A few years ago, HD's were selling for thousands over MSRP, and up to a two year wait for new orders. People were buying 'em faster than they could make them. I watched this as the bikes became more and more popular, and wondered if it was just a fad type increase in their popularity. I predicted that one day, there would be a glut of barely used HD's on the market, and that those that bought them and never or rarely rode, would eventually sell them at cheap prices. You know what, I don't think it happened! Granted, the demand does not appear to be what it was a few years ago (or did HD just produce much more to meat the demand and do it quicker?), but there really doesn't seem to be an excess of cheap used bikes like I thought there would be. I have to wonder if there are a bunch of people out there that bought their new HDs, rode around a little bit, then put them in their garage where they sit year after year. What are your thoughts? Do you suppose there's a bunch of barely ridden bikes out there in hibernation not getting any use? Maybe one day we'll stumble across those great deals, like the old lady that has her departed husband's classic car in moth ***** and just wants to get rid of it.

 

I'm sure HD made some adjustements and grew just as demand has, but I don't understand why you think there should be a bunch of great deals on used HDs. I bought mine to keep for a long time and not in the garage if I can help that at all. I bought it to ride it At around 20K for bike and a few must have mods I'm not looking to sell her cheap anytime soon. If I'm lucky they'll bury me with my bike when I'm old and gray and I'll keep on ridin' in hog heaven so to speak

 

I was also thinking the same thing when I started shopping for my bike. I was hoping to find a super deal on someones bike who just never rode it and was willing to get rid of it cheap. But it never happend. I soon realized that the used springers cost more than the new ones I was pricing out, good thing for the HD market, bad for buyers. I ended up getting a new one cheaper than any used one within two model years, go figure.

 

Coaster, no I'm not saying any of the happy Harley owners here would be in this catagory. It just seems like there were SOOOOO many people that rushed out to buy a HD a few years ago, that maybe some of them were not really into it like they thought they would be, and there would be some of these owners that eventually decided "maybe this ain't for me". It just seems like the market has leveled out some. Maybe I'm wrong in this assumption/prediction, and all that bought them are happily riding their bikes. Like I said, I thought I would see a glut in the market of used bikes, but I really haven't. Only one fellow I know has sold his, and that was because he dicided to go to law school, and sold if for tuition (good decision or bad, who knows?). The rest of my buddies would never sell theirs unless it was to fund the purchase of a different bike.

 

When I was shopping for my HD, I saw a bunch of those low mileage bikes for sale. The problem is they are all from that era of waiting lists and dealers charging MSRP + $3000. People who bought them, financed them and now they owe as much or more than the cost of a new bike. They are for sale but there are no buyers. I watched Ebay and saw the same bikes listed over and over without the reserve ever being met. I think the used HD market is still reflecting the inflated prices from the model years the bikes were produced.

The bikes that are selling are priced with comparable depreciation to metric bikes. Used HD's hold a higher percentage of value, but the depreciation amount is the same as a metric. Take a metric that cost $6000 new in 2001 and it's selling for $3000 now. A 2001 HD may have had an MSRP of $16,000 and it's bringing $13,000 now. Same amount, dollar-wise as a metric.

 

I know a few people that have HD's and nver ride them. My good frind bought a new Sportster, and rode it for a week before he found a used FatBoy he liked, and bought that. He decided to keep the Sportster for his wife, and she barely rode it. It's been sitting in his garage for the last 2 years without being ridden, and only has 1000 miles on it.

I was also looking for a used bike at a decent deal, but for the asking prices, that were the same as a new bike, and the not having a warrenty, or history of the bike, it just was not worth buying one to me.

 

That's a curious thing then. Some of the responses here sound like there are bikes in the garages just sitting. I guess some people just don't care about the money just sitting there then. But Jamie makes a good point about people owing so much they have to try to sell them at a pretty high price.

 

I know several people that have put away their bikes. A couple of them do not know how to ride & have no interest in learning. They just wanted a Harley.

 

there are also people who have no business even being near a harley or any other bike for that matter this morning I was at the cafe where I have breakfast on weekends and this kid comes in on a custom softtail he bought 3 weeks ago for $28000 he ran into the back of my friends pickup tipping over and breaking off a mirror we helped him pick it up so he bought us breakfast while we were eating he told me he had a fight with his "old lady" last night because the bike has a solo seat so he storms out goes to the bar and gets drunk and tips the bike over in the parking lot .when he gets it home he runs it into the back of his garage and then tips it over side to side 3 more times before he gets onto the kickstand and then says the bike is a pos must have got brain damage trying to pull his head out

 

a lot of people who bought during that time had plenty of funds. they just hang out in the garage with their yuppy buddies and talk about harleys but never ride. but they paid cash and they dont have to sell em.