Why Harley Davidsons can Last forever

[@jeramieogle883]

Lots of hate in the comments, calm down everybody. We're here because we all love bikes. You're allowed to disagree, but let's be adults here.

[@clarkbabin9799]

Some people cant help themselves. Maybe they feel inferior for not buying a Harley. They make up stories to make themselves feel better.

[@ltcavret7574]

That's not hatred it's correction...

[@FCT8306onTwoWheels]

I did want a Harley Davidson when I was looking for my second bike, chose a Yamaha Stryker.

[@oengland28]

I love all motorcycles and brands. I am definitely a Harley guy since I bought one but the other "metric" bikes are awesome too. Enjoy what you've got and ride the hell out of it. The wind is the same no matter what your on.

[@troyramsier9248]

1984 FXRS , 164,000 runs like a scalded dog, looks a little ruff just like the owner. Has a little primary drip also like the owner. Getting old is interesting. Great Big Smile !!!

[@sethfrancissimracing7558]

Hahahaha 😂👍

[@noobhooligan6421]

Primary drip just like the owner.... 😷

[@RGWood]

91 FXR, I bought her in 96. Still riding her 22 yrs later. When I bought it , SS Jugs, SS carb , cam were already done. I put a cheap set off Cycle Shack drag pipes. 84 Hp,,, 86lbs Tq. Also yeah, she is showing her age. But runs like a raped ape. Sleeper bike lol

[@nobody-yu4cf]

@big leroy brown 1993 fxdwg here.

[@phillipbrewster6058]

A rough look! You mean that personality it has???

[@qrasul11]

I can't speak for all Harley riders but me personally, falling in love with a Harley only comes natural. Why????... because I LOVE American Muscle, big block Chevy's especially. Needless to say, I need that American Muscle to power my bike. There is nothing wrong with quiet, fuel efficient Hondas .....but there is nothing like a gas guzzlin', engine growlin, ' damn near jumping off the frame Harley Big Twin. At the end of the day, you ride what fits you. Much Respect✌🏾

[@user-hs2hd7wp9g]

Honda and Japanese bikes also offer exciting models, not cruisers for people aged 50+ with dad bods

[@JBSTUNTZ]

Harleys aren't American made.. They're designed and partly assembled here but the parts are made over seas just like every other bike.

[@ericdolby1622]

@@user-hs2hd7wp9g what the hell is a gold wing then? Lol.

[@ericdolby1622]

@@user-hs2hd7wp9g what the hell are gold wings then? Lol

[@b13027]

Amari Drummer do some research of first Harley’s you’ll see the American history’. Now due to the financial issues with Harley they’ve been pushed to outsource the assembly/ production

[@StanWilhite]

Took a pic of my Harley, hung it on the wall and the next morning there was a couple drops of oil on the floor right beneath it.

[@ivarsandsmark]

Rofl

[@Peep18m]

Stan Wilhite lmao 😂😂😂

[@Aint_no_senators_son]

I own three HD. They don't leak but I sure laughed at that. 😂

[@Elevenmillionmissingvoters]

@@Aint_no_senators_son I feel the same man… I’ve never had one that leaks but i have seen some that leak.

[@CapoGamingYT]

Yesterday I ate a big ole meal. My stomach was hurting so bad! So I went and took the biggest, stinkiest shit ever! When I went to turn around to see what was so foul, I looked and it was 11 different turd nuggets, it seems to have spelled something, upon inspection it spelled Stan Wilhite! 😂

[@jimmyday7661]

I am a biker and my preference is a Tricked out 03 HD 1200 sportster Xl and Biker code says never leave another brother on the side of the road, it doesn't say unless he is riding a Honda or Yamaha or anything else , I don't care what you ride I call you my brother in biker brotherhood because you ride. I've seen some really nice bikes of all makes and models now days most of all the cruisers are V-twins, I myself love the Evo and if I see you on the side of the road no matter what bike you're riding , and no matter how much you like the culture I ride for , or even if you don't agree with the bike I'm riding. Just know I will be real and I will stop to assist my Brother on two wheels it is a biker nation and that's biker code!!!

