free website stats program New Bike - How Do You Know It's Time? | Page 2 | Harley Davidson Forums

New Bike - How Do You Know It's Time?

I have the bike I want & the only change in my future (baring a major catastrophe) is making the modifications necessary to make it perfect. No dealer or manufacturer can do it for me. I look at the new ones & always have the same thought.. "nothing here that I like better or even as much as the one I have".
 
I never get the desire to trade my '04 Road King for another Harley...I have ridden my buddies '08,09 Ultra's and street glides and they really don't excite me any more than my 5yr old road king does...and now that the so called " A Harley holds it's resale value" is in the toilet why would you take the hit to trade up to a bike that really has not changed..looks or performance than what I already have....I do like to ride a V-rod every chance I get because it is the only Harley that is completely different than what I have...but @ 49yrs old it's not the most comfortable bike to ride...I will keep my '04 Road King but would probable buy a BMW K1300 or the new Kawasaki 1700 if I was to buy
 
I'm in that boat. :D I know what I want, & I'm standing on the edge, but I'm afraid to jump. ;) Part of the problem is getting hubby in the right frame of mind to spend the $$ (he doesn't want to go in debt if he isn't working), which is perfectly understandable....:) but I think my biggest issue is that I just haven't found the RK that talks to me the way the deuce did. When I do, look out. :D :D
 
Great input and stories from everyone - thanks!

Here's kind of where I stand right now. I love my Street Glide. Spent the last year and a half adding the backrest, grips, highway pegs, Sundowner seat, etc. for comfort, headlight trim ring, timer and derby covers for looks, upgraded the speakers, Clearview recurve windshield. Well, you get the idea. The biggest thing I added was the detachable king tour pack to make it into a kind of Street Glide/Electra Glide hybrid. As many warned would happen, I've hardly ever taken the tour pack off - it's too convenient for storage and way too comfy when my wife or daughter want to ride with me.

So here's the thing. If I hang on to this present bike I will want to purchase an extended warranty prior to February 2010. But now I'm hearing about Ultra Classics (2009) going out the door in the low $19's. From a cash outlay perspective, I just don't know if the resale market on my 2008 (pre frame upgrade) would get me enough money to step up to a 2009 Ultra or just a Classic for about the same as buying the extended warranty on my 2008. My brain says I'd still probably have to come up with another couple thousand but my heart says, "gotta be pretty close!"

Then there's the problem of the necessary add ons, even with the Ultra. Backrest, highway pegs, grips, a little bling. Another $500 to $1000 right there.

Oh well - noone said life's decisions would be easy! I do know I need to work hard on the advice several of you gave me - STAY OUT OF THE DEALERSHIPS!
 
I'm a finance guy, so I look to the money, can I afford what I want, can I get what I want out of my current ride, any true need. For now my Bob meets my needs. I ride solo, but the time is coming when the wife and kids will get on the back. I'll be adding the passenger seat soon, but still doubt I'll be going on any long rides yet to support getting a street glide, plus I have 3.5 yrs of payments on my Bob, so it will be at least that long before I start seriously thinking about another bike (since I do not think I ever want to get rid of the Bob)
 
Dr. when I traded up for the Ultra I was told the add ons from my old bike ment nothing for value of the bike, so I took all of it off, made as stock as poss. some of the stuff you have on now would fit the new bike and what doen't, you could sell. Just a thought .
 
joel said:
Dr. when I traded up for the Ultra I was told the add ons from my old bike ment nothing for value of the bike, so I took all of it off, made as stock as poss. some of the stuff you have on now would fit the new bike and what doen't, you could sell. Just a thought .
Click to expand...

Trust me, I've thought of that!
 
i havent been seriously looking for a bike since 1978
that was the last time i had a pre conceived idea of what i wanted since then i just seem to be in the wrong place at the right time and bump into a bike that calls to me
as time has gone on the bikes calling me have changed as ive matured

Brian
 
Every time I think about a new bike I think of the money and time spent getting my current bike the way I like it and then think do I want to start over,because no matter what they do to the new bikes there is always some way to personalize it and thats what its all about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top