I bought mine for 700. Then added 500 for carbs, 100 for clutch, 100 for the stator, 100 for the rec, 150 for battery, 200 for registration, 400 for electrical work, etc etc etc My 700 dollar bike is now 2.5k. But hey, you buy your 1k bike. FYI that is all my own labor. DOHH 4k plus for a 1k.
@@jluis5188 I'm going to take that kinda same story and make a different point.my first bike was $1k and just like you I have slowly sank another $2k or so into it.the difference is I knew what I was doing.it didn't take much to get it running and as I slowly put that money into it to make what I want,I'm still riding that POS around.it doesn't always have to be a fancy dresser to have fun.
I went to a Harley dealership in Chicago and the guy there was like "Are you man enough to trade up for a Harley??" All I could do was laugh in his face.
I went to my local Harley dealership on my old pan shovel and just out of curiosity asked what kind of trade-ins would be considered for this old bike The salesman didn't even get off his desk and blurted something like 1100 bucks. That's the last time I've been to that dealership
LOL right. It really takes a man to ride a bike that has less than 80 horsepower and weighs over 500 pounds. Wait, wait, wait . . . that's why he said that -- he is a sexist and thinks only men can pick up a HD off the ground or get it off the jiffy stand.
I went to the local Harley dealer, went in for a sportster, I was like 130lbs at the time, the dealer tried to put me on a bagger. So I bought a 883 on Craigslist for $1800
Once again, nailing a niche that nobody else seems to go near. Well done Josh. Budget bikes equal less stress and cheap thrills. That last speech about getting kicked out of the dealership is so very close to the experience i had at my local Harley dealer. Snobby wanker syndrome. The dealership just went belly up. 😂
Shadetree, I am so glad to meet you! I don't care what the topic is, anyone with your level of passion for ANYTHING is someone worth getting to know! And, i don't mean just motorcycles, but motorcycling! You ain't gonna rest until you get "just one more" guy out there on two wheels! You got the passion, the experience and the horse sense. Rock on, brother!
The cheapest bike I’ve ever owned was a 650 Honda shadow. It was free because it wasn’t running. It had electrical issues that I finally chased down and repaired for 45$. I got it running, tuned up, and because I had two other bikes it sat and was rarely ridden. One of my neighbors had a 16 year old who needed a vehicle, so I gave the bike to him, with his mother’s permission. He rode the bike to school for two years. Not sure what happened to the bike after that, but I gave some freedom to a young man who needed it.
And at the risk of blowing Shadetree's ego sky high, I'm here to tell you that the man is just as genuine in person. He's one of those folks who i'm happy to see everytime I manage to run into him. A great dude with a genuine love for bikes and the folks who ride them.
Old Hondas and Kawas are immortal. You do the necessary maintenance and that thing is gonna ride until the world ends. Dude. I want that, wish I lived in Miami.
You're right about that brother my newest bike is probably a 1994, I've got a whole gaggle of Yamaha 650s and old CB750s hiding away for the next generation of motorcycle builders... Lol
Yup. I love these kinds of videos. It was one of these videos that lead me down a rabbit trail to my first bike three weeks ago @shadetree surgeon. Ridden every weekend since and commuted a couple time. HAVING A BLAST. A 2000 Sporster 1200 custom with a fat boy tank. Paid 2200 bucks for it. Yes, affordable bikes are out there people!!! Just look for em!!
Great deals! You know, he's not wrong. I recently soaked for my first HD. They wouldn't trade in my classic Triumph (which only made me keep it, too.) But the financing made it super affordable. I took a chance on a high mileage, older electraglide standard. I love the bike. Any dealership will add an extra $1000.00 probably but with exceptional service they make everything easy and worry free. And like he says, if it breaks down as long as the price is easy that's OK, I have something worth fixing.
Back in 01 I walked into my local HD dealership (we call it the T shirt outlet) and asked for their least expensive used bike. I was treated like I had a disease. I walked out. They lost a customer that day.
Not to play the race card. But I’m black and had 7500 to put down with good credit and was treated the same way. Let just say. I bought a 93 fox body mustang with a 351 Clevor that weekend.
@@andersondevon44 It might be race too but I was treated the same way at my Harley dealer but I think it was my age. I am baby faced and was 22 but I had a cashier's check and hundreds to buy a new Softail. They kept leaving me hanging to smooth talk the old timers walking in to kick tires. After an hour and being left 4 times I asked for the sales manager. I showed him the $13k cashier's check and 2k in bills. I left, deposited the money back, bought a shadow 1100 for $3500 and never looked back. So I guess I owe them.
