That's the truth brother...I've never been financially smart, but I make up for it in pure fun.

 

I understand. It was the same way here (and everywhere else that I looked) up until a couple of years ago.

I had to enter a drawing to get my Fat Boy back in '95, and paid $2000 over sticker. That bike held most of it's value until HD upped their production and bikes started to appear in numbers on the showroom floor. I suppose the best part is those dealers that treated everyone like sh*t during the lean years can't hardly give a bike away. People remember those things.

What goes around.......

 

Supply and demand.

10 yrs ago you had to wait a year to get your HD from the factory.

Today you can walk into just about any dealer and pick your bike off the showroom floor.

HD is no longer an investment - it's a hobby.

Either keep the bike or cut your losses. If you are persistent selling it locally you MAY be able to get 17-18k for it. More likely is 16k.

 

In 2000 I went into the local dealer for a new superglide and he flat told me give me a $2500 deposite and we'll call you in 6 months if it comes in. The 12 bikes on the showroom floor that were all winter storage from private owners and nothing new to sell. I went in a couple of weeks ago and they must have 25 or thirty new bikes waiting to be sold. And the salesman had a much better attitude.

I also remmember the AMF years I had a 75 Superglide at the time and it marked its spot everywhere we went.

Sarge

 

04RoadKing....my Glide may only have 3000 miles on it, and it may seem as though I bought it to "look cool", but I have to ask....do the milesI have on my 74 Ironhead rigid and up till last year the miles on my 96 Heritage Softail count? If being a colector of Harley's makes me want to "look cool" I guess I am guilty, but not riding a lot of miles.....well, the many roads I have travelled may disagree with you. Do you think the Street Glide may feel left out?

 

That's an invalid point b/c you WON'T spend that much on a metric unless it's a Gold Wing and they seem to hold there value fairly well.....maybe not as good as Harleys but not horrible. I got $13K for my '04 Wing with 34K miles on it which I bought new for $17K.
If you buy used Metrics....you're looking at maybe $10K for new VTX or Roadliner....new about $12K......yeah they depreciate faster but you're not dropping nearly $20K on one to begin with.....plus that just makes getting a used one a better deal.

So yeah Metrics in general depreciate more but you're shelling out thousands less to begin with.....it's almost relative.

 

Yeah your other scoots do count in my book,[sm=imsorry.gif] my bad. I wan't aware of your others.
The winters here in Iowa Suck two. Sorry Bro....

 

HD is flooding the market with new bikes and riders of 'em keep buying new ones and flood the used market with their trade-ins...All over this site it's quite common to read posts that say:

"Just brought home my new scoot !!!" "The stealer gave me jacksheet for my '06 HD what-ever-ya-call-it with hardley any miles on it,that I bought before I actually had a motorcycle license......But that's ok !!! I love my new ride !!!"

(until they get tired of it and trade it in for another new one)

 

Didn't have time to read all the responses so I apologize if this was already mentioned but have you inquired about selling your bike through a dealer on a consignment basis?

Maybe they could take $500 off the sales price as commission then make their $ by financing your used bike sale.

Just a thought.

Primo

 

I have come to the conclusion.........I am just keeping her. I'll do the rare thing and actually keep it instead of making her part of the reason the market is what it is right now. I won't flood the used Harley market with another one, hell, the more I look at her, the less I want to actually get rid of her, anyway. If I did I would probably feel like I sold an old friend down the river. There may be bigger motors, better trannys, fancier color selections, upgraded features year after year after year but the point is......this one is mine....and I just can't bring myself to let her go. Especially under the current conditions. I'll just keep saddling up and riding.....let the yearly trader-uppers do what they will I guess. Thanks to all for your great inputs and thoughts..........