Harley on a Budget, Advice please?

I've had a couple of Harleys and like them, sporters are slow and viby, fun, but if you do serious miles they are limited. I had a 93 softail custom and would have another, engines are bullet proof, electerics can be a problem, but only loose connections...vibration....bits do drop off, but you get use to looking them over when cleaning.

Imence fun. I'd look at the road king (strip it down of all the unnessesary crap and they are stunning), a 90's softail or Dyna. should find a few in your price range.
 
deaninkl said:
I'd look at the road king (strip it down of all the unnessesary crap and they are stunning), a 90's softail or Dyna. should find a few in your price range.
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Good advice :thumb2

(But remember that Softail's didn't use 'rubber mount' engines, so aren't nearly as good at distance as the Dyna's or FLH family of bikes...)
 
David Nimrod said:
Good advice :thumb2

(But remember that Softail's didn't use 'rubber mount' engines, so aren't nearly as good at distance as the Dyna's or FLH family of bikes...)
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My last HD, the Fat Boy, was a softtail and I liked that, did a few big tours on it with few issues. Since then, when tyre kicking, I liked the look of twin shock models but they have felt so small in comparison when you sit on them, are they really that much smaller???
 
Shep said:
My last HD, the Fat Boy, was a softtail and I liked that, did a few big tours on it with few issues. Since then, when tyre kicking, I liked the look of twin shock models but they have felt so small in comparison when you sit on them, are they really that much smaller???
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People do of course go touring on Softails, but I always found the vibes on the Evo engined ones to be too much after a while.

The Twin Cam ones got balanced engines to smooth things out...

A lot of people buy a Softail for 'the look' (they have that 'iconic HD style') and worry about the rest of it later, if at all!

The Dyna's are a bit smaller I guess, but not by much...

The bottom line is, you can tour on anything, as long as it holds together :augie
 
Thought long and hard about Daves bike Twizzle and i think it will be just too big & heavy for me, it does look fantastic though!

Right,

Had a few weeks thinking about this and ive narrowed things down a bit.

1. Sportsters are out.
2. FXR/FXLR/ULTRA GLIDE/WIDE GLIDE etc.. are out.
3. I would love either a FLHR/FLSTF.
4. I would sell an organ for an FLSTN :drool:drool:drool

So, Looks like the original idea, i.e. buy a cheaper HD and keep the RT was a bad one as all the cheaper bikes I dont like/want, and i'm not into buying a bike 'just because its cheap', it HAS to be the bike I want. I have done 150 + miles each day for the last 2 days on the FLSTF and apart from my arse turning into a lump of steak, i really found it very comfy!

The initial thoughts about keeping the RT was that if I fancy a weekend in France with the missus I would have a bike comfortable enough to go on, but i have to be honest and say i could have easily done that on the Fat Boy, although we would have had to fit panniers etc..

So i am now thinking, if i want an FLSTF/FLHR/FLSTN the RT will have to go:(

Not a really bad thing, I can always get another at a later date? I do use the RT to commute into work in the summer (130 ml round trip) and am increasingly concerned about the amount of accidents i see on the M4 everyday, such that i was considering just using the car anyway, making the RT a leisure tool anyway, and if i want a leisure tool i'd rather have a HD.

There, is this making sense?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Harl...otorcycles&hash=item4cfa4de71f#ht_1072wt_1189

:drool:drool

If i sold/traded the RT i could have this.........AND keep all my organs:eek:
 
The smudger said:
I would love either a FLHR/FLSTF.

There, is this making sense?
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Not really :D

FLHR - Electra Glide

FLSTF - Softail

These two are very different bikes! (for Harleys...)

What age/budget are you looking at; Evo's or Twin Cam's..?

I'd go for the FLHR out of those two :thumb2
 
FWIW you are really unlikely to fit panniers to a Softail Deluxe. Hard luggage will look really horrible and soft luggage will probably damage the really expensive paint. These things are tinsel barges and not touring bikes.

I'd test ride a Glide. Street Glides aren't that big and heavy, however that Ultra above without the Tour Pak is pretty much a Street Glide with nice paint. Road Kings are also a decent half way house.

£12k buys an awfull lot of 'Glide ;)
 
Mutley said:
FWIW you are really unlikely to fit panniers to a Softail Deluxe. Hard luggage will look really horrible and soft luggage will probably damage the really expensive paint. These things are tinsel barges and not touring bikes.

I'd test ride a Glide. Street Glides aren't that big and heavy, however that Ultra above without the Tour Pak is pretty much a Street Glide with nice paint. Road Kings are also a decent half way house.

£12k buys an awfull lot of 'Glide ;)
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Good point re the panniers on the Deluxe! never thought of that.

What about the Softail Deuce? they have 2 for sale, 1 silver/1 blue multi. The silver one comes with luggage and a screen?

When you say weird, do you mean styling or handling/riding?
 
The smudger said:
What about the Softail Deuce? they have 2 for sale, 1 silver/1 blue multi. The silver one comes with luggage and a screen?

When you say weird, do you mean styling or handling/riding?
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There are a few appearing in the custom world now and some people have made them look quite nice. The thing is they don't have many interchangeable parts with the rest of the range so custom stuff will also be hard to find. They are a bit 'marmite' to the conservative HD world so they look good VFM to the new comer.

As for riding, I've never ridden a Deuce. Softails aren't my bag, poor handling and zero ground clearance. I have ridden a softail with a 21" skinny front wheel. Best you try before you buy :eek
 
David Nimrod said:
I'd agree, 21" front wheels are really an acquired taste :augie

(Another problem with that FXLR... that had a 21" too...)
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I know, Nice n Fat swears by that 21" front wheel set up, he's a big DWG fan. Can a fat front wheel be fitted to the Deuce?
 
The smudger said:
Can a fat front wheel be fitted to the Deuce?
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16" front wheel in 'wide glide' forks..? It wouldn't really look good IMHO.

I'm sure it can be done, but why not get the right bike in the first place..?

This could all be so simple... :blast
 
David Nimrod said:
16" front wheel in 'wide glide' forks..? It wouldn't really look good IMHO.

I'm sure it can be done, but why not get the right bike in the first place..?

This could all be so simple... :blast
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The 'right bike' is 12k mate! You are right, if i had 12k to spend it would be simple, i'd go and buy a Deluxe and keep the RT, but i haven't so have to look at options unfortunately..:(:(
 
The smudger said:
The 'right bike' is 12k mate! You are right, if i had 12k to spend it would be simple, i'd go and buy a Deluxe and keep the RT, but i haven't so have to look at options unfortunately..:(:(
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Bollocks :D

You can get a lovely Harley for £5-7k no problem (as I've been saying...)

Buy a bike, ride it for a year, then see how you feel...

You'll not go wrong with an Evo or early Twin Cam Road King...

Even a totally stock one will be ready to tour, or whatever it is you want to do :augie
 
dont get one with a solid front wheel ,they just look wrong wrong wrong ,harleys should really have spoked wheels ,cast as a second option ,but never ever solid wheels.
who in there right mind would ride any other model with a solid front /back wheel .
its just wrong
 
Devon said:
The best advice on the whole thread :D Dec/Jan/Feb is the the time to buy a bargain :thumb2
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And where is the best place to find them, fleabay?

I like the (and I don't know the real name) classic big one with no fairing or just a screen, like NYPD but without all the shite.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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