle while the other motors would shake themselves out from under the tank if they weren't bolted and strapped down. Not many cons to that model bike. Have fun, enjoy and remember, you're only one wrong turn away from your next greatest adventure.
#27
06-11-2013 | 12:05 PM
The 08 is a good year. Make sure you get a deal though, and watchout for high mileage. Harleys can lead to financial ruin. My wife is in banking and was told in training that Harley riders tend to let the house go before their bike! Dont be a fool. Enjoy that Heritage! Harley dont make keyboards and guitars, they make ONE thing, thats Motorcycles!
#28
06-11-2013 | 12:15 PM
I went from a Yamaha XJ700 to a Sofatail Custom back in 06 and have never looked back.
The only thing that really spooked me about the Harley was the overall weight change and the fact that I couldn't make it turn around in my own driveway.
Fact it, its a bigger, longer, and heavier bike.
You won't be able to throw it around the way you can a shorter, lighter 650 in parking lots.
But get it out on the road and holy crap its a nicer ride.
Especially when your riding two up.
My old Yamaha could handle me and the wife, but it was a strain and I never liked the way it handled at higher speeds with both of us on it.
My Harley barely notices there's an extra body aboard and is rock solid well past any kind of common sense riding speeds.
One 'con' if you can call it that, is that the low end torque of a Harley is something that needs to be respected and taken into consideration.
When ever you come out of a turn with your Yamaha is was no big thing to crank the throttle hard while you were still leaned over.
With the smaller engine it had there was very little issue with over powering the rear wheel below 3 or 4K RPM.
Try that with a Harley at 2K rpm and you'll find out it has a ton of low end power and on uneven or smooth tar strips and the rear wheel can get a little loose on you.
Scared the crap out of me the first time it skipped sideways over some tar strips on me.
Have fun, your wife is going to love riding on the back so much she may end up with her own Hog.
The only thing that really spooked me about the Harley was the overall weight change and the fact that I couldn't make it turn around in my own driveway.
Fact it, its a bigger, longer, and heavier bike.
You won't be able to throw it around the way you can a shorter, lighter 650 in parking lots.
But get it out on the road and holy crap its a nicer ride.
Especially when your riding two up.
My old Yamaha could handle me and the wife, but it was a strain and I never liked the way it handled at higher speeds with both of us on it.
My Harley barely notices there's an extra body aboard and is rock solid well past any kind of common sense riding speeds.
One 'con' if you can call it that, is that the low end torque of a Harley is something that needs to be respected and taken into consideration.
When ever you come out of a turn with your Yamaha is was no big thing to crank the throttle hard while you were still leaned over.
With the smaller engine it had there was very little issue with over powering the rear wheel below 3 or 4K RPM.
Try that with a Harley at 2K rpm and you'll find out it has a ton of low end power and on uneven or smooth tar strips and the rear wheel can get a little loose on you.
Scared the crap out of me the first time it skipped sideways over some tar strips on me.
Have fun, your wife is going to love riding on the back so much she may end up with her own Hog.
#30
06-11-2013 | 08:28 PM
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 30
From: Rochester, NY
A few years back I learned to ride on a 1200 custom. To much torque. I had a little health issue for awhile then my oldest son showed interest so I bought 2 Yamaha 650's. Now I'm ready to get on a bigger bike. I'm 53 and past the mid life crisis thing. I just want to ride when I can and have fun.
And according to my wife, its a fair bet I won't live long enough to get there.
