how do you afford it?
My wife and my income puts us right near the top 10% of earners in the U.S. I purchased my first new Harley in 2013 after riding the hell out of my 1996 Road King. There is no possible way that people can afford to upgrade every couple years at the rate we seemingly see in this forum. As others have stated, its people financing the hell out of their lives. I sometimes think I am the only moron who is trying to save for retirement..
Don't try to keep up - You don't want to see what's at the end they are heading for.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 498
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
It's probably not as much as it might seem. I've wanted a CVO Ultra for several years but never liked the color until the 2013 Tribal Orange. 39K for a bike is crazy right? In my situation at the time (not married and no kids). I purposely purchased a less expensive car knowing I couldn't swing a nice car and awesome bike. Then I looked at what I did over the years with my 2005 Ultra Classic. I paid around 22K for the new bike. And by the time I traded her in seven years later I had put another 16K into it with chrome, engine work, pipes, LED lights, seat, you name it I did it. Divide up the 16,000 by 7 years and it was roughly 190.00 a month I was spending anyway. Add the 190 a month and another 200.00 for motorcycle payment and I got my CVO.
The difference, is that after 7 years, my 05 was valued at 22K less depreciation. No one cared about the 16K I put into it. The CVO was 39K, thus it depreciated from that higher value and it has pretty much all the stuff I would want to put on it.
Joe
The difference, is that after 7 years, my 05 was valued at 22K less depreciation. No one cared about the 16K I put into it. The CVO was 39K, thus it depreciated from that higher value and it has pretty much all the stuff I would want to put on it.
Joe
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 15
From: The City Of New York
Its all about balance and priority for me. I would never take a loan out for a bike unless I was living in So. Cal where I could justify it as commuter trannspo. I have zero debt except for my house mortgage, which the GF pays half, and my Jeep. I max out my 401K contribution ever year. If I can not afford to pay cash for a luxury, I feel I shouldn't finance it. I'm just about to turn 55, no kids, and I'd like to pack it in when I turn 62.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,861
Likes: 17,918
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Personally, I feel privileged to ride my carbureted Evo. Yes, I can walk in and buy a new CVO, but don't want to. My 95 Heritage is exactly what I want.
I am a Dave Ramsey fan, although I find he has tendency to over advocate insurance policies.
I also don't compete against anyone else, ever. I compete against my own self at work and other areas. I recently did not get an expected promotion and someone else got it. I turned inward to examine the reasons why.
What is it about your current bike that is giving you the blues? It seems to me that is an opportunity to make it your own and have something unique and exactly what you want rather some stamped out cookie cutter that is less than ideal for you despite costing thousands more. Short of you disliking an air cooled v-twin, just about anything can be massaged to your liking. Doing the work yourself not only saves money, but contributes to your enjoyment and appreciation. It no longer becomes just a thing. It becomes part of your identity.
My Heritage started out pretty good, but there were some things that I wanted different or better. Over time, it has Evolved into something I consider irreplaceable despite the actual money spent on it being relatively low. Gotta love Evolutions.
I am a Dave Ramsey fan, although I find he has tendency to over advocate insurance policies.
I also don't compete against anyone else, ever. I compete against my own self at work and other areas. I recently did not get an expected promotion and someone else got it. I turned inward to examine the reasons why.
What is it about your current bike that is giving you the blues? It seems to me that is an opportunity to make it your own and have something unique and exactly what you want rather some stamped out cookie cutter that is less than ideal for you despite costing thousands more. Short of you disliking an air cooled v-twin, just about anything can be massaged to your liking. Doing the work yourself not only saves money, but contributes to your enjoyment and appreciation. It no longer becomes just a thing. It becomes part of your identity.
My Heritage started out pretty good, but there were some things that I wanted different or better. Over time, it has Evolved into something I consider irreplaceable despite the actual money spent on it being relatively low. Gotta love Evolutions.
Married 25 years, 1 in his third year of college, the youngest a senior in high school, and college bound.
Wife and I both work.
I work an hour and a half from home, and 12 hour shifts, 8 days in a row... if you do the math, that's 120 hours away from home per hitch, or 105 hours in 7 days. I rotate one hitch days, the next nights.
Just work time is 96 in 8, or 84 hours in a week. I do not get overtime, as I am a salaried employee.
I've been in the oilfield 20 years, with it's ups and downs.
I do not feel guilty because I can afford things... I was a call-paid firefighter for 9 years, and on the Sheriff's department in Saginaw, Michigan (4th most dangerous city in the US, look it up) for 2. There is no way I was going to make my career in those low-paying fields. I respect what is done, and I loved doing it... but the pay isn't there.
We all make life's choices, and everyone had the same chance in the beginning, I grew up in the ghetto, and graduated with honors in the top 10 in my class, but 95% of the scholarships offered in my school I did not qualify for due to my skin. I grabbed myself by the bootstraps after struggling hard the early years of my marriage, and am now in the top 10% of wage earning households in the US.
Am I rich? HELL no....
But I have some nice things that we work awful hard to afford....
Wife and I both work.
I work an hour and a half from home, and 12 hour shifts, 8 days in a row... if you do the math, that's 120 hours away from home per hitch, or 105 hours in 7 days. I rotate one hitch days, the next nights.
Just work time is 96 in 8, or 84 hours in a week. I do not get overtime, as I am a salaried employee.
I've been in the oilfield 20 years, with it's ups and downs.
I do not feel guilty because I can afford things... I was a call-paid firefighter for 9 years, and on the Sheriff's department in Saginaw, Michigan (4th most dangerous city in the US, look it up) for 2. There is no way I was going to make my career in those low-paying fields. I respect what is done, and I loved doing it... but the pay isn't there.
We all make life's choices, and everyone had the same chance in the beginning, I grew up in the ghetto, and graduated with honors in the top 10 in my class, but 95% of the scholarships offered in my school I did not qualify for due to my skin. I grabbed myself by the bootstraps after struggling hard the early years of my marriage, and am now in the top 10% of wage earning households in the US.
Am I rich? HELL no....
But I have some nice things that we work awful hard to afford....
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 37
From: Rockland County, NY
Luckily, many of those folks with money to throw away buy those expensive bikes and very rarely ride them. That's when the rest of us benefit from buying used garage queens with low miles.
Don't waste your time worrying about what others can afford. There's always someone who owns something you'll never have. What counts is the experience of having something of your own that you love and enjoy.
Don't waste your time worrying about what others can afford. There's always someone who owns something you'll never have. What counts is the experience of having something of your own that you love and enjoy.
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 366
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
Yeah and many people save every nickel for retirement and then they retire and die two years later... Some people spend money on exotic vacations... Some on $25,000 kitchen upgrades...to each his own...
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 20
From: Batavia, NY
Also keep in mind, a lot of veterans here. Between retirement pay from active duty and some who are getting a disability rating through the VA, that can account for thousands per month in "extra" income on top of their normal jobs.