Author Topic: Would you pay $20,000 for Harley Davidson Sportster ?  (Read 9221 times)

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scoTTy

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Reply #15 on: April 02, 2010, 03:00:07 am
U can buy a new BMW cheaper..  I've always had BMW's... even have a 3 cylinder I'm been playing with for a couple of years..  someday amybe.. I'll put it together

but you know what ???

The RE is all I need now..  more smiles for the miles..

at the pizza joint tonight there was a hell' angel wanna be..  had all the proper decals..  the newly painted craosbones thingy.. pony tail ..  new bike.. new leathers, new helmet..  and some woman .. he also hung some really ugly bags on this new 20,000 plus bike..   ::)

erk..  some people never grow up and if they did they would mistake it for something else


birdmove

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Reply #16 on: April 02, 2010, 04:36:27 am
    I have both a Royal Enfield 500 Bullet Classic (iron barrel) and a Harley-Davidson XL883 Sportster.like them both.I also like my Yamaha XT225.

   jon
Jon in Keaau, Hawaii


boggy

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Reply #17 on: April 02, 2010, 03:37:05 pm
20 grand?  Maybe the seat is made of gold.  I'd check the brochure. 
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Ice

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Reply #18 on: April 02, 2010, 05:03:37 pm
 I love my H-D (Shovel Head ) Its a fantastic road machine and I won't part with it for neither love nor money.

 Rubber mounted engine and five speed transmission that shifts like a dream instant throttle response, more than enough torque and horse power to do stupid stuff  ;) get out of danger zones, excellent disc brakes, good fuel economy ( avg 50 MPG HWY )  and boringly reliable too.
 While not a sport bike It corners more than well enough for me to grind the foot boards when I feel like it.   ;D.  

The " Motor Company" ?
 Their corporate policies and especially the dealerships practices caused the withdrawal of my support for the "The Brand" some twenty years ago.
I among others have not yet found reason to change that position but I do wish them the best of luck if or no other reason than the families of the employees.
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Birdmove,
 I am envious. I like Yamaha's Xt's better than my Honda XR.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2010, 05:09:25 pm by Ice »
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RGT

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Reply #19 on: April 02, 2010, 06:13:53 pm
Those prices for India don't seem so extreme when you figure an RE is several times more expensive in the states than in India. I bet they will sell quite a few. Having been in some pretty poor parts of the world I am always surprised to see high cost American products. In Tunisia there were many Hummers which with all the taxes... that their governement put on were costing people $150k+.  You can like HD's corporate policies or not but they are around today because of them, they make their money on licensing the brand, they break even on selling bikes. Making a quality product in the states is expensive. I don't own a Harley yet, but will, but from my experience with them I don't think you can honestly compare their build quality and durability to that of the RE.


Bug_Catcher

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Reply #20 on: April 02, 2010, 06:28:41 pm
U can buy a new BMW cheaper..  I've always had BMW's... even have a 3 cylinder I'm been playing with for a couple of years..  someday amybe.. I'll put it together

How easy is the BMW as far as maintenance goes?  Especially self maintenance?  I spend my free days loitering at my mechanic's shop trying to pick things up and a guy pulled a BMW in the other day with a bad alternator.  The look on my mechanic's face was of sadness.  What they had to do just to get to the alternator was pretty crazy, the entire engine had to be unmounted, it sat there for weeks and turned into a 1000 dollar labor job.  I even got a picture:  ;D

I brought my mechanic ice cream that week as well as cookies because that BMW was really ticking him off. Felt bad.

oh and p.s I'd never 20k for a bike unless it was some sort of museum collector piece and I had money running out my ears.  That's my C5, my Interceptor II, and 1 more iron barrel to fight with!  :D


REpozer

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Reply #21 on: April 02, 2010, 06:31:39 pm
Yep, don't get me wrong. If I could find a nice Hog, collecting dust in someones garage and at a bargen price, I would snap one up.
After going to several H-D dealers though the years , and watching the poser clones, and seeing the big price tag, its just not near worth the price.
I find their marketing to be a big turn off as well, I already know who I am and don't need to purchase my identity to fit in.
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Ice

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Reply #22 on: April 02, 2010, 06:35:23 pm
I don't think you can honestly compare their build quality and durability to that of the RE.
Br. RGT,
 I think you hit the bulls eye here especially when we compare shovel heads to iron barrels.
 In the early 1970's AMF dumped many millions into H-D , replacing worn out antiquated machinery,tightening up the Q.C., updating H-D's entire process from raw material to finished product.

Much like the Eicher group has done with R.E.as of late.

