Son's New Harley

[DIGGER]

My son is 39 yrs old and has a successful airconditioning company.    He has had several used Harleys in the past but hasn't ridden in about 5 or 6 yrs.     His running buddy bought a new Harley recently......so he had to get one.   He told me he ordered one a couple months ago.   I went with him this morning to College Station Texas to pick up his new bike.   Pretty bike.    Of course he had to have the baddest Harley they make .   He bought a 2018 FLHXSE Street Glide with the 117 CVO engine.   He had them change out the windshield for one 2" taller,  changed the exhaust to a blacked out set of custom pipes,  added a few electronics and a few more attachments.   I rode my 2001 Valkyrie to the Harley dealer and we left there and rode about 250 miles.    Stopped in Bastrop Texas to eat a bite and in the conversation I asked him what he paid for the bike and the add ons............He said 56,000.......I nearly choked on my burger.    DANG!!!!!     Manoman......I could buy 5 new 2018  Valkyries for that and when one broke down I could throw it away and pull another out....good to go.

[Pappy!]

And.....you may be able to outrun him as well!

[DIGGER]

I don't know.... according to conversion tables  117 cubic inches is 1900cc  +

[..]

Is that a frickin typo???

$56,000    $56,000    $56,000    $56,000

[Pappy!]

Take a look at this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW6AfzFoJVc

Don't know if these bikes were stock.
A friend that routinely takes his bike (a modified 96" Victory) up to Gainesville to race has seen a few and says they  run low 14's down to high 13's. Take that for what it is worth.

[DIGGER]

Is that a frickin typo???

$56,000    $56,000    $56,000    $56,000

Nope....that's why I nearly choked on my food when he said it.      I looked up msrp on it $39500......add in taxes.... add in custom parts.....add in extra electronics........

[_Sheffjs_]

You wonder the value drop is once off the lot?  I -personally could see a late 30s bike with that much coin. 

[3fan4life]

If I had $100,000,000.00 in the bank there still wouldn't be a Harley one that I'd spend $56k on.

We all live and learn.

Hopefully, your son will learn from this and realize that it was a total waste of his money.

[shortleg]

   It has always befuddled me how Harley does it.
 They can be nice bikes and some run good.
   You have to ride them on the highway to keep
 yourself and bike cool.
   But God I can not see that much money for a
 bike.
    Those of us that think the same way is it us?

[Rams]

   It has always befuddled me how Harley does it.
 They can be nice bikes and some run good.
   You have to ride them on the highway to keep
 yourself and bike cool.
   But God I can not see that much money for a
 bike.
    Those of us that think the same way is it us?

Not sure, I'm told the HD folks out number us but.........

I've read and re-read this thread multiple times and not commented because I did not wish to say what I was thinking about such a purchase.   I'll just say, it's two wheels and it's his money.   Enjoy it.

Rams

[Hook#3287]

I'm trying to figure out how you can spend 16.5K on add ons and accessories? ???

[Oss]

Bless his heart,

It is indeed his money. I hope he gets a lot of satisfaction whenever he looks at it and rides it.

Your son is riding and doing well enough to not care about the $ so good for him.

[Whooray]

Bless his heart,

It is indeed his money. I hope he gets a lot of satisfaction whenever he looks at it and rides it.

Your son is riding and doing well enough to not care about the $ so good for him.

. 


 

[northernvalk]

I'm trying to figure out how you can spend 16.5K on add ons and accessories? ???

This is my biggest  issue with HD and the people who buythem/put up with it! They charge 40 grand for a bike then you need to spend another 15 grand on a "stage x" kit to make it run with modern bikes, and people have no issue doing it!!!! Wake the puck up people! Its like dodge offering a carbed 318 as the base engine in a 2018 truck...? Over priced, under powered and loving it!!!

[Jess Tolbirt]

I'm trying to figure out how you can spend 16.5K on add ons and accessories? ???

This is my biggest  issue with HD and the people who buythem/put up with it! They charge 40 grand for a bike then you need to spend another 15 grand on a "stage x" kit to make it run with modern bikes, and people have no issue doing it!!!! Wake the puck up people! Its like dodge offering a carbed 318 as the base engine in a 2018 truck...? Over priced, under powered and loving it!!!

you never bought a car back in your younger days and then decided to make it go faster by buying cams and stuff and making it your own by buying prettys for it?

