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[grc]

I remember my friend Jerry that used to post often to CVOHarley until his wife read this post.

Happy New Year Jerry wishing you and yours all the best in the new year.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Happy New Year to you and yours as well Gary.  When you're ready to splurge, let me know and I'll see if Bosch will whip up a special chrome version of the fancy washer and dryer just for you.

Jerry

[hdhog1]

Hey Jerry, I can't do anything about cheaper motorcycle parts, but I bet we could all find you some cheap rocks.      Randy

[grc]

Hey Jerry, I can't do anything about cheaper motorcycle parts, but I bet we could all find you some cheap rocks.      Randy

Thanks Randy, but the wife says she has all she needs residing in my head.  Not sure what she means, but I learned not to argue with her a long time ago.

Jerry

[hdhog1]

I hear ya Jerry.

[1abastarsmda]

I was thinking about this the other day.  I was thinking that there is no way that I would go out and buy the top of the line car and already know that there are going to be anywhere between 30 and 100 different parts that I will be planning on changing.  Let's make the playing field more even.  I wouldn't buy a $35,000 car, knowing that the exhaust and air cleaner would not be acceptable to me and that I will need it retuned when I make the changes and again once it's broken in.  If I thought there was a chance that I wouldn't like the seats or that the steering wheel was going to be a little beyond my reach, I wouldn't buy the car.  I wouldn't buy the car if I thought I was going to have to change the entire lighting system.  I certainly wouldn't buy a car with a GPS system that I would just ignore and go out and spend $600 to $900 for another GPS from Garmin.  I certainly wouldn't buy that car if it came with exposed hinges on the trunk that looked like they came off a screen door.  Yes, they have sucked us in...baited us and hooked us...and I thought we were a smart bunch.  Oh well, I guess that's why I am told that my bike is a luxury item.

[Fired00d]

I was thinking about this the other day.  I was thinking that there is no way that I would go out and buy the top of the line car and already know that there are going to be anywhere between 30 and 100 different parts that I will be planning on changing.  Let's make the playing field more even.  I wouldn't buy a $35,000 car, knowing that the exhaust and air cleaner would not be acceptable to me and that I will need it retuned when I make the changes and again once it's broken in.  If I thought there was a chance that I wouldn't like the seats or that the steering wheel was going to be a little beyond my reach, I wouldn't buy the car.  I wouldn't buy the car if I thought I was going to have to change the entire lighting system.  I certainly wouldn't buy a car with a GPS system that I would just ignore and go out and spend $600 to $900 for another GPS from Garmin.  I certainly wouldn't buy that car if it came with exposed hinges on the trunk that looked like they came off a screen door.  Yes, they have sucked us in...baited us and hooked us...and I thought we were a smart bunch.  Oh well, I guess that's why I am told that my bike is a luxury item.

Now you understand why H-D doesn't make cars.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Admiral]

Now you understand why H-D doesn't make cars.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

And that's a good thing.

[hdhog1]

  Oh well, I guess that's why I am told that my bike is a luxury item.

  Well I guess that would be another thread... but at close to 40 MPG.  Somebody should be giving us the parts for cost.  Ignoring EPA & noise regulations.  Moving thier cages out of our way when were coming.  And offering us great praise for our conservation efforts.   But...... we have as much a chance of that as a set of custom chrome wheels for under a $1500 

[SPIDERMAN]

I still hear about car owners new & old classic swapping out perfectly good stock parts for after market, especially in the most recent fast & furious style. radio/cd/dvd/tv/gps/satelite radio/etc unit(s) & speakers, K&M intake/filters, more throatier exhaust, ground effects, big freakin' rear wing, $$$$$ bling wheels & low low low profile tires, hot paint schemes, carbon fiber & billet interior trim & controls, etc...

It's all about making it your own or to some better & badder than everyone's else. Yes, some bikes are missing a few key essentials but overall they are acceptable stock. And I agree some of the stock parts could use a bit improvemnt in quality and/or appearance & function. A bike offers more challenge in designing parts having to incorporate more durabilty to the elements, more dramatic effect in overall cost, weight, function, & regulations.

Despite the millions & millions of bikes sold out there, it is still nothing compared to the number of cages out there, plus most of those parts cover a broader range of models. Seems a lot of bike parts are specific to a specific model and/or style plus within a tight range of years. My 09 SESTS, even though similiar to the Rocker, is so far a one of a kind model with it's wide 240 rear wheel, swing arm, & bobber fender.

Even at that and the bike parts industry being a "niche" market, I agree the parts are overpriced compared to similiar or in some cases higher quality automotive parts. I don't think of my bike as a luxury item, just "special". Still cheaper than therapy... or results from having neither...

