When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I bought my 05 a few years back with just 4681 miles on it. Had the original tires. First thing I did was fluids. Then off to the Indy for tires and the 5k service and asked him to check it over good. It was an eBay deal and a road trip. No leaks or drips at all.
Why do the 2008 Harley Davidson models have so many and reoccurring recalls?
My wife has an '08 Heritage and we've only received one recall but never bothered taking it in to have it looked at.
I may do it this year when I have new tires installed IF my wife decides that she wants to start riding again.
I (we) had an '03 RK with 295 miles on the odometer that we sold in '17.
I had replaced the ties once ('12 I believe) and they only had a few miles on them and the bike ran flawlessly and looked better than new with heck of a lot of chrome goodies, etc., etc., etc.!
We sold it to one of my wife's friend's husband and I was escorting him/them to freeway I was thinking that the only way that the bike did NOT look like a new bike was the narrower rear tire.
A bike left in storage without some TLC may give some problems but I do take them out yearly and take them on short, local runs before giving them a bath and a leather treatment.
My '98 Heritage Softail Heritage Springer Anniversary Edition (keeper) has less than 10,000 miles on the odometer and with the exception of the digital readings in the speedo dimming. looks like a bike on the showroom floor.
I bought my 2007 Softail Standard last year with 3848 miles on her. Dealer put on new tires. Previous owner put on a lot of chrome parts on but I guess never rode her!
If you look at a few you start to get the feeling for which ones are keepers , much like any used vehical other than I find miles seem to make less difference in used bike pricing than say trucks. Often see bikes with 30K difference in miles for the same price.
Every bike and every situation is different. It is up to the buyer to do his / her due diligence and make sure the bike is sound and worth what they are paying.
You cannot assume every low mileage bike is a deal and you should run from every high mileage.
We traded in a 2010 Limited with 65k miles in 2016. One owner, never down and ALL service done on schedule. The dealer who we know very well sold the bike the day after we traded it to a guy in Surfside Beach, SC. He comes back to the selling dealer every year when visiting family and stops to tell them he's still riding and the bike is serving them very well. They like telling me when the guy stops in.
I have a friend that was NOT AT ALL interested in my 2010 Ultra. He wouldn't admit it but the miles scared him. So a few weeks later he calls me all excited. He was on vacation in Tennessee, met a guy with a 2005 Ultra for sale. He was so excited, it was a one owner, 15k miles it was an impulse buy. He gets the bike home and it starts but does not run well. Needs pretty much everything because he shared with me the bike has been in storage for several years. Well two years and $4k miles later he got sick and tired of working on it and not being able to trust it beyond 50 miles from home and purchased a new 2021 Limited. This 2005 bike had not service records. The fuel system was gummed up, the brakes were trash. The fluid looked like syrup. Rebuild and replace everything brakes. The tires were dry rotted, needed wheel bearings, spark plugs, plug wires, battery, filters, you name it. He had the primary case off three times. All for leaks and once for leak and new stator.
My best riding buddy has 150k on his 2009 Ultra and going strong. He has replaced the belt and did a 103 kit with about 80k on the bike. It's not worth anything on trade, but it starts and runs great. He did some overnight rides with us last year.
I think if a bike is actually ridden on the road at least 20 miles or so regularly it is far better than one that has sit for long periods of time. If the owner keeps up with service as needed even though he is not racking up a lot of miles then it is a bike I would consider.
We ran into an old friend weekend before last that is 88 years old and still riding. He put 417k miles on a Ultra in the 90's. It was replaced and he owns that bike today with 388k miles. He has two other bikes that are not Harley's with 200k miles on each!
My 2017 CVO has 45K miles on it now. It's paid for, setup exactly how we like it and too nice to even consider trading. I look forward to the day it clicks over 100K miles because that'll mean I have many more enjoyable adventures and memories.
I just bought an Ultra 2001 w 26k on it. Had it checked out, I was in Caribbean my brother looked and rode it, seemed fine. Before shipping here had it serviced, I c add lled the tech and he stated that I had a sound bike. I'm loving it ❤
I picked up my 93 fatboy with 15,700 miles on it. Tires are good but changed the fluids to be safe and it runs like a champ. Doesnt use oil or leak, Im hanging on to this one.
What are some drawbacks to be aware of internally and externally, when considering buying an older, low milage, used motorcycle in good cosmetic condition?
I read its age (say a decade or more), counteracts its low mileage, as low mileage does not constitute a more valuable bike nor make or break a good used motorcycle, that has sat for most of its life...
the drawback is because it has low miles the ******* selling it thinks its worth more
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