[cookiedough]

does not really matter what 99% of us think, it is his money and if he has the good business profit to make a go of it,  good for him.

to me, does not make sense, but I think a lot of us are a tad bit more conservative in our purchases not having 50K laying around to blow and then 1 week off the lot drops to mid 30's in value.

Once the easily disposable income people go away more so,  HD is toast....

When I buy my vehicles whether cycles or cars/trucks or ATVs,  I always take into consideration cost of purchase vs. resale/residual value years down the road not wanting to take a huge hit in say 2-5 years.

[f6john]

It’s like a $1000,000+ Corvette. It’s a status symbol. It says I can afford an outrageous overpriced toy. That’s not to say the owner doesn’t get enjoyment from the possession. If a person just wants a Harley there are thousands of late model examples sitting in dealer warehouses that people can buy for pennies on the dollar from new, but the drive for the latest and greatest just keeps adding to the number of used bikes in inventory.

Congrats to your son on a successful business and I hopes he rides the wheels off it (figuratively)

[_Sheffjs_]

Yes it is nice he has the means to be able to do this and he is enjoying wind. My mind goes to HD now that I let this sink in, is it even possible to get a new wing to 56g OTD?

[f6john]

Yes it is nice he has the means to be able to do this and he is enjoying wind. My mind goes to HD now that I let this sink in, is it even possible to get a new wing to 56g OTD?

Probably not OTD but I’ve been seeing some custom Wings and F6b’s that are probably pushing up close to that number.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Yes it is nice he has the means to be able to do this and he is enjoying wind. My mind goes to HD now that I let this sink in, is it even possible to get a new wing to 56g OTD?

Anything is possible. I'm sure a Honda dealer would willingly take 56k from me if I was willing to give it up. As to the Harley thing. I have buddies that spent 30k each for theirs a few years back. I loose track of all the Harley model designations, but they are setup like a F6B. They are happy. I am happy to ride with them. I almost spent 30k on a new Wing. I'm sure many here would have given me the side eye . Life is short, get out and enjoy it.  

[sandy]

PT Barnum said it; There's one born every minute. I like $$$ more than status. Of course he bought an AMERICAN bike whereas our bikes are JAP bikes (tongue in cheek).

[northernvalk]

I'm trying to figure out how you can spend 16.5K on add ons and accessories? ???

This is my biggest  issue with HD and the people who buythem/put up with it! They charge 40 grand for a bike then you need to spend another 15 grand on a "stage x" kit to make it run with modern bikes, and people have no issue doing it!!!! Wake the puck up people! Its like dodge offering a carbed 318 as the base engine in a 2018 truck...? Over priced, under powered and loving it!!!

you never bought a car back in your younger days and then decided to make it go faster by buying cams and stuff and making it your own by buying prettys for it?

Absolutly NOT the same. HD is charging top.dollar for the detuned bikes. If they were charging much lower prices fod the old crap and offering a more advanced machine for close to equal lrices as competitors then I would say yes. They are not! they charge fop price PLUS the extra to bring it into the modern era.....I cant count how many times ive whooped an HD only to have the guy ask whats been done to my engine. nothing..stock 750 magna.  Bottom line is HD should be providing the "STAGE" technology up front for the same price.

[DIGGER]

I'm trying to figure out how you can spend 16.5K on add ons and accessories? ???

Probly  $4000 - $5000 TTL.     And highway pegs can get expensive you know.....ha

[Motodad71]

And THAT is exactly why HD is slowly dying.........

[The emperor has no clothes]

And THAT is exactly why HD is slowly dying.........

I've never owned one, and likely never will. But, people have been saying that for the 45 years I've been riding. They have come close a couple times. But, yet they keep rolling and rolling.

[Motodad71]

And THAT is exactly why HD is slowly dying.........

I've never owned one, and likely never will. But, people have been saying that for the 45 years I've been riding. They have come close a couple times. But, yet they keep rolling and rolling.

Well that isn't the situation NOW, they are overall hurting in sales worldwide. Their lack of coming out with bikes that "people actually want" and their outrageous pricing, is causing them to be in the situation they are in. Indian overall is doing well, and they will for sure be coming out with some pretty cool and cutting edge machines in the future. Indian is the new Harley, many HD folks are trading in their bikes for an Indian.......they appear to be overall much better made and better technology. Yes they too are expensive, no way in heck I would ever spend that kind of money on such a myopic machine, when for less money I could get a new Wing or 1600GT. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

And THAT is exactly why HD is slowly dying.........

