I see a lot of people knocking the reliability of Harley's on yahoo!answers...are they really that unreliable?

Question

Are Harley's overrated and overpriced?

what other brands of cruisers are a better buy, and more reliable?

Answer 1

Harleys have improved their reliability in recent years, but there have been hiccups.

Ask the Harley owners/dealers you know about camshaft lubrication and replacement for, IIRC, the EVO engine. Motorcycle Consumer News did an owner survey for these a couple of years ago and found that an alarmingly high percentage of owners suffered camshaft bearing failure due to poor lubrication. As in, enough that the magazine wondered why there hasn't been a recall, or at least some acknowledgement of the problem. That said, Harley owners tend to be very vocal and loyal. In spite of the large number of failures, the owners maintained a very high level of satisfaction.

Harleys tend to get a bad rap among some motorcycling enthusiasts because you have people who want very different things out of the motorcycle. A Japanese 600 will outperform a Harley of triple the engine size in every performance measurement. Hell, my BMW 650 single will outrun most stock Harleys to 60 mph. However, not everyone is looking for functionality in a bike. Some like the looks and image of a Harley, and that's enough to justify them spending 20-30K on a bike that has cheap, non-adjustable suspension components and an uncomfortable riding position. Others don't, so they buy something else.

So, in short, modern Harleys have improved reliability compared with older models, but not everything's fixed. As far as overrated and overpriced, the only one who can decide how much a bike is YOU. If the value that you see in a Harley is greater than the pricetag, buy it. If it's less than price tag, don't.

P.S. I don't ride a Harley, and likely never will, because I value different things in a motorcycle than a Harley can give. But it doesn't mean that I have to hate on them, or their owners. I just wish they'd wave every now and then. :)

P.P.S. The guy who would rather walk in Harley boots than ride anything else is a moron.

Answer 2

First and foremost, a bike is like anything else. You want it to be reliable, you have to take care of it.

Harley's are great! Motorcyclists are a breed of their own, and Harley riders are a pedigree among the breed. Harley's have generally been marketed on heritage, style, and of course a strong resale value. They seem to have always lead the industry in those catagories.

Companies like Honda and BMW who market their bikes based on mechanical reliability are pretty successfull at that, but they can't compare with the resale values of the Hogs.

When I bought my new Shadow Sabre (Honda) in 2005, I had enough ($8,500) for a new Sabre or a used 1999 Fatboy (Harley). It was a really tough choice. Today, I could sell the Sabre for about $6k or the Fatboy for about $9K; a true testament to Harley's resale value.

However, since I'm not planning to sell my bike - I'm glad I went with the Honda. I have had zero problems. Even thought the Fatboy's 1450 engine boasts more horse power at the cam and a belt drive / the Sabre delivers about 20% more muscle on the pavement with it's 1099 on a drive shaft and gets a little better gas mileage than the Hog. The extra power is important to me being over 200lbs and driving in Florida traffic.

If you're getting a Harley, the only time I'd really be concerned about reliability is if the bike was seized or had been in a wreck.

Answer 3

Before my husband had a stroke a year ago, we owned several Harleys and always found them to be very reliable and awesome machines to own. My husband was even lucky enough to work at the local Harley dealership and learned from the mechanics and the owners of the store that if you want your Harley to run right, you have to have the maintenance done when its supposed to be done. We did and NEVER had a problem with our bikes starting, running, etc.

Harley-Davidson may not be the smoothest riding bike, or the quietest bike, but it is a true workhorse and fun to own and ride. Are they overrated and overpriced? I'm sure some would say so. My husband and I don't believe that way. If you just want a bike to ride back and forth to work to save money and you don't care about the "mystique" of owning a Harley, then buy a rice burner. If you want a bike that people notice and has that biker mystique about it, then purchase a Harley. You will not be sorry.

Answer 4

Newer ones have more reliability and quality control than before. The AMF years was the low point on Harley's corporate life and 'added' to it's reputation as a stinker. The upside is most older HDs can be totally rebuilt from the bearings out, metric bikes are mostly considered 'disposable' by the manufacturers.

HDs hold value longer and actually increase in value more than any other similar year marque with the exception of maybe Vincent.

Plus, it's the real thing. A cycle with a big motor in plain view. What could be better?

Answer 5

Come on Bear, I have never considered buying a Harley because they have never expanded into the market I buy. I ride metric because they offer a more comfortable seating position FOR ME, but maybe not you. I know several people that ride newer Harley's and they have had absolutely no trouble from them so I am of the opinion that the newer offerings from Milwaukee do their job well and reliably. Personally I just prefer a more sportier style of bike like a BMW R1200RT or a Yamaha FJR1300 because it fits my body and riding style better. It's not about patriotism, it's about Harley's lack of market diversity that keeps people buying metric.

Enjoy the ride on whatever you bought.

Answer 6

Honestly, it is all said out of pure ignorance. I would bet money that none of the people bashing that brand have ever even owned a Harley. I actually talked to several metric mechanics that have worked on my race bikes over the years and asked their opinions on Harley reliability before purchasing one. They all agreed that late model Harley's are as dependable as anything else on the road. These guys are close friends of mine whose opinions I hold in very high regard. They are excellent mechanics that work for metric shops but also wrench on Harley's on the side. None of them are Harley owners and are unbiased in my opinion. The thing is, young people in general don't care for Harley's and I totally understand that. I was there not so long ago myself. Combine that with the cocky know it all attitude of a 20 something and these remarks are what you get. It is just another example of how some riders perpetuate hatred towards those that share the same passion as them. It is very sad.

Answer 7

Here in the UK, Harleys are very expensive and I doubt that they really are better than the japanese clones...however there is a certain value in having the 'real item' and I do not doubt that the harley will hold its value far better when you come to sell it....Traditionally, with Japanese bikes (and cars) , you know they will do a job with total reliabilty, however when they do eventually need to be repaired then you have the problem of very expensive parts and due to the japanese prederiliction of changing a model almost as soon as they have released it..getting the correct part in the first place.

Answer 8

They are the best! I have over $35k into mine and I know I could easily sell it for that. And everyone wants one - its just that most aren't smart enough to know that Harley will finance a monkey. I have friends that only had to put down $500 and then were able to finance the rest for a $16k purchase! The extra $1000 or so that you have to spend on licensed accessories and HD logo clothing will need to come out of pocket though.

Answer 9

depends. A new Harley is extremely reliable and a great bike.
a classic you are going to be doing some wrenching. Just like every other classic vehicle.
Don't worry about what other "riders" on this place say, get what you want and ride it. A real rider will respect you for being on the road. The others are just punk kids that think they are cool because they go fast.
Go test drive some different options and go with your favorite. Screw everyone else.

Answer 10

Most of these Kids don't have a clue on life, let alone knowing anything in general. All you twenty-something know it all's should get a swift kick in the butt and go live in another country since all you want to do is send all your money over sea's to make some country rich so they can take over the free world. You kids have no sense of Patriotism or love of the country that gives you the right to Live Free and Ride Free. Remember the ones that gave that right to you and quit sending your money to Japan, Korea, Britain, Germany etc. Buy American and save your butts in the future. Oh, and by the way, I've never had a problem with reliability.