I've recently been contemplating a switch from my RK to a softail (heritage or deluxe) and find myself in a quandry. The local dealer had 0 15 or 16 softails on the floor so I wandered outside to the used lot and came across a 03 fat boy with heritage tins that caught my eye. I ended up talking to the previous owner (salesman on his 4th bike in a year..) and got the rundown on internals. The bikes has a lot of parts catalog items that add up quite quickly (full day maker led light set, chrome lowers and pulley, v&h longshots, 16" apes, magnum chromite cables, brand new white walls, 211 cams with hydraulic cam chain tensioner, grips, pegs, flporboards, and a highway bar). Bike is priced at 10k. Feel it's a bit high but it's a dealer asking price so it's expected.

Many of the parts I listed are things I would add to the bike if I bought it new anyways. I know the 16s have electronic throttles now with cruise and the ho 103 so what else am I "getting" from the 16 vs the 03. It it would the 7k extra along with the price of addons?

Warranties don't mean much to me. I ripped my first bike down to the connecting rods and did a 107 conversion with heads and cams at 985 miles (rolled 1k on the check ride)

And is it just the website or do this year's softails colors look like baby crap? The yellow metal flake may look good but I'd have to see it on the bike.

If you have owned an older 88b models and have upgraded feel free to chime in on whether you felt the juice was worth the squeeze for a new bike.

 

Add-ons, do-dads and what-nots do not add value to the bike. Period. Look up the KBB or NADA value on the year / model and go with that as your price because anything more is just highway robbery.

As far as the '03 vs '16, you would have to ride them both because I'm sure the rear tire will effect handling in the cor... Wait, you live in Florida, the land of long, straight, flat roads.

 

I dont know if they have electronic throttles now.. I'd assume so, since when I do a search for 58mm throttle body, everything that comes up is for HD's new throttle by wire system.

I only wanted to chime in and second what Next In Line said.. all the nick-nacks and stuff people put on their bike, no matter if you were going to do it yourself, do not add value to the bike.

 

I completely agree with the add on. They won't give me extra for my bike because of it so why should I give them more. That's why I refrained from finishing my ape install on my rk before I trade it. That's $600 that would just be right down the drain.

 

If nuthin strikes your fancy with the 2016's, try to get him down to 8k or so and you should be ok at that price.

 

And yes those long roads are a blessing and a curse. The plus side is the local cops don't give Harleys a second look.

 

10K is way too high on an '03

 

I completely agree. But it's expected being a dealer. Expected in so much of them to ask that much bit not for someone to actually pay it if it's not there first time

 

Dude I prefer new over used but that's me. Get which ever one makes the most sense to you. Good luck

 

I prefer used bikes Iver new with one caveat. I don't like buying a used bike that has been modified, especially if the modifications are to the engine or something invasive like that. Stuff like a seat or windshield is no big deal but cams, crank etc. is a deal breaker.

I have only bought one new bike and that was a 91 Sportster while I was in Japan.

I think leftover 15's can be had for a bargain by pitching the lack of cruise etc the 16's have plus the lower price some of the 16's