You know the old saying...A guy walks up and says how ya doing? You reply OK, but add if I wasn't who would listen or care anyway!
Therefore, thats what I dig about boards like this. It's a way to vent [smiley=drink.gif] without getting drunk over something. If I got drunk everytime I was pissed off, I'd be a mess by now
As some of you remember from my first post here I'm buying a 06 FLHTCUSE Black Candy Crimson and Charcoal Slate. This ordeal has brought on my current gripe...what the hell is the MoCo thinking!
Podiums Time (kick me off when you've heard enuff!
Here is Harley Davidson, a few years back they start into this aggressive sales program. They increase production. They decide on a financing program that short of Bin Laden, ANYBODY COULD QUALIFY FOR! What happens next is the kicker!
I do not know how long or many of you have been riding, buying or selling Motorcycles but I've been at it a good long time. Over the years the battle of Jap bikes vs. Harley has always amused me. For as long as I can remember Harley's have always maintained their value much better than other brands except durnig the AMX years. The argument I encounter most often is when someone says they are buying a new bike but will choose a Japper due to the lower price. I point out that if you go spend 15,000 bucks on a Jap bike in 10 years it's practically worthless when you could do the same with a Harley and in 10 years get a huge chunk of your money back. For example, in 1995 I bought my FXDL 2 tone Dyna Lowriderand paid $17,500.00. I kept a close eye on the market value of the bike for several years. Up until about 4 years ago I could have sold her for a fair market price of $14,500.00. Not bad to have a daily rider for 6 years and only lose $3000.00 in the process. That's not just a good investment it's what had most smart buyers wanting Harleys other than for the novelity of being a real "part time" weekend bad ass biker.
Whats my point? The point is with this "Finance anydamnbody program" that Harley uses has bitten my butt but good. Harley has a 30 percent repo rate going now with buyers who should have been buying shoes for their hungry kids losing the bike within the first year. The market is now flooded with used bikes driving used bike values down to sad sad prices.
My 1995 Dyna now has a trade in value of $6000.00 pathetic dollars. On the fair open market it could yeild between $8000.00 to $9500.00
This makes me sick when I think about how much care was put into this bike over the years to keep her gleeming and running like new. The cost of that alone wasn't no penny ante poker game either. People like myself busted ass to have a good ride and in doing so promoted the value of owning a Harley to the general public....now this!
The way I see it now is this. I can either sale her and take a beating, or winterize her and store her away for another 10 years. Roll her out as a 20 year old classic in bristol condition and get a return on my money then.
Thanks for listening...I only hope the joy of owning the new ride will drown out the pain of literally having to give my old ride away....
Rusty
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Topic: And another thing!! (Read 1978 times)