As a two year owner of this motorcycle I can say it's a great motorcycle, and good value. Let's touch on some areas that are not in the above review. Everywhere you go you get attention because of the solo leather seat and the springer front end. The bike flat out looks cool, and with the optional pillion and sissy bar would be a chick magnet if you were so inclined. On a trip throught the four corners area of the US (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah) the bike was a major attention grabber. A gas jockey left his cash register the hear the bike start (I have had the pipes modified), Italian tourists took photos of the "chopper" at the four corners monument actually posing near the machine, and at Glen Canyon dam near Page, Arizona German tourists actually videotaped me leaving the parking lot area riding helmetless, and revving the motor. So far there has been a lot of consumer satisfaction.
Consumers need to understand that buying your Harley is only a starting point for upgrades that may be necessary to comfortize and individualize one's bike.
It's true that this bike is heavy, does not like very twisty roads, is slow and ridiculously expensive. Even more expensive now that I have installed Rinehart Racing crossover pipes, and bored the engine out to 103". This cost around $5K USD. Now I know this sounds ridiculous, because it's not a lot faster compared to Jap sport bikes, and the handling didn't improve. But the cool quotient went off the charts with the sound of these pipes, and it looked cool before.
On the several trips I have taken the ride has been just fine. The softail motorcycle is very comfortable, and long days can be had in good comfort. I use the stock seat and springs so far with no complaints. My longest day so far is over 300 miles and there were no major comfort problems. I do have a detachable windscreen for comfort at higher speeds.
I take issue with the quality rating above. I have had nothing fall off the bike so far, and I don't know what sidepanels they are talking about because Harley's don't have 'em.
While the Harley is no knee dragging bike, it's holds very well in sweepers, and is very stable at speed on the highway as well. The 103 engine gives it better passing power at the top end as the bike revs past 3000rpm.
Value: Yes, Ducatis are on a par, and Jap cruisers can be had for half of this amount-but would you really want to be seen on a Jap Cruiser?? Trust me: no one cares about Jap cruisers. Ducatis are great, but we are really talking apples and oranges. Harleys are built for reliability and (relative) simplicity.
The motor is weak but it serves the purpose of going from A to B and will break all known speed limits here in the US. Plenty of torque at the low end for a satisfying feeling off the line considering the weight of the beast.
