How Long Will A Harley Last?

[Sancho]

Would like to buy a new touring bike and have been looking at the Road Glide Ultra or Honda Goldwing. Will the Harley run 100K miles with no engine failures with good maintenance? Goldwing's are on sale for $4,000 below MSRP. Don't know if you can even buy a Road Glide at MSRP. What is the best deal I could expect on the Harley?

[two_tall]

I have an 07 Night train and have over 98,000 and still running strong

[Smack D]

Sancho,

You've seen my Road Glide...it's an '05. It's been to Sturgis 6 times...Daytona twice, Canada, Phoenix 4 times, and Ely 5 times! (from Sacramento). I had to replace the cam chain tensioners at 65,000 miles. That's it. I've run 100% Synthetic in it since day one. It's still going strong! (I got the Screaming Eagle 103" motor put in it before I turned a wheel)

However....after riding Harleys sinc 1966....I've started looking at the Victory Bikes.....Sportster Girl's fiance' has one with lots of miles on it and he loves it. They also have a bike similar to the RG.

[liferider]

I purchased a 1996 Ultra 2 yrs ago with a broke engine with 40k miles on it. Shriners addition for $3500.00. I got into the engine and the only problem was the cam bearing came apart dropping the cam. I pulled the engine and did a complete tear down even splitting the block and pulling the crank. Went back with a ballanced crank, high compression pistons, ajustable push rods, andrew 27 cam, power comander system, 2 into 1 Thunder header( friend gave me his Thunder header, he hated it, I love it), nice easy port job. Total in the bike now $5000.00. Did 90% of work myself so that saved money. Since I am a Shriner I have left the paint alone, but did take the Space Alien light set up off the rearend you see on Shriner bikes. Now has 48k miles on it, runs strong pulls good.

[ozzie]

I think with most motorized vehicles if you take care of them and do the preventative maintenance it should last a long time.

[Copperhead]

I think the Harley will last as long as you want it to.

Proper maintenance is required on either bike.

One thing I do like that Harley has is the Reman program...so when the motor does get tired...for a reasonable price you can get a remanufactured engine back to original specs....I don't know if anyone else does that.

That said....there are sure a lot of well built bikes out there.

[Cliff]

fram 3614 and shell 15/40 rotella...

[PaulEsq]

I would not push the cam chain tensioners past 30K unless you have an extended warranty. When they go the residue gets sucked in to the oil pump and you are looking at 1K + to rebuild.

[electraglide4me]

How long anything mechanical lasts is directly related to what kind of care you put into it. You ride what you want but run it on worn out oil or beat it like a red-headed stepchild & it's going to pay you back with expensive repairs and less than dependable service. Treat it right and it'll hang in there for you. You mention two really different beasts here. The Goldwing is more of a "riding environment", certainly well engineered and has a good track record as far as longevity goes. The Harley is a Harley. If you haven't had one, nobody can tell you the "why" as to their preference over another make, it's just different. Few really care what someone rides, it's the ride that matters.
Go to the Motorcycle Museum in Sturgis and.....I am too many beers into my evening to remember his name but a Senator has his retired 1,000,000 mile road glide on display......not that there isn't maybe a 1,000,000 mile honda or kawasaki out there somewhere. No matter what it is though, if you take care of it, it'll take care of you.
I read that he's rebuilt 10 times, but still......that's impressive enough.
He did 31000 mi in 31 days prior to the 03 HD Rally in Milwaukee. That's not Iron Butt, that's Diamond Ass!!!

[electraglide4me]

The prior post's cam tensioner comment is worthy of consideration. S&S gear driven cams eliminate the worry but some years have had sloppy assembly or something that has the run-out on the cam shaft out of spec, then the gear drives aren't recommended because of that issue. I have heard '03 was a bad year for this, I have an '03 so that's karma I guess, anyway, I re-cammed and mine was close to out of spec but still acceptable. I opted to do a hotter andrews cam, new tensioner shoe ( mine looked like new though ) and "wait & see" I use a little different oil filter, one I can disassemble & clean. That way I can see if my tensioner shoe starts to throw chunks. That and I seldom let mine go for more that 1200 on an oil change, I use Rotella 15/40 diesel oil.....$14 a gal at the farm store. Oils cheap, change it just for something to do sometimes. But saying that, I certainly wouldn't want to get into an oil preference debate...that is a touchy topic, for any oil out there you'll find someone willing to "Flame to the death" over it. To me, it's all dead dinosaur.

[fudgie]

What year of wing? I'd get the 1800 or 1500 wing. I do lust for a road glide but I can never give up the power of a flat 6 motor. Even the HD dealer guys say 'oh, a Valkyrie? Oh dont trade it in on a HD.' Valks are hot roded Wings but the new wings will take the Valk. I have 70k on mine and its been beat on with no problems. I know alot of guys that have 350k-450k on the motor with noting but oil and tires. The F6 is a proven motor for many years.

[Copperhead]

The F6 is a proven motor for many years.

Just a few years less than half of the time the Harley V-twin has been around...

[fudgie]

The F6 is a proven motor for many years.

Just a few years less than half of the time the Harley V-twin has been around...

Yes, true, but the design has never been changed. Except the early yrs it was a F4. I'm sure a panhead is different then a TC.

[fx-rider]

& Worth alot more too , a 1960 panhead in great shape is worth around $30.000 dollars. a old 1960 Honda might be worth $2000 and thats pushig it..

[fudgie]

& Worth alot more too , a 1960 panhead in great shape is worth around $30.000 dollars. a old 1960 Honda might be worth $2000 and thats pushig it..

Literally pushing it!

[Copperhead]

The F6 is a proven motor for many years.

Just a few years less than half of the time the Harley V-twin has been around...

Yes, true, but the design has never been changed. Except the early yrs it was a F4. I'm sure a panhead is different then a TC.

I'd think an F6 is to an F4 what a twin cam is to a panhead....Harley added another cam...Honda added two cylinders...I'd say that's a re-design.

[liferider]

I would not push the cam chain tensioners past 30K unless you have an extended warranty. When they go the residue gets sucked in to the oil pump and you are looking at 1K + to rebuild.

That's why I LOVE my 1996 HD Evo engine, NO cam chain!!!!! HD used gears!!!!!!!!!!

[Copperhead]

I would not push the cam chain tensioners past 30K unless you have an extended warranty. When they go the residue gets sucked in to the oil pump and you are looking at 1K + to rebuild.

That's why I LOVE my 1996 HD Evo engine, NO cam chain!!!!! HD used gears!!!!!!!!!!

That's why I put gear drive in my TC...