Whats killing Harley Davidson

[odotb]

 I believe the resale value on Harley's will be the death of the motor company.
Case in point, Wifey says she would like to have a radio and that a new street glide would be nice. Took her 06 FLHRCI with 60 thou on it to get numbers run on a trade. Dealers wants $15,000 and her RK for a new stock street glide. This is same Dealer she bought the RK from. I tell him WTF, I realize her RK has 60,000 but it looks like a new one and has never been abused. He tells me "if you actually ride them, they aren't worth much". Well this just does it for me, I don't have the  money for this kind of depreciation. Maybe used Harley's in the future, but for sure no more new ones.

[bouncingVman]

Go some place else. Low retail value for a 06 FLHRCI is $11,185. Average retail is closer to $12,980. Those numbers are from NADA. You would have to expect less than low retail in my opinion, since the dealer has to resale and make a profit too... but it sounds like he was low balling the price.

my .02 worth.

[PineyJoe]

I most likely will never buy another new one, prices are way out of line, and like you said you can't get rid of them, I would like to sell my 02 RK for something else but with only 13,000 on it what am I going to get $8000 just gonna have to keep'er.

[One4Tone]

..sometimes ''It's cheaper to keep her"..I bought an 03 flht..I'd be lucky to get half today....at least i got the 100 year anniverssary..gotta feel sorry for the guys thay bought 02's..they paid heavy dollars ..as well...

[Scooterfish]

Based on MSRP for the Street Glide what are they giving you for the RK? Maybe $5000. In great shape with service records based on the NADA above you should be able to sell outright for $10,000. Bikes with alot of miles do seem to set on the dealers sales floor, probably because there is a simular bike with with low miles.

May have to get her an Ipod and ride the RK.

[Jeffd]

put a removeable fairing that has a radio on it.

[MikeL]

To all those people who bought bikes as investments it sucks to be you. You would have been better off investing that bike money in the stock market. For people like me this market gives me more opportunity to own a newer bike that I would never consider buying new. Thanks for flooding the market with your poor investment choices.

                                                                      MIKE

[crow]

I bought a Windshield Mount stereo for my Road King last spring. the OL and I hardly ever ride without tunes jamming now. Cost me $266 on E-Bay.   Here is sweet deal   http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Harley-detachable-road-king-windshield-with-radio_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4ceeab7b60QQitemZ330421730144QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories  Or a new one  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOTORCYCLE-RADIO-FATBOY-ROAD-KING-SOFTAIL-YAMAHA-HARLEY_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem563ab7793dQQitemZ370352290109QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[L-]

Mike,

What do you consider a newer bike? 

L-

[MikeL]

2000 and up L so I got lots of choices.


                                                                     MIKE

[lonegoosehonking]

 If you have been riding HD for a long time, you know that history repeats itself. Everyone thinks its the economy. I think those people are shitting themselves up. HD is just fading from popularity and the demographics of who is riding them is changing. Sure there are many of the faithfull that still ride . But Alot people are tired of getting raped by the dealers , and paying for bikes that are a little bit behind in the times. Now I love em but I still remember how in 99 a road king was going for $23500 in Dallas. I also remember my 99 at 32000 miles with a rod knocking and HD telling me oh well. So I guess its kind of hard for me to shed a tear for the dealers who were cashing in for so many years. I recognize the good dealers out there and have faith they will weather the storm because customer service is what brings business and sells bikes.

[panz4ever]

Doesn't matter if it is a car or bike, you go to a dealer to trade you will not get the price you want for your used bike. Sell it your self and then go in with cash to deal if you stuck on buying new. But as soon as you buy it it depreciates as soon as you take it out the door.

[Norton Commando]

HD is just fading from popularity and the demographics of who is riding them is changing.  

I agree... Today is the tomorrow that HD was worrying about yesterday; everyone, including HD, knew it was coming; it's no suprise.

[Blazing Saddles]

Mikel:    I couldn't agree more.  I own to ride.  I had a '92 FXSTC for 15 years and just sold it.
I'm now riding an '04 FXSTS that I bought last July with only 4K miles on it in 5 years.  The used market is full of great deals on bikes with next to no miles on them.  Bikes are intended to be ridden.  I do consider my bike as an investment - in adventure, fun and excitement.  I expect to pay for all the maintenance it needs as I roll up the miles and I know it will drop in value. There is absolutely no possibility of a capital gain  :hyst:or even holding par value.

