What year harley should i buy

Now that spring is upon us, many bikes will begin to come out of hibernation. This can be a good time for Harley enthusiasts to take a look at what's on the market and, maybe, acquire one of their own. Yet, the retail price for one such American icon can be above their budget, or they may be looking for a particular model, in which case, they will have to look at used Harleys. Buying second-hand is not as straightforward as buying new, and there are certain aspects that need to be given special attention.

So, what should prospective owners need to know when looking for a Harley to call their own? Before we can get into any details about buying an used Harley, you must first know what model suits you best. All seasoned riders can attest that not all bikes are the same when it comes to drivability. Inexperienced riders should take this seriously.

Otherwise, they could set themselves up for a disappointment or even a potential accident down the line. Depending on your build and your level of riding experience, you might consider going for a smaller model.

These are easier to handle in a curve or when stopping short. The Electra Glide comes with a cc V-Twin engine that carries six gallons of gas, making the bike capable of traveling for long distances. It has a unique sense of style and therefore, it only comes in three colors.

The Electra Glide weighs an incredible pounds, which makes it a light touring bike more suitable for lighter riders. With horsepower, the Night Rod Special cements itself as a high-end power cruiser. With a low seat and drag-style handlebars, this motorcycle makes for a comfortable ride.

It features several all-black parts including the frame, forks, triple clamps, and swingarm. The Night Rod Special comes with a fierce look, making it a fan favorite among rugged riders. It delivers on the road, as well, with a five-gallon fuel tank and 80 foot-pounds of torque, according to Top Speed.

This bike is one of the best ever made by Harley. Though more compact and agile than the rest of the Harley family, the Street became notorious for common issues regarding its engine and suspension. There have even been instances where the bike fell apart mid-cruise. Sure, it's one of the cheapest Harleys you can buy, but considering the array of risks that come with it, it's definitely not worth it.

The Electra glide is big, brawny, and beautiful. Sadly, that's about all it has going for it. The model is plagued by a negative reputation and a slew of issues that include clutch failure, defective cylinders, and engine problems, to name a few.

It's been on the market for just 6 years, yet the Electra Glide been recalled 5 times already. Buying one of these used is a risk we wouldn't recommend taking. The Harley-Davidson Sportster was not only one of the worst Harleys ever made, but one of the worst handling bikes ever made by any company. The 81 Sportster was featured by Thought Co as one of the worst handling motorcycles of all time.

To be fair, was a bad year for Harley due to their awful business deal with AMF, a company that briefly owned them. Harley struggled to produce effective bikes during those dark years and released the Sportster amongst the turmoil. The Sportster was eventually reinvented after their split-up with AMF but avoid the model year. According to Law Abiding Rider, V-Twins had a Twin Cam chain tensioner problem during these years and the Sportster was the lowlight of these productions.

The Sportster faced problems in the past, as well. Harley struggled to find a functioning pattern with the motorbike, especially with the setback of a year absence during the days of AMF. The Sportster has been described as a unique bike but with old-school engineering, it often finds itself in the mechanic shop.

The bike is more ideal for streets than cruising with its five-speed transmission. The XR was one of their dreaded motorcycles.

The XR was used as a dirtbike in the early 80s. Despite the failures of AMF, their ten years of development led to a horsepower output by the cc engine. Other than the power output, this bike carried ever-lasting problems like a weight imbalance that caused riders to tip to their left. Soon after, Harley would reclaim the company and replace the dysfunctioning AMF engine.

The XR was brought back better than ever in But if you do a Google search for recurring Sportster mechanical failures, you're just not going to find them. Instead, you'll run across threads like this one on Reddit where people say things like, "Evo Sportsters are damn near bulletproof. There is no common problem with them. The biggest reason for their reliability is that Harley started with an extremely solid bike, then just kept making it better.

Here are a few of the most noteworthy changes:. CycleDrag says the Harley Sportster "dominates and outlasts" other V-Twins because it's consistent, reliable and powerful. When a Cycle World writer hopped on a custom Sportster for Hooligan Racing he said, "The bike's rowdiness, anger, and noise is gleeful overkill in a class founded on budget fun.

However, true hooligans know you can never have enough power. It's a vicious brute that is fun because it's much too much. Just how fast your Sportster will go varies by bike. To make yours faster, we can help you do the following:. It's affordable, and they hold their value, so sometimes people wonder why they should buy a bike that's a few years old when they could spend a little more and purchase one brand new? Cycle World called the Sportster , "a basic, elemental canvas upon which to hang your custom desires.

The decision to buy a new Sportster vs. When it comes to price, for some people it doesn't matter if a used bike and a new one are only a few thousand dollars apart, the less expensive model is all they can afford.