03-23-2014, 02:55 AM
I agree with Ferret on the labeling. I happen to own a (used) Harley in addition to my other bikes, and though I'm definitely not part of the whole "crowd" people conjure up when they hear the name, I've really enjoyed the bike. It's a very different experience from the CB and the others...which to me is kind of the point.
As to the issue of resale...my personal experience in the lightly-used 3-4 year old private party market has been that HDs seem to lose value at about the same rate as BMWs. Of course, that's based on a limited sample set (three bikes). What, if anything, it says about either brand, I don't know.
To me, the bottom line is that if you're really worried about depreciation, look for something like my ZRX--a well cared-for, 10+ year old bike whose value isn't really changing much anymore. That, or a beginner bike you'll be able to sell at minimal loss. Otherwise...as others have said, buy what you like, and figure you'll get enough enjoyment out of it to justify the hit you take at sale.
As to the issue of resale...my personal experience in the lightly-used 3-4 year old private party market has been that HDs seem to lose value at about the same rate as BMWs. Of course, that's based on a limited sample set (three bikes). What, if anything, it says about either brand, I don't know.
To me, the bottom line is that if you're really worried about depreciation, look for something like my ZRX--a well cared-for, 10+ year old bike whose value isn't really changing much anymore. That, or a beginner bike you'll be able to sell at minimal loss. Otherwise...as others have said, buy what you like, and figure you'll get enough enjoyment out of it to justify the hit you take at sale.