Howdy

I'm looking around, gonna buy me a bike before long.

As I get to looking more speciffically at what I want, A Wide Glide from the 1990's, I realize that there just ain't a whole lot of them being sold locally, and not many more within a few hundred mile drive.

Through online sources, there are more available, and I can have them shipped for a sort of reasonable amount. It is, what it is I suppose, and sometimes stuff costs money, so it IS an option, but is it a bad Idea?

I was looking at a bike available from a dealer in Texas. The pictures look great, but realistically, some online dealer reviews and a phone call is about all I'll get. I can't look it over in person, can't hear it run, no test drive.....

How do you feel about doing this? I'm willing to bet it's been done a few times.

Any words of wisdom? Maybe words of warning.

Thanks

 

You're going to be at a disadvantage buying online. However, it's the world we live in.

 

I don't think that it is a good idea, unfortunately there are a lot of dishonest people out there.

 

What's your experience level with Evos?

 

I bought a retired police Road King on EBAY from a dealer in Dumphries Va. Best bike I ever had. It came from New Orleans PD. Do your homework and you should be ok.

 

Absolutely none....

Pre-purchase, I really only know machine mechanics in general.

Post purchase this dont bother me a bit. I didn't have much knowledge of 1968 Ford FE motors, Ford C6 automatic transmissions, 1996 Chevy 350's, 1956 Evinrude 7.5hp outboards, or Stihl chainsaws before I owned them either. The mechanics of ANYTHING won't scare me away.

Getting bent over and nailed in the ***, buying something I don't know a lot about, from a salespimp I dont know........kinda does though.

 

You might want to post this in the EVO forum. Be more specific-Year/model, dealer name/location. You may find someone in the area who is willing to check out the bike and give you an honest assessment.
There is a bunch of guys in Texas who are very knowledgeable. (and enthusiastic)

 

There you go! You're exactly the right kind of guy for this.

Any 20+ yo bike is going to need some care and feeding. Sounds like you've got the wherewithal to handle that.

The only advice I have for you is to place a very high premium on originality. When something (inevitably) goes wrong, it is nice knowing that what you are working with is something that came from the factory that way, rather than trying to do archaeology on some previous owner's butchery.

Two specific things to look for: Original timing cover still riveted in place. Original air cleaner cover. In a perfect world, you'll find a bike where the motor has never been opened up, and those two things are reasonably reliable tells for that. (Not a guarantee, though.)

 

Yeh, I know I'm buyin a new hobby, and that's what I want.

Had to go find out where the timing cover was, lol.....that's 2 things I know about Evos now......I read a bit on cam bearings too.

Actually, there is an incredibly high emphasis on the bike being mostly stock. There's a few things I don't mind, but I honestly like the stock bike the best, and don't want to spend thousands returning it to normal.....or fixing all the silly **** that Bubba did making a "CUSTOM HARLEY DUDE!!!" or when some millennial cupcake made it into it into a cafe racer after his grampa died.

 

The dealer doesn't have a smart phone and can't upload a video to YouTube for you?