In my price shopping for the ZX6R I had the option of buying, I discovered a 93' Sportster for $3000. Downside? 28,000 miles.
Which got me thinking...I rarely see a cheap Harley, but after 10-15 years, all sportbikes drop into the $1000-$2000 range.
So is this saying that a Harley is a better/safer investment because it only depreciates so much?
True....but...it's a HD. do you want to cruise nice, slow and loud OR have your ass attached to a missile that corners?
Honestly it seems to me that motorcycles is more about personal choice and how you want to ride and buying one as investment seems silly to me.
With a Harley you tend to lose less money (unless you count the money you might have to throw at it) but I'd check first if the bike suits you.
Grtechguy wrote:True....but...it's a HD. do you want to cruise nice, slow and loud OR have your ass attached to a missile that corners?
This is why i have so many bikes....I ride the one that suits my attatude at the monment.
curently have. 68 montesa 247 cota trials bike. 74 Yamaha Mx175 2005 suz C50 cruiser 1952 Harley Model K
While i did buy the K as a sort of investment it was only due to the fact i found it at 1/3 the normal price i concider it an inventment. Unlike most owners I ride mine anytime i want rain or shine. True its one of 813 made and it is a bike of 1st for HD but it's only metal and I only live once. Ride it don't hide it!
44
Harley's have a "status" about them. Better "investment" bike. If it is in good running order shouldn't drop that much in price, (for where you are looking at price wise.)
Sport bike will continue to depreciate to practically zero. Unless it is a rare one then it will start going back up (read Italian)
Now what do you want it for. Grtechguy has it right. What do you want to do?
If it was me I would flip the HD and buy what I wanted. IMVHO HD are the most over priced, over rated, piece of E36 M3, coveted piece of brand marketing available. They build one bike with technology from the last 30 years (I am being kind on that one) and it doesn't sell well. They don't stop, turn, or accelerate like a bike from anywhere else. Twin cylinder parts washer is the best description I can give them.
I'd probably buy the harley and flip it when the economy recovers. About 2 years ago you couldn't buy a harley for <5-6K, now you can find Road Kings for that kind of coin. I'm pretty sure that when the economy recovers HD used prices will return to silly levels. If not you probably won't loose as much money as you would with the Ninja. That era sportster will ride as good as a 70's early 80's japanese bike so I think you'd have enough fun. Now if you're buying to go to trackdays it's not a question..
A '93 Sporty is a good bike. 28K is not much miles for it. My wife has over 50K on her '87 883, now Megasquirted. It is as reliable as a RN Toyota Truck. That is, VERY. With almost no exceptions, nothing with wheels is an investment. Harleys, however, depreciate a whole lot less than Jap bikes. They are also usually not as fast as a Jap bike or have as many James Bond gizmos like the built in toilet and septic system on the latest Honduh.
Luxury items like Harleys and exotic cars are in the tank right now. I know of a 90 Esprit SE that sold for ten large, needing some paint. Another better than perfect 89 SE, one of those "35K in accessories, upgrades, etc." cars is for sale for 18 large and no takers. Without floundering this thread, things ain't gonna get any better any time soon.
A shop I frequented bought a KH for $150 once, 44. I wuz there at the time. Some woman had the thing sitting under a tree for x years, get it out of here, do you want it, come get it. There's one in the movie I.Q. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110099/ , a good car movie, sort of.
(Driver of MGA or MGTD): "What's wrong with it ".
(Mechanic): "Well, the English would rather spend their money gluing wood on the dash board than designing an electrical system that worked."
In reply to Dr. Hess: -1
3 years as a Mechanic in a motorcycle shop and I would have to say you are the luckiest man alive having a "perfect" service record with your HDs or someone who exaggerates very well. Are you a fisherman? 
The jap bike will be more reliable, easier to service, and have cheaper parts, even with their electric toilets. HDs are known for lack of reliability (nothing a bucket of Locktite and a counterbalencer wouldn't fix. Enjoy the vibration, all your fasteners do.) Under spec'd brakes and excessive weight.
But once again you are right about the value. HDs do keep their resale.
PHeller Good luck with either choice and enjoy it. Get some training if you haven't yet and be patient with your skills. An off on a bike is not as much "fun" as in a Miata.
