HarleyTechTalk

I've been thinking real serious about trading my '12 Fatboy for a FLH, but after reading all the posts about them here should I wait and give the factory time to fix issues ?

With the 18's coming out in a month I don't see any reason to jump now. Prices on 17's have nowhere to go but down.

I'd wait until after the 2018 intro and see what you'd miss with '17's. Plus there's enough indication that some have had problems yet to be resolved. Weigh that against what remains of your riding season if limited.

I'd wait to see the frame and suspension on the new Softails.   

Maybe they'll reintroduce air suspension front and rear, or better yet actually spend some $ and go for electric adjustable units. Ride a current BMW and see how far they've gone beyond HD's FLS with their lay on the dirt hand adjustable rear shocks.

But the OP wants an FLH so that may not change much for '18.

Based on track record. Wait 5 yrs. Then be carefull and do much research.

Quote from: Will-Run on July 17, 2017, 02:03:29 PM
Based on track record. Wait 5 yrs. Then be carefull and do much research.
[/quote
Well if you can wait that long might as well wait 15 until the newer M16 comes out. By then they should have addressed all the issues.
Ron

I'd buy a leftover new '16 

Seriously, if I wanted to move from a 2012 Softail, I'd look for a low miles 2014 or 2015 Touring bike. Twin Cam bikes at their maturity, pre Rushmore baggage.

Go and ride one. If you like it , buy it. Apart from a warrantable issue, mine is a joy to ride. I have tried to find an excuse to unload it , but it really a great bike.

I bought a '16 Limited and it is the best Twin Cam I have owned. Power, handling, even oil consumption is better than the pre-Rushmore bikes. I do not regret buying my '16 one bit. (I still had to gut the cat and different mufflers to be satisfied, but it was darned close.

The worst part is I rode a couple BMW's a month ago. I recommend not riding one if you insist on staying with a Harley!

Quote from: rbabos on July 17, 2017, 03:12:51 PM

Quote from: Will-Run on July 17, 2017, 02:03:29 PM
Based on track record. Wait 5 yrs. Then be carefull and do much research.
[/quote
Well if you can wait that long might as well wait 15 until the newer M16 comes out. By then they should have addressed all the issues.
Ron

that's funny right there 

I'll tell you the same thing I always say - buy the newest, lowest mileage bike you can afford   

if it's got tits or tires, there's bound to be problems - but all things mechanical are fixable and we're all just blessed to be able to own and ride these turds no matter how nice they are   

My two cents worth, BMW's have as many or more issues than Harley's.  I know from experience based on my brother and a friend who have them. 

Maybe I just had a lemon but no matter what I did on the 2015 UL with the 103 including a Thundermax tuner, removed cats and installed better slip-ons, Zippers high flow AC.......Nobody could ever get that bike running so it would not ping.  When it was at running temp and I would get near or full throttle at any RPM and the thing would ping pretty bad.  The Tuner is an experienced Indy and I do believe he did the best he could.  I was also down to about 35 mpg with these adjustments.

The new 2017 CVO Limited - No ping in any temperature, lots of power, not so loud, can't smell as much exhaust, on and on...and thus far no issues with it as far as fluid transfer (I never run it at 3500 rpm for an extended period of time though) or other things I have read.  Love the M8, seems as though I traded the Kawasaki in two years too early......lost at least the $2500.00 I put into the 103 plus depreciation. 

My 15 Road King is the only new Harley I have ever had that did not ping. That is why I am leaving it alone. I wouldn't trade it for 2- M8's.

Quote from: FSG on July 16, 2017, 11:52:15 PM
I'd wait to see the frame and suspension on the new Softails.   

They're still going to offer a Softail?

OP, if you are concerned about dome of tge problems you are reading about with the M8's, waiting for the '18's to come out won't really matter,  it doesn't appear that they (MoCo) has a fix on the sumping or trans fluid migration problems yet.

with all the issues no way would I buy one unless you want to work on it ..  Trans issues , oil pump , just had one in last week that the dealer came and picked up . was rattling like it had rocks inside the engine . Customer was on a trip was close by and stopped in . Nothing I could do for him .

Myself wanted to buy one but with the issues I am seeing and no fixes' at this point I would wait .

Quote from: mchertel on July 17, 2017, 07:54:01 PM
My two cents worth, BMW's have as many or more issues than Harley's.  I know from experience based on my brother and a friend who have them. 

