Any bikers in the audience?

[Pell City Tiger]

I'm shopping for a new ride and just returned from the Harley Davidson dealership in Oxford. I fell in love with a 2008 Sportster in the showroom and was wondering if any of you have any advice for someone new to the market.

[Snaggletiger]

Dude, I just bought a Schwinn 150 Scooter to tool around at the lake and beach.  I have no input whatsoever. 

My Schwinn Scooter and fat women are very much alike.  They're both fun as hell to ride but you damn sure don't want anyone to see you on one.

[Pell City Tiger]

This Sportster gets 55 miles to the gallon, and it looks FRIGGIN' SWEET! Navy blue with all the chrome trimmings. I got a massive erection just standing there looking at it.

I haven't been on a bike in about 25 years though. I really thinking this one over.

[boartitz]

I like the new 1200N. I've had a Harley since 1976.
My 1974 74 c.i. is getting old. She ain't what she used to be without a massive infusion of dineros.

[Saniflush]

A harley is going to cost you twice as much to buy, servicing it will cost twice as much, and they have to be serviced twice as often.  I suggest you look into a metric bike.  I have a Yamaha v-star that I love and have no problems out of. 

[Pell City Tiger]

A harley is going to cost you twice as much to buy, servicing it will cost twice as much, and they have to be serviced twice as often.  I suggest you look into a metric bike.  I have a Yamaha v-star that I love and have no problems out of. 

Yeah, but rollin' up on a hog shows the wimmins I have a massive penis!

Seriously though, I've heard from some others that Harley's quality has improved considerably over the past 10 years or so. I've known several folks who've owned older HD's that spent more time behind a wrench fixing them than they did riding. Rumor has it this has gone by the wayside and dependability is up there with the metrics.

Still gathering facts on this one. I want a bike so bad, but I don't want to buy a headache and have to listen to the wife telling me, "I told you so."

[Saniflush]

The quality has gone up dramatically!  Remember Harley is a company that was once owned by AMF.  Like a lot of things these days you are paying for a name.  With the money you save getting a metric you can get a killer paint job with some really good pipes and still have a boat load of money left over.  Not many people (including those riding) can tell the difference between a Harley and a customized metric. 

[Jumbo]

I like loud pipes, big rims, Mo ice.

[Tarheel]

The quality has gone up dramatically!  Remember Harley is a company that was once owned by AMF.  Like a lot of things these days you are paying for a name.  With the money you save getting a metric you can get a killer paint job with some really good pipes and still have a boat load of money left over.  Not many people (including those riding) can tell the difference between a Harley and a customized metric. 

I'm with Saniflush on this one; yes, the quality is much better on a Harley but it will still cost you two to three times as much to buy and own.  My brother rides a 2003 H-D Sportster...his annual service bill last month was around $700.00 (just service); I ride a 2003 Honda Shadow ACE and my annual service bill was under $200.00 including some electrical work that I needed done.

Take a look at metric bikes before you go buy a Harley then if you still want to spend that dinero for H-D then go for it.

[boartitz]

I'm with Saniflush on this one; yes, the quality is much better on a Harley but it will still cost you two to three times as much to buy and own.  My brother rides a 2003 H-D Sportster...his annual service bill last month was around $700.00 (just service); I ride a 2003 Honda Shadow ACE and my annual service bill was under $200.00 including some electrical work that I needed done.

Take a look at metric bikes before you go buy a Harley then if you still want to spend that dinero for H-D then go for it.

$700? Bullshit. If you don't know how to change oil, spark plugs, fuel filters, tension your chains, air breathers, you ought to pay that much. I don't want anyone fucking with my bike but me.
I know every piece on my old one and have held it in my hand at one time or another.
Do yall do your autos the same way? Getting an owners manual and doing it yourself will save you a couple of monthly payments per year versus taking it to the dealer. You'll know your ride better, too, in case you break down on the road somewheres.
You mean there are folks that take their rides in to the dealer just to get it stuck up they ass?
That may be something I can do in retirement for .666 price.

[Saniflush]

You mean there are folks that take their rides in to the dealer just to get it stuck up they ass?
That may be something I can do in retirement for .666 price.

I am surprised that you don't run across a lot of these people.  Most of the Harley owners I know know less about their own bike and internal combustion engines than Alabama fans know about class.

[Tarheel]

$700? Bullshit. If you don't know how to change oil, spark plugs, fuel filters, tension your chains, air breathers, you ought to pay that much. I don't want anyone fucking with my bike but me.
I know every piece on my old one and have held it in my hand at one time or another.
Do yall do your autos the same way? Getting an owners manual and doing it yourself will save you a couple of monthly payments per year versus taking it to the dealer. You'll know your ride better, too, in case you break down on the road somewheres.
You mean there are folks that take their rides in to the dealer just to get it stuck up they ass?
That may be something I can do in retirement for .666 price.

Yeah, I hear ya and I should do the service myself and I could not agree with you more about knowing your ride better but after fucking around trying to fix that electrical problem myself (and with some help from Saniflush) for MONTHS I decided that it was time for someone to work on it with more experience than me.  Perhaps when I've been riding as long as you I'll do it myself but right now I don't have the time or patience.

No I don't work on my car or truck either; as mentioned, I don't have the luxury of time to fuck around with it.

My brother is not mechanically inclined; he can explain computers, satellites and orbiting, geomorphology, GIS systems and the tilt and wobble of planet earth and planetary motion like Kepler or Copernicus until your eyes will bleed but when it comes to working on anything mechanical he's lost.  And, no it is not bullshit; that is what he paid for routine annual service on his H-D (I should mention that he lives in Honolulu.)