Other than paint and the 03 being anniversery edition is there any difference? I have the opportunity to buy either a 2000 RK with 10k miles or a 2003 RK with 15k miles. The 03 is under a repair title and the 00 is under a clean title. Both same color and EFI.

The 03 looks just like a RK custom and I really like the looks of it and the 00 is setup as a classic with hard bags,etc. I plan on keeping this bike for a few years so I'm not that afraid of the repair title, but the 03 won't be ready until March22 and the 00 is available now.
All this great Florida weather is forcing me to be impatient.

 

If the 00 is a good ride and has the lower mileage and you can get it NOW, and the price is right, I vote for the 00. The 03 is Title cripple and will effect re-sale whenever you decide to sale and you have to WAIT and it has more mileage. Patience, IMO, is a complete waste of time, in this instance. Go for it and RIDE MAN........ Just my .02....... hdman

 

I would say get the one you want, but....why wait for a repaired title when you could ride on a clean one today??

 

I'm just going to go down tomorrow and test ride both. I will be better able to make a decision then. I dont even know what the 2000 RK looks like yet so I'll wait and see.

 

The 03 will have a better fuel injection system (if it's FI of course), and it has better designed swing arm bushing, which will handle better. I am very pro "repaired" bikes. I am a dealer, and handle both clean & repaired title bikes. Of the wrecks I've bought, the most I ever spent fixing one, was about $1500.00. The majority of that expense was paint, as I didn't like the color, and painted the whole bike. Usually I come in less than a grand. In the last year, I've sold more repaired bikes than clean bikes. I take pics of each bike before I turn a wrench, and tell the customer everything I done to get it back on the road. Once they see the price difference, 8 out of 10, buy a repaired bike, and save an average of 4 to 6 grand. I have not had one problem with financing, or insurance. I've also not had an unhappy customer. A few have even sold the bikes, made money, and come back to buy another one. A lot of people don't understand why the bikes get totaled out. I didn't for a while, until I talked to an insurance guy. The "unofficial" scoop he gave me was this. If the insurance company fixes the bike, they own it for life. Any little problem, they have to fix. They don't want that. Some adjusters see the "dimples" in the neck area of a dresser frame, and think it's frame damage. Fact is, it's crimped in at the factory for strength. Every bagger out there has it. Any bike that has "frame damage" is an automatic "total loss". If the engine guard mounting tab under the neck get's bent, bam, "frame damage". Also if they fix a bike, most of the time they keep the customer. If they total it, it's easier for them to cancel the customer. Add to that the fact that the H-D dealers are doing the estimate, and everything is brand new, and full retail price + labor, and you get an out of sight price to fix the bike. H-D dealers don't want to fix anything. They want to sell you another new one. In reality it's all a scam on both H-D & the insurance company's part. Suits me fine though. I can average about 2 grand profit on the wrecks, and the customer saves a ton, and ends up with a better looking bike. I usually don't share my "tricks of the trade", but in this case, I wanted to shed a little light on the real story behind it all. I have 4 personal bikes. 2 clean title, and 2 repaired. I have less in an 02 Ultra and an 05 Road King Classic, than I do in a 00 Heritage Springer. You figure out which ones are clean, and which ones aren't. I get more looks, and compliments on the 02 & 05, and I've never had anyone say, "Man nice ride. Does it have a clean title?" Just some food for thought.

 

Thanks for the info DHutchinson. I sort of slept on it last night after I posted and the repair title doesn't really bother me all that much. My only concern with the repair title is that I'm able to get insurence and use it as a trade in later when I'm able to purchase a new bike.
The 03 is setup the way I want it and I think if I get the 00 I will feel like I am settling for it just to get a bike right now. I'm willing to wait another month if it's what I want.

So far I have heard from 2 or 3 people that have experience with repair bikes and none of them have said they wouldn't do it again. I will update you guys tonight when I get back and I plan on taking pics

 

Well guys I'm back from my test ride and i have made a decision (enter drum roll)

03 FLHRI

When i got there he had another fella that was waiting to hear my decision on the two bikes and because Rob (shop owner) is a man of his word and doesn't break deals they waited for me to choose which i wanted.
The 2000 might have had only 10k miles but it must have sat outside or something. It has some pretty bad pitting on the front forks and the overall look was not what I wanted. It only took me 2 seconds to make up my mind. so I chose what I liked and didnt worry about the title.

I test rode the 03 (my first ride on a HD) and wow what a feeling. i turned the switch and heard the fuel pump build up pressure and with a pop of the starter she roared to life, it was great. She shook and thumped like a bull getting ready to charge but as soon as i rolled the throttle she settled down into the smoothest ride I have felt. I went for a few miles and went through the gears, got used to the steering, the weight, the suspension, etc. Once I got it up to 50mph plus it just seemed to float on the road. Other bikes I have ridden I could feel cracks in the road or small ruts, but not with this bike it just seemed to levitate over that stuff while still being responsive.
When I got back to the shop I had a huge grin on my face and the guys there just laughed.lol I had this wierd feeling after getting off the bike. It wasn't painfull or annoying, but it was different. When I told Rob about it he giggled and said "You got Monkey butt my friend" lol Say What? ! He just smiled and said welcome to Harley Davidson.

I can definantly see myself putting tons of miles on this thing and unfortunantly I have to wait a month before I can pick it up, but I've waited years for this bike, one more month isnt going to kill me.

I'm going to try and post a couple of pics so here it goes, hope it works.



pic #2

 

ok you twisted my arm, more pics. lol

Keep in mind he isnt done putting some accessories on it and it hasnt been detailed yet so I will get more shots when it's nice and shiny.





notice big frickin air horn. Oh yeah it's loud and really cool! lol





Come on 4 weeks, counting the days!

 

I'd get the unwrecked one or wait for another one that hasn't been wrecked.

Mac