I pray you were joking.
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Questions To Harley Riders
- Thread starter jemlinus
- Start date
As someone else touched on, now lets include the cost of maintenance and repairs over that ownership lifespan.
HD has a long track record of major engine design defects that can and sometimes do result in destroyed engines. Not all, but it would be naive to suggest it's not a real genuine issue - see my earlier post on the common issues.
Round in the cost of an engine rebuild/replacement on one of those HD's and suddenly those numbers are upside down in a BIG way. For those who don't turn their own wrenches HD dealership service is also notoriously very expensive.
Most metric owners on the flipside will incur little more than oil changes, tires, and routine maintenance at <$ vs HD service.
I won't disagree that HD resale value is higher, but I'd bet that if a brand new metric buyer and a brand new HD buyer walked off the showroom floor today with their respective bikes, had dealer service when necessary, and tallied up total cost of ownership (every dollar spent) over a 150,000KM ownership period before posting for resale... in the end the numbers would tell an interesting story.
Now, the metric owner relying on dealer service and the HD owner turning his own wrenches for everything could change those numbers again, but also very vice versa. It all comes down to who's bike is going to break the most, and how much it's going to cost to fix it.
References own post earlier in thread about snobby HD owner attitudes.
Yep, there it is.
Every time I read comments like that my odds of ever owning a HD go down several points.
I'm glad I know a few HD owner friends I ride with that lack that attitude. That raises the odds again.
sburns
Well-known member
Lakota
Well-known member
Just noticed you have the Honda I compared to. The HD XR1200 breaks all the stereotypes. MSRP was only $1300 more, the XR is about 100lbs lighter than the Honda, XR exhaust is quieter than VTX, XR has almost no chrome to polish compared to Honda, I have dual 4 pot Nissin brakes stock up front, Honda has single dual pot front brake, XR has efi compared to VTX1300 carb, Harley will even do extended warranty up to a 15 year old bike bought used with less than 125000km with unlimited km's allowed during warranty, break down on a trip they put you up in hotel if not fixed same day, not fixed on second day they provide a loaner bike to finish your trip on, ...
To be fair I will admit I was an outspoken Harley hater for my first 25 years of riding Honda's on the road. If it were not for the XR, not sure I would have given HD a chance now that my insurance rates can handle 1000cc+ bikes. Now that I have owned an HD as my daily rider for several years I am not a hater of any brand. Mine is dealer serviced (not any more expensive than previous Honda dealer) and has 78639 trouble free km's at present. My original HD hate probably emanated from not being able to afford anything over a 650cc as a teenager because of insurance cost, not used bike cost, amplified by chatting with others who did not have experience with the HD brand. Is what it is, and I don't really care, but my experience between sitting on a Honda and sitting on a Harley is that there is more attitude towards Harley's from riders of other brands than the other way around. Most Canadian HD owners started out on a Japanese machine. The depth of brand hate really shows when a thread title asking for the input of Harley owners gets more posts from non HD owners.
Roadghost
Well-known member
LMAO! And the thread lights up for another 5 pages.
Just like the guy in high school. "I never liked Jenny 'cause her boobs were too big and every guy was after her..."
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Roadghost
Well-known member
I had to settle for a Harley instead.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
An XR1200 isn't exactly a comparison to a VTX. Direct compare it to a Ducati Sport 1000 maybe? Loosely compare to a CBR1100, Diavel, SV1000?
Mad Mike
Well-known member
She's happily married. She went to the guy with the Yamaha.
Why do people say something like this? Such a childish comment based no data whatsoever.
The biggest reason I don't own a HD is the price. I don't buy anything new, so comparing new prices means little to me. I paid $3500 for my decked out VTX and I wouldn't get anything comparable HD for even twice that amount of money.
I consider a motorcycle a piece of metal that moves me around and puts wind in my face. Comfort matters, but I can find just as comfortable metrics as I can HD's. Heck, if I wanted the ultimate in comfort I'd buy a Goldwing ahead of anything else. My VTX is comfortable, but it's not comparable to an Ultra or a Goldwing, I know that.
