Honest Review: Harley Davidson Heritage Classic | NOT WORTH IT 

Good review. I am the opposite though i absolutely loved my 2019 heritage classic. No problem with the bags leaking for me. The windshield was a little short. Hated the stock pipes but that was easy to fix. Honestly I liked it worlds better than my 2020 roadking special. Built better i think.

You were meant for reviews mate. Outstanding balance of comedy and truth. Great work 👍🏻

I love my heritage it’s an extremely comfortable bike and the suspension is incredible! I think HARLEY did a great job!

Open up RU-vid for the first time this morning and find a new shade shadetree video. This day is already going well.

I have the 03 Heritage Softail Classic 88 TC 100 year anniversary edition and the Softail line is amazing,smooth ride and loud pipes,bike is simply bad ass looking

Harley's pricing is almost as unreasonable as Marketplace sellers' prices.

"There is always something cool about riding a bike that looks old, but goes super fast..." Hmmm, I ride a 96 Honda Magna with 33K miles and it is still goes *really* fast....

I took offense to something you said! You can't be a hillbilly without hills.

The heritage classic has always been my favorite soft tail because of the looks. Honestly ms being 5,6 I sat on one and felt at home on it. Great review Shadetree as always

This video convinced me to get a 2020 heritage classic 114 in vivid black. Love it, amazing choice. Actually picked it over a 2018 RK! I do agree with a lot of your review, and I love your thoughts on it, but in the end, it just was the perfect fit for me at this point in my life. :)

You highlighting the price difference between the soft tail standard and the heritage was a painful reminder of Harley bending their customers over. There really isn’t a $6k worth of “upgrades” 🤦🏾‍♂️

Rode from Baltimore to Tampa in late June with some buddies. Stopped by Berts Harley and said ShadeTree sent us. John Dempsey the general manager came out to speak with us. He showed us around the whole compound they’re building there. We had a couple beers and shot the shit. What a nice guy! Tried stopping by the shame but you were still closed due to the Rona. Next time we will for sure. Keep it weird.

At 65 years old my 2019 114 Heritage Classic was my first ever HD. I liked the blacked out look and the feel of the bike maybe being a little smaller? and lighter? than the "bigger" framed machines. I'm totally satisfied, no complaints, and my local dealer has been great! Is it "worth it" ? As we all know a big part of owning a motorcycle is how it makes you FEEL. Yeah to me it IS worth it. Thank you HD for building this great bike.

I swear every year the bikes get cheaper parts and higher price tag. Great Video

I had a 2009 heritage. Absolutely loved that motorcycle. It was a serious classic look and was planted in the corners. I had two tone paint, all the chrome. Beautiful studs on the seat with leather soft bags that completed the “classic” look. White walls that while a pain in the arse to keep clean were worth having. When Harley released the “new” heritage my first thought by looking at it was that they completely ruined a iconic motorcycle. In my opinion you are spot on in this review. I’m certain that the new heritage has better suspension and probably rides and handles better. But it’s no “Heritage Classic” anymore.

Your voice kinda reminds me of that pirate dude from the spongebob theme song sometimes

The softail slim is still the best bang for your buck harley I believe

As far as appearance, i feel like the mid 2000s are the best looking Heritage Softails. The new ones look too "new" or "modern." But the 107 is amazing 😎.

The best ever review from someone that doesn’t really do reviews. So glad you skip past the facts and figures and focus on how a bike makes you feel. More reviews please!!

The day is good when shadetree uploads

I love my 2020 heritage, made some exhaust changes and taller apes. Other than that no complaints

Great bike for shorter riders. The 107 actually has a better low-end tq than the 114, which power kicks in at higher rpms. Plastic is lighter than metal.

I unironically enjoy Crystal Pepsi. reminds me of being a kid.

I had a 2018 heritage classic. I loved it. Added Vance and Hines exhaust. It sounded awesome. With that being said I literally just traded it in for Road King special. The smooth ride of the road king with larger saddle bags are what i really needed. I will miss my heritage but cant wait to add some miles and memories to my Road King.

I appreciate your honest review and opinions on the bike. Difference strokes for different folks. My friend has a 2019 Heritage. He has his list of replace and such. Smaller dude, so the bike fit him right. We all should buy what works for us.

My opinion is the Heritage is the best all around bike in the Harley softail line up. I bought my second one I’ve owned this year and the bike is good for all my riding needs . Great on long trips and I can drop the windshield and saddlebags and I have a street bruiser.

Don't let LA Beast hear you slam crystal Pepsi.