I've never owned one, and likely never will. But, people have been saying that for the 45 years I've been riding. They have come close a couple times. But, yet they keep rolling and rolling.

Well that isn't the situation NOW, they are overall hurting in sales worldwide. Their lack of coming out with bikes that "people actually want" and their outrageous pricing, is causing them to be in the situation they are in. Indian overall is doing well, and they will for sure be coming out with some pretty cool and cutting edge machines in the future. Indian is the new Harley, many HD folks are trading in their bikes for an Indian.......they appear to be overall much better made and better technology. Yes they too are expensive, no way in heck I would ever spend that kind of money on such a myopic machine, when for less money I could get a new Wing or 1600GT. 

I think Indians are very stylish. I have no idea about their mechanicals. I just keep hearing in the back of my head Mark Twain. The reports of my death are highly exaggerated. (Or something close)

[DIGGER]

And THAT is exactly why HD is slowly dying.........

What you say is true....keeps me from buying one.    However I did read somewhere that yes Harley Davidson sales are way off, but, so are foreign made bike sales.  the article said that the new generation is just not as interested in motorcycles as the last generation.   Probably because of the price of new motorcycles.   

[Hook#3287]

Good article from a non motorcycle site, on HD, posted on the Valkyrie site of facebook.

https://www.fool.com/amp/investing/2018/05/03/harley-davidson-sales-go-from-bad-to-worse.aspx

HD still owns the majority sales of a shrinking motorcycle group, but Indian is growing.

[Hook#3287]

And THAT is exactly why HD is slowly dying.........

What you say is true....keeps me from buying one.    However I did read somewhere that yes Harley Davidson sales are way off, but, so are foreign made bike sales.  the article said that the new generation is just not as interested in motorcycles as the last generation.   Probably because of the price of new motorcycles.   

Well, that, and IMHO, most of them are kinda wimpy. .  Not all, but most.

[The emperor has no clothes]

And THAT is exactly why HD is slowly dying.........

What you say is true....keeps me from buying one.    However I did read somewhere that yes Harley Davidson sales are way off, but, so are foreign made bike sales.  the article said that the new generation is just not as interested in motorcycles as the last generation.   Probably because of the price of new motorcycles.   

Well, that, and IMHO, most of them are kinda wimpy. .  Not all, but most.

+1, but maybe the biggest deterrent for me is that whole "Harley biker vibe" thing. Just not for me.

[Jess from VA]

2018 FLHXSE Street Glide with the 117 CVO engine

I googled for images.  I hope he didn't get this battleship color one.  YUK!



The old Navy saying of..... Haze grey, and underway comes to mind.

[Hook#3287]

Might look better if it was matte, not gloss.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

If you ignore the money, in many ways HD has caught up with Honda. While the 2016 F6B and 2018 Hondas have gained very little in performance over my 1997 Valkyrie, HD's performance has dramatically increased in the same amount of time.

One of the bike mags put a 2018 HD on the dyno and found it was making 106 HP at the rear wheel. That's better than our old valks. And even though they may not yet be faster in the 1/4 than our old bikes or current Hondas they soon will be if all stays the same.

If both companies maintain their current trajectories, the 2016 F6B I just bought will be as slow in 20 years compared to an HD as the HD's were compared to our Valks 20 years ago.

Sadly, today it seems to be Honda who is stuck in the past and HD who is reaching for the future. I love Honda motorcycles and have had more than I can count. But, their engineering used to be top flight, and still seems to be as far as durability is concerned. But in the "muscle bike/muscle cruiser" category they have been stagnate for 20 years while the rest of the motorcycle world kept improving.