[@Srkcycles]

Great code to live by! God Bless!

[@jimmyday7661]

Srkcycles yes and thank you my brother I love your videos, I think they're awesome have a blessed day and ride

[@michaelcull7413]

My first bike, 500 Honda twin. 20 minutes after buying it I screwed up and put it in a ditch. Several metric motorcycles passed me by. Finally a pick up stopped and the driver road Harleys and he helped me out.

[@solo9883]

My code to live by is to never leave a brother behind anless there on somthing like a crotch rocket or bikes from BMW or Suzokie

[@SpenCrowson]

As of today my 89 FLHS has covered 116112 miles and still runs like a dream. Best bike I've had in my 57 years of riding.

[@ossiedunstan4419]

My 95 fxd dyne super glide has done at least 156,000 Km before i gave her a rebuild with a mob of pricks that where gutter mechanics. I will never take my motor cycle to any garage that has affiliations with clubs. Unless their factory techs not back yarders.

[@bruceherman405]

145,000 on my '95 Road King - runs like new - top end done at 75K - probably do another next year - kept the motor stock 'cept for a mild cam and pipes - it's the last bike I'll ever buy

[@reaperronin8898]

lol.... Same thing I said with my 65 pan head.... Said the same with 99 Road King... Said the same with 00 fat boy.. Still have them all,, Still all running great.. Wife said one more and I sleep in the garage,,,, just ordered a new bed... lol..

[@ronsauder8822]

I have an 85 electra glide with 180,000 miles, still running, and I have a 2015 roadglide that's awesome. No problems with the new one. The only problems I ever had with the old one were maintenance and trying to work on it myself.

[@mitchculb780]

My `91 Electra Glide has 120K miles, never been apart and runs great.

[@matooleyobrien2918]

Mitch Culb you have a RARE Harley..should be in the Smithsonian

[@Roadglide117]

@@matooleyobrien2918 not rare at all. I've owned multiple Harleys and put over 100000 miles on all of them with just doing basic maintenance myself. The ones that fail are abused or not maintained.

[@markkilbourn3863]

153,000 on an ‘04 Road King still runs good

[@KITTTHECAT2024]

My 08 has 166,000. Never been opened up.

[@Crashking14]

One word..EVO

[@albertsmith3755]

I love my Harley Davidson Heritage Softail classic. And yes it's also an 88cu twin cam.

[@deg453]

Just traded my 2012 HD Ultra Limited with 107,084 miles on it...rode like a charm ...just had to get the 2018 Limited 115th Anniversary.... personally I don’t bash anyone with another brand....I just love to ride since my retirement....and I maintained the bike ...to me mine is the best

[@curtiscollins2174]

Very well said. I just purchased a 2012 Ultra limited, super happy..

[@navcop33]

Got 102,000 on my 2009 Ultra and going strong!

[@matooleyobrien2918]

Bruce Kuhn RARE EXAMPLE

[@openmindedillustrations7106]

What is your recipe?

[@Joseph-wh5of]

How many repairs?

[@raybrensike42]

Had an AMF sportster once with a lot of miles. Machine shop told me the cylinders were OK, no bore necessary, just a hone, and I was a bit surprised by that. If you don't rev them up too much the bottom ends seem to last too. I had the top end off just because I was curious and I did want to lap the valves to get all the compression I could. Put new rings in it, just because. Man that thing ran strong. It hammered.

[@Elevenmillionmissingvoters]

My 08 Nightster runs like a top

[@davidfullerton1865]

My '02 Sportster 1200 custom has 40k on it with out any issues. The biggest key is to service them. Thanks for the videos and God bless.

