Would you buy a Harley CHEAP if it doesn't run?
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 164
Likes: 9
From: Houston
Would you buy a Harley CHEAP if it doesn't run?
I have the opportunity to buy a 2002 Road King with 42,000 miles for $4,000, possibly a little less. From the pics in the listing, it is very clean with plenty of added chrome/accessories. The story is that the tank needs to be cleaned because it has been sitting for a year. I believe the bike is fuel injected and I plan to attempt to connect an external fuel source and a good battery to try to at least start it. I also plan to check compression on the engine. My question is if others think this is sounds like a good enough deal to take the chance without actually being able to ride it. It seems like a selling price, in my area, could easily be $7,000 and above in the Spring with it running. Thank you for any input you may have on this subject.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,721
Likes: 243
From: NC
If it is EFI I don't think you can just hook up an external fuel supply like if it was a carby as the fuel injection system has a fuel pump to build up pressure. For that kind of money you can't go too wrong. I'm sure others will have an opinion on that.
Pull the tank flush it out add some fuel and put some injector cleaner in it and give it a go!
Pull the tank flush it out add some fuel and put some injector cleaner in it and give it a go!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 11,722
Likes: 9,152
From: Georgia
If the rest of the bike looks good, I would probably take a chance as long as the owner has a plausible story as to why they aren't having it fixed and selling it as a running bike themselves.
Watch this video and the one following it to see why you can't just run it off another fuel source.
Watch this video and the one following it to see why you can't just run it off another fuel source.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 14,262
Likes: 15,531
From: Tulsa
If it doesn't require the ecm to see fuel pressure, you might be able to shoot it with carb cleaner, just to see if it will start, through the air filter.
Edit: I looked up specs on this and it shows to be a carbureted engine. My '01 was. YMMV.
Edit: I looked up specs on this and it shows to be a carbureted engine. My '01 was. YMMV.
and what others have said about the condition of the rest of the bike, and why the current owner is not fixing it himself (WHich can be a myriad of plausible reasons from health to divorce and beyond)Keep us updated on what you find. Not sure what all the parts would sell for in total but guessing that would be a gamble if there is something more to the story than just sitting for a year
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 459
From: Here and now
Sitting for a year and the tank is gummed up? A friend and I went and bought a two year old (2011) Dyna in the San Francisco Bay area with 166 miles on the clock a couple of years ago. Hadn't been started in 18 months. He charged the battery, fired it up and rode it 90 miles home. And that was on the stuff they pass off off gas in California
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