I've often wondered if Harley guys can tell if the bike coming at them is a Harley or not? I'm not talking about the obvious non-Harley bikes but the ones that look almost like them. My Shadow kind of looks like one but there are other Honda's and Yamaha's that really look like a Harley of one model or other.

I'm not saying that Harley guys think they are above the rest here now, nor that they would rather only wave to another Harley dude.

The only reason I am NOT riding a Harley is cost, my new 1100 Shadow cost $7,000.00 and it is a good bike for sure. I could not find a decent used Harley for under $12k in my neck of the woods.

Do Harleys really break down a lot and leak oil bad or was that just old models?


Joe

I can usually tell as Harleys have a very distinct left side primary cover. It is also like anything else, you have worked on and seen enough of them you know.

No, they don't break down any more than any other machine. If you keep up with proper preventative maintnence then even the old ones run just fine. The older ones do tend to leak a bit due to the large primary cover just having more gasket space to develop a leak.

The most stout bike I know of are the old BMW R series bikes, they keep going no matter what you don't do to them.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

This bike has over 60,000 miles on it and has been basically trouble free.



The leaking really was an issue on the old bikes when they were still using sheet metal primaries, which would warp or bend out of shape if you werent careful when working on them.

My experience: I have ridden Harleys since 1960. My experience is that since they vibrate more then the other bikes, they require more hands on maintenance. If you keep on top of the maintenance (tightening bolts, screws Etc) they are just as reliable as the rest.

Since about 1987 IMO the oil leaking has stopped (see maintenance above). If all you do is ride, park it, ride, park it, Change oil when you think about it or have a dealer do all of your maintenance, you need to have a Japanese bike. They require a lot less hands on maintenance then a Harley’s.

IMHO The average Harley rider that had been riding a while, not the RUBS, ride their biker harder then the *average Japanese bike rider.

*There are exceptions like some of the crotch rockets riders who also ride hard. Most of the Goldwing riders I know, ride a lot of miles but do not ride their bike hard.

Harleys also keep their resale value better then the average Japanese bike.

Compare a 2 years Japanese bike with 25,000 miles on it to a 2 year old Harley with 25,000 miles on it and calculate the percentage of resale value to the purchase price.

About 4 years ago I sold a 1987 FXR with 189,000 miles on it for what I paid for the bike new in 1987.

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Semper FI

It's not what you ride, it's THAT you ride.

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Dum spiramus tuebimur

You can sure tell the Harleys made in India. Click on the youtube link(I just can't help it...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyle2CuDgIo

I can always recognize an Electraglide coming at me from the opposite direction with their distinct frontal profile. Thats what I ride and know the best. Other Harleys without passing lamps or faring/windshield I can't tell from a distance. My current bike it the most reliable one I have ever had. With fuel injection, ECM, etc. it fires up with barely a touch of the starter button. Photo attached. I am amazed how it instantly fires up after a winter of storage. On the other hand, my old '74 Sportster was a tempermental beast that refused to start unless you followed a precise starting ritual. You could not steal that thing by riding it away, it was an unintended theft deterrent system.

29aholic - that is one cool former police Electraglide you have there!

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Tony

The old harleys involved chain and sproket maintainance. I had good luck with my old ones and rode hard and far when it wasnt as popular in the 60s. I am out of it now, but when I rode I could buy a used harley and later sell it for what I had in it or even make money. You couldnt on any other bike. I dont know if you can do that now. However, those were the years of high inflation too. I remember seeing the standard loaded 1965 loaded road king going for $1,595.00 when the 66 model come out! Now they are what, 13 times that much? I bought my 1st harley in 66, a used 63 that was a cherry with very few miles for a $1,000s. In about 1970 I bought a almost new 1969 loaded with a scoot boot etc, for I think $2,500s! He had heart trouble and had to quit rideing. I had a accident with that one and found a guy makeing a chopper out of a identical one, bought his tanks, fenders, shield, crashbars, saddles, spotlights and everything else he didnt need for a $100s! It definetly was cheaper to ride even relatively speaking back then.
I rode a solo trip from california to wisconsin and back in 1967 through solid rain and snow and didnt have much trouble, I did have the windsheild top break off due to a jury rigged radio that stressed the windsheild. I bet that bike had around 150,000 miles when I sold it, and I had only done a top end. Think I sold that $1,000 bike for $800s. The guy got killed on it shortly after. Here it is----again.

I can best recognize Harley's by the primary on the left, the pushrod tubes on the right, and the sound.

Harleys are very reliable motorcycles. I've had less issues with my Harley's than my BMW's, Kawasaki, or Honda Gold Wing 1800. I could go on, but I won't.