[@metalb0087]

Working on Harleys for the last 6 years the biggest problems I've seen is the owners, the not that mechanically skilled ones try to do stuff to fix em or upgrade em and end up messing em up in hopes of saving money

[@TheyCalledHimTheDude]

yup thats it. i was looking for someone who know this. the problems with reliability of harley and the reason why its bad. its cause there are many of them like he said in the vid but also many people that cant wrench are wrenching on them for decades now. your not gonna fix your japanese bikes but people always think harley is simple ill do it myself and then ruin bikes and make them unreliable and usually the next owner gets the breakdowns. but yeah thats life ;)

[@awsfernandez63]

Same with car, truck and big rig owners. Trying to save money by doing repairs or upgrades by themselves.

[@davidlawson7241]

I've always been a person that will ride with any person and anny bike. I believe rideing brings more people together than most things. God bless the open road and all those riding on it!!

[@No_S3rvice]

I was a die hard crotch rocket guy for many years (I own two.) until I picked up my 2011 883 Superlow last month. I've been doing research and these bike are so easy to work on. I have plans on building up the motor later, but in the mean time I'm putting some serious miles on it.

[@52stevedo]

Most problems I see with Harleys is when owners start personalizing the bike. The wrong after market parts can kill your bike.

[@Hero_of_Legend]

It's really not even the parts themselves. It's the workmanship. Failing to properly torque bolts, not using loctite, not properly grounding your wires, not reprogramming your ignition timing when you alter the airflow... I don't know one problem I've seen with a factory stock Harley-Davidson, in some time. It's always the guys who want to do their own mod work, so they can feel "manly".

[@Teatimeted]

Like a cup holder?

[@randymarks4011]

99% of the time when working on harleys you're fixing someone elses mistake.

[@52stevedo]

grimbles Exactly Especially cup holders.

[@gaborzaboo2168]

52stevedo Yup cup holders with your initials like a ding dong .

[@michesgqlledobbiln8928]

I had a '83 tour glide (shovelhead)with over 175000 miles and NEVER had any problems with it until someone rear ended me!

[@theimmortalsleazus8057]

Not even leaking oil? Makes me want that 83 ironhead I nearly bought and didn't and then lost a ton of money and never could

[@noahtheviking1]

crappy oil crappy gas crappy bike. good gas good oil good maintenance good bike. Plus ride it more often keep the cobwebs out.

[@Hero_of_Legend]

Never put regular in a bike. Especially a Harley. Premium 91 or higher octane only. Your bike is worth the extra pennies.

[@moorshound3243]

Simple, but the best bike advice on the tube.

[@Johnny96ri]

Some bikes are fine with regular.

[@drowinwasteland]

Louder for the folks in the back!!

[@votpavel]

run manufacturer oil and filters,full synthetic is only truly better for track use and kn filters let more air through giving you better performance but also more dust inside the system

[@abikeridernamedsilentbob64]

As long as chain tensioners are not overlooked and you check them every now and then, you should be fine. If you don’t check them, as time passes by the tensioner degrades to the point where it causes metal to metal contact and the debris clogs the oil pump. Doing so it can cause catastrophe problems to the engine. Or you can just get a sportster and not have these problems since they are gear driven cams. Regarding the conversion to gear drive on the Vtwins to eliminate the chain tensioners, true it can be a “fix” to the problem, but then you introduce another challenge. The crankshaft pinion runout cannot go over the exceeded limit otherwise the gear drive cannot work and can cause engine damage too. I’m not a hater, I own a Vtwin as well just keeping the ones that have Vtwins informed. Planning to check my tensioners when I hit 50K. Safe riding out there 👍🏽🏍

[@toyrunner87]

I was a warranty manager at a HD dealership for 6 years...the more electronics go on these bike and the more parts they have made in China the worse the reliability gets. Most of the issues were with the newer ignition and tuel injection...the ecms go out a lot.

[@jaywinters2483]

I worked in Quality Control from a company on energy sector that makes compressors for refineries. About 1/3 of the parts that came from China. I had to reject because they were out of tolerance..

