A couple of questions about Harleys

[Pablo Uganda]

Just wondering, and cant recall, when was the twin cam motor introduced?
Was'nt that long ago eh?

Also, why are second hand HDs so pricey, I guess, why do they hold their value so much?
Its not as if they're scarce on the roads.

Cheers

[White trash]

Twin cam was introduced for the 99 model year on Dynas, 2000 for Softails. If you're looking at a 99 Dynaglide, make sure it's had the cam bearing recall approved.

The reason for the prices remaining high is due to the high new price/no discounting marketing approach HD have taken. Although, I expect in the next 12 months the s/h price will fall as the market is currently saturated with used bikes from Japan. I'm pretty sure the new prices fell for the 06 bikes as well.

Hope this helps.

[Troll]

prices stay high because of supply and demand

people want them thereore prices stay high

also parts availability, easy to get parts for older models, anything from 1936 to present can be rebuilt from scratch with new parts

compared with japanese and italian bikes parts are cheap

also compared with the japanese they don't come out with a new model every 6 months that renders the old model obsolete, therfore poepl tend to hang on to them longer and don't trade them in every 18 months or so, therefore less of them on the market for sale

[Pablo Uganda]

What are Jap import HDs like?

Or I guess any bike imports from there.

From working in the car industry, we've all heard the usual horror stories about speedos etc, but is it applicable on bikes?
Any nasty stuff emerged?

[ghost]

also compared with the japanese they don't come out with a new model every 6 months that renders the old model obsolete,

This has to be one of the best marketing ploys ever. If a 20 year old model has not changed from the new model there's no real justification for value drop. My biggest problem would be paying so much for a new bike and then still having to modify it. But then thats also more money for personal customising, Harley sure has there market share of consumers sorted. Not may peple would tolerate that from Japanese or European manufacturers.

[sAsLEX]

compared with japanese and italian bikes parts are cheap


the trashman was throwing round some Buell parts figures one time here and they seemed perfectly reasonable like 30 bucks for an idicator type of range, could nearly convince someone to trade in the bike and buy a tractor

[White trash]

What are Jap import HDs like?

Or I guess any bike imports from there.

From working in the car industry, we've all heard the usual horror stories about speedos etc, but is it applicable on bikes?
Any nasty stuff emerged?

Pretty good. Get it serviced by a PROPER dealership first though. Exactly the same spec as our bikes although most have had reduced reach footpegs and bars fitted.

Don't be too worried about speedo readings on them. I've seen a 2004 VRSCB with 175km on the clock. Shiny tyres, the works.

There's some real bargains to be had.

[Pablo Uganda]

Thanks guys.

Last HD I rode was an evo so dunno what the TC go like. I imagine a lot better than the evos.

[HenryDorsetCase]

the trashman was throwing round some Buell parts figures one time here and they seemed perfectly reasonable like 30 bucks for an idicator type of range, could nearly convince someone to trade in the bike and buy a tractor

I test rode a Buell XB12S last Friday night. By no stretch of the word can it be described as a "tractor" !!!

At real world speeds (and slightly above :satan: ) they are a reaally great sprotbike, and still pretty comfortable to ride......

Its the same money ($20k) as everything else Ive looked at, and you get belt drive and some cooooool engineering solutions.

I really really rated it, not as a non HD or as an HD, but as a real world just jump on the bike and go motorbike.

[HenryDorsetCase]

the one in the HD lineup presently doing it for me is the XL1200R.

dang.

everytime I go to take one for a ride, its sold. Brand spankers $18600


the Sportsters with the rubber mount motor are the one to go for IMO....

[scumdog]

the one in the HD lineup presently doing it for me is the XL1200R.

dang.

everytime I go to take one for a ride, its sold. Brand spankers $18600


the Sportsters with the rubber mount motor are the one to go for IMO....

Yeah but the missus might miss the 'buzz'!:rofl:

But I agree - it's a shame the 12002 'S' is not still being made, the best handling Sporty from the factory imho.

[Motu]

There's only one Harley that does it for me,almost unchanged in over 30 yrs of production - but it's not street legal....

[scumdog]

There's only one Harley that does it for me,almost unchanged in over 30 yrs of production - but it's not street legal....

An XR? - or something more obtuse?

[HenryDorsetCase]

There's only one Harley that does it for me,almost unchanged in over 30 yrs of production - but it's not street legal....


XR750, has to be.

I love street trackers: Mert Lawwills one, and the Storz one.

[Motu]

Yeah,an XR750...and I'd love to ride one too,on a half mile,a mile track would be soooooo scary! The ugliest Harley ever made was the XR1000,a criminal act...

