Well, I sold my Goldwing a month or so ago, and kinda decided that at 72 it's time I got my first Harley. I've ridden Harley's several times, renting them when on vacation in Florida, New York State, Colorado, and elsewhere. They are OK. No nicer than my Japanese bikes have been, but OK.
What I basically want is a substitute for my Goldwing. I want a "touring" bike that carries two humans in reasonable comfort. I like cruise control, but that's not essential. In the Harley line, I've been thinking that would be either a Road King or a Heritage Softail, suitably equipped, and these can be had for $8k or less with relatively low miles. I don't think I want "full dress" like an Ultra. I want something a little bit more manageable.
If I abandon the Harley thought, there are a ton of Japanese bikes that fit the bill. In fact, I like the Royal Star model right below the Venture, which has an excellent reputation. But Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Honda make a lot of similar bikes that can be equipped the way I want. I looked at a BMW K1200LT, and they are extremely cheap, but there are simply too many nightmare stories out there about common problems, expensive maintenance, and special tooling requirements (not that I'm Mr. Fix-it). I would be pissed if I encountered a couple thousand dollar "surprises" with my next bike, and I really don't even know where I would take a BMW for service.
Then, doing a generic search today, a couple of Victory models popped up.
While Victory MC's are no longer made, they have an interesting history. They were created by Polaris - a very reputable company it its own right - in order to try to steal some market share from Harley. Their engineers focused on Harley's well-known "issues," and designed their bikes to address them. Many people agree that model-for-model, Victory's were actually better motorcycles than Harley, considering torque, comfort, performance, and longevity. And they were made in the U.S.
When they dropped the Victory line in favor of the new Indian's, Polaris promised Victory owners that they would continue to make replacement parts available for ten years, presumably through Indian dealers, and there is an Indian dealer less than a mile from my house.
Victory bikes are a little more stylized than Harley's; they really grab one's attention visually. This one really caught my eye, but there are a few others that are comparable, for anywhere from $6-8 thousand. Seems worth a closer look.
What I basically want is a substitute for my Goldwing. I want a "touring" bike that carries two humans in reasonable comfort. I like cruise control, but that's not essential. In the Harley line, I've been thinking that would be either a Road King or a Heritage Softail, suitably equipped, and these can be had for $8k or less with relatively low miles. I don't think I want "full dress" like an Ultra. I want something a little bit more manageable.
If I abandon the Harley thought, there are a ton of Japanese bikes that fit the bill. In fact, I like the Royal Star model right below the Venture, which has an excellent reputation. But Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Honda make a lot of similar bikes that can be equipped the way I want. I looked at a BMW K1200LT, and they are extremely cheap, but there are simply too many nightmare stories out there about common problems, expensive maintenance, and special tooling requirements (not that I'm Mr. Fix-it). I would be pissed if I encountered a couple thousand dollar "surprises" with my next bike, and I really don't even know where I would take a BMW for service.
Then, doing a generic search today, a couple of Victory models popped up.
While Victory MC's are no longer made, they have an interesting history. They were created by Polaris - a very reputable company it its own right - in order to try to steal some market share from Harley. Their engineers focused on Harley's well-known "issues," and designed their bikes to address them. Many people agree that model-for-model, Victory's were actually better motorcycles than Harley, considering torque, comfort, performance, and longevity. And they were made in the U.S.
When they dropped the Victory line in favor of the new Indian's, Polaris promised Victory owners that they would continue to make replacement parts available for ten years, presumably through Indian dealers, and there is an Indian dealer less than a mile from my house.
Victory bikes are a little more stylized than Harley's; they really grab one's attention visually. This one really caught my eye, but there are a few others that are comparable, for anywhere from $6-8 thousand. Seems worth a closer look.