[@jordanwalsh8171]

The main thing with any transportation is maintenance and how well you care for it, if your going to skip maintenance or treat it like a race machine, not keep it clean and generally abuse it, don't be surprised when it falls to bits

[@Dre-nr3je]

Not for all but if you like or own a Honda good for you, ride it and enjoy. When you have to bash any other brand I'd immediately doubt your sincerity. Ride what you love no ones gonna dump their brand and buy a honda because you love yours. I've never had an issue with any of my HD's and not trying to convert anyone.

[@keithroyster8373]

All you knuckleheads that put down Harley's are jealous because you can't afford one. Best looking motorcycles bar none, period,and this is my second Harley and both have been very reliable.. I had Honda's they are good motorcycles, but Harley's have history, culture,nostalgia and sound magnificent. I have a brand new 2017 Road Glide Ultra with the works, and damn glad and proud of this machine. I like to go to the HD dealerships just to look at the new ones. Oh one more thing, look at all the Goldwings,they're all plastic,ugly.

[@Dre-nr3je]

Right. I love all my HDs and never had an issue. It’s funny how people feel the need to bash what their favorite company spent millions and years trying to emulate. HD still sells and it’s not because they break down a lot or all harley owners are stupid. Cut that S out and ride what you love. I will always ride HD as I have I’m happy for the other brand owners but I don’t want it for me.

[@aeoo371]

Gloves came off we this person had to put down every other brand.

[@aeoo371]

Keith Royster my bike looks better, rides better, and has a real engine that doesn't shake the living hell out of you like a 1930s lawnmower!

[@aeoo371]

Keith Royster you just have to get the latest clothes!!! Hardly makes more money off of sheeple who have to get the latest clothes from hardly. My plastic will never fall off from shaking!!!! Enjoy your bike until the new hardlys come in from India!

[@jeffreyponting9524]

I had a 82 FLHS shovelhead which was fun to ride and sounded great.

[@dustinweist1605]

Most times Harley's break down because some people try to run them like sports bikes and that hurts the engine.

[@martincvitkovich724]

Dustin Weist I haven't had a breakdown on a Harley. EVER, been riding them for over 50 years. Now my KZ1000 Police bike?? Broke down and had to use a Sportster to escort one Ohio winter. As with any bike, as long as a rider does not red line the HD, they won't hurt the engine.

[@billcharlene1450]

Dustin Weist Nope...mine sees rev limiter all the time. 06 still solid.

[@1724nine]

Dustin Weist correct.but you can run a Honda naked bike hard without needing emediate maintenance. Does anyone realize the pototo potato sounds from hd is an engine imbalance? How awesome...not

[@darrelstarnes8277]

I ride my rocker like I just stole it and its dependable as hell.

[@moorshound3243]

Modern HD's have rev limiters no more red lining.

[@DrBo1]

whatever bike i most recently watch you talk about and ride, i want to go out and get one!! I bet you have done more for motorcycles and the Lord than the next 100 people!! Thank you...

[@AimlessMoto]

I just uploaded a video about my buddies 1994 Electra Glide Classic (looked just like this one) with 138,000 miles on it, still has perfect compression and has never been rebuilt!

[@michaelstaines9019]

Bet he`s ridden it up the "Yellow Brick Road" to "The Pearly Gates" too !!. Can`t be rebuilt at a HD dealer, `cos as soon as they get a new engine they have no one who knows how to fix the last one. Shovel, EVO, ??. They don`t know. They can`t fix a" Twinkie", Buell, or V-Rod either.Grab another comic book. Smoke another doob. Son`s of Anarchy will be on soon.

[@seanoleary1979]

EXTREMELY hard to believe! Especially with a motor that's dynamically unbalanced and trying to shake itself apart!

[@jmcrjc6799]

@@seanoleary1979 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 That's what I was thinking lol

[@steeveedee8478]

Well considering my experience with Harleys I very much doubt that one went that far with no rebuild or that the compression could still be 'perfect'.

[@seanoleary1979]

Yeaaaaaaaaah, OK! I gotta' bridge over in Brooklyn that I can sell you REAL CHEAP!!! ....half-wit!

[@jeromienorton6125]

I am a harley tech and we had a vrod come in with 96.000 miles that has only ever had leaks due to gasket and oring falure...motor has run strong and the guy just changes the oil

[@Bmuth712]

Love your channel for the Bible verses and the informative videos!

[@Srkcycles]

Thanks, God Bless

[@shiptime8108]

Why does everyone sample every brand based on one example. “I know a guy that has a ______ and it has 5 million miles.” For every 5 good bikes there’s a bad one and that goes for every brand. Just love the bike you chose and ride it till the wheels fall off. I’ve had them all and loved each one for different reasons.

[@harrymadison8416]

In the old days. Harley's leaked oil profusely. Also shook everything loose constantly . Plus they were temperamental to start. All that said... I LOVE MY. HARLEY

[@FCT8306onTwoWheels]

I still think the Street Glide and Road King from like 2015 were amazing machines. The comfort level on those in the wind was something else

[@joekool4]

In the old days, harley didnt use a recirculating oil system. They used a total loss system that exited through a tube that dripped onto the chain for lubrication.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

AMF get such a bad reputation by people who don't know what they're talkin about AMF put 10 million dollars into Harley-Davidson win a million dollars still a lot of money the only other company that wanted to buy Harley from the family with Bangor printer and Bangor punch it was famous for buying companies taking a tax write-off demolishing the building the banker puncher headboard Harley we would have Harley t-shirts and mugs and krapohl Up but no motorcycles Harley-Davidson like the American car manufacturers have disgruntled employees that would cover stuff up on the assembly line when you cry triple the number of bikes that you build even at the same rate of quality you will still have more defective bikes Harley dealers in the old days were enthusiastic who loved the brand and to bike if you had problems with your bike that was brand new they would try to fix it for you AMF had Little Italian design commuter bikes dirt bikes they had a more balanced range than the company has today but just like beautiful the dealer didn't want to touch the little bikes dirt bikes didn't want to sell them just wanted to sell Landyachtz Harley dealers aren't interested in selling anything that is not ridiculously expensive for what it is they have this attitude because of the customers they have had who has more money than God and throws money at them you go to the regular motorcycle dealers discussion happen I made more money at Sears selling Craftsman tools then a Salesman at Harley dealer makes I saw Craftsman tools because they were good quality and I believed in them I cannot say that about the new Harley

[@garypayton5081]

Amen to that brother, my 1974 74” was always breaking down but I loved it for some reason. I guess it taught me how to work on one.LOL

[@elithegreat6463]

it's the relative simplicity of the Harley Engine...My New 2019 FXDR is a keeper...I'm riding it into he Apocalypse

[@rebel_ltz]

As a motorcycle mechanic let me tell you that the FXDR has no simple engine.

[@tmw4828]

I got my FXDR recently and I love it

[@bm7760]

When I think about the diverse range of bikes I've had over four decades of riding I wonder where most of them are now. Likely long since been recycled. The reason you see so many Harleys out there, and it's just as true down here in New Zealand, is because they're easy to keep going and don't get superceded in the same, wasteful 'built in obsolescence' way of other manufacturers. Enjoy what you ride. Ride safe.

[@bradyboyer7118]

Love the comment you don’t put 100k miles on your car by just changing oil except in the 7.3! 😂👍🏼 rocking a 7.3 myself with 251!

[@danielmedina2078]

I am not a Christian but it's so edifying to hear the proverbs! I had forgotten that verse, gonna rewind.

[@menotyou7762]

you do realize that religion is bullshit? more people have died in the name of religion than anything else combined.

[@danielmedina2078]

@@menotyou7762 you do realize that I am talking about PERSONAL edification not group conflict . . . Smh

[@jdmrider]

OBS 7.3 PS with 340+k miles owner right here! starts right up drove it from central California to Las Vegas in the middle of summer with no problem. 100 degree in Cali, 114 in Vegas did not over heat.