Well, FlightService, we bought that bike new and put >6K miles on it before we got it home. It has been very reliable, and I would be happy to post my complete service log, 99% of which I have done myself, so I guess that makes me 23 years as a motorcycle mechanic on that bike, and 32 years as one total. Nothing is perfect, including Toyota Trucks. I could post the service logs on those too. But I'd say our XLH is about as reliable as a RN Truck, and I can't get a better compliment than that.
HD's have not been known for lack of reliability since 1984 (1986 for Sportsters). Enjoy your jap E36 M3.
A Sportster? 
Nice looking bike, but every single person who has had one and sold it said it was the most uncomfortable thing to ride and they didn't miss it. I'd think of it as the Nighthawk 250 of Harleys: a great way to start riding, but you'll sell it in a year when you realize just how useless it really is.
Dr. Hess wrote:Well, FlightService, we bought that bike new and put >6K miles on it before we got it home. It has been very reliable, and I would be happy to post my complete service log, 99% of which I have done myself, so I guess that makes me 23 years as a motorcycle mechanic on that bike, and 32 years as one total. Nothing is perfect, including Toyota Trucks. I could post the service logs on those too. But I'd say our XLH is about as reliable as a RN Truck, and I can't get a better compliment than that.
HD's have not been known for lack of reliability since 1984 (1986 for Sportsters). Enjoy your jap E36 M3.
Like I said your the luckiest man alive or a fisherman, I take it you are taking the Lucky statement. I did have the privilege of working in the highest volume repair shop in my area, so I am sure I got to see my share of dogs. I will stand by statement as well as many friends I have that continue to ride HDs despite the problems they admit to.
I hope you have continued good service our of your HD. When did MegaSquirts come standard on Hogs anyway?
Cute comment about the jap bike. I will take a Honda (which seems to be the JDM that annoys you the most due to your icon,) over anything Harley ever built and we will compare receipts at the end of 50K miles, (I will even let you keep your double to triple buy in cost as non-countable.) See who is out of pocket the most.
For the record my last bike, which was a maintenance nightmare, and I still loved it, ran on linguine not rice.
Cagiva Gran Canyon, which at the time owned and was powered by Ducati.
I would further venture to say that people that take their Harley to a jap bike mechanic for service get what they deserve, and their experience may not be representative of the make.
Dr. Hess wrote:I would further venture to say that people that take their Harley to a jap bike mechanic for service get what they deserve, and their experience may not be representative of the make.
I had a nice rant, but this is all becoming trollish and your post just became borderline offensive.
Have a good day, sir. Good luck to you.
@ Hess and FlightService.... It all comes down to preference.
I don't like my feet in front of me on a bike. Just doesn't feel stable or natural. My uncle who rides a V4 Magna says the exact opposite feeling when getting on my "sport" bikes
But, Yes...you do see 100,000 mile HD and 100,000 Hondas. Last 10-15 years, all brands have become quite reliable, OWNER dependant
Let's not start a flame war
I'm too old to lean over a sport bike for long, but I scooted around on my brother's Buell Thunderbolt yesterday..... WTF WAS I THINKING? Holy crap is that thing quick.
No sport bikes for me but I'm not a cruiser/Harley guy either. That Buell woiuld put my license in real jeopardy.
Dan
Find a 1st gen Yamaha FZ1. You won't be sorry
Virtually no motorcycle, particularly one worth $3,000 or less, can be considered an investment.
I dunno, considering the current fad with cafe racers, street trackers, and other small older 70's bikes (of which I've owned), I'd say buying a bike, doing virtually nothing to it, and selling it for $500 profit is a pretty good investment.
Maybe I'll just stick 70's CBs.
Just stopping by. Everyone playing nicely and politely here?
No! berkeley off!
Hahahahahahahaha!
a almost 18 year old Sportster? What are we talking, mid 30s for hp?
Most Harley riders would as soon throw tomatoes at you then give you respect if you rode in on one. Personally, other then some of the new models like the 49, I hate the look of a stock sporty. The peanut tank never flows with the bike. I would buy one for a project bike, but it would take many hours and many dollars to make presentable. Then you still have a bike that would lose to a 250 ninja in a drag race.
For $3k I would keep an eye out for a early 2000 sportbike like a R6.
