Thinking of Harley for 2 up comfort

The one without underwear...

Coming from a adventure bike to a harley can be a shock to the senses. BUT like anything else you will "get used to it". They are great bikes, shine up real nice and the girls migrate to them when you do your part.

Im not knocking Harley when I say this, but there are "other" alternatives for a WHOLE LOT LESS money. I almost pulled the trigger on a Harley Switchback 4 months ago. LOVED the bike, it was exactly what I wanted but the sales manager was a douche and would not come off the price one penny. Even when I pulled out 18k cash. Needless to say they hurt my only feeling.

Im currently riding a Yamaha Raider, with all the mods I have on it now im still 9+grand cheaper than the switchback. I know its no harley but Im glad I made the choice I did. My point is, Look around, explore other bikes, you may be surprised at what you find (take a good look at victory).

Happy trails!

^?

Raider $14,990
Switchback $16,199

That ain't a whole lot.

You can get away with poor slow speed skills with a light bike that you can't with a heavy bike. Getting a heavier bike to please your wife may require you to improve your slow speed skills. There is a DVD called "Ride Like a Pro" done by a former motor officer on the basic techniques used by motor officers to handle their big Harley's. What those guys can do is amazing. BTW, the skills they use will work on most any motorcycle.

Do a Google search for videos of police motorcycle rodeos or competitions. It is poetry to watch them.

Short answer, yes you'll get used to it, but unless you master the skills needed to make a heavy bike dance, you may never get real comfy with any heavy bike, no matter how low the center of gravity.

Great point.

My slow riding skills on a big bike sucked. My fast riding skills might have been track honed, but I was not good at parking lot speeds, with a passenger and load.

A few years ago I took the BMW off road 2 day course in SC on a GS Adventure. An unintended side effect was greatly improving my low speed pig riding skills!

I picked up my Raider used in mint condition with pipes, detachable windshield and sissy bar with 1800 miles on the clock for $7800. Ive put a mustang seat, forwards and cobra power pro for another $1100. Just because Harley advertises $16,199 (black switchback) doesnt mean your gonna get one for that price....tax, title, licence, prep fee, add a set of vance and hines and your rapidly approaching 20grand. My local dealer still has the one i was looking at advertised for $17,995 and wouldnt let it go out the door for $18.5k cash bc "its a harley, and I will sell it to someone else who will pay asking value"

But thats the local harley shop.....not my first rodeo with them.

Buying a used cruiser, where price is a material factor, it pays to look Japanese. Solid bikes that depreciated rapidly makes for lower cost of entry, for the pre owned buyer.

We've purchased 2 new Harley's in the past 2 years. We have two dealers within 25 miles of our home. One was willing to deal, but not much and the second went out of their way to earn our business. Which they did. I won't pay retail, as a matter of principle.

That should be a great class to take. But, based on your current knowledge, how much new useful info would be presented in the BMW off road class to an experienced moto cross rider (very light weight dirt bike) who also took police motor officer training (tight slow speed work with very heavy motorcycle)?

I ride a big Victory Cross Country Tour. It's heavy, but I never really notice the weight. It's as easy to shuffle around the garage as the taller bikes I have had because of the low COG and low seat height. As far as power is concerned, it doesn't even know when I have a passenger. Parking lot speeds are a bit cumbersome at first, but you soon realize that just like any other bike it goes where you point it. What I have said about the Victory applies to Harley as well.

I love my Dyna Superglide with touring seat, windshield and luggage for touring with my wife... Once I got good at the slow speed manouvers she became real relaxed and trusting. We rented a Harley touring bagger for a week... I loved the radio but on dirt roads it's just plain too heavy for my liking. Dyna is perfect.

I was an experienced track day rider, had a GS and had just purchased my first dirt bike (ktm exc-r 530). The bmw offroad course was great for handling a big gs in sand, over obstacles, inclines, water and intricate low speed handling.

Your experiences and skills certainly would make you much better than I was at the school. But there were very experienced riders there too and the instructors tailored much of the program to individual skill level. The instructor/student ratio was very low.

Give them a call if you are interested. I'm sure they would give you a straight answer.

I had a lot of fun.

Once you ride the bike for a bit you will really feel how well balanced they are. All the weight is on the bottom so they are simple to handle

Well that's not very fair then,
comparing a used yammy to a new harley
and then say one's a whole lot cheaper.

And that's the way it is.
One dealer wouldn't play,
the other gave me a leftover '12 for $13,900,
great trade in on my sportie,
and a bunch of other shit I forgot.

Which is still a whole lot;
but I think everyone deserves a brand new bike once.

I would actually argue that with you a little. A Road King with Cruise is $18,280 with a color, and an Ultra is $22,840

Sure thats $4600, but you cant add the detach tour pack ( $1200 PTM ), fairing ( $1000 ) , radio, cb, intercom, lowers ( $800 ) , air deflectors, gauges, etc etc etc that the Ultra comes stock with


The Ultra is the better value. I went thru this myself last year, and ended up with this 2012




I absolutely love the bike, and look for excuses to go on a road trip on it.

I detached the tour pak for under $400 using drag components and getting deals online, keeping it on for the boss and taking it off for solo trips

The weight freaked me out at first, but after the first 500 miles I thought nothing of it

I did lower it using progressives, that helped, as I am only 5'5" on a tall day

Actually, you can. All those components can be added to a Road King.

Is it worth it? That's up to the individual.

$4600 you can buy a Burgman 650 and be done with, more underseat storage than those luggage combined.

I didn't know they were that affordable. Burgman 650's are nice machines, and they have the proper feet-somewhat-forward riding position that Harley touring bikes have. They should be very comfy.

I test rode a 250 scooter once, and it was a blast around town. One of the most fun rides I can remember having. It put a smile on my face that just wouldn't come off.

Yes, they can be...but it sure is nicer to have them installed from the get-go.

I thought the radio/cb/weatherband/cd player was kind of silly when I got my Ultra. Now...fantastic.

My wife plugs into her rear seat jack, she controls what she listens to...Sometimes I plug in...and we can talk via intercom...but mostly I just enjoy the sound of the engine. :)

My brother has a Goldwing all blinged out with cupholders etc. It's a close call, but my wife prefers the Ultra for comfort.

Cakeeater

Many Harley/GoldWing 2-up specific riders have switch to Burgman 650,

triple digit speed capable,

twist and go without shifting,

push button (clutch-less) shifting on the fly,

mass (weight) well low to the ground to help balance at parking lot speed.

Used Burgman 650 can be found for under $5k pretty easily.