Investment

[IR Rick]

:34:
I’m thinking of getting one of the last UCEG LIMITED’S
, it looks like HD is getting low on bikes, the used bike
Market my take off, like it did back in the 90’ds when you
Could sell your used bike for what you paid for it.
Just because it was a two year wait on new
What do you think :small3d014:

 

[Animal]

I bought my Ultra as an investment, an investment in having a good time on the open road. YEEE HAAA!

 

[02EGlide]

I didn't buy my bike as an investment, at 52 years young, I figured it would be the last one I would have to buy if I choose to keep it that long. Harleys always have parts available if you need them and are basically rebuildable, unless It gets wrecked, but thats what I have insurance for.

 

[Breeze3at]

:34:
I’m thinking of getting one of the last UCEG LIMITED’S
, it looks like HD is getting low on bikes, the used bike
Market my take off, like it did back in the 90’ds when you
Could sell your used bike for what you paid for it.
Just because it was a two year wait on new
What do you think :small3d014:

The economy has to make a HUGE change before we get back to the 90's way of spending. IMO the Harley market will never approach that point again. I wish it would, I have 2 that I would be proud to sell for a high percentage of what I paid. :bigsmiley15:

 

[IR Rick]

But I think HD will cut production, and inflation will take over so your used bike should go up, With less bikes built, there will be less used bike down the road, and with the new
Emissions this will also add cost to the new bikes, I’m seeing this in the new diesel trucks
2011 are going up $6000 over what the 2010 went for, try to buy a used truck right now
And the only thing you can fine is a truck on it last leg.. Not sure the bikes will do the same but i'm seeing in this area the HD dealers are buying as many used bikes as they can

 

[Jack Klarich]

Im still seeing 07 on the sales floor with no miles, soft market

 

[IR Rick]

Im still seeing 07 on the sales floor with no miles, soft market

These must be the softtails or the Vrods,
I'm thinking the baby boomers are pickup up the UCEG, becasue i'm not see any 09 or 10's at the dealers, if you look on Craiglist not seeing any 09 or 10s for sale, In this area, and we are at 10% plus unemployment.

 

[The4opps1]

Something to keep in mind. There is the "book" value on a car or cycle and what the market actually will bear. I think I told this story once on this forum, but to be brief, my brother in law is into Tbirds, particulalry the baby birds. About 15 years ago, he had a '56 that he had done a frame off on. Appraisals on the car were about $30'000, I think he managed to get about $19500. For whatever reason, that is what the baby bird market would bear at that slice in time.

Funny thing, about a year later, he sold a '66 convertible complete with factory Kelsey Hayes wires and the "roadster" option which was a fiberglas cover for the rear seats. Only minor restoration done on the car, and he snagged well into the $30,000 range for it. Go figure?

 

[Retrop]

Remember a number of years back when we wanted a new Harley, we had to wait a long, long time to get it? You got on a waiting list of sorts and usually paid something north of what MSRP was. Like most, you didn't complain cause you were just glad to get it, at any price. That was a manufacturing strategy. The idea of that was to keep the resale of used Harleys up. Then they got to building multi million dollar botique stores that would hold 50, 75 or maybe 100 new bikes on the floor. That old marketing strategy would not work then because the dealers needed to move those puppies. It became a numbers game. It worked for the housing and car guys, right? We all know how that ended up.
In todays world Harley has cut back production and laid off about half of their work force. Dealers will get way fewer bikes. The plan, and it is in place right now, is to build one more bike this coming Friday than they will sell on Monday. I would hate to be a dealer now. You still have to bust that nut each month but you won't be selling as many bikes. This reminds me of trying to raise up a 5 gallon bucket, while you are standing in it. Neat trick, if you can figure out how to do it.

 

[Hoople]

.

I too remember dealers in the early to mid-90's ticketing used late model Harleys at the same or more than MSRP on a new bike, and the very few new bikes on a waiting list for guys willing to spend OVER list price and/or pay for thousands of dollars of forced "add-ons".

I don't see those days coming back, ever.

I did not realize the HD market went through times like that. A Demand to buy right now that was greater than production. Fascinating. You mean the showroom floors only had used bikes on them?