May be getting a Harley Fatboy 100th anninversary model next week

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
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Are these pretty good? The price is excellent and the bike is in nice shape with a ton of extras
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Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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What do you consider an excellent price?
Are you an experienced rider?
Do you have a brand preference?
Do you have a bike style/size preference?
How often would you be riding it?

All of those answers will really help decide whether this sounds like a good fit to you :)

IMHO, these are nice bikes, but $$$ for what you get really. If you want basically the same bike sans the HD branding (and some of the rattle/noise that makes them unique), the Yamaha Roadstar is pretty hard to beat, and will cost less money to buy and maintain.

If you just want something really cush and easy to ride, with fantastic visibility and also pretty easy to maintain, the Goldwings are great. They're kind of expensive a lot of times though, it's almost like riding a small car instead of a bike :p They even added airbags starting in '06 (!!).

As long as you have the experience and the desire, if the FatBoy is still what you want, you'll have fun! Ride safe!
 

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
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I have been riding since I was a kid. I had a Triumph and Buell but sold them. The bike has custom Vance and Hines exhaust and chip, and a bunch of chrome extras. It is 10k but the guy is going to write it as much cheap to save on sales tax.
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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Just for reference, $6k (or less) will get a seriously nice Roadstar :

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/mcy/1524016953.html

EDIT : Not bashing the HD at all, but if you're just looking for a nice riding bike, HD has a pretty significant price premium for the logo. If that's what you want, more power to ya!
 
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SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
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Well I have no issue with a yamaha or any other brand, but I'm not going to be paying for the bike so I can't complain. My dad is paying for it and putting it in my name, and it will be kept in my garage. Out of all the bikes we have looked at I like this the best. If it was my money I would for sure get a Yamaha/Honda etc, I really like the Vmaxx
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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Oh the VMAX is a beast :) So much fun, and so unique!

Can't complain about a bike when someone else is paying for it! Enjoy it! One heck of an Xmas gift ;)

I just wanted to clarify that the Roadstars are pretty much equal for about 50-60% of the price, but with price not an issue, and that looking like a very well cared for bike, no reason not to love it :)
 

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
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All I have to do is pay the insurance so you can see why I am not suggesting others. My dad just asks for something he would like to ride on occasion. He is one of those old school Harley/British bikes or nothing. We went and looked at a fully decked out Harley that was like a sofa on wheels, but I like this one better.
 

DVad3r

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2005
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It's a good bike, I've ridden a few on demo rides. It's also a really easy bike to ride with a low centre of gravity and easy to plant your feet right on the ground. Plus you are riding the same bike as the Terminator. The acceleration is not good compared to my V-Rod but then again it's not supposed to be, this is a bike you ride and enjoy/cruise on, taking in th sights and sounds, and hearing the thump of the engine.

The Fat Boy is a softail to the above poster ^.

The only thing I would suggest is making sure it's tuned properly with the V&H exhaust and whatever EFI control it has, you don't want to be running too lean or rich. If possibly I recommend going with an auto tune system.
 

DVad3r

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2005
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Also I can see the bike comes with all awesome accessories which cost a shit ton if you were to upgrade them yourself, especially original Harley parts. Windshield = win along with the bags and sissy bar.

Personally I'd get a Harley if I was getting a cruiser type bike as very few other brands appeal to me, exceptions probably being some of the Triumph bikes and the new Honda Fury Chopper.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
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All I have to do is pay the insurance so you can see why I am not suggesting others. My dad just asks for something he would like to ride on occasion.

I'd save the $10k and get independent first.

How much ass you going to bring back to your parent's home at 1am?
 

DVad3r

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2005
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Do it bro, and do it while you're young. You would have to be an idiot to pass up a motorcycle, especially a HOG. You have no idea how many mid life guys I talk to saying they wish they rode etc. For many people that bike is a dream they will never be able to make happen, you have no idea how lucky you are lol.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
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Do it bro, and do it while you're young. You would have to be an idiot to pass up a motorcycle, especially a HOG. You have no idea how many mid life guys I talk to saying they wish they rode etc. For many people that bike is a dream they will never be able to make happen, you have no idea how lucky you are lol.

in many areas you have diehards selling off their bikes simply due to idiot drivers like here in south florida...about 2 in 3 have no insurance and are not even citizens.
 

angry hampster

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2007
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www.lexaphoto.com
Do it bro, and do it while you're young. You would have to be an idiot to pass up a motorcycle, especially a HOG. You have no idea how many mid life guys I talk to saying they wish they rode etc. For many people that bike is a dream they will never be able to make happen, you have no idea how lucky you are lol.




Agreed. If I had never gotten a motorcycle (I'm 23)..I probably never would in the future. Now that I own one, I am hooked for life. Hope to get the lady on one of her own eventually.
 

DVad3r

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2005
5,340
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in many areas you have diehards selling off their bikes simply due to idiot drivers like here in south florida...about 2 in 3 have no insurance and are not even citizens.

That is a risk we all take when riding. Some areas are worse because of idiot drivers/congestion, some areas are better. One probably has it best if they live out in the country somewhere. My dad who came here 20 years ago didn't buy a bike for 19 because he was afraid to ride in the city/surrounding areas, meanwhile he grew up on a motorcycle and rode like crazy back in Europe.

If you truly like it though you will ride no matter what area you live in. You guys in the US have it good anyways, and people in other countries only crave for what you have.

Here in Canada for example, having a Harley is a luxury and I haven't met one person yet my age that has a Harley. Insurance is INSANELY expensive, if you are under 25 you are paying anywhere from $ 2500-5000 per year for a bike. Bikes themselves cost more here, and if we want to get parts we generally get raped on taxes/duties because everything comes from the US anyways.

Or take Europe for example, very crazy drivers, a lot of mountains/turns, I would shit my pants if I had to ride my motorcycle in Poland or Italy, I'd probably get run off the road there. Also owning a Harley in Europe is like owning a Bentley here.

The US really is the land of the free when it comes to bikes, so enjoy if you can and don't pass it up. Also if you have the time/money take a big cross country tour, lifetime experience.
 

exar333

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2004
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your dad is buying you a motorcycle he can ride too?

Who's going to be on the bitchseat?

Give the OP a break! How many younger people would turn down a free bike? His dad probably is asking to borrow the bike from time to time and give it a ride. He wants to give his son a great gift, and maybe cruise in it himself a couple times when the weather is nice.

It is a heck of a present, and the OP will definitely enjoy it. I am not a huge motorcycle fan myself, but I can appreciate that others really rig them.
 
Sep 7, 2009
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IMO if you're even REMOTELY considering a vmax then you may not be happy on that. While the vmax is a cruiser, it's a totally different type of cruiser... More of a standard, really.

I used to hate HD, I now sorta understand how nice it is to just putt putt around without stressing over corner lines, braking points, etc etc... Personally I wouldn't have one as my 'only' bike though.

I have an S50 (old intruder 800) as a Sunday cruiser and it fits the bill nicely.
 

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
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My dad went and picked it up yesterday. The guy was the original owner and had all service records and paperwork, plus 3000 bucks in extras on it. When my dads hauls it on trailer to my house I will get pics, it is dirty from sitting up.
 
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