How many Harley Davidson owners here?

[jasonyw]

I would like to ride one for fun.

What kind of price range should I go for?
What year range?
What about licence and insurance?
Where should I get one?
Which models?

I saw some at eBay '97 883, £3K. Is this a good buy?

Or should I forget all about it, just any Japanese bike will do?

Any advice thanks.

 

[iscaboy]

I would like to ride one for fun.

Then don't, save your money / time / life and buy something else.

Now, since the company restructured and born again bikers came to the fore, there are two sorts of HD owners, and only one of them are HD riders.

Only HD riders have a good relationship with their bike.

(shovels rule)

 

[Spinal]

My 89 year old grandmother is a HD rider (and has been since the war). If you want, I can ask her for advice... Apparently her brother rode back from Russia when the German's retreated leaving the Italians behind...

 

[jasonyw]

10 years ago it was a dream costing at least 10K, there are plenty about now costing a few K.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

If you want to ride one then do so, it's your choice.

I'd advise that you ignore elitist comments about 'real' Harley riders, it's only a bike. I don't hear comments about 'real' Mercedes drivers.

 

[Ted]

Pretty much what Iscaboy said.
Actually, I love (most) Harleys, hate the Harley thing.
Love the WLA, Fat Boy, Heritage Softail, Sportster (no NOT a poor mans Harley, but a great bike in its own right)
Hate the whole Harley marketing thing - Harley dog leads, cat bowls etc, the 'bad boy' image most Harley riders try to portray etc etc.

A few years ago, I had the choice - A Harley or this (the one on the left. The one on the right was Mrs Ted's bike)

http://www.budbrooke.com/mediac/bike/bikes3.JPG

I still have it, hasn't given me a moments trouble, and I love it. Don't regret my choice for a second.



Doesn't mean I won't have a WLA, Fat Boy, heritage softail and a V-rod in my collection when I win the lottery.
Cos I will.

 

[Deker]

I had one about 15 years ago, it will depend on what you want from the bike as to whether you'll enjoy it, they're not fast and take a lot of cleaning after any trips out but if you want a Harley 'type' bike get a Harley not a copy.

They're great if you like to tinker, there's loads of modifications to do (if you want to), BUT the modifications will cost and it gets addictive! If you do go to buy one I would recommend getting one with the extras that you want (wide glide, fat bob tanks, slash cuts, etc...) it'll save you money in the long run!

The newer ones are water cooled and have a lot more power (Porsche helped with the design) but even so without any fairing 55mph is about as much as you can do and still stay comfortable.

If you do go for an 80’s -90’s one make sure it’s an evolution one as they have fewer problems.

Insurance is usually reasonable and some insurance companies offer a discount scheme for them (Carole Nash did when I had one)

I do agree with the others though, the marketing thing makes them a bit of a joke - nothing worse than a person riding a Harley and also draped head to toe in HD leathers, patches, bandana.... you get the idea..

 

[prprandall51]

I have one - a 1991 Heritage Softail and I love it to bits. It is a completely unique riding experience and every biker should have one if there is room iin the garage.

The only note of caution is that, if you are into bikes generally, then it isn't a great bike as your only bike - it is an out-and-out pleasure tool and not at all practical for many biking trips. Having said that, I take mine for thrashes around Wales from time to time with some friends and it keeps up with faster bikes just fine on public roads.

I am surprised at the low values you are quoting - perhaps a reflection of their condition? Older Harleys don't seem to depreciate much based on their year, more so on their condition so I would check out any bike very carefully.

There is nothing specific to look out for that I am aware of - but I don't know anything about the later fuel injected bikes. Mine has a lovely old-fashioned carb and sounds glorious as a result (well that and the full-flow pipes).

If you do buy one I suggest upgrading the front brake to a billet 6-pot and fitting braided hoses and putting some decent rubber on - there are some superb tyres available nowadays that perform brilliantlly compared to the wheelbarrow tyres that are fitted as standard.

