Does anybody own a harley?

[Titbit21]

I'm sure not to many people here will like my question, but i been considering on buying a harley. Nothing too expensive, im only looking to spend $6000, but i dont want a sportster. So with my lack of funds, im probably getting a older one. Is there any i should avoid? I would ask a harley person this, but some people have to much pride to give a straight answer. So any advice would be great.

[jwhughes3]

i dont own one

but from those ive ridden here is my opinion:

avoid sportster like plague for comfort cruising.

dyna or softtail frames will likely make a more comfortable cruiser. personally the Fat Bob has been the best one yet IMHO. Large front tires absorb road bumps and 1500cc engine has gobs of power.

6k means Fat Bob is too new most likely...but there are Dynas out there in the range.


Show us what you get - we like them all - you will take ribbing, but its your fun time.

john

[DGXSER]

Depending how old your looking to go, I would avoid the AMF years. That is not from personal experience, only from what I have heard.

[old_chopper]

I have two and love them both. $6000 is getting close to a V-rod. Some folks love them, others hate them. I've got an '03 and I think it is awesome. Of course I'm not the "typical" harley rider, I also dig old metric bikes. If you like the XS's the V-rod might be a good fit. It's fast, doesn't vibrate, and it's fast.

[MrOzz]

Depending how old your looking to go, I would avoid the AMF years. That is not from personal experience, only from what I have heard.

Thats is correct. Avoid the AMF years. Hard to get parts for and there are other issues.

[psycoreefer]

Do you want a "harley" or a cruiser? All the brands have had "cruiser" type bikes from about 1980 or so, I used to own a honda shadow and it was a great bike, similar style but less weight, and more power than a comparable harley. Plus many of the metric brand crusiers don't demand the "prestige" price that a harley does.

I don't have anything against harleys, just wanted to point out that you might be able to get metric cruiser for less money.

[Titbit21]

Yes i had heard the amf years are poor in quality, and a sportster just seems not right for cruising. Does anyone here own AMF years harley? I am most likely looking for a dyna, but i didnt know vrods are that cheap. If i can find a good one i might go that direction. Fast is fun! All in all i want a laid back cruiser.

Do you want a "harley" or a cruiser? All the brands have had "cruiser" type bikes from about 1980 or so, I used to own a honda shadow and it was a great bike, similar style but less weight, and more power than a comparable harley. Plus many of the metric brand crusiers don't demand the "prestige" price that a harley does.

Yes i am wanting a harley. More or less an experiment to see why people like them. I have owned metric my whole life, but my problem with them is the resale value. If i buy a decent harley for the money and i dont like it, there is a good chance i could get my money back selling it and get a nice metric cruiser.

[tom clisham]

Fxr!

Find yourself a nice FXR EVOLUTION model. The best bike ever made by HD.
You'll be shopping right in your price range. There are tons of parts for all the HDs available (including AMFs) at swaps as well as ebay.

But check out the FXR has many good features of a rice burner in design, but that geat HD sound. If you want the big HD look, you can buy a front end at a swap & change it out in an hour. All HD front ends interchange from about 48 till 03 or so, except the Vrod

I've had 4 HDs, but still like the xs1100 best

[oldyam80sg]

I had a neighbor who had several AMF Harleys and they leaked oil more than my Jeep!But my Jeep can be fixed.

[jetmechmarty]

In 1984, one of my friends had a shovelhead. It was a 1980 Low Rider, IIRC. It had a hand print in the paint on the tank from the factory. He bought the bike new, or nearly so, in Saudi Arabia and brought it back with him. His ignition used to shut off at highway speed, the cylinders would load up with fuel, then BOOM! it would light off again. It seems his headlight was always burning out too.

We lived near Daytona Beach and commuted to work down at Kennedy Space Center. It was a pretty good ride every morning. Dave on his Harley and me on my XS650. Dave was a real Harley biker. He rode all the time and looked the part. He had to wear a tie to work, but that stuff was covered up in leather, all but the dress shoes. He used saddlebags as his briefcase.

One night Dave calls and asks me to meet him at the bike shop in the morning and give him a ride to work. I'm sure he meant for me to pick him up in the car. Yep, I picked him up on the Yamaha (I knew he'd be properly dressed.) and made him ride "bitch". His work was five miles further down the road than mine, so I graciously gave him my XS650 YAMAHA do drive the rest of the way to work.

I never let him live that one down. If I ever locate him again, I'll be sure to remind him of that day. After all that, the Harley still wasn't or didn't stay fixed!

[Shacknasty]

I have an '82 Ironhead Sportster and love it for short runs, blasting down the fire roads and running around town. It's kinda loud and the valve train makes a racket and the thing shakes enough at idle that I swear the front wheel dances at stoplights. It's rough and ragged and a lot of fun. I wouldn't want to ride it across the country unless I had to.

Here she is the way she looked last year. I'm doing a little cosmetic work right now...



I also have a '76 FX that got customized back in the late Seventies. It was bored and stroked so it is a little hot rod. These old Shovelheads aren't for everybody, but I like doing a little wrenching and actually enjoy routine maintenance of my old motorcycles.

[mrdigitech]

Yup

My Brother, once hardly mechanic and now service manager, always tells me the Dyna's are the smothest ride (aside of a huge bagger) and the FXR is probably the best they every built.

[BA80]

You don't OWN a Harley........the Harley OWNS YOU!!!!!!

[jwhughes3]

Isn't that also true...

of the XS1100?


John

[T99Ford]

I got a Heritage softail at the start of this summer, and I reallly, really enjoy this bike for what it is--laid back cruiser. Comfortable, lots of room, plenty of weight to keep it up in the wind, etc. Power is not like on the XS1100, as well as much less cornering room, so that takes some getting used to. This bike drives with an attitude much more akin to driving a car. You can go 45 mph and still feel good about it!

Even though it may defy logic, also get used to a much larger and enthusiastic group of fellow riders. It seems that for whatever anyone says, Harleys are just more popular...

my bike: