After reading many of the posts on here I have lost a lot of confidence in making a purchase of a H-D.

A little background. I have been riding bikes since I was 8. I currently ride a sportbike and am in the market for a new bike. I can't tell you how many hours that I have spent researching bikes and what will best fit my needs. I kept coming back to H-D as a top choice. I am looking for a daily driver. I have a 30 mi commute each way, half fwy and half city streets. I had settled into several bikes:

XL1200L or N - Great style, handling / Don't want the stereotypes
Street Bob - Great choice - not as maneuverable as I would like
Buell CityX - no wind protection / poor resale
Yamaha FZ6 - Solid all around / Poor resale

All of these have great performance, gas mileage, comfort and style that I am looking for.

So, after all of this research on the product that I want to buy, I started to look at owner advice. Bias aside, the Sportster appears to best suit my needs. BTW I am open to anyone's advice on this.

Now to my point:

After looking at many of the posts on this specific forum I am starting to feel like owning a Harley is more painful than owning any other bike! I have owned bikes for years, mainly Yamahas and have never experienced the pains that are discussed again and again here. Sure, I have had to work out some warranty issues with a dealer a few times, but have never been met with the attitude that keeps coming up here. I get the impression I will be paying a premium for a bike that will eventually have a problem and then I will have to fight tooth and nail to get the service that I have been used to for years.

I guess what I am looking for is reassurance that I am not making a mistake in buying an HD.

Your thoughts are welcome!

JK

 

I didn't purchase new...I have a '97 Wide Glide with ~ 46K miles and am the third owner. Only problem I've had was with the starter clutch, but that was because I was causing the error. Only problem I've had is no heated grips.

 

Buy what ever you want.

 

JK,

If you need reassurance, you are making a mistake. You have got to feel it to own one. I don't know of any better way to put it.

 

Park yourself on a corner near a dealership, for half hour or so, and look and listen to the bikes as they go by. Now do the same near a Harley dealership. You will end up getting a Harley.

 

To jump to the point, you go to any forum for any style or make and you will see complaints. Its the whole point of a forum so everyone can find information easily. I have not been in one forum that was complain free, or didn't have as many if not more complaints. Its just that you have so many guys with bikes, that modify them or have built engines that are more prone to failure. Who here or that you know buys a bike to ride it slow, I don't and I plan on getting every penny that I paid out of this bike....I thought the same thing about buying my first HD but have not had any regrets and I'm only 3 weeks into it.

 

For every bad experience there are tons of great experiences. People post on forums to resolve issues. That's why complaints or simple problems are more frequently discussed.

Edit... see above... beat me to it

 

What is resale I buy a bike to ride. And if it's an old jap bike there are no part around. But a old harley can still get rebuilt over and over. And you can find parts all over the world.

 

Any sporty or even a Dyna would fill what you are looking for. HD makes great bikes and they run fine. Many seem to get into making changes to the factory setup for more power and performance. These include fuel mgmt., air intakes, exhaust. These all equal money, money, money. Frankly, stock setups work just fine and there is nothing wrong with stock. Harley's are not metrics. Sportys are like old British sports cars. Ride is harsh compared to metric but they are just plain fun to ride....the torque is an absolute kick. Of course, you can, as many do, customize to your hearts content. HD and many HD riders make it all about Harleys. But if you love to ride, it really is all about riding and HD offers a different brand of riding fun. Trust yourself, buy one. If you don't like the HD purchase it likely will not be your last mistake....

 

Sounds to me like you are shopping for a bike that will please others, not yourself.

Yes, an HD will be the wrong choice if it's not what will make you happy.