@@andersondevon44 I am also a brother of brown persuasion and was treated rather shabbily, When the salesmen found out I was carrying a platinum card he wanted to blow me . I went to a store owned by a black Family in Northern New Jersey… I was treated like a king and they had no clue I had money. F@@k Harley dealers.
You must pay cash to get the deals. A person can have a 800 plus credit score and Harley interest rate will be 6 - 8%, which is crazy! The purpose of good credit is for you to get a excellent interest rate.
Yeah I've never been treated poorly by my local HD dealerships, and out of all my HD's, I've never bought them there, serviced them there, or anything. I usually don't even buy parts from them. Let me tell you a little (big) story that I think is awesome about HD treatment. When I first moved to Cali I bought a $1000 450 Honda to keep my costs low as I had like 10k to my name (car included). I rode the piss out of this bike with a slipping clutch and carbs that I couldn't quite dial in for like 3 years until I got solidly grounded...and during that time, I got a job, started earning, started saving, etc., and I eventually went to the HD dealership to rent a sportster, as I wanted to buy a new one and see how it was to do a day trip on. So I go to pick it up, and they ask what I came there on, so I tell 'em my crusty Honda, and they're like "dude, don't leave it out in the parking lot, leave it in the service center." I'm like: "It's fine, it's a $1000 crusty special and it drips oil when parked", and they insisted I bring that hunk of crap around and store it inside while I rented the bike, and that the oil dripping didn't matter in their eat-off-the-floor-clean service center. So I rent the bike for a few days, whatever. When I return the bike they had my bike out front ready to go and they asked how I liked the sportster and all that, I told 'em I liked it a lot, much torquier than my 450, etc., and they're like "yeah, but it's nothing like the big twins, is it?" I tell them I've never ridden a dyna before, so they run back inside and grab the keys for a dyna street bob and give 'em to me, they're just like "dude, take it around town, go get lunch or something, see how you like it." I'm like "wtf, really?" So I test drove it around Oakland for like 20 minutes, for free, returned it, took my Honda home with a huge grin on my face. I was treated fucking awesomely there and I rode up on a crusty Honda and didn't tell them I had intention to buy. All my experience at HD dealerships has been superb. I've heard the horror stories online, especially when they were selling Buell, and I'm sure there's some truth to those, but for me, I haven't had anything near that experience, was always treated fantastically.
Last summer I devirginized my brand new 2019 Harley Sport Glide by riding her cross country to Los Angeles, from Baton Rouge. Coming down 70 out of Colorado I ran into an army vet who was on an '82 Voyager. We ended up riding the rest of the way to LA together and I can say that bike flies and though it did have some issues with overheating, it was in amazing shape for its age. Great times and was fun to ride and camp with someone for part of the trip since i usually travel solo. Edit: ok well I'm a dunce. I just looked back at the pics from the trip (still on my phone) and it was a Yamaha Venture, but similar bikes and features! 👊😼👍
I never wanted a Harley. I just wanted, curiously enough, a VLX. I didn't want to ride much faster than 45mph, so gearing limits wouldn't have been a problem. But then I won a Sportster in a raffle. Aside from the fact that it's my first bike, I will never be able to get rid of it, because it has too much of a fun story behind it (too long of a story to share here). But I absolutely agree about many of the things you say here and in other videos: Screw specs, how does a bike make you FEEL? There are faster bikes than my Sporty, more reliable bikes, overall just plain BETTER bikes, but none of them will bring me to same joy that mine does simply through association. Much like your Crusty Glide does for you. So yeah, keep on Marie Kondo-ing these bike discussions! Good stuff, man! Thank you!
You and blockhead have gotten me back in to riding. I just got a 2015 Harley Davidson Sportster Superlow. The bike only had 605 miles on it and I got it for 4,500.
Jeff Wyatt once a year, I do the three hole service myself. I plan the day weeks in advance , start buying all the necessities, and start really looking forward to that day. She always drives like a champ after that day. Love it! ❤️👍
One day! It took one day and the bikes featured have new homes thanks to Mr. Surgeon. We get mechanic specials in all the time and run wholesales on used bikes to get the metal out the door and on the road. Weirdos are always welcome!
That Voyager is awesome! 15 years ago I though it was the ugliest bike in production, but now I love it. Throw down a grand and ride across and hit all the national parks, such a great and cheap summer vacation, and you end up with a bike out of it.