I owned a 2005 Heritage for six years and absolutely loved it, one of the best bikes I've ever owned. I agree with you 1000% about the looks of the new Hertiage though, Harley fracked it up tough. I wish they'd make the Heritage look "classic" again.

Church. Getting ready to head to beartooth pass in Montana. 90 miles from my house for few days of moto camping. Then sturgis for few days. Hell ya

I bought a 2015 Heritage Classic about three months ago. The 103 is plenty, it has soft bags, which is fine with me, and all in all is a fine ride. The only other Harley I’ve ever had was an ‘81 Sportster. That bike was fun but this one is, so far, awesome.

I own a 88 Heritage and love it. I do have some hi performance stuff and it’s lowered. I custom fit a original HD knuckle head era solo seat on her. Great ride, cheap to buy and own, and still looks great with the original paint.

I purchased the 2018, 103 version and after putting 20,000 km on it in one summer I have to agree with all the shortcomings you listed except the bags did not leak. I was disappointed. I traded it in for a Tiger 1200 and love the Triumph. No regrets on trading it away.

Great job! Humorous and very intelligent thoughts/insights (even though you may not want credit for the latter). You’re very humble, but you have a great eye for things that are worth contemplating and that’s what a review should do; make consumers think for themselves and it’s okay if they disagree. Great job to Bert’s H-D also for continuing this arrangement.

H-D should bring back the Dyna. Whose with me?

Thanks for the review. It's right on point with my feelings about the Heritage. I bought a new Roadking a couple years ago with a 107 in it. I saw that the 2019 Heritage was nearly 100 lbs lighter so I considered trading my roadking in on one. I mean with it being 100 lbs lighter it must rip compared to the R.K. makes sense right? So I talked numbers with my local dealership on a used 2019 Heritage softail with 7 miles on it. Yes 7 miles. The owner had purchased nearly 7k in nice add ins. Not chump change at all. The price was going to be around 19k with all the extras included on the bike. What a screaming deal right? Wrong. After dialing in the sales and trade numbers it came time to do a test ride before signing on the dotted line. Well ..... I jumped on the bike and right away if felt underpowered to me. The pipes had been done but they were quiet and the bike felt sluggish. It felt like I was ridding IN the bike instead of on the bike. I didn't like the foot position being slightly forward. It felt really plasticky. Is plasticky even a word? As I was saying it felt under powered and like a toy. The Roadking feels very solid and the fit and finish of it screams " Solid Bike". When look down at the Heritage while on the bike the first thing you see is that ugly plastic tank strip easily changed out but fort Gods sake it's a 20k bike full of plastic and cheap finishes. The handlebars are made of like a 3/4 " steel but they look rediculously small. I'm sure the Herrirage can be a great bike with around 4k in upgrades but for me it just did not feel solid or safe even. I didn't mean for this to be another review of the bike I just could have said " I agree with the shade tree's assessment of the bike" Good job shade tree. I live your channel and your content. You are insane my friend and a slice of humor. .

Although you mentioned this as a personal opinion I think you hit the nail smack on the head why HD is loosing clients and why they have lost the interaction with it's clients. Sales are dropping very fast and I can understand why, all that money for a bike with standard leaking bags, plastic studs, no second brake disk. Stylishly speaking it is an anachronism, a heritage bike with led lights and awkward instruments. For that money I would definitely buy a Elektra Glide Standard.

My 2019 Heritage is the best bike I have ever owned. Tried a Road King and hated the touring frame. I do have to 114 though. Different strokes for different folks.

At 54 years old, 2021 heritage 114 is my first Harley Davidson. I absolutely LOVE IT!! It is deceivingly fast, and very comfortable. Handles like a dream. I just sold a 2019 FTR 1200. That was the most power bike I've ever owned in my almost 40 years of riding. And I still own a 2002 Yamaha Warrior. (I will never sell that one) I think the heritage just might be the last bike i ever buy.

My stock 04 with a 03 engine still looks and has more class than the newer heritage 😎 Thank for making my day. I’m a skinny swamp rat in Soflo & enjoy watching keep it going.

My Son and watch your videos all the time am 61 years old only been riding on street 2 years one day I hope to ride down to meet up with you and crew keep up the good work congrats on your new shop peace out 😎

Dang, I dare a MF’er to say Shadetree is a shill now.

