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I sold my Ultra Glide and 1200 Sportster last year and I would like to buy a Heritage Softail. I want to get a counterbalance model and I know there are three model engines over the years that have populated the Heritage Softails. Having only owned rubber mounted FLH models in the past I am not at all knowledgeable about the softail line. I will not be getting the models with the new engine because of finances so if anyone can give me some input as to what to look out for when looking for a Heritage with the B motors? I am not interested in power other than what the stock engines make, that has always been enough for me. If I am correct, the B motors in the Heritage line goes back to the 2000 year models. Thanks for any and all input.
Depends on what you want? 5 speed or 6 & engine size, the 88 is a great motor & if the tensioners are addressed they're rock solid but..... you get a 5 speed, you can move up to the 96 & get the 6 speed, I think that was 2007 or there about? then there's the 103 - with this comes certain upgrades as far as seat & cruise control, I think 16`s had the cruise on them.
right now you can get some great deals on the twin cam Heritages & honestly I prefer the TC over the M8 - engine wise & just the overall bike pertaining to the Heritage. you`ll hear many talk about suspension & power & how the new bike is all that & then some - Believe me & ive rode the new heritage several times, have buddies with them & its not all that more powerful - now the suspension is a move forward but there have been issues there too. Find a nice garage queen & and put your personal touches on & enjoy. Heritage is a good bike & IMO the best looking bike & best all around bike.
I had a 09 and although I loved it it was a heat monster and a bit of a pig. The 96 just didn't do it with the gearing. I ended up doing a stage 2 which made sixth gear much more useful. I would definitely look at a 103 and probably a 12 and up that should have the last compensator after three or four revisions
Last edited by golfblues; Mar 4, 2020 at 08:16 PM.
Since you've ruled out the M8, you also won't get the latest design iteration. I agree that it may be just a touch early to try the M8, and my personal taste leans more toward the older traditional style rather than the newer looks. To my mind, the older Heritage looks like what a motorcycle is supposed to look like in the same way a snub-nose revolver looks like what a gun is supposed to look like.
Okay, that leaves 17 years of bikes to consider. In addition to some baggers, I have a 2000 FLSTC, and I just got a 2014 with the 103 engine. I like the 2000, but I really like the 2014. That year has the 103 engine as well as the six speed transmission; I think that combination is superb, and in 6th gear at 70 mph, I'm only turning about 2600 rpm's. It also has a tach, a clock, trip meters, and a range to empty indicator in the odometer.
In my opinion, one of the problems with the early TC's was that the engine was spinning really fast in 5th gear at highway speeds. Harley solved the problem at least by 2003, but earlier, I think it was a bit of a problem except for exclusive around town riding.
Overall, I think the later model is simply more comfortable. It's a great time to be in the market for a used bike. Good luck with your search.
I walked much the same road.....sold my 03 Sportster in 2012 without any regret and had fun one the Sporty. Problem came when my friends took highway rides of several hundred miles. The Sporty would be at the top of the rpm range just trying to keep up. Never enough gas in the Sporty tank either.
At 72 I found pampered 00 STC Pearl White with the big bore upgrade done at birth.
cant wait to get on the road with my riding buddies again and not be a half mile in the back.
If you like old school Harleys that you can make your own......cant go wrong with a Heritage
Harley of NYC called me today looking to sell me a bike.....I found a nice way to politely end the conversation......what do you have with a carburetor
Depends on what you want? 5 speed or 6 & engine size, the 88 is a great motor & if the tensioners are addressed they're rock solid but..... you get a 5 speed, you can move up to the 96 & get the 6 speed, I think that was 2007 or there about? then there's the 103 - with this comes certain upgrades as far as seat & cruise control, I think 16`s had the cruise on them.
right now you can get some great deals on the twin cam Heritages & honestly I prefer the TC over the M8 - engine wise & just the overall bike pertaining to the Heritage. you`ll hear many talk about suspension & power & how the new bike is all that & then some - Believe me & ive rode the new heritage several times, have buddies with them & its not all that more powerful - now the suspension is a move forward but there have been issues there too. Find a nice garage queen & and put your personal touches on & enjoy. Heritage is a good bike & IMO the best looking bike & best all around bike.
I agree with you there. Best bike HD makes for being a great all arounder. You can bar hop with it, you tour with it, great great bike.
I walked much the same road.....sold my 03 Sportster in 2012 without any regret and had fun one the Sporty. Problem came when my friends took highway rides of several hundred miles. The Sporty would be at the top of the rpm range just trying to keep up. Never enough gas in the Sporty tank either.
At 72 I found pampered 00 STC Pearl White with the big bore upgrade done at birth.
cant wait to get on the road with my riding buddies again and not be a half mile in the back.
If you like old school Harleys that you can make your own......cant go wrong with a Heritage
Harley of NYC called me today looking to sell me a bike.....I found a nice way to politely end the conversation......what do you have with a carburetor
AMEN to that !!!! (Re; Carb)
FI works good, but if you modif anything, it costs more to tune the stupid
thing than do the actual modif.
That and it sounds like a loud air compressor at idle.
I miss my 2000 Heritage !!!! WAAA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had a 2007 Heritage for a while and I didn't care for the 96 with the 6 speed gearing at all. Seemed like the gearing was way too tall for my liking. I currently have a 2003 fatboy and the gearing is more to my liking with the 88 and 5 speed.
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Which Model Year Heritage Softail.