I have a 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT-6 Spyder in Sunset Pearlescent with black leather interior and I have no desire to change a thing on it. It came with a high performance 3.8l V6 with a HiPo exhaust system that has more than ample rumble to it, a cold air intake system, four wheel independant suspension with 4 -link rear, hi-po shocks, all wheel large diameter disc brakes, 18" wheels with low profile wide sticky tires, a 650watt Rockford Fosgate stereo system with a 12" sub in the rear, 9 speakers and a 6 disc changer. It has an 5 speed automatic transmission that you can either run straight auto or run up through the gears. And of course being a Spyder it's a rag top and the top has about 12 servo motors and is just so cool the way it works it's part of the fun of driving/owning the car to put the top up and down. The car is a rocket sled on wheels as it maxes out well above 150mph and sticks 90 degree corners at over 80. And all for a sticker price of $37,500 and a 100,000 mile warranty. I love this car and can't find a thing to complain about. If H-D could get it as right out of the box as Mitsubishi did with this car, I'd be in HOG Heaven.

B B

[ccr]

I like very much how you think Brian.  I think there is another Motorcycle Company that lets' you use a checklist and you can order the bike you want, the way you want it.  Keeps one from wasting money on perfectly good take offs.

But if you think MC parts are expensive, just put the word Marine in front of any of them...

[hard10]

That Spyder sounds totally sick...
 
I see your point but comparing a high end Asian car with a Harley CVO is a bit  &  . A high end special series "american" car will run you over $45,000 like the Shelby, R/T Hemi's, Vette's, & Viper$$$$$, and yes being a "limited edition" you might dare not modify it but then there are very successful 3rd party "factory customs" such as the Saleen & Roush Mustangs for a very hefty chunk of change.

Didn't mean to sound like I'm getting my dander up , just practicing with you all when I have to answer to the "boss" after buying those "safety improvements" for my ride (it is starting already... ). Can't use the thinking about her excuse, she won't ride on the back yet.

That my friend is the key word!

[d o g o l s]

  I may be asking for trouble with thread, but here goes.

  Can any body explain to me why parts for motorcycles are so much higher than for automobiles?   I know they are smaller and produced in lower quantities.

  Listen none of us are cheap or we wouldn't own bikes.  But come on $500 seats, $700 for 2 shocks, $1K rims $3K trannys, $7K frames, $10K engines How does this actually happen?  Is it because we are willing to pay?   What kind of profit margin is on this stuff anyway?

  I hope somebody in parts manufacturing answers this.  I sure can't understand it.  Hell, we complain about gas prices.  Why not parts?

well in the USA you can be lucky with the prices
in Germany whe pay for a 100 $ Part 200 €uro + 10-20%

[SPIDERMAN]

That Spyder sounds totally sick...
 
I see your point but comparing a high end Asian car with a Harley CVO is a bit  &  . A high end special series "american" car will run you over $45,000 like the Shelby, R/T Hemi's, Vette's, & Viper$$$$$, and yes being a "limited edition" you might dare not modify it but then there are very successful 3rd party "factory customs" such as the Saleen & Roush Mustangs for a very hefty chunk of change.

Didn't mean to sound like I'm getting my dander up , just practicing with you all when I have to answer to the "boss" after buying those "safety improvements" for my ride (it is starting already... ). Can't use the thinking about her excuse, she won't ride on the back yet.

The point of my post wasn't so much as comparing apples and oranges as pointing out that when I bought the car I shopped around and found THE CAR. I have never been able to find THE MOTORCYCLE - regardless of Mfgr of Origin. I think the reason I was able to find the perfect car now is because at 55 years old, I'm more of a Harley guy than a car guy these days. In my late teens and early 20's, I was a nut for American Muscle cars. I had 68 Dodge Charger that I was constantly changing wheels, tires, exhaust, carb, intake manifold , rear end gear ratios, and so forth. So my point is simply that it's a factor of being an "enthusiast" more than a factor of how the MoCo builds the CVO lineup. We've got over 7,000 members on this site. I'll go out on a limb and say that I be willing to bet that more of them have left their Screamin Eagle's stock than have modified them. It's just that of those 7,000 members, less than 200 post on a regular basis and many of our members never post at all, so we have no way of knowing what they do

To answer the question posed by this thread title, as I said in my first post, the cost lies with the Mfgr. I'd say it probably relates to volume sales. I am sure there are a bazillion HiPo 350 Chevy engines in service. How many Jim's 131's do you suppose have been sold ? And so on.

B B