Harley has come a long way in their engineering, however, they still pretty much suck at the common problems, i.e. front motor mount, compensator, water pump. Real hard to fix right. The after market seems to be able to jump to the occasion and provide the fixes right away while the Harley team is out to lunch, oblivious to the problems.
For the average rider who might put 3K on their bike each year, they have no idea what those problems might be. I've been putting over 20K a year on mine and with retirement, that will probably go to well over 30K.
My 16RGU is currently in a shop for a compensator and a front engine mount. It appears that my riding season is over as the backup in the dealer and indys around here is 8 - 10 weeks. Shows the reliability of these POS.
A friend recently suggested to me that I might consider a BMW for a more reliable touring bike. Sure, I can go on line and read the specs and they all glow, just as the specs on Harleys glow. The price of a top touring BMW is about the same as a RGU but their performance runs circles around our hogs. I'm trying to dig into the true reliability of them. If they turn out to be as good as their performance is, I'll sell my hog and go German.
I'm into my retirement years and I certainly don't want to sit around at home while my bike is on a wait list behind 20 dozen bikes that need an oil change.

 

Do as you like, but I have 17k on my 2016 Limited and haven't had any issues. I know an older rider who switched to BMW and was back on a Harley three months later. For me, I like what I have. I am satisfied with what I have. I read here of those with issues and complaints, but my guess is the majority won't have enough issues to off load the Harley. Best of luck with your repairs and decision.

 

That's a decision only you can make based on your circumstances. If I were in the same situation, I'd buy the parts and do the work myself. Anyway, Gunny, I wish you the best if that's your final decision.

 

 

 

I think if you think you would be much happier with a BMW, you should get one. I'm sure they are nice bikes. I talked with 2 guys in WA state recently who had GSA's and they loved them. I wouldn't mind having one but am a little wary of the maintenance costs - based on perception, not experience. As for me, in the last 28 years I've owned 3 Harley touring bikes and one GL1500 Gold Wing. I can attest that the Gold Wing was generally as reliable as the Harleys. But certainly not any more reliable. All four had minor items that needed attention. The 2014 Ultra Limited I have now has been the most reliable to date, although I've only had it for 5 riding seasons.
Good luck with your Beemer.

 

Thanks for the links.
That really provided some information. I just can't see riding a Yamaha and now my perspective of the BMW is shot all to hell.
I guess this just has to be the accepted norm. Maybe I should just buy another Harley so I can have one running while the other is in the shop for repairs.

 

Buying a second bike is exactly what I was going to suggest. I have more than one for several reasons and your situation is one of them.