I had a Triumph Speedmaster with the 865 in it. It sounded so good with British Customs pipes on it. I'm on a new Chieftain now.. but $5k for this Triumph with under 300 miles is a killer deal.
True dat Shadetree. My first bike was a $500 1978 kz650. Learned to ride, wrench, and eventually chopped it... put that motor in a rigid frame. It has been a downward spiral of various 2 wheel creations. Listen to the surgeon and get a cheap bike. Best thing I ever did.
His wife probably marched straight past the husband, his side-piece, his mother, and his labrador, on her way to attack his bike. Women, they always know how to go directly for the jugular.
Shadetree the problem is that I live in North Central Ohio and had to buy a new monitor and keyboard thanks to you, I kept slobbering all over the monitor and keyboard, and they shorted out. Around here if it even runs you are looking at $2k, That Kaw, or that GL500 and such around here would bring minimum of $2500. Hell I paid $2500 for a 93 Goldwing with just under 100k on the clock and around here I stole it. Keep on riding and making guys like me cry.
I live in NC and taxes are a out the same . If your lucky enough to have a budget that allows one vehicle , lol, then your area becomes year round riding lol
My favorite videos are these where you test ride cheap Harley's. I had nine Harley's and two Indian chiefs in my life only two ran when I bought them the rest were baskets so I like the project scooters
I once owned a Kawasaki VN750 which only cost me £1,000 (GBR). I kept it for 2 years, and when I sold it, I got my money back. I had lots of fun touring the UK and regret selling it. I bought a Triumph Rocket III Touring for £9,000, kept it for one year and got the same money back when I sold it for the same money. It was a great bike and I can sum it up in one word..."Mental!" So glad I had the experience. I miss that bike! I then bought a Triumph America.... I kept this bike for 8 years. When I sold it, I had done 31,000 miles on it, riding around Europe. Still on the same sprockets and chain. One set of Michelins lasted over 20,000 miles. It returned 60 miles per gallon and was the cheapest bike to run I ever owned. The short pipes made it the best sounding bike I ever owed.... The America may seem a small (girlie) bike, but I think it's a great bike to live with. Your video is a breath of fresh air instead of looking at brand new adventure bike reviews. Well done Josh, nice idea. Keep doing what you do. Best regards from across the pond. The Triumph Rascal.
I found this vid totally by accident. I'm sitting here with a swollen finger, a fever and I feel like absolute s**t. But this fellows unbridled enthusiasm has brought a real smile to my face and definitely helped a really crappy night!
I just bought an XLV600 from a fella that had no business riding any type of two-wheeled anything... He bought this bike rode it around the yard and crashed it somehow. It stopped running so he burned up the starter trying to get to start and left it right where he parked it. I think I paid less than $200 for this bike, including the tools he was using to try to fix it. I purchased this motorcycle for my girlfriend as her first bike and she loves it
In Europe Honda sells a motorcycle with the exact same engine as the VLX 600. They use then for delivery service. They are good for 300 thousand miles with proper service, which they all get. I found out by accident a Vetter Windjammer fairing would fit on my Honda VLX 600. I fabricated a bracket to mount a Windjammer 4 on it along with the Vetter bags and trunk. It's a great light weight touring bike now like the early 80's GL 500 Silverwing. It's my daily driver.
Shadows in general,my dad got a 6000mile 600 for 1600€,i have a 1989 1100 with 20k which I got for 2k€ (Both at least 1000€ under value in germany) Both run like a dream
I bought my first harley davidson a while back. My dad blew up his bagger and wanted a shovel head so he mentioned to me he was going to sell it and gave me dibs but he needed 4g for it. The bike cought on fire an he went threw and litterally changed everything new back tire belt swing arm bearings bushing new break line new bags new seat new wiring harness then he blew the bike up... Fast forward a 3500 dollar lone i own a blown up harley well my dad works at a bike shop and his boss got me a hell of a deal on a motor 95ci with 25000 for 500 bucks bought it painted the cases black changed all the gaskets threw it in after some other bugs worked out im on the road! This is the story of my first harley davidson 2004 ultra classic police bike
Josh, you should seriously think about buying that $1000 bike. Go to Goodwill and find a color matching polyester jumpsuit, then a color match 3/4 helmet with boom mike. Then, ride that thing to Mexico! Epic motovlog adventure right there.
