Back in 09 when i was searching for used Deuces I couldn't find anything for less that 15-17k used no matter what year it was it seems... now it seems they aren't worth jack compared to back when i was shopping for used bikes. I have thought about selling mine(wife, three kids, no time to ride, etc.) but after seeing how much I would get for it after putting so much into it I decided its better collecting dust in my garage for minimal amount I pay a year for insurance, registration and inspection...I do plan to ride more but its tough with kids in so many activities etc... Are harley's overall not holding value like they used to or what?

 

Too many used bikes on the market makes the prices go down. Your bike isn't likely to be worth than it is today, it will do nothing but go down. "after putting so much into it" This has little if anything to do with the value of your bike. Pretty much the only thing you spend on a bike that will improve its value is routine maintenance and services.


Family can cut into personal time. When my daughter was still at home she got taken to school, ball games, ... on the back of my bike frequently. One ride I can almost always count on is to work and back every day. Even in the Army when I had jobs that required the daily wearing of the Class A uniform I would take several uniforms to work in the cage and then the rest of the week I'd change after I got to work. Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

No they are not, but that happens when production exceeds sales - and production is increased significantly.

Back in the late 80s and early 90s, you would pretty much have to order a bike, wait 6 months to a year or so, and then take delivery. Waiting lists were lonnnnnng. An acquaintance of mine would put deposits on two or three bikes every year, and immediately sell them when they finally came in. He routinely got a few thousand dollars over list. The MOCO didn't like that. Increasing production took care of the scalping (to some extent), but over time depressed resale values. With the recent recession, production is outstripping demand. Again, depressed resale. And as mnoted above -- too many bikes on the used bike market.

 

With all the white-collar, suburbanite keyboard jockeys out there who think it'd be cool to buy a Harley, dress up like a pirate, make some noise, and get noticed every other weekend; but alas having the dream not quite work out as expected...the market is bound to get flooded with unwanted, low-mileage, chromed-out (or blacked-out) garage queens that nobody wants, cuz said idealist wants his money back for all his over-the-top, made-in-china bolt-ons + labor...

 

Its a pipe dream when people buy a newer Harley and expect the value to go up. The only thing about Harleys is that their value doesn't drop a fast as other brands, but definitely not a monetary investment.I figure it costs me about 1,000 per year of ownership related to declining value.

 

You don't buy these things for investment purposes. Nobody can predict years from now (with any degree of certainty) what value something will have. Regardless of any "book value" any asset is only worth exactly what someone else is willing to pay you for it at that time. When demand exceeds supply, values rise. When supply exceeds demand, prices can fall. Always was and always will be. Blame it on whatever......
Any Manufacturer, including Harley, will try and fill supply to meet consumer demand for new bikes. If buyers surge, they'd be foolish to not meet the demand if possible. I doubt very much any MFG gives a hoot about the impact that supply of new merchandise will have on the value of used.
I didn't buy my Limited because of it's impossible to determine future value, I bought it to ride and enjoy. When it's time to sell it'll go for whatever the market will bear.

 

Back in 09 those used Deuces were 7 years newer...there was a short time when the demand for Harley's was much greater than the supply...that time has come and gone. The used Harley market is completely flooded... to the point where for the most part... you have to take quite a bit less than "book" value to sell one at all. If you search ebay for any Harley ...then click on "completed" listings...you will see that 75-80% of the listed bikes don't sell at all.

 

Some of it depends on what moco has decided to change on a given year. Sometimes it's an improvement other times a mfg cost savings. First model twinkys were pos. I have a 22 year old evo that I'll never sell and its value will hold steady like a shovel. The new buyers hold on to their scoots like they do their pretty little cars. Trade them in every 2 years. Moco is lovin it trades w no miles and spitting new bikes out the showroom.

 

They don't make as many bikers these days has to do with increased supply too!!

 

I think I bought mine in 2013 and paid $12k for it. I see them sell for average about $9k. That's not too shabby. And people asking $17k for a used Deuce in '09 were the typical buy a Harley and try and sell it for more than it's worth crowd. Brand new these bikes retailed at about $16,000