Well just got off the phone with my brother who is pissed off. We rode Honda's for years and back in '06 we switched to HD RK's. I am talking we rode those Honda's hard-everything from dirt bikes to CBR 600's. to CBR 900's (still own one actually) and other than general maintenance the only EVER mechanical problem we ever had between all of those bikes was a broken chain (too many wheelies are very hard on your chain I found out one day!)...anyway, so far since October of '06, hes had the transmission (1200 or so)blow on him (no, he babies this RK so he did not beat on the engine) he had another issue that now slips my mind but was around 500 to fix, and now his spokes got loose the other day and he needs to another whole wheel he's told(500 more) plus he needs the 20k maintenance (another 500 I believe roughly) so this HD isclearly nickel and diming him. Granted the 20k maintenance doesn't really count but that still leaves around 2500 in actual repair work I believe in under 2 years. I can tell you all between the dirt bikes (roughly 8 bikes between us both over the years) and street bike Honda's we owned, if you added up ALL of the repair costs AND Maintenance on them you don't even approach 2500 that the HD is sucking up. Now he's thinking about getting a Wing if he has any more issues. There's only so much a guy can do, and I understand how pi$$ed off he is right now...so far, knock on wood I haven't had a single non-maintenance issue with mine. Anyway, hopefully no more problems but boy, this latest problem ruined our riding plans for this past weekend and it was perfect weather. Just sucks.

That said, no one can tell me with any sense of honesty, that HD's are anywhere close to the Jap bikes as far as reliability goes....I'm just not gonna buy it.

I sense I will get flamed for this but so be it....I know the posts of "I've never had a problem in 50k miles" are about to be coming at me hardcore but just from what I have seen, I think the Honda is clearly, from a reliability standpoint, a far superior machine....

And no, I'm not a freaking TROLL!!!!

 

"so far, knock on wood I haven't had a single non-maintenance issue with mine."


Your brother and you bought 2 bikes...he's had some problems, you haven't had a single one...on what planet does that makeall Honda's superior to all Harley's?

I think your brother should buy a Wing, and you should quit bitchin' aboutthe good Harley under your ***...

 

Well luckily for you Honda's are discounting the **** out of their bikes and Harleys have high trade in value so you can make the jump to Honda. Haven't had any problems in the two years I have owned my Harley. That is more than I can say about any other vehicle I have owned. I have had this awful honda motor on a power washer. So not everything that Honda makes is gold.

 

I had 5 Goldwings and there is a lot of truth to what you said. I have spent more money om my 07 Ultra than 5 Goldwings. But I enjoy my H~D

 

ditto nighttrain...

 

DO US ALL A FAVOR.... SELL IT AND BUY A HONDA.

 

So if you hate the HD and the Honda is soooooo much beter, trade yours for an old wing. I don't care if it isn't as technologically good nor as reliable I am not riding rice. Course if you have no problems with yours, his just possibly might be a lemon. It happens, even in hondas I'm sure. Bottom line, it's your bike and your choice, ride what you want to but painting all Harleys with the crap brush is ..well just crap. Mine has 144k miles and I haven't spent nearly what he has other than maintenance since 1995.

Your money, your choice.... then next move is yours. I'm betting you'll be ridng one of those heartless plastic wonders before years end.

Bubba

 

I've had more Honda's than anything else over the years (all because I was cheap). Of the 9 the last two are Harleys; they're the best by far.

 

My buddy's 06 vtx 1300 has had his clutch lever fall off and speedoworks-sometimes. Other than that it's a great bike. Also he's put about $6,000 in upgrades to get it to the level of my heritage when it was stock. Still thats nothing compared to your brothers troubles. I wouldn't blame him for going back to jap bikes. Hell, originally I wanted a vtx1800. My question is why were none of his issues covered under the 2 year warranty?

 

um.

his should be under warranty still. why arent' they replacing the tranny/other things under that?

this sounds fishy.