[Pablo Uganda]

I rode a new 883 sporty about 10 years ago, and I was amazed at how it felt so similar to riding my Honda XR 500 trail bike.:ride:

[Motig]

Harley also dont flood the market with bikes. From memory they produce slightly less than they can sell which keeps up market demand therefore price. That said buy one now prices are pretty good eg FXD Super Glide -2000 price $23,800, 2001 $25,800, 2006 $24,950 XL 883 Sporster-2000 price $14,900 2006 $14,100 get in while our dollars still good.

[Motu]

Me too - rode a new 96 Sporty and it felt just like my old XS1 Yamaha with all the faults fixed - I felt very ''at home'' on the bike,as if
I'd been riding it all my life.I'd love one....but if I had that much money to throw around I'd do something else with it - but yeah,once I had everything else I want in life I'd put a Sporty in the shed too.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yeah,an XR750...and I'd love to ride one too,on a half mile,a mile track would be soooooo scary! The ugliest Harley ever made was the XR1000,a criminal act...

I cant believe those guys.. no disrespect to speedway, but US dirt track racing is so amazing.... (Imagine Kenny Roberts on a TZ750 dirt tracker in the '70's !!! ???) and not winning all the time. defeated by a then old design



and have you seen that XLCH for sale on tardme? $20k??

[98tls]

I test rode a Buell XB12S last Friday night. By no stretch of the word can it be described as a "tractor" !!!

At real world speeds (and slightly above :satan: ) they are a reaally great sprotbike, and still pretty comfortable to ride......

Its the same money ($20k) as everything else Ive looked at, and you get belt drive and some cooooool engineering solutions.

I really really rated it, not as a non HD or as an HD, but as a real world just jump on the bike and go motorbike. i tend to disagree,no disrespect at all but i to rode a xb12s as well,yes in real tight stuff it was ok but anywhere else it just kept on running out of puff big time,i ride an old TLS and there was no way my mate could keep up with me on his buell,we swapped bikes and same story,no mid range and even less up top.at $20k its a bit of a joke compared true sports bikes,it wouldnt know what way a gixxer 1000 went and i think they have a nerve calling the thing a sports bike to be honest,each to there own i guess but when i think sports bikes a buell doesnt enter the equation.a shame as they look the part but that motor is just shit.

[Troll]

its a bit of a joke compared true sports bikes,.

thats why when motorcycle news put a buell on the road and timed it thru the corners the buell was faster than an R1 or an R6 (one of them anyway)

[98tls]

so your telling me that both you and motorcycle news think that a buell is in the same league as a gixxer thou,R1 etc,funny i didnt see any of them at wanganui last year or for that matter any other real world circuit.look at the figures,there is no way they can compete even on the road,when i rode my mates one i could stay with the TL in real tight stuff but as soon as there was even the smallest straight he was gone while the buell was reving its guts out and going nowhere,not trying to put them down just telling it the way it is,every mag i have read said the same thing,ok but just runs out of puff .

[Troll]

so your telling me . ???

I just quoted the facts published by MCN

obviously by your definition a sports bike is fast in a straight line and cornering is not quite relevant

[Lou Girardin]

Put equal (good) riders on a Buell and a TL in the twisty's, the TL rider will need a road map to see where the Buell went.
Until the next decent straight that is.

[98tls]

???

I just quoted the facts published by MCN

obviously by your definition a sports bike is fast in a straight line and cornering is not quite relevant
no not at all,a sports bike should be fast period,the roads arent made up of endless corners,wish they where:rolleyes: we will just have to agree to disagree i guess,there is no way anyone will convince me that a buell will keep up with any of the top 4 japanese sports bikes,they dont on paper and i have yet to see it done on the road or track.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I couldnt be less interested in owning a "pure" sports bike (like most of us, been there, done that, mailed my licence home), but if I did I would probably get a ZX636, (or Daytona 675)

I said "Compared to everything else I looked at" and that list has been/is:

HD XL1200R
Ducati Monster S2R or second hand S4 or 4R
Moto Guzzi Breva 750
Triumph Bonneville/Thruxton
Ducati ST2
BMW R850R

The Buell was the most like a sprot bike of any of and was plenty quick enough for me. the thing I didnt like particularly was the ponderous slow gearshift.... but I guess you get that with all those big lumps of metal spinning round. I also didnt like the electric fan but can see the need for it.

You'll see from the list above I really have no idea what I want, hence the necessity for testrides.

[HenryDorsetCase]

no not at all,a sports bike should be fast period,the roads arent made up of endless corners,wish they where:rolleyes: we will just have to agree to disagree i guess,there is no way anyone will convince me that a buell will keep up with any of the top 4 japanese sports bikes,they dont on paper and i have yet to see it done on the road or track.

I agree re agreeing to disagree. I also think you miss the point.