This is a fact. At one time I considered upgrading but then I came to my senses and realized I wasn't really getting much for the difference it would have cost me. I decided to wait until this motor had some serious miles on it and then I am going to rebuild it with the 95 kit which pulls really strong.

 

Takes about five years of ownership to get in a positive position for a trade. You have to assume depreciation will drop a bunch the first couple of years then it goes down much slower after that. I put 59,000 on my 02 and kept it for five years, then traded it for the 07. Net depreciation for that time was $12,500 or $2100 per year.

Harleys a bit like airplanes. You can own one and then as the years go by replace or rebuild the wear components, and you still have a new performing machine.

 

Rode a couple weeks ago with a couple on a new '08 Ultra. They were out of the Sacramento area, but I don't recall if they traded in Sacramento or one of the other Nor-Cal cities. Anyway, they traded their '06 (13000 miles) on the bike. Paid MSRP and got $13,250 on the trade. That's about $700 above what Kelley says it's worth on trade. I think this was their 4th or 5th bike from the dealer, though. They also bought the pre-paid service to sweeten the deal some. Their deal was back in early August, if I recall.

I know my local delear (Zion HD) has done some recent trading that was decent. On '07s they tend to give less on trade (already discounting from MSRP), but I think on '08 models they are giving a bit more. One of the local guys has an '06 1200C Sporty that he is thinking of trading toward an '08 RK ... and I'm pretty sure they offered him over $7000 on the trade toward an '08. I remember the figure only because an office-mate just traded his '06 1200CSporty for an '07 Softail Custom.He got just north of $6500 on the trade, and there was enough difference that it accounted for the '07 vs. '08 models.

Hope thishelps.