[old2soon]

I was on a Veterans appreciation day ride yesterday and stopped by the Honda Dealer in Rolla Mo. My dealer in West Plains does NOT have an 18 G W on the floor nor do they plan on having one on the floor. The Rolla Mo. dealership has an Arctic White 18 G W on the floor and they let me throw a leg over it-static display I did NOT get to ride it-and while it sat nice the saddle bags and trunk Appear smaller than the ones on my 99 I/S. Had to ask the price and he told me just south of 28G BUT Honda would be thrilled to finance said 18 G/W for 84 MONTHS! So-What-2 New G/Ws fer the price of one H/D. No-I did Not ask what model the G/W wuz.   And whoever stated it's his money is correctamundo on that count. As an aside the guys and gals I rode with-8 other riders-were on H/D and got lotsa comments on my Honda T-shirt!   RIDE SAFE.

[northernvalk]

If you ignore the money, in many ways HD has caught up with Honda. While the 2016 F6B and 2018 Hondas have gained very little in performance over my 1997 Valkyrie, HD's performance has dramatically increased in the same amount of time.

One of the bike mags put a 2018 HD on the dyno and found it was making 106 HP at the rear wheel. That's better than our old valks. And even though they may not yet be faster in the 1/4 than our old bikes or current Hondas they soon will be if all stays the same.

If both companies maintain their current trajectories, the 2016 F6B I just bought will be as slow in 20 years compared to an HD as the HD's were compared to our Valks 20 years ago.

Sadly, today it seems to be Honda who is stuck in the past and HD who is reaching for the future. I love Honda motorcycles and have had more than I can count. But, their engineering used to be top flight, and still seems to be as far as durability is concerned. But in the "muscle bike/muscle cruiser" category they have been stagnate for 20 years while the rest of the motorcycle world kept improving.

What HD bike in stock form made 106 to the tire? CVO stage 5?

[Hook#3287]

Sadly, today it seems to be Honda who is stuck in the past and HD who is reaching for the future. I love Honda motorcycles and have had more than I can count. But, their engineering used to be top flight, and still seems to be as far as durability is concerned. But in the "muscle bike/muscle cruiser" category they have been stagnate for 20 years while the rest of the motorcycle world kept improving.

This may be true, if you look at ONLY the "muscle bike/muscle cruiser" category.  It's still debatable.

Honda's R&D is probably the best and varied, as a company, in the world.

Jets, F1, power products, automobiles, robotics, marine, small engine.

And they have followed the "world" market in motorcycles going to smaller, more urban styled, 2 wheeled vehicles.

I wish they would have stayed true to the Valkyrie name and made the new gen somewhat retro.

But, it's the only bike outside of the 1st gen, I'd consider buying new.

[Robert]

56k no way I would do that especially when there are many good used ones around for less than 20k. But to each his own and I hope he enjoys it and it does everything he wants.

[LTD]

Years ago had a 75 Harley electra glide that thing would rattle the fillings right out of your teeth. But status was definitely there no doubt it really is a different riding experience on a HD.  I understand why people will pay huge bucks to own one sometimes.  Have ridden the new Milwaukee eights and pretty damn good best bikes Harley has ever come out with by far. As good as a Valkyrie the old one uh no not in my opinion.  Of course considerations such as looks durability price speed etc... Valkyries win hands down and next month a cult motorcycle rally for a week in Roanoke, Virginia celebrating twenty year old machines is amazing to me.  The newer Valkyries that failed miserably can be had for new at $9999 plus tax is incredible and is a great machine.  The new 2018 Indian Roadmaster elite for 36,000 plus tax I thought was actually worth the price the paint was 7 grand alone would have bought one but couldn't afford it period.

[Robert]

Sadly, today it seems to be Honda who is stuck in the past and HD who is reaching for the future. I love Honda motorcycles and have had more than I can count. But, their engineering used to be top flight, and still seems to be as far as durability is concerned. But in the "muscle bike/muscle cruiser" category they have been stagnate for 20 years while the rest of the motorcycle world kept improving.

I really have to disagree with this last statement of yours. Regardless if you like the bike or not it is an entry into the modern market. Its got the ability to cruise like a Goldwing has more power than most bikes its not a crotch rocket but can outperform many bikes. I love my bike and while its not for everyone its not an old fashion bike either. So I believe that this bike represents the forward thinking of Honda. Along with the new Wing that is definitely a modern up to date bike makes Honda actually more forward thinking than Harley.

I have not seen a offering from Harley that supports a sequential transmission nor a fully automatic and now Honda has a new engine in their wing also. That may be the bike I will eventually trade my 1800 for one day. Another bright spot is the new wing will be around 26k with all the options far cry from 56k.