The other day I picked up a Honda CBF125 for £600 second hand and when I was riding it back it was running so smoothly and only had 100miles on the clock. So the message you are showing here is so true and I preach it a lot. I really want a cruiser bike but I got to wait until I get my full licence, but I’m still on two wheels and you still get the same experience 👊🏻
I am a firm member of the XS crowd. Picked up an XS400 that is becoming a street tracker for $500, and just bought a cherry 1983 XS650 for $500. Now I just need to get the $650 to Calgary from Montreal.
Bike are just freaking awesome, I just started riding back in July of 2019 and I love every minute it of it. My first and current bike is well used Yamaha FJR 1300....Yes I am started off riding a 1300cc 650 Lbs bike, it didnt come easy, I dropped it many times before I got the hang of it. Thank goodness I had the frame sliders installed. Bikes are way more reliable than just about all of the cars since motorcycle engines are not labored (no compressors or pumps to run). BTW I have had 0 issues out of my bike since I have had it and I am looking to get a second cheap bike for in town riding.
I love the video, it even inspired me halfway through to go get on my Triumph and take a 2 hour tour, thanks for sharing! First day in a long time the weather has been nice enough in upstate New York to ride! Cheers!
I'm in love with that red Triumph. I'm moving down to Florida within the next year or two and I'm strongly considering getting a motorcycle and leaving my truck in the driveway
I work in a dealership in south florida, finding a bike for under 2000$ (that doesn't have 100k miles or 10 pounds of rust, or something other than a 250cc) is genuinely a challenge at a dealership. Remember, dealerships will add dealer fees (350$+) , sales tax, a prepping and inspection fee, and a registration fee REGARDLESS OF THE BIKES PRICE. If the listing price is 2000$, you'll be spending at LEAST $2,800 cash by the time that license plate is in your hands, and a lot more if u want to finance it. If you want to find a good deal - don't go to a dealership. Go on facebook marketplace, craigslist, or letgo and find a bike for 2 grand or less that's probably negotiable and runs. I've found countless bikes for half price or under that run completely perfectly secondhand.
NOW, if it's a Harley and it's 2 grand or under and it runs... Yeah that's a pretty good deal even if there are dealer fees and shit. But keep in mind it's a Harley, so those mechanic bills will overtake that $2,000 real quick... Same with Triumph, Ducati, BMW, ...etc
If you asked me before this vid if I had any interest in an 80's Voyager, I would have said "no way". When you tell me it's $1000 I'd probably have a new favorite work commuter.
Nah it's a 14 SG. Look at the lower fairing area. The EGs almost have full covers. Another indicator is the more streamlined tour pack. That came on the CVO SGs. IMO the addition of the tour pack overdid what the SG was about as it's super close to an EG at this point.
@@DeuceRollinChainSmokin Nah, hes right. The telltale sign of the SG vs an Electra Glide or an Ultra would be the fog lights. I work selling Harleys and I can tell you with confidence that the SG doesnt have fog lights and instead has those little turn signals up on the fairing. Theres other subtle differences, but that's the main one.
Nice thing about that Triumph too is that it is a hop and a skip away from being either a touring bike or a sharp looking hot rod for buzzing around and busting ear drums with a twist of the wrist. Also, that Harley is definitely a reasonable purchase as a second bike. With decent credit and not a shit ton of obligations pretty much any paycheck will cover that easy.
Josh bud. You could make a fortune as a bike dealer. You talked me in to buying all three bikes and I'm not I'm the market right now. Another great video keep up the good work bro.
My first couple of bikes cost me less than a grand here in Aus. That said they needed work, which I did, and they served me well. I still have one as my "project" bike and sold the other and bought a Metric cruiser, that was a few years old but only had 2K on the clock, for less than 3k. You're absolutely right, you don't need to spend a whole lot to get on a bike. Love your vids, Shadetree!
A buddy of mine has a Kawi Voyager like that one. He rides it EVERYWHERE. If I hadn’t just bought a van, I’d be flying to Tampa and riding that Voyager home!
I like his enthusiasm. The deal is to show people how do-able it is to ride. He's honest about each bike"s suitability for diffetent riders. And old bikes are fun!
Like shadetree just said its florida where you ride 365 days a year ..that also means dealers are selling bikes 365 days per year as often as mid-western dealers in spring and summer ..in order for florida dealerships to have room for new models they have to move the trade ends 365 days per year .that means they have to cut prices everyday or be over run with trade ends...if someone from the north wanted a great ride and save big money , take a bus to florida and ride back home on a great deal
My cousin buys those 40k Harley’s and some 20k Harley’s. They are great bikes to be sure but my uncle when he was living always rode Honda’s so one day I asked him why he had Honda’s when his son had Harley’s? He said “ cause I want to ride and not have to work on the damn thing all the time “.
i bought a 2005 vstar 650 25k miles for $800 rubber rebuild and cleaning on carbs and snyc $300 @ shop, New tires $300 installed,new battery $40 on amazon. cost= $1450 $3k bike all day long. rode all winter still running strong.
