the old cliché " if you cant beat them, join them".
Well, a short backstory to me and Harley Davidson's.
When I was a boy, my first love of a 2 wheeled motorcycle
was my uncles --- have no clue what model -- mid 70's Harley.
He loved the bike. It broke down though. A LOT. I do not
recall exactly what all went wrong, but I do remember he and my
late father cussing the bastard a lot in the driveway.
My FATHER, however, HATED them with a passion.
Let me rephrase that, he hated the " New Junky'Davidsons"
He loved the old 40's-60's models.
This conversation that took place & started a lifelong debate was
in 1986/87. Dad was there to be a living whiteness of Harleys dark years.
And that era never left his mind. He took his love of HONDA, and mad disgust with Harley to his grave in 2010.
My uncle gave up on motorcycles all together in the early 90's.
I, however, still had a secret passion for the thump thump, thump thump, thump thump of the 'ol Milwaukee machines.
Of course, Harley bought the company back from AMF in the early ( mid??? ) 80's. But the bad reputation stuck with many folks.
.
A few months ago, my wife and I went camping over in Pigeon Forge TN.
During that camping trip, we went to a large HD dealer there in PF.
I got to sit on probably every model of Harley in current production.
Even made a Facebook post about it. My favorite model FOR ME that fit me the best was a new XLC1200 all dressed out with windscreen and forward control pegs and Scream'n Eagle pipes.
.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to the local(ish) HD dealer and took their
Skilled Riders course. Made a H U G E difference in my 2 wheel life. Learning to control a 900 lb. Road King at 3 MPH is kick ass!!!! :-D
.
TODAY: After a few days of camping and debating, I caved.
Went back to the "local" dealership ( 50 min. drive one way away, but the closest HD dealer to me )
I went in, with the joy of a 6 ear old on Christmas morning, to buy that
$13,000 Harley. " I MUST BE INSAINE! I only paid $9800 for my first NEW car!!! " this thought echoed in my mind the whole way down there.
Low and behold, I arrived and found a place to park my 4 door truck and 22 ft long trailer. Went in, and started shopping.
In the "overflow room" ( a HUGE long well lit garage bay ) was a few "bargain Harleys". At first, I walked through them in a fast pace.
But, , , , , , , , , what was it, , , , , hmmmmmmm, , , , , , something I walked past, , , , , seemed, , , , , NICE!
After watching it rain sideways for 20 min. and ogling over the ocean of testosterone and chrome, I went out for a smoke. ( yeah, bad, I know, blah blah blah ) I kept thinking about the "ol blue" as I came to call it in my mind. It was in that back room. shiny. Dripping in chrome and metallic blue & gloss black paint. And it was in the BARGAIN section????? nooooooooooo. Had to be wrong.
So I went back in, trying hard to walk slow with swagger and not look all excited. Playing it cool. In my mind I was hearing my fathers words " Got to be cool. You are in a ( Harley ) shop. Not the bowling alley. Be cool. Be interested, but not TOO interested. They will stick it to your wallet hard if they see you excited "
I ease my way back and take my first CLOSE look at this Harley.
It was a older used XLC1200. Dressed up exactly like the very one that was $13,000 new. Just in blue & black instead of all black. New tires. NEW TIRES! Brand new. Still have the tits on them in the MIDDLE. "bet she's got 60,000 miles on it!" -- I think to myself --. OH! The key is in it. Interesting.
I turn the key on and look at the digital odometer. 9,801 mi.
0_0
OK, sooooooooooooooooooooo, the bike I want, with new tires, in a paint scheme I would have been damn proud to have painted myself. What is UP wit this bike??? AHHHHHHHHHH, I bet it is a salvage title.
FINALLY, after my salesman Ken gets the other 3 customers that were there before me all done and happy, here he walks over. I have known Ken for several years now, so I shook his hand and we started talking serious details & $$$$$$$.
The bike is clean title. 1 owner, late 50's guy that just bought a " big ass new trike " ( Got to love Ken's humor ). "The bike has not been cleaned up yet" he says. (( you could lick the thing it was so clean ))
Then he tells me they ( the dealership ) just got the bike through their shop.
New brakes, tires, drive belt, complete engine service, full service end to end. " it is priced about $500 over book, but book does not take into consideration all the Harley add on's, windscreen, Mustang seat, and new tires. " Ummmmmmm, OK. Soooooooo, price???? Well, I paid what I paid. Too much? NO. Not at all. I have looked at used basic model 883 Sportys being sold on craigslist and facebook and at other dealers. this was just a few hundred dollars more, and is a 1200cc with roughly $1200 in exhaust / seat / windscreen. PLUS, NEW tires and brakes.
So, the loud beast is now in my stable.
My first Harley. 2004. ( still carbureted!!!! woot !!!! )