Renosparks is correct. Take a look in the classified ads in your local paper. Look at the price of old HD motorcycles. Then compare them to the price of any other bikes that are the same age. HD's are an investment. OK, so you may say that people are suckers for buying a used bike for more then it was worth new. But you know what, tell that to the collectors that have hundreds of thousands worth of HD's in the garage. Better yet, tell them 30 years from now when the bikes are worth even more.

 

i agree lurch that the old harleys in clasifieds do cost more. But i dont understan why somone would pay more for a used bike than a new bike. why is harley any more of an investment than Honda or polaris?? according to the Harley theroy i should be able to sell my sp500 for about $7,500, because its an "investment". u should be able to sell your trailblazer for about $5,000 too. i just dont see how they justifiy the prices for harleys new and used just because its a "harley".
why wouldent somone Pay $50,000 for a new pick-up then??

 

Well, thats not the point. The point in the HD increase in value, while most other bike do not. That is why they are an investment.
I don't know why this is, it just is. Its kinda the same way a rookie baseball card picks up value, but others don't.

Things like pickup trucks do not really pick up in value this way. Although, if you find a mint condition '56 Ford pickup, I will bet you anything it will be worth much more then when it was new. You may ask why someone would pay $15,000 for a truck that sold for $2000 new in '56.

You can also compare other vehicles. Say you find a 1970 Hemi Cuda. And right next to it is a 1970 AMC Gremlin. Both are in mint condition. I will bet the Hemi is worth WAY more then it was when new. And I bet the Gremlin is worth less, or, if you are lucky, maybe just a hair more then when it was new.

It is all supply and demand.

 

Highly optioned '71 Hemi Cuda Convertable in 1971: $5,600

That same car in class 1 condition: $355,000.

HD's aren't the only things that apriciate in value. I wouldn't buy a Harly Davidson because they just don't appeal to me. For some reason I would much rather own a xr650l, or a Nighthawk 750. It's all a matter of what a person likes.

 

I saw a show on A&E today about the top 10 muscle cars. They showed the original price, as well as quarter mile times, and what they would be worth today in original condition. The 426 Hemi Cuda was #4, their estimate was $40,000 in original condition. The last I heard a 68 427 AC Shelby Cobra, which was badder, and more rare, was worth $250,000. In original condition, of course. Short of avaition fuel, where are you going to find gas with high enough octane to run one of those cars anyway? They don't make gas like they used to. I wanted a bike that was as bad as a Cobra, So I bought a V-max.

 

Actually the gas was standard pump gas for those cars. It was leaded at that time though, rather then unleaded.

 

As far as leaded gas just change the valve seats etc. Mostly it was just for lubrication.
Also, to each his own I guess, but comparing a Honda to a Harley is like comparing a doublewide trailer to a Cape Cod house. Sure they accomplish the same thing but come on there is a BIG difference in style.
How cool would Kid Rock look in his "American Bad-***" video if he were burning out on a Honda??? It would be called "American concerned about the envoirnment, noise, what the neighbors think, want to be politcally correct, not offend anyone & be conservative Bad-***" video. Not quite the same ring huh? I think the N-sync boys ride Hondas
Alot of it is image & NO-ONE compares to a Harley.

 

Premium gas in 69 was 110 octane. Or maybe even higher. Those high compression engines need that octane to prevent detonation. Try running 92 octane in an original 426 Hemi, and it will knock and ping till it self destructs. Plus the lead lubricated the valve guides as well. I have a buddy with a 64 Corvette 327. He had to have the engine compression reduced, and stainless steel valve guides put in it so it could run on todays gas. When they took the lead out of gas, it also reduced the octane rating substantially. That octane is what prevents gas from "dieseling" under high compression.

 

Leaded high octane gas is still available. Not just at an airport either. It's rare to find at a local filling station but it can be found.

It's a premium price. Before these stupid Midwest gas wars it was around $1.90 a gallon. More now.

 

I'm not to sure that the double wide trailer versus a cape cod home is a good analogy. The honda will last longer, the same as a cape cod home would. But it would cost less, like a double wide trailer.