Hey gang,

I might have a fix on 2 Sportsters to choose from (both I can get for the same price...*IF* my bank will loan me the money). It all depends on which would seem to be the better buy money-wise, mecahnical-wise, aftermarket addability-wise etc.

Since my knowledge of bikes is almost zero (cars and trucks I can do, at least things older than 1980), I thought I'd ask you guys what I should look for, what I should ask about the bike(s), all that stuff.

I'd also like an opinion...which would everyone choose if it was *you* going to buy one of them?

Here's the two websites they're at:

<http://www.cycletrader.com/find/listing/1993-Harley-Davidson-SPORTSTER-93685764>

<http://www.cycletrader.com/find/listing/1989-Harley-Davidson-883-93554184>

I'd sure appreciate knowing what you guys think. As for the price, let's just say that I told them my situation and they're both giving me a good deal, I believe, from the prices shown.

Thanks!

 

You can do a lot better than those...

#1. They are considered antiques by NADA, KBB and Black Book....

#2. Those prices posted are HIGHER than Dealer RETAIL, for completely ORIGINAL units... You can add about 5-10% (average is 8%) for accessories or mods...

#3. If you are willing to spend THAT MUCH for a bike, I'll sell you an 04 883, 13K on the odometer, Stage I Carb/AC and SE II's, with 2 years of ESP left for $4k.....

Happy Hunting.....

 

I wouldn't pay that much for a 15yr old bike, with 37,000 miles if someone gave me the money.
Your bank won't loan you the money either.
Your best bet is to find a 2000-newer one for the same price, they are all over. Ebay, cycletrader, your local paper, craigslist, ect.
I would find someone who is local, so you can check the bike out in person and take someone with you that knows bike and can check it out. Way too many things to need to look at. Besides for seeing if it was involved in a flood or katrina. I had a buddy that got scammed on one for not checking it out properly cause it "looked so nice".
Good luck

 

I don't mind old or antique, I guess, as long as I can still get parts and accessories for them. It's kinda like the argument carb or EFI? If the EFI breaks down in the middle of nowhere, you're screwed, the carb can possibly be repaired enough to limp somewhere and fix it proper. The other argument is that the EFI rarely if ever breaks down.
Anyway, the age isn't the most important thing I was thinking about actually.

A '93 Sportster sold for $4k in '93? Well hell...

I've been spending almost 20 hours a day looking for something I can only *hope* to afford, and that's *only* if the bank is willing to take a chance on me with just a disability income of $700/month.

I've found nothing that's less than $4000 unless it's '03 and older, and most of those are almost plain stock. Those two above have saddlebags and forward controls...things I can hardly think about getting until the bike is paid off - in 3 or 4 years. That's one of the reasons I looked at those two, plus they said they'd go to $3500.

But I'm appreciating what you're saying, it's just that I don't know what else to do. Gas prices are keeping me from getting out of the house except to grocery shop twice a month (my p/u gets about 18/gal), and seeing friends is something that happens if *they* come over *here*.

Heh, heh...do you have saddlebags and/or a windshield on it too? And would you be willing to go $3500 so I can use the other $500 (if the bank will actually loan me $4k) on a riders course and nice brain-bucket? (I haven't ridden in 25+ years...I figure the course won't hurt and it'll make the insurance go down some).

Hopefully it doesn't read like I don't appreciate your input. Far from it. I just am running out of places to look and still have to hope that the bank will actually loan me any money (they won't just give it to me, they say I have to tell them to type of bike and year so they can do some kind of lookup on it for something or other)

 

Well, that makes 2 that say it's not such a good deal. Looks like it's back to the 'searching' for me then, heh. Thanks guys, glad I got your input and didn't already make a mistake buying anything yet.

 

If you have to have it today your gonna get fxxked. There is always a good deal if you have the patience. I wanted another 65 panhead and knew I probably would not get one because I would not pay the prices they go for now. I was taking my wife to a friends house to buy a piece of furniture and I saw what I thought was and old shovel head in a open garage covered with all kinds of junk. An old man out mowing the yard, I thought if he was out on the way back I would ask him if he wanted to sell it. He was still out so I said Do you want to sell your shovelhead. He yelled it not a shovelhead it is a panhead and I want $3000. for it. Well I thought he was BSing me. I said it is worth more than that. He said there selling between 8 and 12 thousand dollars and you would have to be an idiot to pay 3000 for one. To make a long story short I visited him every day for 2 weeks showed him pictures of all my old ex girls (bikes) He sold me the bike . when I came over to pick it up I brought my riding lawnmower over and gave it to him.

Take your time do not rush there are great deals out there