Not arguing that point, but at least a stock BMW will run 80 MPH all day easily, and with a suspension that "floats" you down the road and doesn't beat you to pieces over expansion joints. Plus a hundred or more pounds lighter and handle better.
I love my Harley but there are better riding, higher performance choices.

Quote from: PoorUB on July 18, 2017, 07:30:30 AM

Quote from: mchertel on July 17, 2017, 07:54:01 PM
My two cents worth, BMW's have as many or more issues than Harley's.  I know from experience based on my brother and a friend who have them. 

Not arguing that point, but at least a stock BMW will run 80 MPH all day easily, and with a suspension that "floats" you down the road and doesn't beat you to pieces over expansion joints. Plus a hundred or more pounds lighter and handle better.
I love my Harley but there are better riding, higher performance choices.

Sure BMW's have problems.  But they also have fixes.

Depends how you feel about rollin' the dice I guess
few here talking about the warranty and Dealers standing behind the bike
You want a bike you can ride ?
or do you want to spend a lot of time running backwards and forwards to the Dealer ?
How far from the Dealer are you ?
what about when the warranty runs out ?
you any good on the tools ?
or do you have to pay somebody else to do the work ?

wait a year ( or two ?) for the MoCo to fix the problems

or you might be lucky and get a good one
it seems a few have got one

Quote from: harleytuner on July 18, 2017, 07:34:11 AM

Quote from: PoorUB on July 18, 2017, 07:30:30 AM

Quote from: mchertel on July 17, 2017, 07:54:01 PM
My two cents worth, BMW's have as many or more issues than Harley's.  I know from experience based on my brother and a friend who have them. 

Not arguing that point, but at least a stock BMW will run 80 MPH all day easily, and with a suspension that "floats" you down the road and doesn't beat you to pieces over expansion joints. Plus a hundred or more pounds lighter and handle better.
I love my Harley but there are better riding, higher performance choices.

Sure BMW's have problems.  But they also have fixes.

That's the key is fixing the damn things if a problem is found rather then hoping the warranty runs out on most of them and playing dumb in the mean time. I remember in 08 some of the Yamaha Raiders had noisy lifters. Company changed supplier and swapped out all the lifters if a customer had noise complaints. No fuss no muss involved.
Ron

Quote from: rbabos on July 18, 2017, 09:13:24 AM

Quote from: harleytuner on July 18, 2017, 07:34:11 AM

Quote from: PoorUB on July 18, 2017, 07:30:30 AM

Quote from: mchertel on July 17, 2017, 07:54:01 PM
My two cents worth, BMW's have as many or more issues than Harley's.  I know from experience based on my brother and a friend who have them. 

Not arguing that point, but at least a stock BMW will run 80 MPH all day easily, and with a suspension that "floats" you down the road and doesn't beat you to pieces over expansion joints. Plus a hundred or more pounds lighter and handle better.
I love my Harley but there are better riding, higher performance choices.

Sure BMW's have problems.  But they also have fixes.

That's the key is fixing the damn things if a problem is found rather then hoping the warranty runs out on most of them and playing dumb in the mean time. I remember in 08 some of the Yamaha Raiders had noisy lifters. Company changed supplier and swapped out all the lifters if a customer had noise complaints. No fuss no muss involved.
Ron

All valid points.  So far so good on mine.  Hope it continues that way!  I also got ~$2000.00 above NADA retail value on the 2015 UL trade-in and paid $1300.00 less than MSRP on the 2017 CVO Limited.  Figured at 10-12K miles a year waiting another year or two may have hurt the trade-in value pretty bad so just went for it. 

Quote from: sandrooney on July 18, 2017, 04:05:02 AM
My 15 Road King is the only new Harley I have ever had that did not ping. That is why I am leaving it alone. I wouldn't trade it for 2- M8's.

So you wouldn't trade it for an M-16?

The bottom line for any company is sales and profit vs build cost and quality. HD's has slipped a bit per 2nd Quarter 2017 results.

Now they may pay more attention to the market as investors aren't pleased with lower revenue and projections for reduced deliveries.

I bought a 2017 Softail because I knew the warts and fixes. Next model year - ?

Gary

HD sales are down and there are some great deals being done.  I bought a 2017 Road Glide S and love it.