Hello everyone,
I don't have a Harley yet but I have my hart set on a new 06 Road Glide. I'm planning on purchasing within the next month but after reading about all of the problems people seem to be having with their Harley"s I'm now not to sure, to bad I really love the looks of that bike. Can any of you help put my mind at ease about this purchase, I know opinions are like a!@ holes, every one has one but what the heck I'm asking anyway. It really bothers me to pay 20+ thousand for a bike thats in the shop all of the time just for the dealer to tell you every think is just wonderful, all is normal. Are people just hyper critical of their bikes or are there real problems with these things I.E. hi speed low speed wobble, cams, top end nose, ECM maps, swapping out pipes, lean running, transmission noses etc, etc. Again I don't know anything about these bikes I'm just going by whats posted in this forum.

Thanks
SubZer0

 

Since no one else has posted as of yet, I'll give it a shot.
First off, yes...everyone on this board is hyper sensitive about our bikes because we love them.
Now, you only hear about the problems 99% of the time. Unless there's a trip w/ pics, we tend not to post about the thousands and thousands of problem free miles.
These bikes are for the most part very reliable and most of the dealers are decent to good. Post the name of the dealer(s) and see if anyone has any experience with them.
Road Glides are GREAT bikes and can go for many miles troublefree and usually do.
Now the bad news. 2006 brought ud new EPA regs. Harley in general and the dealers especially were not ahead of the curve as far as aftermarket parts and upgrades are concerned. The muffler system has a catalytic converter. Just like cars, all of us older people remember when we thought catalytic converters, fuel injection were the death of the V-8 and therefore the death of fast cars.
Just keep exploring and asking questions and you'll learn the "secret code" and be able to decipher these things.
Good luck. Art
If you wind up like most of us, in a year or two you'll be saying that it was the best money you ever spent.

 

SubZer0,

Folks come here to vent and get some help when somethings wrong but offcourse others aren't as motivated if they've had no problems. So naturally the disscusions can seem somewhat negative. Any machine will have issues, especially ones that guys are as fond of "Upgradeing" as we are our HD's. With forums like this we help each other to recognize and deal with these issues.

Many of issues seem to highlight a particular dealers shortcommings rather than those of the product. So check around for the most reputable dealer available to you.

If it helps, I've owned 2 Eglides. First a 92 Ultra that I rode hard for a 12yrs /100k before anything major needed doing. Currently an 05 Classic with 11K on it this first season. It has performed flawlessly.

 

Yep I would have to agree so far. You hear about the bad stuff more than the good but for the most part the problems that most people have with the bikes are self induced.

 

SubZero,

I have a 2000 Roadglide and love it. Starting with a new stock bike you will have decisions to make (like pipes, race tuner, etc.). When you decide to upgrade make sure your dealer is up to date on remapping your efi (fuel injection). Most of the problems you read about are caused by updating exhaust and not upgrading the efi properly. This can be expensive but the end result of a proper tune is great.

The wobbles do not happen very often and are usually caused by riders who don't check their tire pressure. Lose neck bearings are very rare and ususally happen on older bikes.

All harleys have motor and transmission noise. It just goes with the vtwin motor. Unless it sounds like you have a midget with a hammer in you motor trying to get out isn't anything to worry about.


Terry

 

In addition to the above, most of us like to tinker with our baby. This prompts some of us to ask a myriad questions concerning maintenance, up grades, and power enhancements on the forum. As to the wobble, if you ride sensably, within the speed limit, and keep you bike properly maintained you should not have any problems.

 

I am on my third Harley 96 fat boy, 00 wide glide and now a Flhtci - No real problems that would keep me from buying another... It is my opinion that buying a Harley is more than just buying another MC. It is more of a life style... I rented a 02 Honda Gold Wing in Europe in July of 02 and rode it for 4 days... Very nice bike, super smooth and very quiet... Now if that is what you are looking for, then it was a great bike and a little less $$ than my current Flhtci - however, it is Not a Harley and that is what I wanted... My Harley will never be as smooth as the Gold Wing nor as quiet. It wont shift as smooth and the seat is not as big - my Harley's tour pac will not open with a touch of a "key fob" and most Gold Wings will last well over 100K - My Harley may or may not

However the Honda is NOT A HARLEY and that is what I have and what I want. I don't even want to know how much I have put into my Harley since I got it as already stated - we like to make them "Ours" Honda people think we are "nuts" - but we love it and will stay with our Harley's.

On each of my bikes, I have gotten the extended Warrenty just to have peace of mind... So far, it is has only been used once for a starter that went out....

So, would I buy another Harley, Yep,,,, I love the bikes, the way they feel, look and ride - If I want a Motor Cycle to ride like a car, I will buy a car...

I would suggest you test ride the bikes you are looking at... Harley, Honda, BMW all great bikes but all very different... top of the line will put you back 20K - no matter what one you pick... I agree, 20K is a lot, make sure you get what you want.

For every problem you read about on these pages... Remember, there are many more out their riding and don't even know these pages exist... I just found this forum a few weeks ago, I am a firefighter and have time in the mornings and evening to read these or I would be out their riding...

Last comment,,, If I did not have so much in my FLHTCI right now, I would order the new Yellow Pearl Road Glide in a heart beat....

 

Thanks guys,
All that you guys have said I really already new in my mind, guess I just needed to here about other peoples experiences. I've wanted a Harley for years, now I'm going to get one, big yellow pearl Road Glide. I'm a mechanic by trade, not a motorcycle mechanic but a aircraft mechanic, so I like to tinker too.

I used to own, well I still do own a 1983 Yamaha Venture Royal 1200, now its just scattered across the garage. I could get that thing to hi speed wobble too if I got to overly aggressive with it, back in my younger days I had no fear (no brains). For a big bike, that thing could really handle and I scarred the crap out myself more than once.

SubZer0

 

yea i hate this sumbitch, but it aint for sale!!

 

I have an '04 Ultra and have had no problems with it at all. I have the major preventative maintenance done at the dealer and I do all the chrome goodies myself. I bought the service manual with my bike and that is the insurance I need, to ensure that any parts I replace will be installed correctly. You can't go wrong with a Harley. The resale is awesome, the comraderie is amazing and they look better than they ride.

Harley's are a complicated machine. As they progress and improve your always going to have a small number of defects. This forum is a place for some to look for help with those defects. The percentage is very small and the success rate is very high. Buy hte Road Glide and enjoy it before they put the radiators on them and change them forever.

Ride On!



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