View Poll Results: Too old or Good Deal?
Too Old, dont want the headaches
9
52.94%
Seems like a good deal, go check it out
8
47.06%
Voters: 17. You may not vote on this poll
NooB - First bike purchase help
#1
03-06-2012, 09:28 AM
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Chicago
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NooB - First bike purchase help
Hello all,
I am in the market for my first bike, and I know I want a Harley. I've riden my fathers for awhile now, and I want my own. My budget, however, is not very Harley friendly, and I'm at around $5-6k. This leaves me to sportsters, which I do like anyways being 5'7" 165lbs, or older dyna or softtail models. Please save the "sportsters are chick bikes", or "you should start off on a smaller metric bike". I know I want a Harley, and I dont think sportsters are chick bikes.
So, I have been doing a lot of looking around, and I come across alot of bikes similiar to the one below:
http://peoria.craigslist.org/mcy/2834456014.html
At first glance, this FXR cosmetically is what I am looking for, and it is right in my price range. It seems to be in pretty good shape with not many miles. However, I am concerned with the fact that it is over 25 years old, almost as old as me. It looks to be in good shape, but what should I expect if I were to purchase a bike this old? Should I expect to have to put $1,000 into replacement seals and gaskets in the engine?(I wouldn't know how to do this myself) Should I expect to have to perform constant maintenance to keep her running? I am just kind of wondering, how old is too old for someone like me who is not a mechanic, and what should I realistically expect to have to do to it if I were to buy it?
Thank you in advance for the help, I really appreciate it.
I am in the market for my first bike, and I know I want a Harley. I've riden my fathers for awhile now, and I want my own. My budget, however, is not very Harley friendly, and I'm at around $5-6k. This leaves me to sportsters, which I do like anyways being 5'7" 165lbs, or older dyna or softtail models. Please save the "sportsters are chick bikes", or "you should start off on a smaller metric bike". I know I want a Harley, and I dont think sportsters are chick bikes.
So, I have been doing a lot of looking around, and I come across alot of bikes similiar to the one below:
http://peoria.craigslist.org/mcy/2834456014.html
At first glance, this FXR cosmetically is what I am looking for, and it is right in my price range. It seems to be in pretty good shape with not many miles. However, I am concerned with the fact that it is over 25 years old, almost as old as me. It looks to be in good shape, but what should I expect if I were to purchase a bike this old? Should I expect to have to put $1,000 into replacement seals and gaskets in the engine?(I wouldn't know how to do this myself) Should I expect to have to perform constant maintenance to keep her running? I am just kind of wondering, how old is too old for someone like me who is not a mechanic, and what should I realistically expect to have to do to it if I were to buy it?
Thank you in advance for the help, I really appreciate it.
#3
03-06-2012, 10:00 AM
Grand HDF Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oklahoma
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Welcome to the hdforum from Oklahoma.
Hey it's a bike and there is nothing wrong with going to look at it and seeing just what kind of condition that is in.
Hey it's a bike and there is nothing wrong with going to look at it and seeing just what kind of condition that is in.
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#10
03-06-2012, 11:25 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
That is your answer right there. You could get a 4 year old 883 for your money, good enough to learn on and new enough to be reliable, spending everything on an old bike when you know you cannot afford to have it worked on and cannot work on it yourself is a good way to lose your money.