Potential problems with low mileage bikes?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,923
Likes: 266
From: Deep in the heart of New Jersey
Possible issues, Dry rotted tires, varnished carb or fuel injectors, dead battery, gaskets can dry out and leak, as well as orings. Stale gas and rust if it was allowed to sit with an empty tank.Some electrical stuff may need to be exercised to clean oxidation of the contacts. But low miles are low miles, and should last a long time compare to a bike with 50 k on it as your starting point.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9,282
Likes: 1,139
From: southeast PA
With low miles the owner never had much of a chance to see if there were potential problems that would have been covered by warranty, had it been ridden on a regular basis over the first 2 years.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,323
Likes: 37
From: NJ
Only if it really sat 3-4 years.....with an "almost empty tank" for years....(worse) not treated gas....I'd be looking in there with a scope to see the sides of the tank and check the inside for what degree of rust, varnish or whatever is or is not in there....
Once you start it up and introduce that crap into the injectors it's just a whole pain in the butt chain of events thing in dealing with it.
After all your buying for the "great deal yes...but also to Ride".....not to get stuck with trying to figure out someone elses 3-4 years of neglect that could cost you time and money.
Once you start it up and introduce that crap into the injectors it's just a whole pain in the butt chain of events thing in dealing with it.
After all your buying for the "great deal yes...but also to Ride".....not to get stuck with trying to figure out someone elses 3-4 years of neglect that could cost you time and money.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
Likes: 2,494
From: Decatur, Alabama
My Road King had been sitting for 10 years (2,500 miles) in a garage before I rescued it. There were a few tinky problems but nothing much. Mostly some surface rust that I polished out. The major problem was that the valve cover gaskets had dried out and started leaking but that's not really a big deal. Other than that, it was like new.
All in all, I think that garage queens are your best value for a Harley. Thank God there are rich guys out there who buy a bike and don't ride it. Poor folks like me buy them and ride the snot out of them.
All in all, I think that garage queens are your best value for a Harley. Thank God there are rich guys out there who buy a bike and don't ride it. Poor folks like me buy them and ride the snot out of them.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,788
Likes: 2,222
From: Texas
It's gonna be really a sad day when all of these low mileage "Garage Queens" are all gone.
Things surely are different than they were 10-15 years ago, when ya had to waite for ever to get a Harley, new or used............ Some day it may be that way again.
Things surely are different than they were 10-15 years ago, when ya had to waite for ever to get a Harley, new or used............ Some day it may be that way again.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Springfield, Ohio
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,938
Likes: 23
From: MD just outside DC
Only that they might have rubbed the paint off from polishing the bikes. Ohh and that the bike is PISSED off since it hasnt been ridden and you have a lot to make up from their previous sexless marriage. You are gonna have to ride her hard to make up for it. So better get a script for a little blue pill :-)