All joking and razzing aside, if and when I buy something new down the road it'll be based on creature comforts and rider comfort, and also based on price. When I can buy the same of the first 2 things in a metric for half the price of the equivalent HD, I struggle to buy a HD just because of the name. Brand and "culture" means squat to me. Wind in my face, reliability, and purchase price matters way more.
Put a Star Venture and a Ultra Classic side by side at the same price right now however, and honestly, I'd take the Star Venture.
I consider a motorcycle a piece of metal that moves me around and puts wind in my face. Comfort matters, but I can find just as comfortable metrics as I can HD's. Heck, if I wanted the ultimate in comfort I'd buy a Goldwing ahead of anything else. My VTX is comfortable, but it's not comparable to an Ultra or a Goldwing, I know that.
All joking and razzing aside, if and when I buy something new down the road it'll be based on creature comforts and rider comfort, and also based on price. When I can buy the same of the first 2 things in a metric for half the price of the equivalent HD, I struggle to buy a HD just because of the name. Brand and "culture" means squat to me. Wind in my face, reliability, and purchase price matters way more.
Put a Star Venture and a Ultra Classic side by side at the same price right now however, and honestly, I'd take the Star Venture.
Venture is $2300 more than UC according to Yamaha Canada vs HD Canada website.
Personally, the paint quality of the HD is head an shoulders above the imports.
The Venture does have reverse so, there is that.
PP,
I support your decision completely. And I hope others will also.
Because I really want Yamaha to continue to make large touring bikes. But, I don’t think they will sell enough to keep up the effort.
Personally, the paint quality of the HD is head an shoulders above the imports.
The Venture does have reverse so, there is that.
PP,
I support your decision completely. And I hope others will also.
Because I really want Yamaha to continue to make large touring bikes. But, I don’t think they will sell enough to keep up the effort.
Attachments
Roadghost
Well-known member
Actually, the new Yamaha Venture is a Harley Road Glide Ultra competitor (rip-off). They start at $31,999.
2019 Road Glide Ultra Motorcycle | Harley-Davidson Canada
2019 Road Glide Ultra Motorcycle | Harley-Davidson Canada
mac_135
Well-known member
When I joined this forum I was all about sport bikes. Fast forward 13 years and I just picked up a new 2018 Harley Heritage Classic with the 114 cubic inch engine (1868 cc).. I have to say, this is my favourite bike for a number of reasons. I rode a Dyna Superglide for 5 seasons and loved it, but it was time for something new.
WHY I love Harley Davidson? Well, I'm not exactly a "Harley guy.." but the bike has a ton of USEABLE power, it's just fun to ride. It hauls ass. It corners unbelievably well for a big heavy bike. I don't care about specs and stats, just ride one of these things and you will see what I mean. I chose the 2 models I have owned because they handle well (yeah, yeah, for a Harley...) but for the kind of riding I do it's great - Think Hockley Valley sweepers at about 120ish. Everyone I knew from this forum and otherwise got tired of taking an onramp as fast as they can on a 600cc super sport. If you're a track rider then comparing anything to a Harley is just stupid. I can ride the HD all day and want to keep going and going.
At the end of the day it's all preference, but after owning 6 bikes and 13 years of riding, I am 100% happy with my HD.
WHY I love Harley Davidson? Well, I'm not exactly a "Harley guy.." but the bike has a ton of USEABLE power, it's just fun to ride. It hauls ass. It corners unbelievably well for a big heavy bike. I don't care about specs and stats, just ride one of these things and you will see what I mean. I chose the 2 models I have owned because they handle well (yeah, yeah, for a Harley...) but for the kind of riding I do it's great - Think Hockley Valley sweepers at about 120ish. Everyone I knew from this forum and otherwise got tired of taking an onramp as fast as they can on a 600cc super sport. If you're a track rider then comparing anything to a Harley is just stupid. I can ride the HD all day and want to keep going and going.
At the end of the day it's all preference, but after owning 6 bikes and 13 years of riding, I am 100% happy with my HD.
mac_135
Well-known member
Also, it looks pretty damn cool.
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