First off, a lot of Harley chrome parts are just plain inferior. For years, Harley has had problems with many of their chrome parts peeling (i.e. wheels, rocker box covers, etc.) and as far as I can tell have done nothing to correct the problem.

The argument about whether to use OEM parts or aftermarket parts has been going on almost as long as Harley has been around and will continue long after all of us are gone. IMHO, if Harley parts were as great as Harley professes, they'd come with more than a 90 day warranty.

 

You have to choose each part as you go, often the H-D part is a copy of someone else's with H-D branding. Both parts may be made in the same place.
Some aftermarket parts are "for show" and look great but don't perform well.

 

I guess I'm in the minority. I think Genuine parts are for the most part better quality and fit better than a good majority of the aftermaket. Although I do think that some parts such as exhaust header pipes etc made in the aftermarket are also of very good quality. Vance and Hines, Cobra etc.

 

+1. Many manufacturers that make HD parts sell the same parts without the HD name on them for less. When most HD parts were made in America I was willing to pay more. Now that almost everything is made in China, I search the web and Ebay. I've found equal quality parts for half the price the dealer wants.

 

Completely untrue, No aftermarket part can void a factory warranty unless the MOCO can prove the aftermarket part was directly responsible for the vehicle's failure. Why would HD Dealerships who carry other brands sell you a part that would void your warranty?

There are always going to be cheap aftermarket parts in the industry. You really think HD is making their OWN tires or their OWN batteries as opposed to providing specs and having a specific manufacture make them?

 

Remember, Harley-Davidson, as an OEM manufacturer, subcontracts much of the motorcycle to other companies which make the parts to Harley's specifications. Electrical gear, fuel injection systems (or carbs), suspension, wheels, brakes, rotors, belts, lighting, and seats, to name just a few areas. If buying aftermatket is good enough for the Motor Company, it's good enough for me.

Like anything else, quality varies widely in the aftermarket, so you have to do your homework.

 

With a few exceptions I always prefer using the OEM parts regardless of the brand or how many wheels are attached to the thing - in most cases they are better, some items (like cables or gaskets for example) the aftermarket items often turn out to be pure crap and end up costing you money rather than saving. Got a tranny cover from Drag not long ago because no one had a HD part in stock - chrome not really to the same standard, at some point I will replace it with the OEM part.

 

Yeah - and a lot of it has to come off to make the bike rideable.

 

And you believe that?

 

My bike is 27 years old.