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Well, I did it, take delivery tomorrow. I still have reservations about weight, but this bike is SLICK! Nice owner, we had a long, good conversation, and it just felt right. Oh lord what have I done, lol.
Congrats on the new to you bike. It's a fine looking machine. If you have any questions about what mods to do, just ask. We're good at spending other people's money.
I bought my 2003 Heritage new. I still have it. They are great bikes.
Just one thing to look into...
That year had the spring cam tensioners. Do a search and you will have days of reading on the issue.
If the prior owner(s) have not upgraded them, they should be dealt with ASAP. There are several options to choose from for upgrades from $$ to $$$$$.
Back in the day, the unwritten rule was to check and update them at 20K miles. That's a 22 year old bike, so time is also a factor now too. If they were to fail and break-up, the repair bill can be very expensive.
Once those are dealt with, and the bike maintained, you should get many years & many miles of fun from that bike.... Enjoy!
My 2003 Heritage.
Last edited by hattitude; Nov 13, 2025 at 08:31 AM.
As far as gear goes that is like oil and seats, everyone has the best. But in saying that I'm going to give you my 2 cents.
Helmet - whatever you feel comfortable with whether that's full face or beany or somewhere in between.
Leather Jacket - Harley FXRG, very well made and waterproof.
Boots - Harley FXRG, very comfortable and waterproof. Soggy feet are not fun.
I would think about Gerbing heated jacket too.
Just buy good stuff. I'm telling you this from a guy that has spent a lot of dollars in trying to save a buck on riding gear and it always came back to bite me
I bought my 2003 Heritage new. I still have it. They are great bikes.
Just one thing to look into...
That year had the spring cam tensioners. Do a search and you will have days of reading on the issue.
If the prior owner(s) have not upgraded them, they should be dealt with ASAP. There are several options to choose from for upgrades from $$ to $$$$$.
Back in the day, the unwritten rule was to check and update them at 20K miles. That's a 22 year old bike, so time is also a factor now too. If they were to fail and break-up, the repair bill can be very expensive.
Once those are dealt with, and the bike maintained, you should get many years & many miles of fun from that bike.... Enjoy!
My 2003 Heritage.
Recently done, amongst other things, fuel pump etc. In fact that was one of the influences that helped in my decision. The others that I was considering, even though cheaper, would have been more expensive if those repairs were needed. And none of them were as nice. We talked extensively about it, had all the receipts, on and on.
The 100th anniversary badge is the best one Harley ever came up with.
You mentioned the bike's weight. What are you coming from and what's your experience level?
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03 Heritage
