So are the '18 Harley Dyna/Softails selling like hotcakes?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,530
Likes: 546
From: Wayne County, PA
It just comes down to the garbage harley puts out. The only way to compare a harley to its competition and not come up short is with thousands of dollars in aftermarket parts. Stock for stock the new bikes are way better but who has a stock 96 or 103 in their bike?
If you really think about it how much harley is even left in some of our bikes? When every brake component and the bars, seat, dont forget all the motor work are aftermarket, how much of the original engineering is left? I bet some of us have less than 25% harley in the bikes we ride.
If you really think about it how much harley is even left in some of our bikes? When every brake component and the bars, seat, dont forget all the motor work are aftermarket, how much of the original engineering is left? I bet some of us have less than 25% harley in the bikes we ride.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,014
Likes: 34
From: Ca
I was shopping for a Dyna when the 2018's came out. New and used Dyna's went up in price, then disappeared. It took me 3 months to find a decent price for my Street Bob. 5 dealers around me, cycle trader, and chopper exchange would have maybe 1 a week.
Most dealers not only had zero Dyna's, they pushed me hard to go with the new softtail. Yes, the redesigned single shock is like sport bikes rather than the dresser softtails, but not what I want on a road bike. The dealers also bragged about how the idle vibration was gone, a feature I want. I also don't like the Yamaha muffler, or the half tank (there's your weight savings).
Dumb mistake by the MOCO, but still love Harley.
Most dealers not only had zero Dyna's, they pushed me hard to go with the new softtail. Yes, the redesigned single shock is like sport bikes rather than the dresser softtails, but not what I want on a road bike. The dealers also bragged about how the idle vibration was gone, a feature I want. I also don't like the Yamaha muffler, or the half tank (there's your weight savings).
Dumb mistake by the MOCO, but still love Harley.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,651
Likes: 1,278
From: PA
It just comes down to the garbage harley puts out. The only way to compare a harley to its competition and not come up short is with thousands of dollars in aftermarket parts. Stock for stock the new bikes are way better but who has a stock 96 or 103 in their bike?
If you really think about it how much harley is even left in some of our bikes? When every brake component and the bars, seat, dont forget all the motor work are aftermarket, how much of the original engineering is left? I bet some of us have less than 25% harley in the bikes we ride.
If you really think about it how much harley is even left in some of our bikes? When every brake component and the bars, seat, dont forget all the motor work are aftermarket, how much of the original engineering is left? I bet some of us have less than 25% harley in the bikes we ride.
Thats damn near any bike you buy.....
i come from a sportbike background and those bikes get molested just as bad. Guys do Ohlins front and rear, clip on handlebars or risers, titanium/carbon exhausts, aftermarket rear sets, gel seats, Carbon bits, aluminum or carbon rims, steering dampers, Brembo calipers aftermarket rotors and pads, tires etc!!!! Same stuff as HD so yeah you might pay a little more initially for a HD but if your a tinkerer or mod junkie your gonna wind up spending $25+ grand easy on a bike. And if you wanna buy a full blown tricked out Ducati or BMW that comes with most of that stuff mentioned the price starts around $25 grand and could easily hit 50 large that rivals the price of CVOs.
So @ the end of the day you want top of the line whether its hunched over doing 200mph or sitting back relaxed eating up miles its gonna cost you regardless
How much was a new top spec FXD or FXR? I never buy new, so no idea.
Seems if you're gonna compare Value, you have to use new retail plus cost (adjusted for inflation) of mods rather than clapped out used plus mods. That would change once Serengeti ages a bit and the used market matures, but for now...
Seems if you're gonna compare Value, you have to use new retail plus cost (adjusted for inflation) of mods rather than clapped out used plus mods. That would change once Serengeti ages a bit and the used market matures, but for now...
but handling on the stock dynas vs the m8 tails... dynas lose they feel like truck compared to the new ones. no body wants to admit that. they fall back to ohlins upgrades and blah... stock to stock the m8s out handle. no question.
keep the discussion at stock vs stock, and there is no discussion. there's just tom PETTY.. looks different, tank small, random bias, Len Bias, don't like apple cinnamon cheerios.... stuff that matters
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,448
Likes: 2,299
From: NW Ohio
I agree, cvaria. I think the Serengeti is a technically superior bike. you're aware of my beefs with them. They're not for me but I do think they're better engineered (except the engine...not sure the M8 is technically better. The heads certainly are, but the bottom end? Not so sure). Everything comes down to the frame for me. FXR, Dyna, Serengeti, they're all a collection of parts where owners swap out most everything except the frame...and Serengeti has the best one. Stiffer, lighter, and stronger, with a VASTLY superior swingarm. I can't wait to see some alloy triangulated (not like that Dyna lookalike retrofit) arms and S&S M8 work. Cut the mass of the counterbalancers, crank up the valvetrain to 11 and see what an M8 can do when it's breathing deep at 8k RPM.
Anyway,
My comment wasn't meant to discredit yours. Mostly to genuinely inform myself and maybe provoke some thought. I honestly don't have a solid grasp of what the total investment would have been for something like vt81 is describing if the base bike had been purchased new.
Are we comparing a 20k Serengeti to a 20k Dyna? No idea.
I've got maybe 12k into my salvage Dyna so far with no engine mods. I still want to build a hot 88 similar to what f86 has. Plus a custom exhaust. Maybe another $5k-6k? And when I'm done I'm under no illusion that my Frankenstein will outperform a Serengeti... Poor Value, for sure, but it brings other things to the table. And I'm OK with that.
Anyway,
My comment wasn't meant to discredit yours. Mostly to genuinely inform myself and maybe provoke some thought. I honestly don't have a solid grasp of what the total investment would have been for something like vt81 is describing if the base bike had been purchased new.
Are we comparing a 20k Serengeti to a 20k Dyna? No idea.
I've got maybe 12k into my salvage Dyna so far with no engine mods. I still want to build a hot 88 similar to what f86 has. Plus a custom exhaust. Maybe another $5k-6k? And when I'm done I'm under no illusion that my Frankenstein will outperform a Serengeti... Poor Value, for sure, but it brings other things to the table. And I'm OK with that.
Last edited by cggorman; Mar 4, 2018 at 01:08 PM.
no way, it's your bike... you and that bike are best buds. value is gone from the picture on that bike. it's just love. i'm the same with my sportster .... all rational thought and value have gone out the window. hell the suspension is worth more than the actual book on the bike.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,870
Likes: 499
From: Alberta
Stock vs stock and value for dollar spent are pretty meaningless terms around here. New HDs still look good, but Ill keep my 08 Fat Bob and contiune to enjoy wasting money on cruising far from home every summer. If were to apply a strictly practical approach to our bikes, we wouldnt even be on this forum. Harleys offer more oppotunity for usable self expression than any other bike sold...and lots of money is spent on useless self-expression too. I miss my FXDXT.
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Stock vs stock and value for dollar spent are pretty meaningless terms around here. New HDs still look good, but Ill keep my 08 Fat Bob and contiune to enjoy wasting money on cruising far from home every summer. If were to apply a strictly practical approach to our bikes, we wouldnt even be on this forum. Harleys offer more oppotunity for usable self expression than any other bike sold...and lots of money is spent on useless self-expression too. I miss my FXDXT.
i hear you but, you can't tell me it makes sense to compare a stock bike to a bike thats been in the mod gym. Makes no sense.
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