2008 Heritage Softail sitting 15 years
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
From: Delaware
All great ideas and greatly appreciated I do have a lot of mechanical ability and experience with Harleys I will be doing most if not all of the work myself Im gonna offer him $3500 if its in as good as shape as he says its in Ill definitely keep everyone posted as to what happens
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,238
Likes: 5,784
From: On the Big Blue marble
The big thing to keep in mind is the 'book price' is pure BS. The only person who ever seems to use it is the dealer to show how low your bike is. Use Cycle Trader, cut the top and bottom 5% and thats your real price. The low miles also add a premium.. The 'book' on my heritage springer was a joke and I sold it for more than double
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,117
Likes: 1,145
From: Directly above the center of the Earth
You *WILL* need to replace the wheel bearings!!! The grease in them does dry out when it's not moved around enough. I found this out the hard way when I'd bought a used '98 FXD Super Glide with only 8000 miles on it and then it had sit for something like 5+ years. Got home from a ride one day and as I was dismounting I happened to see a tiny wisp of smoke from the right rear side of the bike. It was so little bit that for a second I thought I had just seen something bullshit. Good thing I decided to check it out though and I started a search. After much searching and discovery, it was the right bearing. It had got so hot that it had welded itself to the axle (I found *that* out after spending *hours* with a sledge hammer!). I ended up having to cut that side of the axle off with a sawzall and get a new axle and bearings!
It's easy enough to do on your bike as the bearings are sealed and you don't need to go through what older Evo models have to do with the wheels and bearings and spacers. Pop out the old bearings, tap the new ones in, easy peasy.
It's easy enough to do on your bike as the bearings are sealed and you don't need to go through what older Evo models have to do with the wheels and bearings and spacers. Pop out the old bearings, tap the new ones in, easy peasy.
You *WILL* need to replace the wheel bearings!!! The grease in them does dry out when it's not moved around enough. I found this out the hard way when I'd bought a used '98 FXD Super Glide with only 8000 miles on it and then it had sit for something like 5+ years. Got home from a ride one day and as I was dismounting I happened to see a tiny wisp of smoke from the right rear side of the bike. It was so little bit that for a second I thought I had just seen something bullshit. Good thing I decided to check it out though and I started a search. After much searching and discovery, it was the right bearing. It had got so hot that it had welded itself to the axle (I found *that* out after spending *hours* with a sledge hammer!). I ended up having to cut that side of the axle off with a sawzall and get a new axle and bearings!
It's easy enough to do on your bike as the bearings are sealed and you don't need to go through what older Evo models have to do with the wheels and bearings and spacers. Pop out the old bearings, tap the new ones in, easy peasy.
It's easy enough to do on your bike as the bearings are sealed and you don't need to go through what older Evo models have to do with the wheels and bearings and spacers. Pop out the old bearings, tap the new ones in, easy peasy.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
From: Delaware
Well not going to be purchasing the bike I went over to look at it and the first thing the gentleman says was I looked up the value on KBB which is around $12000 so he wouldnt go no lower then $8000 Id like to thank everybody for all the help and advice!
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,973
Likes: 910
From: Omaha
People these days seem to think what something is worth is what they think it is not what someone else is willing to pay for it.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,117
Likes: 1,145
From: Directly above the center of the Earth
What do you think the '09 FXD I rode used? 'Sealed bearings'. Those too go bad, quickly, in my case. I put 87,000 miles on that bike and went through 5 or 6 sets of wheel bearings. I'd see smoke coming up from a wheel when I'd be parking and would hope I was at home when I saw it. Those sealed bearing don't instill any confidence in me at all, and I tried all kinds of different brands. I'm just glad I went back to tapered bearing bikes...they'll last forever if you keep them well greased correctly...and *used*, lol.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,156
Likes: 11,244
From: San Diego, CA
What do you think the '09 FXD I rode used? 'Sealed bearings'. Those too go bad, quickly, in my case. I put 87,000 miles on that bike and went through 5 or 6 sets of wheel bearings. I'd see smoke coming up from a wheel when I'd be parking and would hope I was at home when I saw it. Those sealed bearing don't instill any confidence in me at all, and I tried all kinds of different brands. I'm just glad I went back to tapered bearing bikes...they'll last forever if you keep them well greased correctly...and *used*, lol.
If you had that many problems with sealed bearings, then they were either very cheaply made, no-name bearings, or they were installed wrong... Even the best made bearing can be damaged by an improper install, and if installed with a high, side load, they won't last long....
In all my Harley riding years, bikes, and models, I have never had a wheel bearing go bad. I have had as much as 80k miles on a set of wheel bearings.
I have replace one set of wheel bearings (the newer 25mm ones) just for preventative maintenance, but they moved smoothly and checked out OK... They probably would have been fine...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 10,804
Likes: 7,444
From: OH
[QUOTE=tar_snake;21490800]You *WILL* need to replace the wheel bearings!!! The grease in them does dry out when it's not moved around enough.
No offense but that doesn`t seem to happen to grease in tubs or tubes.
No offense but that doesn`t seem to happen to grease in tubs or tubes.