I have a 2018 with the 114. I never had water in my bags. I live in Louisiana so it is always raining. The Gauge is trash. It fogs up bad enough I can’t see the digital display. I am also 6’1 and you are spot on about the windshield buffeting. It sucks. I have the matching tour pack with a solo rack it is extremely comfortable however the leather started to peel off within the first month. Harley refused to cover it under warranty. My bike has the power cam so it has great performance. I personally think the ride quality is better than my 2019 Street Glide Special. The worse part is I have never had Harley stand behind any issues on my bikes. I just got a call from my dealer about my ‘19 Street Glide Special. The powder coat is peeling off my engine guard. Like every other issue I have had the warranty was denied. If you are going to buy a Harley get a used one. It is not worth having a new one. I made this mistake twice and I will not do it again. I should have bought an Indian or another used Harley. My last 3 Harleys never gave me any trouble. The quality now has dropped. All the parts are made in China Hyosung-Davidson.

The plastic studs are the Vegan Rob Halford starter kit. #thefutureiscrystalclear #JudasPriest

Got a 2018 114 Heritage. 22000 miles with no issues or bag leaks. Did upgrade seat, pipes, taller no buffing windshield and took the silly disk off the wheel when it was time for a two tire change out. Just got back from a 9 day trip in the Smokey Mts. Guess what I like so much about the bike and why I chose it was it's modular with no heavy fiberglass. I pop on the back luggage container with back seat rest, roc strap my giant bag on the passenger seat hit the highway to base camp. My destination this time was an Ashville, NC AirBNB. Within 15 minutes had everything off bike including windshield and shocks adjusted. Now I'm a light 114 hitting the curves. Love it!

Also I really like the road king from your experiences on it. Helps that it automatically dodges flipping cagers

I’ve owned a few Harley’s in my 40 year bicker campaign. I bought a Yamaha v star 650 for my ( at the time wife) and never looked back by far the best bike I’ve ever owned. 20 year on this thing. O ya I have a bagger a raider a sport bike a bla bla bla 12 to be exact. But this little bike will not give up asked for nothing and is light nimble and loves to be beat on . Truly a awesome pice . Wishing it had one more gear. But here in the mountains of web she is right at home. $4000 bucks of the beast money iv ever spent. Keep jamming brothers love the channel btw !

"Can't fit a twelve pack of beer in the bags", not worth the money🙄😑😁

At first I thought I was not going to be happy with you but then I haven't looked at any of these newer Softails so I am not in the know. Man those lights look bad . You're absolutely right on about everything you said. I am in absolute agreement sir. Hats off on an honest and true review. And who ever heard of a fake gas cap ???

Bags floorboards lights and the name you're most likely paying for the name at that point🤷‍♂️

Been riding Harleys since the sixties and currently on my twentty third Harley, a '08 96 Heritage that I got in '15, and must say that she's the best bike I have ever had, very comfortable and I'm 6'2".

This was a good video. I like the professional cinematography mixed with the Shadetree brand that brought me to the channel in the first place.

I agree with all of what you said. I love the deluxe but the hardware for this bike is just fluff and marketing. Great review bud. Thanks.

Everything on that bike clashes together. Who in the f is in charge of hd styling ? He should be fired

I like your reviewing skills. Couple things, the heritage has a much better suspension for longer rides, better lighting, larger fuel capacity, ABS, rear pegs, and some other stuff. And the 114 on some of them. The seat and bags are homely, but it doesn’t rain much in So. Cal. I bought mine last year, it was one of a handful of bikes left on the floor at Laidlaw’s. Turned out that I really like the bike.

If Harley wants to survive they really need to trim the fat from their lineup.

Now you got me considering Soft Tail standard. I appreciate the honest review. The new Heritage does have a superior quality seat.

You sir have inspired me to pick up my first bike yesterday for myself and the girlfriend to learn to ride. Although, it’s not something you would probably ride we both feel pretty comfortable on it. Thanks!

Tree, you may not like it, but you own it! Another entertainig output.That's why we're here. People dig this stuff.

This is exactly why I stick with EVO and Twin Cam Heritages. They are just better bikes

Shadetree, I think your negative opinions are valid. I have a 2003 Heritage which I love. I tested one with a 114 and felt the same way. The newer models are trying to be too modern. I'm keeping my 03 and bought a 2013 nightrod so I have a 2 Harleys the satisfy whatever mood I'm in Well done. Keepin' weird.

Harley Davison’s are too expensive but I still would like to have one for the right price

Greetings from the UK! Have been looking at either a Heritage or Road King and this review was really helpful with detail other reviewers don’t seem to know or care about. Thanks a lot old chap, excellent review!

