the current harleys are very dependable. regular maintenance is necessary of course as with anything if you expect it to last. did you notice the quality of the harley? a night and day difference. they do command respect. i'm on my 6th one and they just keep getting better. when you pull into a coffee shop, you'll always have someone who wants to talk harleys with you. that doesn't happen when riding a suzuki. this is something else to consider. if you were to as you say, "blow" up the motor in six years, harley can rebuild your motor to factory new specs for a very reasonable price. try that with honda or yamaha. it's not happening. with a harley, they're so popular that they don't become obsolete just because they're ten years old like the jap bikes.

 

a word of caution concerning your harley though. don't let him near it if he's got any disassembly tools with him. there's no reason for him to tear it apart to see how it works. the evolution of the harley air cooled big twins is as good as it gets. ever wonder why there are so many harley davidson tee shirts and stickers in the back window of vehicles? you don't see suzuki, honda, yamaha stickers nor tee shirts. now get that harley and start riding. welcome to the forum.

 

quote=SugsPa;7737958]My current ride is a Yamaha RSV. Yesterday I dropped it off at the Yamaha dealer to have the ignition switch replaced (common problem with the RSV), and while on the way back, my Uncle talked me into going by the HD Dealer. Well, I did. And while I was there I rode a 2005 Ultra Classic, Smokey/Gold color, ...............and I loved it! It handled so much better than my RSV. And once I got it out of idle, it was very smooth going down the highway. And power, WOW! It had something to do with Screamin Eagle? Don't know nothing about them, but that was one HD my Yamaha would not keep up with. And I doubt that a GoldWing would either. And of course, who doesn't like the sound of them. Anyway I'm considering trading my RSV for this HD. I don't want to step on anyone's toes or make anyone angry, but my bike is my daily driver. Its what I use to get back and forth to work. When I go on vacation, I throw some cloths in the bags, on the bike and go. In other words its my primary means of transportation. The only thing that keeps me off my bike is ice/snow. Rain........Well, as you all know, if you ride, you're gonna get wet sometime. Everything mechanical has its quirks. Ignition switches on the RSV for example. Its not if it goes bad, its when it goes bad. But after 40,000 miles in two years of trouble free riding, I'm not going to gripe too much. The question I have is, with regular service and maintainance (taking care of it), can I get 15 to 20 thousand miles per year on an HD and 100 thousand plus lifetime miles without having major problems (motor blowup, etc.). I can't take my Uncle's word for it cause he never buys anything he don't work on (or tear up). He could buy a 2011 Cadillac Escalade and by the next morning, it would be tore apart in his front yard (ya know the type). He can't help it, he just has to know how things work. There is no better place to get info than on the forum. You people ride everday, so your input and experience is priceless. Oh, and by the way the sales people were GREAT!

Thanks,

SugsPa[/quote]





You caught the virus and are now infected. Congratulations!

 

Tell them to put in a S/E compensator and you'll take it..Because you will eventually put one in.Or get good at changing the starter and clutch basket.

Mark

 

2007 touring bikes had some teething issues. You might want to have a gander at this before pulling the trigger.

http://www.coolclimbing.com/2007harl...kingclassi.htm

 

Queue the spooky laugh from the man with a deep voice.
WWWHHHHHOOOOOOO Ah Ah Ah Ah

 

Like anything mechanical, the key to a long life is service. If you do NOT skimp on oil changes and other required care they will last. Just because it will start does not mean you should ignore it. Wash & wax it every now and then (to give you a chance to look it over closely) change the oil & filters, check the tires, watch brake pads, inspect the cam chains & love it like a good woman.

 

Welcome to the HD world, my guess is you will love that scoot. Be forewarned however there are far more HD's therefore far more owners and opinions as to what works, which models/years are best. If you search long enough in here you will think there is an immediate need for 100's of upgrades or corrections. Compensator, IDS, tuners, cams, stabilizers, etc.

Keep reading and you will be able to make your own decisions on what is "needed" vs what is nice but only if you want more _____ (fill in the blank). I spent 01 to 07 on a Road Star and found/made lots of performance upgrades on advice from the Star specific forums. Same here but multiplied by 500!

Have dealer run the VIN and make sure it is fully campaign updated then ride it for 1000's of carefree miles and enjoy!