[@ccseic]

When you, my friend, said ‘that’ about the American flag, you just grew up in my eye....by a lot. U da man.

[@stwhite5135]

Agreed!

[@billypyles212]

I have a 2011 dyna fxdc 96ci twin cam, 85600k within 4yrs, replaced cam tensioner's and stator, thats it and still riding

[@atfsgeoff]

Props for having a QUIET HARLEY!

[@geod3589]

I put over 100k on a 1967 FLH. I think any modern bike, regardless of brand, can do this with preventative and regular maintenance. I remember when a car was worn out at 80k, but now they go 200, 300 thousand miles. Take care of your bike and it will last.

[@manoomunicnent1773]

There's a Roger McGough poem , "sweat is the smell of life and far sweeter the scent of life than the stench of death". So yeah, wear your gear.

[@tommyt2854]

Unless that death is being grilled over mesquite or hickory, then it's pretty sweet!😎 (sorry man, couldn't resist!)

[@bagotoetags801]

One of the best videos ever, all true! A secret to any internal combustion engine; regular oil and filter changes, fresh air filters and spark plugs and don't thrash them.

[@sbollinger37]

Thank you, that was awesome....my anniversary ‘03 Ultra has 61,500 on it. I thought it was great that you stressed the importance of good riding gear ....great job !

[@seththomas9105]

If I was ever going to buy a Twin Cam it would be a 88 and I would put S&S gear drive cams. 88's don't seem to get so damn hot like the bigger TCs. Love my Evo's though and they still run strong.

[@joshszydel8202]

03 wing 112,000 miles. My buddy has an 02 wing with 516,000 miles.

[@dustinogle9522]

As in gold wing?

[@joshszydel8202]

@@dustinogle9522 correct

[@Axle-7]

@@joshszydel8202 when I was selling motorcycles in 2017 there was a guy on a 2013 ultra classic with over 250k miles. All original. There was another 2004 with 430k that aside from the cam tensioner was also original

[@mrelectraglide8155]

112,000 mi on my 2003 Electra glide. Never cracked open. All miles I have put on. Miles of smiles.

[@alissarobertson8840]

I put a hydraulic chain tentioner in two different twin cams both with about 45K the shoe on the factory tentioner was pretty wore out. I learned that the bike will run with the shoe tentioner completely gone and laying in.the bottom of the cover as one bike had. I got a 72 FLH on its 2nd motor rebuild it was a Tampa PD bike and it runs great I had it 32 years. Make mine HD.

[@sargemarine5450]

If you remember the AMF era, you would know where the rep came from. It took a lot of work to keep an AMF bike on the ride and running good.

[@ropeyarn]

I fell in love with my Softail the minute I put it in 5th gear, overdrive. With Harleys there is a big gap in top gear and all vibes disappear and the long stroke engine does its thing. Unfortunately they still make mechanical noise that is exacerbated by the windscreen, so wear ear plugs.

[@reaperronin8898]

FYI:: those pegs are installed that way to help stop the bike from falling completely on it's side during slow riding maneuvers, like u turns and such... The hold the bike up higher making it easier pick up,,, etc..

[@ericdolby1622]

Lol. Yeah.

[@MontysMotos]

You can easily find parts for any model or year, there's a competent mechanic on every corner, everything is easy to get to, no valve adjustments, indefinite service life on the drive belt... It's got to be the easiest bike to own.

