MOTORCYCLE PURCHASE ADVICE NEEDED!!!!

[The Big D]

As this Forum is the fountain of all knowledge, here's my big question.

The 9/11 run from Shanksville, PA, to New York City, passed through my 'hood Friday. It inspired me.

It inspired me to the degree I am doing the ride next year.

To the point, I rode for several years as a well-trained LEO. But, I have not been aboard a two wheeler since 2005...briefly, that time.

Here's what I want/need...I think.

I will not be riding daily...or in bad weather. I need something big, I think. However, I am not necessarily thinking H-D; but I am not ruling them out. Am ruling out a Sportster, though. I want something comfortable, non-spoked wheels, and appropriate to ride on highways. I will very likely ride it on travels of 300 miles R/T. (That's weather and time permitting, of course.) Most usage will be in town.

Rarely will I have a passenger, I think.

A low mileage used bike is cool. Not locked into new. I want a cruiser type; no crotch rocket, obviously.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Be safe.

PS:

I have a current motorcycle endorsement on my license but WILL be taking a refresher course once I get a "new" ride.

 

[oldman45]

I know I dream of owning a full dress H-D bikes but I cannot dream where the money would come from for the purchase.

 

[Maddog 521]

IMHO you can't go wrong with a Harley. They hold there value even though there are some good deals on used ones right now. It fits right in if you want big. I ride an 800 lb. Electra Glide. Good bike and comfortable to sit on for 300 to 700 miles a day. They aren't really a "ride around town" bike though being so heavy. The HD shops around here allow test rides so go try one out. I think you'll like it. Get back in the wind and have some fun.

 

[ladder13]

A H-D Dyna model would foot the bill for you. Powerful, good-looking, great suspension and handling.
I like the looks of the Softtails but they don't ride as well as the Dyna's.
A Road King would be nice too, if you plan on carrying anything or want to tote some items home.
Having said that I ride an 02' EG Classic, great road bike, but a bit tough around town pushing all that weight.

 

[beemerphile]

Watch the opening slide show on the advrider - dot - com web site for about five or ten minutes and tell me if you still want a cruiser style bike.

You will see the occasional cruiser, but not so many.

Lee

 

[cowboy117]

Harley's best,forget the rest! [Oh,yeah,don't get a Sportster[1/2 of a Harley]

 

[ditrina]

A H-D Dyna model would foot the bill for you. Powerful, good-looking, great suspension and handling.
I like the looks of the Softtails but they don't ride as well as the Dyna's.
A Road King would be nice too, if you plan on carrying anything or want to tote some items home.
Having said that I ride an 02' EG Classic, great road bike, but a bit tough around town pushing all that weight.

What HE said..

Gone but not forgotten.. 03 Ultra that I had the shop do a detachable tour box.. The original Street Glide..

 

[Indiana George]

Various H-D's over the past 30+ years, so I'm a little biased! ~Smile~

 

[ditrina]

Various H-D's over the past 30+ years, so I'm a little biased! ~Smile~

George.... Shriner's in town????

 

[absolutevil]

I ride an 06 Road King Classic which I think is a great bike. But one of my brothers rides a Honda 1300 VTX. His bike cost about 1/3 the cost of mine and he seems to like it. I put a lot more miles on my Road King then he does but if a Harley was not something you have to have, it might fit the bill. I'll try to attach a picture of both bikes side by side.

 

[ralph7]

honda valkyrie

i have wanted one of these for a long time.
super smooth and powerful.
can be had for around 5k.
harley has nothing on these, except expense.

 

[therevjay]

Make sure it's a H.D. (I'm a stockholder)

 

[Faulkner]

I gotta agree with some of the other posters. I've been through several bikes but the one I like the best is my current '07 Electra Glide Ultra Classic. The Electra Glide is very comfortable, gets over 40 MPG, handles great on the highway at interstate speeds (though I try to avoid interstate riding), and has lots of storage capacity.

I've ridden mine single and two up all over the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks, spent a couple of weeks in the Smoky Mountains, another week down in the Texas Hill Country around San Antonio, and took a ride along the gulf coast down the Florida panhandle. One of my favorite rides was up Natchez Trace and back through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.

There are some really good metric bikes on the market in the cruiser class, but I have been very pleased with my Harley.

 

[DGNY]

Bike to buy?

I am a fan of the Yamaha cruisers. Have a 2004 VStar 1100 bought year-old with 3800 miles and a '97 Virago 750 bought new. Mustang saddleon '04 and Corbin on '97. You could easily ride the 1100 300 miles in a day.......

In your looking, You might well take a ride on the Yamaha 1300 and the 950 models. As someone said, the VTX 1300 is another candiate.

High quality - and good values, if bought a year or two old.

By the way, I admire the Harleys and owned and rode an FXRT for a number of years. Decent bike that looked beautiful, but had a major problem per year. Took out the joy. Many here will strongly disagree, point to recent improvements, etc. Harleys depreciate more slowly, but you pay big time for that.

You have to decide if you need 'the name'.

Best of luck,

Dyson

 

[vrichard]

You can't go wrong with a Heritage Softail Classic.
Dick

 

[shooboy]

I'll jump in and say get yourself a Harley now while the motorcycle marketplace is currently a buyer's dream. I bought my Dyna Wide Glide for way less money than I thought I could pick one up for. Great bike, super dependable, and aftermarket parts are plentiful and relatively inexpensive compared to other brands. You can make it into whatever you want. And chicks dig H-D's too, I have to fight them off with a stick !!!
Shoo's Wide Glide:

 

[Jetsbud]

Ok you asked

I'll be odd man out.

Get a BMW Airhead. Google it.

I've been on the same R100rt since 1987. She is a '84, ran down to the BMWMOA rally in Redmond OR. this summer, 6K+ in 19 days of traveling. Not a hickup, pluss you can work on one yourself, especially if you get into the Airhead crew. There is lots of help, if you need it.

You also don't need a computer program to find out whats going on.

 

[ditrina]

I'll jump in and say get yourself a Harley now while the motorcycle marketplace is currently a buyer's dream. I bought my Dyna Wide Glide for way less money than I thought I could pick one up for. Great bike, super dependable, and aftermarket parts are plentiful and relatively inexpensive compared to other brands. You can make it into whatever you want. And chicks dig H-D's too, I have to fight them off with a stick !!!
Shoo's Wide Glide:

Nice Bike Shoo.. also very nice to see GREEN on the lawn.. instead of the usual WHITE!! .. But hang in there it should start snowing in a week or two

 

[bamabiker]

All the major manufacturers have some nice cruizers now days. Decide what you want to spend and go from there. Go sit on a bunch of different bikes and see which one fits you. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[dkizer22]

Honda VTX 1300, mine was built in OHIO. I think the plant has moved back to Japan now.