3:30 DUDE I just watched that Crystal Pepsi video YESTERDAY and now suddenly you're using clips of it on your video #Illimunati

Have a '18 heritage and absolutely love it but also loved this video. Honest, to the point, and really good points about some of the problems and pricing. Video format works.

There’s a lot of new Harleys that “to me” are not worth the money, And that’s coming from a person who owns two of them. The Pan Am is really the only bike that’s new and has my interest.

I love your reviews man! I also love the Dennis Miller like, long running descriptive sarcasm and humor you use to break things down. Great video as always man. Bert's Harley Davidson is proof that individual dealers can be more intelligent then their parent company.

I used to love the design of the old ( Evo era )Heritage classic. This thing has had a good whack with the ugly stick sadly.

I think you've found your calling. You are very entertaining and pretty spot on with your observations. I will say I like the shock on the Heritage, but the front end is so undersprung, just applying the front brake bottoms the fork. Aside from that, I thought it was one of the most ergonomically correct of the new Softies, but I didn't ride it far enough to notice the quality of the seat nor fast enough to get much buffeting.

Hahaha 😂 "plastic acne"

I went to see 2019 HDs when they were new. I was offered and accepted a test ride and chose a Heritage Classic and a Sport Glide. I was excited and expected to be quite impressed. Afterwards i asked myself if it was worth the $300+ monthly bike note and decided to keep my (paid for) Honda 750 Shadow. They are perfectly acceptable motorcycles and I don't doubt their quality and reliability but they didn't "wow" me like I expected.

Do more reviews. You're good at it.

Hi Shade Tree, i liked your review, honest and no BS. If Harley has a problem with hearing critical issues with the bike how are they ever going to know what needs to change and be improved. I have a 2018 heritage and love it. I am that guy that had to have the pricey bike buying the top dollar for the Anniversary version. i did hear one of your comments about the suspension being a little soft. I'm 220 # and found it to be a little soft initially, but pop off the seat and adjust the dampening piston and it will improve. I found the 107 to have the juice on the low end of the RPM's but the 114 to be better when you wind it out. Keep on making great content, Thanks

I love mine. It's soft and wallowy because you didn't adjust the shock to your weight. I agree on the lights. Also, the studs are metal.

My 2nd bike was a 2005 Heritage. Comfortable. Terrible fuel economy, though. But it was a good bike. I am considering getting one that's a few years old now. I like that it has a classic look with modern features. If I wanted an old bike, I'd buy an old bike. This time around, I want a bike that looks good, runs good, and has some modern comfort and safety features.

I'm not a Harley guy but I really like the styling of that bike except the head light. I would think that's a 12-14k bike at most.

Your review was spot on.. the styling was exactly why my wife who had owned a 2001 Heritage upgraded only to a 2017 .. she though Harley really messed up when they did the redesign. Then, when we took a trip to Colorado in June she rented a 2020 Heritage and HATED it ... spot on Shadetree ... spot on.

OMG!!! When i realized you twisted the "Fake" Gas Cap off, i was laughing so hard i dropped my pipe and spilled my beer. I had to edit this comment 12 times and spell check it twice, all because i couldnt stop laughing! That made my day!

Can't speak for the '19s or '20s but the studs on my '18 are metal. The windshield hasn't been on it since the day I bought it, I hate windshields on bikes. I've always wanted a Deluxe, but when I seen the blacked out Heritage, I knew that was my next bike. Bags are ugly as sin, mine don't leak, but I only put them on for long trips. I find the suspension is soft when cruising, but stiffens up when pushing the bike hard. Not the best for track use, but it holds up to the task (it's been on a track more than once). I've never felt it lacked power, but it's been stage 1 since after the break in. About to put in a 475 cam, mainly for the sound. I love my Heritage. But it's not for everyone. I appreciate your honest review, keep up the good work!

Dont ever sell out! I only watch for your brutal honesty and just being real. There is a wealthy sponsor out there somewhere who appreciates these things, your day is coming!

Brilliantly inciteful and devastating; and quite likely to be your last review of a bike from Bert's. We are all so very looking forward to you recording your next trip the Barracudest of all Harley dealers. Whether we are to be the fly on the wall, or the bug on the windscreen, this very next trip needs to be streamed.

I rented the exact same kind of bike from Eagle Rider in Denver. Same color, exhaust, everything. This review is spot on. The head buffeting was horrible, the exhaust was junk, and the bags were... well, trash.

I love this model of the Heritage. There are some things I don't care for, but I changed those. Turn signals should have been LED, I put on 2-in-1 pipes. But it rides great.