Joe,
I ride an 01 Harley Superglide, and no, I can't tell what the bike coming towards me at 60 mph is. And truthfully it doesn't matter, I'm just glad to see others out there enjoying the day. I think I have owned at least one of all the major brands in my lifetime and liked them all. When I got to the point in my life where I could afford a Harley, I got one. I'm certainly not one of those guys that looks down on any bike other than a Harley. Your Shadow is a heck of nice bike, enjoy it. As to your other questions, my bike has been trouble free except for, you guessed it, a few oil leaks. Nothing bad though and easy to fix, no shame for an 8 year old bike.

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Jeff
S&WCA #2132

TY vice...its a former Nashville Metro bike...had 1800 on the clock when I bought her

Old Harley's don't leak oil.........they just mark their spot.



Chipmunk6

I ride a 06 Harley FLSTN. I agree at 60 mph it's hard to tell. I can tell by the sound when I am stopped and bikes go by.

The Shadow looks like a very nice bike. I hope you can ride it alot this summer. I wave to all bikes, including kids on bicycles.

I can usually spot them coming the other way, although I don't see the point in trying to distinguish them from other cruisers. If the rider is dressed like a gay pirate, it is almost certainly a Harley.

If I see a cyclist broken down by the side of the road, I make a point of stopping to offer help. I usually carry a pretty comprehensive tool kit, which on a few occasions has proven very helpful to a fellow rider. Over the years, I'd have to say that over 90% of the breakdowns I have seen have been Harleys, but that is mostly because you see them in venues where there are a lot of Harleys on the road.

Most H-D riders won't recognize this Harley. It is smooth, FAST, and quiet.

V-Rod all dressed up

Sorta makes me wish I had this one back..

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SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP

I like how some harleys look, like the way a few sound... only found one I could tollerate to ride.
If a bike wont hit 100,000 basicly troublefree miles I really want nothing to do with it.
There are 300,000 mile Valkyries on the forum I frequent and LOTS of 100,000 and 200,000 ones.
Guy I used to ride with a bit rode a sportster, and you are right about maintainence and tightening things up.
We were at a stoplight and his headlight fell out.
I have had to stop for him to tihten up his carb, replace bulbs blown by the vibes, etc.
Now, when we pulled in somewhere his bike got more looks and comments... and for him that made the extra work worth it.
I LIKE to tinker and work on bikes... I dont like to HAVE to do it.
When they released the Street Rod, I went and looked at it.
Thats as close as they have come to making a bike I would buy.
However I would never pay the prices the bikes bring.


Jim

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Big bullets leave big holes

MAN, there are some Harley haters in here.

I like how maintenence has become a horrible thing, knowing your machine (bike or car) and how to tune, repair, and maintain it has become put aside (like buying american).

If there were more people willing to learn, fix, repair, and maintain an older vehicle (or any number of household items) america would'nt be in the, reliant on foreign ****, fix that we are.

That said, new Harleys are 100% reliable.

I have a 58pan that the guy I bought it from said he saw the odometer roll 100k twice. When I bought, it was time for a bottom end rebuild. THAT thing is reliable as they come, but, you do need a spare condenser and a toolkit for minor happenings. Thing is, in '58 you'd need that no matter what you drove. And you'd have to know what was wrong when it acted up. (and there is ritual startup=3 kicks full choke, no ignition. turn ignition on 1/2 choke fires on 1 kick. set to 1/4 choke till warm)

I have a '84 Shovel, I BEAT THE LIVING SNOT OUT OF, I'd ride it cross country tommorow, the only time it has broke down is because I beat it into submission. I've busted belts hittin 2nd, and spit the sprocket nut off doin burnouts.

You can't say I don't have a sense of humor! Good one. Reminds me of what my Uncle told my cousin years ago when we were growing up and he got his ear pierced. He said "Only two kinds of men get their ears pierced, gays and pirates." Then he added, "There better be a boat in the driveway."

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Tony

Most people that criticise Harleys never owned one.

The thing is... I am not criticizing, only making personal observations.
I have worked on and helped work on quite a few.
My preference in bikes are older, early 80s, japanese.
Those have known issues and you should know how to work on them.
Bikes are like guns... certain ones are more suited to some people.Harleys are not my cup of tea.
The riding position on most is honestly painful, and i have made cross country runs on what some would call "crotch rockets". 89 750 katana, 92 ZX11.
I wont bad mouth them, just like I wont badmouth a glock... even tho I hate how they feel and cant shoot them very well.


Jim

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Big bullets leave big holes

The easiest way to tell that the bike is a Harley is that the rider is dressed to look like a gay pirate. (Bonneville rider).

It's hard to tell one cruiser from another from a front profile, especially if they have driving lights. I had a 2003 Suzuki Volusia with driving lights and you had to look close to tell it from a Harley Heritage Soft Tail or a Road King from the front.

When you consider the current offering of middle weight V-twin cruisers like Honda Shadow, Yamaha VStar, Kawasaki Vulcan, and the Suzuki C-50's and 90's, they are all very similarly modeled. After a while you can tell the different makes at a glance by the air breathers, fenders, tail lights or primary drive (shaft or belt). But from the front, it can be tough.

