If Japanese Bikes are so much better than Harleys ,why?

Question

Do Harleys hold their value so much better? Eg.(90 FXR 10-12 K used) . If one can even find an old Jap bike they're worth only pennies. Does this support,Jap bikes being better? Why as Japanese bikes get older they disappear ,but Harleys become Vintage or Classic and even more valuable?

The free market place determines what is better/more valuable and WE make up the free market place.

Answer 1

Japanese bikes are not better, they're different. Because they're cheap, plastic and pot metal they allow they luxury of abuse and neglect that no one would subject their Harley to .One can crash, scratch, and dent Jap bikes and "So what" they're ugly anyway".You see Jap bikes left outside to rot,"So what" they're cheap.One can ride a Jap bike ,thrash and abuse it and throw it away.Harleys on the other hand, are a thing of beauty,comfort,luxury and quality.Harley owners don't want to be bouncing off guard rails, or laying their bikes down in some twisties. Harleys are 'Keepers' and Jap bikes are 'Throw aways' and the value/ cost reflects it.

Answer 2

Did you ask this one just for me, haha. The free market doesn't decide what is a better quality product, only what is a more popular product and as we all know not everything that is popular is better besides Harley doesn't come close to making or selling as many bikes as the Japanese do and thats one of the reasons they retain there value. I do admire Harley as company, however. They have done a better job selling there image than even Nike or Budweiser.

Set aside which bike looks best, everyone has different taste. When you foucus stictly on the quality of a bike Harley doesn't come anywhere near the Japanese, unfortuneately.
I wish Harley would improve thier quality to match their price tag. I wish they would take Buell and make a great sportbike like I know they could IF they wanted too, and if they did Id be the first in line to buy one. Until that happens though Im sticking with the Japenese and Italian bikes.
It reminds me of GM, Ford and Dodge. For years they ignored matching Toyota's quality and now Toyota is the number two auto maker in the world and if GM doesnt do something soon Toyo will be number 1. And it disgusting to me that both cars and bikes were invented in the US yet US companies refuse to take the time, money and energy to build the best quality vehicles.

Answer 3

I think another thing you're not looking at is that the japanese bikes are built for performance. Most folks who buy them are looking for the fastest or twistiest or lightest. Harleys are the same year after year pretty much with an engine change every 10 or 20 years. The Japanese are making bikes for race enthusiasts. Someone who wants the bike that Niky Hayden won with (The Honda Repsol) isn't going to want a 3 or 4 year old bike much less a 10 year old bike.

But I wouldn't say better necessarily. Just better for the buyer's purpose. I have a Harley and a Suzuki sportbike. One's for cruising around town (the Harley) and one's for speed, twisties, and long distance touring. I wouldn't take my Harley into the mountains to enjoy twisties. When I do it, I drag the pegs which is a very bad thing (hard parts touching the ground is _bad_) and the Harley's just not comfortable for long rides. And the Harley's certainly not fast :) But for around town, cruising on the great looking and sounding Harley is best (heh, on the Suzuki, I'd be tempted to open it up :) )

Answer 4

the oldest japan bikes are only from the 60's and arent nothing like they are today. so that is why that arent as many vintage collectible etc. but there still are many restored collectible japan bikes from back then. resale is based upon private seller and dealer price. harley dealer's keep the resale way up, private harley is much cheaper. are you buying a bike to ride it? or to look at it and sell it? the main reason people say they are better is because of 1) price (get much more per dollar),
2) reliability (usually have much less maintenance and repair than most older harley's, they are getting better now. but a lot of japanese bikes get 100,000 miles with no repair work)
but old Harley will always be collectible and have good resale. they are classics. Just like the Indian, a truly great american classic.

Answer 5

They may dominate NHRA and that roundy round dirt stuff, but they cant manage to finish an AMA race, you know right, left, slow down, speed up, pass all the things a motorcycle should do. So if you need to make it Oooo say a 1/4 mile like from bar to bar the Harley is your bike. But if you want to ride something that will put a smile on your face and make your heart race, rap your legs around an R1. P.S. only two bikes in the world come with tassels on the bars, one is a little girls bike, can you guess what the other one is?

Answer 6

The new HDs are so very expensive to start with so you would want them to hold their value as much as possible. A friend in the local bike club rides a harley when he isn't on his BMW and he says that the jap bikes don't drip oil like the harleys do. My 2nd road bike is a jap and it was only pennies which is why I am riding.

Answer 7

Harleys hold there value because much of the value is in the name. Plus you have to look at how much the initial cost of the bike is. If you buy a new Honda for $7,000 and a comparable new Harley for $16,000 then of course the Harley will be worth more than the Honda. I think the depreciation is all relative..

I know a lot of "Harley People" don't like to hear this but... Harley's are becoming better, more reliable bikes as the vast majority of its parts are made in Japan. I think the only large "Made in America" bike maker is Victory Cycles.

Answer 8

I had a H-D FXR , and then a BMW1150RT for 7 years each.
Similar budget when new, but I sold the BMW much better (twice the price of the FXR...) Don't know for U, but here in Europe, HD are not what they used to be anymore! Never had a Jap'...sorry!

Answer 9

Hardly Worthisons are a tragically inferior machine. Check the new Ads... American TRADITION! Not American MADE! Why, well its an assembled bike from japanese and mexican made components. Its got a "superior" 1912 designed engine, that is inherently out of balance, and relies on giant flywheel weights to stop from flying apart. Check the Detroit News Classifieds.. 4 columns of HD trash and maybe 2 Hondas. You that think Old Japs have no value have never attempted to purchase a 1969 Kawasaki 500 Triple lately have you? or a 71 {or any year} CB750? Tell ya what, If you had a clean, and nice 73 Kawasaki Z1 900 laying around you could swap it for a new Harley all day long... except none of us with a brain would. The Z1 is going up in value like an express elevator. the HDs are dropping like their owners old ladies boobs. So next time you think your mexican-japitson is anything like close to Japanese engineeering, you better think again. The more Japanese technology is applied to those iron clods, the better they get. All they need to do now is **** can that antique engine, and get real, like the rest of the world did during the 50s.

Answer 10

Actually ladies n gents, the reason HD's hold their resale value is because of the history and heritage of the company. As a rider and owner of various different bikes(from HD to Suzi and everything in between) I have found that each bike has its own style, sound, and ride. If you want a quiet ride, get a jap bike, if you want the noise and status, get a Harley. To each his own!!!

AND the reason you don't see very many "vintage" jap bikes you ask?? They're cheap enough new!!! Who wants to go out and spend $15k on a used Kawi??espescially when you can buy a brand new one with 0miles for $10k...

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