I love the honesty, showing all the thing you dont like or don't understand in context is better than just gushing

I really enjoyed this video and hearing your thoughts on this bike; it definitely looks far less appealing than the Road King, but I was curious about the performance difference. And as always, you didn't disappoint with the honesty and humor. Excellent video, brother. Looking forward to the next one!

I'm not a motorcycle guy so I know my opinion doesn't matter but I've been watching your videos for the comedic content. For what it's worth this video gives me the impression that you don't really like the idea of doing reviews of new bikes. Like maybe you're worried that your subscribers will see you as a sell out. Either way I think it was an honest review and I respect honesty above all else. Keep the videos coming and I will continue to watch.

Absolutely great review , and comical B.S. with that being said , I have one of these turds , I like it , an occasional corn kernel , or green bean chunk doesn't sway me much . The price on these has not changed much , my 2009 Heritage was about the same price , both were custom colors , so yes , an expensive love affair. Leaves me with a broken wallet , but my heart is ok . Thanks, be safe , and cheers .

Josh. nailed it 100%. As a "previous owner" of 2 Heritages, one in the 90's and one BRIEFLY in the early 2000's, I wholeheartedly concur. The Heritage is simply not worth the extra bucks. Instead, the Deluxe in the Softail line (too bad they discontinued it for 2021) is my superior choice and I've had it longer than both the Heritages I owned combined. Just couldn't get the walk away and look back I so must have. AND another reason I have both the Road King & Deluxe now! Awesome job as usual my friend AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Shadetree, I gotta hand it to you. Nobody on earth could have given a cleaner, more concise, "poetic", accurate and honest review of the Heritage than you did in this video. Subscribed.....

I'll be honest I got my 2018 heritage 107 for $13,500 with the aftermarket trunk, crash bars, tab performance exhaust, highway pegs, and aftermarket grips. I feel for that price with everything I got with the bike was perfect. I love the bike but I completely agree that the price point is way higher than it should be brand new... just like most Harleys lol.

Looking to upgrade my Virago 750; sat on this at the dealership and fell in love. Thanks for the kick in the ass! \m/

This may help with the headlights they’re actually made to help you see better at night so function overlooks are acceptable in this case

I like your honest review. I have a 2002 Heritage classic vivid black and chrome. My scoot looks like it came off the showroom floor yesterday. I get lots of compliments what a beauty. What I love about my scoot is how old school it looks. I doubt Harley will ever discontinue this iconic scoot, The Heritage draws attention wherever it goes and it is always positive feedback . And also I love my 88 twin cam motor carb very Harley sounding. I only have a stage 2 but she pulls quite well.

Goshh man...I have heard nothing but excellent reviews from the heritage....BUT....now that I listen to you ...u are freaking right!!!!!!!....u hit it right on the nail...its true every single thing u said...I would buy the road king instead....thank you.

The leaking bags are totally unacceptable. The looks for me I like and I rode a 114 version which about threw me off the back of the bike. My poor little Vulcan has good torque but no top end but the Heritage has both in spades at least the 114. However, you are totally correct on the pricing aspect because I would choose the Electra Glide standard for the same price. Harley you on the right track with the standard series. Let us decide how we want the bike and would it hurt to up the game on the pipes.....no cost to you really. Great review.

I like your review & appreciate honest opinions. I have a 2020 heritage classic V107 in vivid black and love it. The 2020 is definitely old school with having lots of chrome. I got caught in heavy rain a few times and the bags didn't leak at all. Keep in mind your using a loaner bike that takes abuse and people probably kick the bag closed and then stand on it, lol. The bike is expensive no doubt and you compared it to the Deluxe. The deluxe is only $500 less than the Heritage and has the exact same specs as the V107 heritage +/- 2". If you take off the windshield, saddle bags and rear seat its a deluxe without white wall tires and straight handle bars. I think the rear seat, rear pegs, windshield and saddlebags total way more than $500. My only gripe with my bike is that HD should have made LED lighting for the rear signals and tail lamp and give a better license plate bracket. All in all, I have no regrets & love my bike.

I loved my 2013 Heritage, but once I checked out the new version it just did nothing for me. Great review, you should do more of them.

Honest opinions on RU-vid are hard to come by. Thanks for not being a sell out my man. Cheers from Vancouver BC.It would be super interesting to see the books at HD and why the price is so out of wack.

I have a ‘02 heritage classic. I like it well enough. I’ll upgrade to a road king in a few years, but for now, it rides well.

The missing fake gas cap kills me every time I see it missing.

antilock brakes , led lights , cruise control .....that shite adds up to put it on a standard harley . great vid man , keep it up