Once it's been paid for of course.

 

Comparing stock for stock and without adding any modifications and only maintenance should be the same as long as you keep up with regular maintenance (i.e. tires, and fluids) Jap might be a little more since they most likely are liquid cooled.

I am assuming we are comparing cruisers/touring for a more apple to apple comparison and not racing bikes.

 

Having owned a 01 GSX-R
Then moving to a '10 Road King
I will say that the Road King is more expensive to own (in a ggod way) only because there is so much you can do to upgrade and accesorize the machine that the possibilities become endless, proportionate to your time and $ you spend and put into it of course.
Either way it's AWESOME!

 

only expensive if you keep buying stuff to put on otherwise they are great machines

 

My 2003 EG is more expensive to own & maintain than my 2000 Kawasaki Concours. At each oil change I need 3 lots of oil for the Harley compared to one for the Kawasaki and the filter is about Can$12. I have to check the belt tension on the Harley but the Kawasaki is shaft drive. I do have to change final drive oil on the Kawasaki but it is a small amount and the frequency is low. The Kawasaki runs on regular the Harley on premium. I can get cheaper quality tires for the Kawasaki. Depending on where you live the cost of insurance may be significantly higher on the Harley. I did not have to make the modifications (brakes and engine) to get what I wanted on the Kawasaki but I did have to buy a top box and bar risers. Is all this important and significant? Running and maintenance costs - No. I bet it only adds a $100/150 more per year. Getting the bike into the mechanical shape I want yes but not relevant since later Harley models have corrected all my concerns. At the end of the day I find the bike I select each day when I go out to the garage is the Harley and it is so much more comfortable on a longer run. Any extra cost, in my opinion is worth it.

 

I had a V-Star 1100 before my 09 RK. True, changing the oil only meant changing the engine oil. I checked with my independent mechanic and he said that the scheduled maintenance at the dealer was excessive. He told me to change the engine oil every 3K miles (same as my V-Star) but to change the other two oils (primary and trans) once a year in the spring. After that, fix only what needs to fix.
I put on 14K on the VStar and it was never in the shop but for its oil changes. I have put on 6K on my RK (bought it with 5K) and it has only had its oil change since its first and last dealer "scheduled service" for $350.
I can live with the risk of repairs since I am only paying $65 for oil twice a year and $95 in the spring.
Bolt on options don't count since I put on about $700 on each bike.

BTW, the Road King is such a better bike, in sooooooo many ways.

 

Thanks for the answers, it's been helpful.

I'm planning on taking some time off next summer, and doing some serious traveling (like 30,000 miles in 6 months). I could change the oil in the Wal-Mart parking lot for cheap, but I'm not so sure about checking the steering head bearings, or whatever else these bikes need, so I'd be stuck paying dealer prices for service, at least some of the time.

I put 22,000 miles on an 06 V-rod, and it was expensive. Tires, gas, brake pads, all of it was high end stuff. I loved that bike, but it cost a lot once I started putting the miles on it.

What I should do, is get a V-Strom with hard luggage, and use the money I save for travel expenses, but if I thought they had similar operating costs, I would consider spending more money at the get go for a FLH.

Let me ask this: If I roll into a dealer somewhere far from home, how much would it cost for a rear tire?

 

Sure is since the customization option are FAR greater . Oh wait...did you mean maintenance?

 

Valve adjustments on a Japanese bike can be expensive and/or a pain in the ***. Having owned a variety of metric bikes and five Harleys, I would rate the Harleys as cheap to maintain compared to the others, especially if you do it yourself. BMWs would be next as long as you get one of the easy to work on models (air cooled).

 

Here in Central Texas it's around $300, sometimes they run them on special for $50 off.