[@snazzymcnazmy]

I thought the bad rep came from AMF

[@docholliday6285]

Correct

[@turbomustang84]

The 88ci Twin Cam's are extremely reliable once you upgrade the cam tensioners and if you buy one used you can use the needed upgrade as a bargaining tool . I have 50,000 on my 05 Dyna and no drips and would take off to parts unknown without the slightest hesitation. I have owned more Honda's then Harley's and had to do more maintenance on my Honda's than my Harleys . Other than oil changees and tires there is nothing to do on my Dyna but ride it . But doing valve work on a 4 Cylinder Honda was a pain and replacing the stator on the goldwing was no fun either . I will buy another Japanese bike most likely a Hayabusa. . No one was as shocked as I was when I found out how trouble free the twin Cam's are but I should have known better because even my Ironhead XLCH was very reliable but it did leak something none of my newer Harley's have ever done . I do prefer Harley's now but I do miss my old Norton Commando and my Bonneville even though they were a nightmare to keep running . I've owned just about every brand of bike made and kind of loved all 36 of them but I never understood the hatred some spew about Harley's when most people that talk shit about them have never owned one . So ride what ever you want and try not to give a shit what others ride. And just be safe and enjoy yourself.

[@billyholcomb1711]

Thanks for the video. I love my 05 Ultra. It does a good job. Was thinking about a new Milwaukee 8 to help the sales for my local dealership but dang it I love my bike. besides I already have 4 Harleys. Keep up your good works.

[@readtheinstructions1407]

I love my 6 speed for that 65 and above. It seems to smooth right out when I'm in it.

[@scottwitkowski1298]

Harleys are cool. But I cant stand the Harley culture. Even the dealerships turn me off.

[@adamziolkowski2549]

I agree, I love mine, just won't buy in the culture.

[@dennisschell5543]

Soyboy...

[@ltcavret7574]

Find a shop specializing In American made motorcycles. The only "culture" will be you...

[@JohnBruce32]

Yea there's always that one "I ride a real bike" guy. But the harley dealers are way nicer than any other bike dealers i've been to - still don't own a harley but thinking about it.

[@adamziolkowski2549]

@@dennisschell5543 -Peace to you too, my brotha!

[@jimdaniels3542]

I have 62,200 miles on my 2010 CVO ultra. It runs like brand new to this day. I love the bike and I'll never get rid of it. ALL BIKES HAVE THEIR PROBLEMS. You have to keep anything and everything maintained for it to last. I have one place that does my work. He's just the best out there in my opinion. SYNTHETIC FLUIDS ONLY...EVERY 3,000 MILES IF IT NEEDS IT OR NOT..

[@kfstreich4787]

I love your appreciation of all motorcycles

[@piedpiper1540]

My 08 Ultra Classic Touring 55,000 miles still running strong. Doesn’t use any oil between oil changes. Try and run a gallon of 100 octane jet fuel with a tank full of non ethanol gasoline fairly regularly , makes the motor purr as well as clean ! 👍

[@edwinkubena9944]

Finding myself wanting an old evo mid 90s Harley

[@metalman065]

That bike is nice, just what I'm looking for, the exhaust system is way too quiet. The bags on the windshield are in the way, it does look like it's running and handling pretty good.

[@_thanksdavid_]

My personal mechanic is a guy that ran my local Harley dealership maintenance department for 20 years and he never shuts up about how Honda makes the best goddamn bikes out there

[@camgere]

Read “The Honda Book of Management” by Setsuo Mito, 1990. Honda has a rather Darwinian management style where the best idea wins. Soichiro Honda raced Harleys in his youth. And drank. They really work at quality. As an example, Just In Time production means you stop the line when you make a bad part. You fix the problem that caused the bad part immediately, That is one less vehicle completed for the day. That is for a skip of just one cycle (takt or pipeline) time. Hint, they don’t make bad parts all that often.