Last year, I went to Dallas HD with $700 and left with a 2010 Dyna Super Glide with 20k miles. I thought I was going to end up with a little Sportster toy, but left with a DYNA. It also happened to have many of the upgrades that I would have done anyway. And, with $500 left over from my down payment budget, I had enough left over for a motorcycle jack, a full set of mechanic tools, and torque wrenches. My credit was average at best and my payments are $135 a month. Don’t believe the BS and think that Harley will bend you over and rape you on the price. Places that do that(especially with internet reviews) don’t stay around long.
Great deals can be had if you put the work into it. Bought a 2007 Harley Heritage Classic, 7K miles fully chromed out with tons of upgrades in showroom condition for $ 6,500. Also have a 2013 Suzuki M90 with 4K miles and paid $ 3,500 for it in perfect condition with extras.
I don't know when this happened but I realized I wasn't subbed. I feel like I subscribed months ago but somehow it unchecked itself. What is RU-vid doing??
Just picked up a suzi c90 1500. V&H long straight pipes, bully programmer,pair delete 10,000 miles. Garage kept not a scratch. Beast for less than 3500$
About a year ago I started shopping for a used Goldwing. Everything decent I could find was just out of reach. Later in the summer, I gave up on the Goldwing, and started browsing for a Street Rod 750 or a 883. With about a grand for a down payment and good credit, I went on line to my local Harley dealership to pull the trigger. And there it was: '85 Aspencade. Owned it the next day. Paid $995. Needed a front tire and battery.
My first bike - $3,000 - 2014 Kawasaki Vulcan Vn900 Custom My brothers first bike - $2,500 - 1995 Cbr 600 (Wrecked into a sand dune at 60mph(totaled bike), but was playing frisbee golf a week later, he one tough mf) Brother's second bike - $3,000 - 2015 Honda Cbr 300 My Dad's First bike - $7,000 - 2005-7 Harley Heritage Softail ~88CubicInch (I think) Point stands, can find great deals if you're looking for them. Other than my brother's first bike, all bough with low miles, and still ride them to this day. We've had them for roughly 3-4 years. Loving every moment I'm on mine.
Pretty sure they don’t use it for everything tho. The road system is in imperial for distance and speed as well as milk and beer but the official system is metric so I guess I just answered my own dumb question lol.
One of the reasons i love this channel is seeing this older bikes still getting use. I could care less about brand new 30000 dollar bikes. To me a bike should be affordable and me hanically sound. 30 grand is just stupid money to spend on something you cant live in
My uncle had an auto accessory shop right down the road for about 30 years at 118th. I'll have to swing through there one day - I'm across the state now.
Awesome Deal. I learned the lesson early and bought a used HD Ultra Limited at a small non-HD Dealer and got an awesome deal with a 2-yr warranty! Love that Bert's is doing the same for Non-HDs here! Super deal for someone!!! Great review!
Ant Squirly sorry I have no clue re financing, down and payments, or even length of a contract. Probably all depends on your credit. Check with a credit union they would be typically more reasonable than banks, avoid dealer arranged financing if at all possible, they get the loan/money at a discounted rate the mark it up to the buyer “back end profit”
I’ve never been to Burt’s Barracuda but I bought my Harley at Burt’s Black Widow. The staff is awesome. They even let me charge my Zero SR for free (back when I still owned it). They don’t look down on non-Harley riders.
That's definitely the case at my local Harley dealer. They don't even sell their trade ins unless they're HD. When you do a trade in they wholesale out. I think I think they're missing out but they're in charge of how they run their business.
I just bought my first street bike the other day. A 2004 Harley-Davidsons Sportster 883. It’s not particularly powerful it’s not brand new by any stretch but at 23,400 miles on its a good bike for something that only needs a front tire and an oil change
When you come up to a stop sign or just slow down, the stereo volume automatically turns down and it has self canceling blinkers on that Voyager. The only bike I have that has self canceling blinkers is the oldest bike I have. Lol
I tell ya what...if I was in Florida this week I'd be all over buying that Triumph!!! Great video as always!! Sunday mornings with Coffee, Shadetree and "Ridiculousness"!! Can't be beat!!!
