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The good news about Harley maintenance is that you can do most of it yourself, in fact you can probably rebuild one from the ground up if you can find a rock and a stick.
That said, I have a 2004 Heritage and a 2005 Ducati 999S. Different tools for different jobs.
What got me settled on a 800 lb bike with 65 hp was a friend who called up and said, "Let's go for a putt." That's what cruising is all about.
If you want to go out and "rip it up", you either need a different bike or you need 2 bikes! No law against having 2!!
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.