 

[Ade B]

Wasn't the 883 a relatively recent entry level HD hence the low price?

You will need a full bike license and insurance will likely be more than you pay for your car.

Harley's polarise bike types - Having finally got over the speed thing, if I ever get another bike I'd consider one but it would have to conceal dirt as cleaning motorbikes is a slow and painful chore.

Either that or something old and quirky (Moto Guzzi, old Triumph, Ducati etc.) for the odd sunny Sunday.

If you want to take up biking, the traditional advice used to be get an SV650 or suchlike and then trade up when you've worked out what you like doing with the bike. I of course ignored this advice and lost a fair bit of cash on a brand new ****e BMW F650CS which lasted 7 months before I had to change..

Also budget £1k for decent kit (gloves, helmet, jacket, pants and boots). If you buy cheap stuff, you end up replacing it quickly (speaking again from experience).




Ade

 

[flango]

If you want to ride an armchair buy a Harley, If you want to ride a bike for fun as in your OP then don't buy a Harley. I have stopped riding these days but my last bike was a Yamaha 1100 far more fun than HD IMHO

 

[markjay]

My cousin got one which he brought with him from the States where he bought it... as far as I know it is still locked-up in his garage as he didn't license/tax/insure it yet in the UK.

 

[markjay]

If you want to ride an armchair buy a Harley, If you want to ride a bike for fun as in your OP then don't buy a Harley. I have stopped riding these days but my last bike was a Yamaha 1100 far more fun than HD IMHO

When I was a young lad.... the saying went that 'God rides a Bimota'. Not that anyone I knew at the time could actually afford one... Kawasaki Ninjas where the order for the day for mere mortals, and I am happy to see that this model name still lives-on 20 years later

 

[iscaboy]

I rode 4 speed shovels all over, when I say all over I mean from nipping out for a pint of milk to trips to the limits of europe, never broke down, never had anything but a great time.

raced guys on ZX11's from here to Athens, and won, and got 70 mpg. (44t rear sprocket)

 

[swannymere]

Otherwise known as Hardly Ablesons, known for the ****e brakes and oil leaks. And that's from a Ducati owner!!!

 

[jasonyw]

I have a Vespa and Lambretta as a young lad not a matter of choice as couldn't afford a car at that time and therefore know something about maintaining bikes. Family and work commitment, I didn't have the time and now whoopee I am free of any family and work commitment. Now the time to indulge to spend all the money I got as a passion.

Did envy some guys in a group from Glasgow having fun in the Blackwater area of Perthshire on one Sunday two years ago.

Thanks for all those who responded.

 

[prprandall51]

Harley Davison: I would like to ride one for fun.

Then don't, save your money / time / life and buy something else.

I rode 4 speed shovels all over ... never had anything but a great time.

Presumably by "shovels" you mean the Harley Davison Shovel Head? In which case, I am confused. Do you think HDs are fun or not?

 

[iscaboy]

Yes, shovel head, don't rate the evo, or later stuff, may as well buy a drag star IMHO

there used to be a saying, "If you have to explain it, they will never understand"

" A way of life" you either get it or think it is pretentious crap, or maybe you claim to get it, or maybe you just don't get it, but none of the alternatives are getting it.

I rode HD and had a great time.

I did not ride HD to have or get a great time.

I did not ride HD to have or get xxxxx, where xxxxx is everything else, fun, women, freedom, etc etc etc.

 

[iscaboy]

This is the bit nobody gets now.

This is the current shed.

People here talking about buying and bolting on goodies to the HD, then there is the cleaning and polishing, these are the owners, not the riders.

Riders took the stock bike, then started taking things off it, these are the riders, not the owners.

see how much was taken off the current shed.

edit, yes, headlight hanging off etc, pic taken halfway through a refurb prior to MOT post mucho hard riding

 

[Ted]

You need to take a little more off the rear mudguard to make that a proper bobber

 

[prprandall51]

Oh dear, Iscaboy, it looks like you've been polishing those exhaust pipes... that'll make you an owner, not a rider, then.