Blazin'

[Deye76]

To all those people who bought bikes as investments it sucks to be you. You would have been better off investing that bike money in the stock market. For people like me this market gives me more opportunity to own a newer bike that I would never consider buying new. Thanks for flooding the market with your poor investment choices.

 

Well said.
"Whats killing Harley"?
No jobs here anymore. Even the yups are losing their jobs to greed.

[charley992002]

odotb,

When you trade you get approximately wholesale $$$ between rough and clean values.  Mileage and condition play a big part of what a given dealer will give as a trade-in allowance.  If you owe on the bike then the equation gets more in their favor.  For example the bike you mentioned, according to the latest NADA is $10375 for rough wholesale and $11565 for clean wholesale $$$.  The mileage average from current NADA for that year and displacement motorcycle is 24100 miles, you have 60000 miles.  I would guess that $8-9000 for trade-in allowance would be average.  Sorry mileage does affect the trade-in value, heaven help you if you owe on it also.

[deathwish]

lots of good reasons here but lets face it everyone was getting to much for their used bike. A bike that has 60,000 miles shouldn't be worth over half it's orig. price. It sucks but is fact. When you reach that point if you were the buyer, you'd be wondering if it has 5,000 miles left before a major problem or does it have another 60,000. Ride them and keep them and do the maintance. But you better get mechanical inclinded because haveing dealers do the work will break you.

[odotb]

Mikel,
  Don't know if you are referring to me or not, but did you notice the 60,000 miles on the 06 part. If I had wanted an investment, it damn sure wouldn't have been in  a motorcycle. Like my post said I'm through with new.

[gryphon]

The biggest thing hurting the MOCO right now is probably the reverse of what made them big. Most buyers weren't like odotb and his ol' lady who do obviously ride. For maybe a couple of decades most new buyers were buying a fashion statement or were convinced that buying an HD would make them a biker (kinda like buying a rope makes you a mountain climber). If you don't love to ride then the newness wears off fast. Now there are literally thousands of bikes out there with very low miles and thousands of dollars worth of accessories that were installed before the bike ever got mile one on it. Take a look at ebay. Right now there are over 2300 bikes listed. Of these, fewer than 300 were made before 1993. More than 1000 of those bikes are less than 5 years old and the majority of those have averaged well less than 3000 miles a year since new. Now check the completed listings. Very few of these bikes are selling. The market is full of bikes that are virtually new, with thousands of dollars in accessories. Unless the MOCO comes up with something that is substantially different, that is a vast improvement, and that cannot be retro-fitted, there is very little incentive to buy new.

[chopper]

at least i got the 100 year anniverssary..gotta feel sorry for the guys thay bought 02's..they paid heavy dollars ..as well...

   Yeah.. pity us poor 02 owners..

All we got was the lower NON anniv.price, Timken bearings, and better cranks.

[texaskatfish]

I stand (or sit) to be corrected............

The ONLY way to truly get one's MAX money's worth from darn near ANY vehicle (IMHO):
A. buy brand new and always trade for new 1 - 2 yrs MAX
OR
B. Buy new or used and ride or drive the wheels off

Any 'other' way and you're likely to wind up 'upside down' ......

[MikeL]

No odotb I didn't direct my reply to you at least you ride and a lot.
Now you have people dumping low mileage bikes on the market the poor investment types and are hurting guys like you who ride the piss out of them in a short time.
For me it would be a challenge to see how many miles I could acquire and keep it running in the process. Some people can't and they trade.
There's a lot of opportunity out there for the used bike buying public like me.

                                                                        MIKE

[marc]

Yup...I had a 99 95 inch Wide Glide with 45,000 miles on it and went to trade it in on a new 04 GeezerGlide and they wanted to give me a little over $10,000 for it...I said WTF and he said you have way to many miles on it...He showed me plenty of used newer bikes with much lower mileage on them...I sold it myself for about $2,500 more...Why own a bike if your not going to ride it...I guess I will have my GeezerGlide forever...

[starrider]

Hi guys...just chiming in. I am happy with my dealer. Have bought my 00 Heritage and 03RK from him...and still riding both. Don't think i need another one...However when ever i go to the store i try to think of something i might need...as they are good people and times are tough.

Reading and hearing  some of the dealers closing (posted here)...The ones that are planning on staying...buy them a beer 

[hogwilde1]

I have an 03, does this mean I can sell it and retire on my fourtune??