The build quality of the G5 at my local dealer is light years ahead of my Iron Barrel.

 I equate the current era of UCE to the late shovel or early evo era I.E. the best yet and a very bright future happening very soon.

 IMHO as long as R.E. does not adopt and sponsor a negative attitude and actions towards the legacy products ( and their owners ) that H-D did, they will avoid the same future backlash that has H-D in a pickle at the moment.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2010, 06:37:52 pm by Ice »
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r80rt

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Reply #23 on: April 02, 2010, 10:52:59 pm
It's better than a late shovel, darn near Japanese.
On the eighth day God created the C5, and it was better looking than anything on the planet.
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singhg5

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Reply #24 on: April 03, 2010, 12:23:22 am
WOW !  What an enthusiastic response.

I hardly expected anyone to chime in for this topic. Views For, Against and Everthing In Between and great insights into the history of HD, its policies, quality issues of HD and RE, cost of doing international business, personal choices, likes and dislikes, etc.etc. expressed in such a gentle way shows the spirit of Royal Enfielders.  Thanks guys and gals (BC).

You All ROCK

May be I should test ride a Sportster - if HD lets me do it !
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Ice

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Reply #25 on: April 03, 2010, 01:42:40 am
May be I should test ride a Sportster - if HD lets me do it !

  Then you could say you tried it.
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singhg5

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Reply #26 on: April 04, 2010, 03:43:00 am
 Then you could say you tried it.

Finally, I rode an HD sportster.

As I parked my RE at HD dealer, I found several people looking at bikes in the parking lot.   As I walked towards the door, I saw an employee standing and whistling at the door as I walked past him.  No hello nothing. The store was big inside with lots of bikes and no one around.  Suddenly, the guy at the door came inside still whistling and I stopped him and asked for Sportster 883.  There was one only, a 2009 with 2000 miles on it for $7200.  I asked if I can take it for a ride. He took me to a room, had me sign some release paper, looked at my license, and was quite helpful.  He gave me the key, showed the controls and said - be careful and off you go.  

To familiarize myself with the bike, I rode it slowly in the parking lot to get a feel for controls, gear shifter, brake etc.  It felt very different because its foot pegs were way in front - like a cruiser and gear shift lever and rear brake were 'miles' in front.  Since the dealership is on a highway, I wanted to be sure of its handling before taking it off parking lot.  Once on the highway, I found that the bike had powerful pick up, smooth gear shifts, good brakes, and no handle vibrations !! Very quick throttle response.  It was a very impressive machine.

As pointed out by Ice, GBBullet and Birdmove, there is room for everyone on the road. Bullet is great for twisty, small country roads for riding between 0-50 mph because RE is so well balanced that it rides by itself.  HD is definitely the way to go for highways or speeds above 50 mph.  This experience confirmed my view that RE, no matter UCE, Efi,or G5 is not for highways.

Now only if I can find something that does both very well - i.e., country road and highways, uhhhhm  May be a Bonneville ???




« Last Edit: April 04, 2010, 03:55:02 am by singhg5 »
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REpozer

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Reply #27 on: April 04, 2010, 04:02:36 am
Finally, I rode an HD sportster.
Now only if I can find something that does both very well - i.e., country road and highways, uhhhhm  May be a Bonneville ???
Remember, no one bike can do all things well. Its a game of compromises. You can't defy the rules of physics .
Choose wisely.
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scoTTy

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Reply #28 on: April 04, 2010, 04:03:38 am
 bug catcher  ......

.if a bmw breaks.. it's expensive if you don't know how to work on them.. I do..  have had them since 1976// r's and K's both//  worked on all of them.. like workining on a lawnmower engine..  lotsa a plastic nowdays though.. takes time to remove..  adds up the dollars

  here's a 20,ooo $ boxer I would buy in a heartbeat IF i won the lottey 2night

don't know if my 62 year olde broken frame work could wrap around the frame very long..  but it would be fun while I couuld I'm sure..
 ;D
  ;D





birdmove

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Reply #29 on: April 04, 2010, 05:16:34 am
   It sounds like you rode the XL883 Custom. They come with forward foot controls and foot pegs. I don't care for the forward controls.My Sportster is an XL883, which is the "standard" models.I don't care for the lowered Sportsters which are the Low models,the Iron 883, the Nightster.These all have shorter suspension, which lets the bikes grind too easily when cornering. I have yet to grind anything on my Sportster, and I have leaned it pretty far.There is a new model called the 48, which also is lowered.

   jon
Jon in Keaau, Hawaii