30

Nov

Is your motorcycle an "Investment" like my Harley is?

Posted by admin  Published in Harley Accessories

One of the reasons I bought a Harley (other than the fact that I look really cool on it) is because of its resale value. Everyone has always told me that its an investment and that I’d be able to get my money back on it if I sold it. I’ve been checking all the bikes for sale lately, and it turns out that the market price for my same bike is about $6,000 less than what I paid for it a year ago. Not only that, but I added loud pipes, juiced up the motor and added a few other accessories to the tune of another $5,000. So, if I sold it today, I’d get $11,000 less than what I paid. Had I bought a Japanese bike for, say, $8,000 a year ago, I could probably sell it for $5,000 today. Anyone else have a good "investment" story?

If I ever bought a bike for resale value I hope my riding friends would shoot me in the head.

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JetDoc said in November 30th, 2009 at 4:01 pm

Hey! Guess what, dude… They all lied to you! Harleys depreciate just like every other motor driven vehicle does! The only solid investment that burns gasoline is an original Piper Cub, and even they depreciate if they’re not well maintained.
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45+ years motorcycle riding experience.

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miatalise12560 said in November 30th, 2009 at 4:42 pm

Yep it’s an investment….in my happiness……no one looks cool on a Jap bike. It’s my husband’s bike and I love it!!
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I hate it when people call me a "twinkie." Anyway, why do you hate Harleys and why do you use yahoo answers as a forum to speak out against Harleys?

People who can’t afford one are just jealous.

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Clutch said in November 30th, 2009 at 4:56 pm

Well it’s an investment, but not the monetary kind. You are investing in your lifestyle. You may not get that $11,000 back, but think of all the tail you are getting because of the bike. I bought my bike a couple years ago, would probably lose about $8k if I tried to sell, but everytime I pull up outside the gay bar, everyone checks me out in my chaps. And I usually get a little pole smoking because of it. That is easily worth $8k.
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Frogie said in November 30th, 2009 at 5:05 pm

Sorry, but Harley’s, cars, and trucks all have the same problem. They loose money after you drive it off the showroom floor. Now if you keep it for maybe 25 years, you might get some money for it if it’s in great condition. I read not long ago, that a 1954 Corvette sold brand new for about $3200.00 dollars. One sold last month at auction for $106,000.00 dollars. However, Harley’s are not Corvettes. I own a Harley and I can tell you that the resale for Harley’s beats Honda’s and Yamaha’s in the long run.
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johnrklinger said in November 30th, 2009 at 5:55 pm

If you bought your bike as an investment then added 5k worth of crap to it, then you are a moron.
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Vulcan 1 said in November 30th, 2009 at 6:06 pm

It wasn’t an investment for collection
It was an investment to save me some money on travel
The high gas prices forced me to stay home more but with the bike I can now see the world.

The way I look at it is If you wana ride just buy a good bike and do it..
There are so many good bikes today and cheaper ones that if you can get your dollars back from selling your harley than Good Luck
But myself I would rather buy 2 Kaw cruisers than 1 Harley.

Just like buying a car,when it wears out throw it away and get another one.

You will never live long enough to see your Harley worth much money and the same goes with Jap bikes…
Take alook at some prices on the old Jap bikes,they are worth as much as an old Harley
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bluffmike said in November 30th, 2009 at 6:14 pm

I have a Valkyrie (made in Ohio). I have 148K TROUBLE FREE miles on her. Not a dime spent for other than routine maint and doo-daddery. I can’t get what I gave for her, but I’ll jump on and ride anywhere without worry. When my missus rides HER OWN bike, I never lack for a pillion.
Now, that’s what I call an investment in a motorcycle.

I don’t hate Harley’s. I don’t much care for non-riders bashing Jap bikes, though. They haven’t earned the right to play that game .
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preacher55 said in November 30th, 2009 at 6:50 pm

No way in hell are you gonna lose $11,000 on a Harley unless it’s wrecked & burned. Where are you getting your used prices from, the blue book? Street prices(actual price or market price) for most H-D’s are still above MSRP for new Harleys.
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Duque de Alba said in November 30th, 2009 at 7:12 pm

The whole myth of underproduction and waiting lists is boloney!
It’s to add to the hype, to make you covet. There is a surplus of Harley’s on the road, and a surplus for sale thanks to all the RUBs who realized that motorcycles were not for them only after it was too late and stashed then on Auto-Trader.
Look into exporting it to Europe, seriously! They are so expensive over there, a real "luxury" bike, and really original.
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Terry S said in November 30th, 2009 at 7:36 pm

Ive been riding my whole live and owned 2 Harleys in the past ,sold them both for the same price I bought them , only because of a name , Look in the Bike trader and see whats for sell more than any other bike ,must be a reason behind that , You sould have bought a couple of rice burners and fixed them up so your buddies could ride with you , nothing is cooler than a pack of bikes cruising down the highway no matter what kind they are , But a Harley broke down on the highway looks like a fool trying to be cool /lol
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tw2251stst said in November 30th, 2009 at 8:07 pm

HD William is actually a character called black aingst who is a Harley basher!!
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Nobody else could be stupid enough to write this question.

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norabone said in November 30th, 2009 at 8:30 pm

You must be pretty silly to have done that. You by a bike to ride. end of story!.
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B R said in November 30th, 2009 at 8:35 pm

My Honda VTX 1800 is very much an investment. I enjoy it everyday I ride it, and have no plans on selling it. If I had bought it to make money it would have been stocks, not a bike.
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armored_dillo said in November 30th, 2009 at 8:47 pm

I don’t know which is funnier, that people continue to fall for these troll posts, or that this dude who is so against HD apparently spends all of his time on Yahoo! answers and no time at all out riding.
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Firecracker said in November 30th, 2009 at 9:24 pm

Nope.
My 401K was an investment.
My house was an investment.

My motorcyles are a whole different story.None have left me until they were worth less than the remaining parts themselves.

It takes a real genius to invest in a negative return.

But then again, my returns are not monetary.

P.S. Did you buy it outright? If you are making payments, you haven’t invested yet.
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