I rode the dickens out of my '03 Suzuki Volusia and it was a great cruiser and short trip touring bike, but as my trips got longer I decided to go with a full blown tourer. Even so, it was a great bike and I never felt under equipped or hassled when riding with guys riding HD's. When I bought my '07 Harley Ultra Classic I kept the Suzuki for another year but I had a hard time justifying two bikes so I sold it.

I really like my Harley and it's been absolutely trouble free, but you gotta understand that the Motor Company outspends all the metric bike manufacturers combined in marketing. Honda makes great bikes, enjoy your Shadow and don't worry about the hype.

2003 Suzuki Volusia (50 cubic inch or 805 cc)



2007 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic (96 cubic inch or 1584 cc)

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- Change it back -

MAN,
Are'nt those Craftsman lifts the best thing goin for 100$

Nice Bike

+1

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Sure you did

Hard core Harley riders could pick a Harley out no problem.

The new Harley's quality have come a long way in the good direction from the rumored problem times.

Go to a free H-D Demo ride event and ride one if you haven't been on one of the new ones.
Oh yeh you'll need you checkbook because you'll want to get one on the spot.

I have a 1997 Yamaha Royal Star. It does kind of look like a Harley when you are viewing it from the front. It has a 1300cc V-4 engine which gives it an entirely different riding experience though. It is an excellent motorcycle that has given me years of good service. Harleys are decent bikes also. I learned a long time ago not to knock a guys ride.

I really don't spend any time trying to tell what brand of bike I'm meeting.
I'm much more interested in scoping out the chick on the back.

As long as you're riding you're my kind of people.

Oh......here's my "gay pirate" pic for you haters.

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HD has really improved their quality control. It was on par with British QC of the 70s and 80s. I ride a Kawasaki ZZR 1200 and I get plenty of waves from guys on HDs. I always wave back. Whether someone rides a cruiser style bike or sports bike, you are still a motorcyclist.

[QUOTE=potthawg;988280]I really don't spend any time trying to tell what brand of bike I'm meeting.
I'm much more interested in scoping out the chick on the back.

Yeh, well what if she decided to ride with you potthawg?? You ain't got no seat for er!!

I'm sure you'd put her somewhere.

Very nice ride you got there, must be custom?? What's a rig like that worth anyhow?

Someday will come.

[QUOTE=JOERM;988423]
That ride is a 2003, or 100th Anniversary, Softtail Springer(or something to that effect). Looks mostly stock, cept for maybe some add-on chrome.

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Sure you did

My son has a Victory. American Made. Says it's better than a Harley, and less $$. Sounds good, too..

Harley makes a very reliable bike now a days, I always had metrics until I rode a E Glide, I wish I would have got a bagger long ago. Great ride, Handling and Storage. Other than my HD my favorite was a 96 Vulcan 1500. Lowered, Drag pipes, Drag Bars and tons of chrome. Fast and fun. But now I'm spoiled by the comfort of the E Glide. Not as many Gizmos as a Goldwing but IMO just as reliable.
Now back to your question, I can pick out a Full Dresser and a Sporty but for the rest I have to wait till they pass or I get alot closer.

Thanks Joe. It's an '03 Heritage Springer with a little extra chrome and a set of real dual exhausts.Plenty of them for sale on Ebay. Lots of speculators bought em hoping to make a profit.The passenger pad is in the bag and goes on in about two minutes..just in case.

I owned a H-D and liked it. It had over 100 years of history and namesake behind it. I wanted a "bigger" bike and while at the Alaska State H.O.G. rally in Fairbanks,Alaska in '07,I tested and bought a Victory Jackpot Custom by Cory Ness. This factory custom was @24,000.00. It was left from '06 as of the price. They offered it quite a bit cheaper then gave me a great trade on my "Sporty" as it was gorgeous. The short of it is the '06 Cory Ness Jackpot is a 100 inch {1634CC} six-speed that is VERY reliable and has MUCH more power than a Harley. Victory started out slow as they were thought to be a flash in the pan. I think the fact that you ride is more important than what you ride. Saying that, I also think that you live ONE time and should get what you want as well as getting your moneys' worth. Google or Youtube "Victory" and explore your options. I'm VERY satisfied and have a great bike that is almost $10,000.00 cheaper that a comparable H-D. IMHO----Sprefix

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Go big or stay home

I can generally tell the difference by sound or sight. Some of the Japanese bikes are pretty close to look and sound to a Harley, but there is something that isn't quite right about them if you're looking for a Harley.

As for Harley maintenance ... I've had my bike since new in '00, and it had it's first maintenance work this year. My fault, too. Bike sat in the garage for 3 years. I didn't drain the tank & wound up having the fuel flow valve replaced & the carb re-built. That's it in 9 years. Well, tires and brakes, too.

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ditto:d