I looked at a black 1989 full-dresser today that was for sale in a front yard about two miles from my house. Bike was a little bit weathered, obviously parked/stored outside at some point. Had everything...King Tour-Pak w/backrest, stereo, etc. Needs paint, tires. Started right up and sounded good. Over 99,000 miles showing on odometer. Engine supposedly had a new top-end 20,000 miles ago. Bike had no road-rash or signs of ever being dropped...just looked well-used. Guy said I could take it for a test drive if I want. I didn't have time, told him I'd think on it. I'm tempted....what do y'all think? Oh yeah...it was $5300 or B/O...

__________________
'Merica!

That's a lot of miles for a bike!!!

__________________
Lost it all in a boat accident

Humm...well paint and tires are gonna set you back some bucks, then a few other odds and ends a few more bucks..Nothing is cheap for a HD..tell him to show you all the service records and work on him with the price...maybe worth middle/upper 4k area..but remember..NOTHING IS CHEAP FOR A HARLEY !!!! sounds like if your willing to put a little money into it after buying you should be ok....

If it was a BMW, probably not an issue with the miles. Get those service records and dicker a bit on the price.
No parts are cheap these days from ANY of the major manufacturers.

__________________
NCY in the PR of NJ

I have many, many miles on harleys, but that was many years ago. I havent rode in 25 years or so, but as I recall I had 3 harleys and about 150,000 to 200,000 miles on them. Even so, that deal sounds okay to me! I never lost money on a harley. I did buy them used but always in good shape. I bet you that you could litterly strip all equipment off that harley, bags, sheild, crash bars, spots etc, and still get that price or more out of it from someone wanting to build a chopper. However, if you arent mechanicly inclined and want a bike to ride that is in good shape with good paint etc, I would be prepared to shell out about $14,000 for a top shape newer one. Many people would be looking for the bike and price you said, however they are wanting a platform to build up exactly what they want and know how to do it. I assume that isnt your case or you wouldnt be asking.
Right now I have a aquaintance that has about a 3 or 4 year old heritage softail classic that has about ONLY 600 miles on it. He tried to sell it to me for about $13,000s! I am still am tempted. However my wife goes with me every place I go, and between us with cloths, purses etc, we are about six spins on the scale. Also she has a bad back. I still want one but it isnt practable and it would be selfish on my part to get one again. I have the same situation on my old airplane that is almost finished being rebuilt after 25 years. It would be nice to be able to take some gas along too on takeoff!

I would say no,not worth it.
Dick

If you are just looking for a cool bike to do some casual riding go for it...its pretty hard to find something with character for that kind of money. But stop by the local Harley shop and look in to having it checked out first! Might cost you a few bucks...might save you thousands.

The spring '10 Motorcycle Consumer News value guide [for very clean bikes] only goes back to the 1996s - shows H-D EG Std $5655 thru Ultra at $7420. Imagine deduct maybe 5% per year going back?? So above prices less 35% might work... therefore $3675 - $4825?

Tires are no sweat - paint something else, but often a fluff and buff with some careful paint touchup will work, but not on severe weathering, as you well know.

What would really bother me is the mileage - so definitely talk to or take to a qual mechanic There is so much to go wrong, at least there always was with my '86 FXRT with only 35,000. ['mint' appearance, sold for $7500 in '03]

Good luck from another Upstater.

Dyson

+1.Get it checked out by a competent shop.I had a shovelhead dresser with 70,000+ miles on it.Sold it in 1990-should still be going,with repairs,and a good rider.

__________________
WALSTIB

There are a LOT of people trying to sell unused toys right now. Sound's like he's 1k to high to me.

As said, I am long off the harley scene, but tell me, when of you ever have seen a straight dresser under $5,300s? I once bought a beautifull 1964 dresser for $1,500s. I later sold it for $2,500s. Just a few years after that I seen my bike in the local paper and the guy I sold it to was asking $10,000s!!! That was in around 1985.
I say you couldnt go much wrong on that deal for $5,300s. As long as its presently running it would be good to learn on what harleys are all about. I will tell you from experiance for that money if you had bad mechanical problems show up that you didnt want to pay to have fixed, you could part the bike out, or just sell it and you wouldnt lose much if at all! Show me a used running dresser under $5,000s! You wont be able to!! Here is the example I was reffering to, my 1964 pan dresser.

Here are two more I had. A 1963 that I paid $1,000 for in 1966 sold for more in about 1971, and a 1969 I paid $2,500 for in 1971, later I t-boned a car that ran a stop sign, wiped out the front end and STILL made money on the wreck!

Hey is that 63 a DuoGlide police bike. Cool old panhead stuff !!!!!!!!!!!

No I bought it with very few miles from a older guy in 66 for $1,000s. However yes, it was the very same bike as most PDs, except usualy they were white with black trim. In those days they were FLs or FLHs. The Fls were slightly lower compression and rode smoother. Most PDs used the FLs as mine was. Thanks! The guy I sold that bike to killed himself on it! He had chopped it and was a "hero" to the local chopper crowd. Years later I walked into a local biker shop and the frame was on the wall in rememberance to him and so it couldnt be rode again.

99,000 miles, it's just broken in ! If you could get it for under $5k I'd definitely consider it if I ahd proof the top end had been done already. Just my .02, Shoo

__________________
"Get Hammered By a Shooboy!!"

If it runs good, shifts good and the compression is right then its worth that in my section of the country.

I sold my 1975 Electra Glide with unknown miles for thousands more than that last June.

__________________
C & L

I've been riding Harleys since 1969. I currently have 2 with one being a 1991 Electra-Glide. In my opinion you described a $3,500 motorcycle. 1989s had some case porosity (sp) problems which at 100k would have probably surfaced by now but unless it's had some recent maintenance you're gonna spend a lot of money unless you can work on it yourself. At that mileage you need to probably check/replace wheel bearings, swing arm bushings, fork seals, wiring connections, etc, etc, etc. Just like that GREAT deal we find on S&W revolvers and pistols...there are great deals on HDs. Just my $.02.

__________________
bigcat

Watch an episode of American Pickers before you go back and haggle. I bet you can get it for 4800...

__________________
Thirty characters. Exactly...

Not for an EVO powered Harley it aint

__________________
Nothing to see here,move along

If you talley up the cost of everything you want to do to that bike including an engine rebuild, you may want to pass. If you are happy with a "ride as is" option it may be a good deal.