High idle to mask problems?
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 99
From: P.E.I. Canada
OK, I get why it might not be a bad trade, sounds like not your average bike. I would say as long as you're prepared to rebuild the carb if you have to, then just go for it. Would the kerosene maybe have dried out some o-rings or gummed things up a little?
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,298
Likes: 2,392
From: Florida
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. And I'm not saying it's a great trade, that's sort of why I'm asking on this forum. I love the bike, and if it takes just a little cleaning of the carb, I can handle that. It is, after all, six years older than my Heritage.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 19,364
Likes: 40
From: Los Angeles, CA
It is difficult to know what it is going to take until you tear into it. That is the problem. I don't want a bike that has been sitting idle for too long. It creates too many possible scenarios of what can go wrong.
Drew
Drew
Unofficial HDF Chaplain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 21,160
Likes: 18,082
From: san diego
I think you may be able to do better, think you'd be better off with the newer bike, by the time things start biting you ***, you could have made your bike into what you want it to look like. oil seals start to harden, fuel lines and kerosine do not mix, either does the parts in the carb, sounds like a ticking bomb ready to explode in your face, if you could get a better price, maybe but seems to me you're giving up a lot to get what your emotions are telling you is a good deal
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,109
Likes: 9
From: Connecticut
The carb i dirty from what you describe. Great way to bargin to get the price down. A bike sitting a long time will have issues down the road when you start riding it more. just be prepared
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Pacific Northwest
The original owner 'bought it as an investment'? That sounds suspicious in itself. Did you actually talk to the guy who traded the bike for a Jeep, or is all this information coming second hand from the used car dealer?
There's no way to know for sure if the mileage is accurate. The speedometer could have been changed, or the original owner could have rode it with the speedometer disconnected (it wouldn't be the first time someone has done that). The stock tins (including speedometer) might have been kept in storage while the bike was ridden with custom tins and custom speedometer.
Q. How can you tell if a used car salesman is lying?
A. His mouth is open.
There's no way to know for sure if the mileage is accurate. The speedometer could have been changed, or the original owner could have rode it with the speedometer disconnected (it wouldn't be the first time someone has done that). The stock tins (including speedometer) might have been kept in storage while the bike was ridden with custom tins and custom speedometer.
Q. How can you tell if a used car salesman is lying?
A. His mouth is open.