[@clarenceswope3026]

My opinion it don't matter if you have a Honda a Harley Yamaha Kawasaki Suzuki any of them are capable in today's modern tolerances engine wise to go well over a hundred thousand miles if you do the maintenance if you don't do the maintenance any of them can be garbage I'm sorry for thinking that way but it's true some bikes are cheaper to maintain then other bikes prime example the Honda Magna V45 for the V65 because the carburetors are stuck in between the for cylinders and it is a major undertaking to pull all those carburetors out put them back in exactly the proper order where they came out so on and so forth I'm not willing to pay $1,000 every time you get a little piece of garbage in your fuel it goes through your fuel line and clouds one of your jets there's $1,000 bill no thank you that's where the fuel injection shines

[@Hero_of_Legend]

camgere: The company I work for models itself after Honda's production strategy. Little secret: It doesn't work as well as it sounds. We are almost constantly on overtime, playing "catch up" because of its flaws. Take it from someone with years of experience on the inside...the Honda model is absolutely nothing to brag about. There's a reason you never hear anyone brag about it, who isn't salary, and thus immune to the constant overtime shifting, and other flaws.

[@camgere]

You are probably right. 80% - 90% of quality efforts fail. Quality takes honesty, integrity and even artistry to work. Systems develop internal priorities of their own. If you use computers for order entry, the computer system becomes a higher priority than getting the customer’s order entered,. Employees and management can be equally greedy and lazy. Management additionally wields power. It is oh, so easy to scream “Just obey my orders and no backtalk” which eliminates any chance of success for a quality system. You do need to wield power and direct the activities of employees or chaos would reign. An artistic touch doesn’t seem so silly, does it? There is the eternal conflict between personal self interest and the self interest of the group task to be accomplished. Maybe a cutting machine needs to be overhauled and have regular maintenance. The manager’s schedule and budget don’t allow for this. So he just yells “Turn the crank and make the product!” Both the manager and employee feel the other is wrong and they know what is right. People get advanced by perception, but perception is not reality. Hiding problems is not the quality way, but it is the way to career advancement, Employees take delight in the failure of their fellow employees, who are competitors for advancement. Nothing destroys a company faster than this. Many managers say that loyalty is the highest quality in an employee. Not honesty and integrity. They want a Goodfella who will go along with the corruption as usual. You know your workplace and I know nothing of it. It is a terrible thing to be unhappy in one’s job.

[@michaelwalker1119]

Angel Bowfinger you're right. I used to work for a company that made car part's with that just in time bullshit. This came from the customer (insert car manufacturer here). That went right out the window. We would run off a months worth in a day or two. I know of other suppliers that did the same. The main reson. The £10,000 a minute fine if you stopped the production line.

[@hcderksen]

Harleys are way over rated. Every owner I know has spent bundles keeping them going. My close friend’s 2003 Harley ultra needed rebuilding, to the cost of $8500, rebuilt factory engine, triple rebuild, frame a new swing arm rebuild. All at 85000 miles. This unit was well maintained. My Goldwings had 130000 miles and the most I spent was an alternator and tires. There is a guy that I met in Sturgis with a Goldwing 1500 that had 360000 miles.

[@elmoomle4565]

Having owned 3 HDs in my day, I can attest that they are essentially, 'parade bikes'...great for slow speeds, look good, sound good. As such, they are very 'agricultural' in that the tech is very basic and the performance envelope is likewise, very basic and rather limited. They're fun when used and appreciated in the aforementioned manner. That's their 'flavour', if that's your thing.

[@antonyjohnson5779]

When your a millionaire you can take a harley to HD and let them work on it at $95+ an hour, but when your on disability with a 06' street glide with 100,000 miles on it and $1200 a month income that's not an option for me!

[@skAhnaksA]

Chaun tensioners sucked. Changed too many! That and defective compensators. I would say other than that reliability issues are from cheap after market mods and "backyard mechanics".

[@renniesmith8073]

I put 70,000 on my 2010 super glide custom all I ever did was change the oil and usually went way over the recommended 5000 miles other than that I had a wheel bearing go out and that was it. It was still running strong when I sold it. I wouldnt doubt it if its still out there somewhere?

[@manuelgallardo1936]

I like what u said about the flag. 🇺🇸

[@gearhead9412]

I have an 09 Screamin Eagle 18000 Miles on it and it keeps breaking down and I grew up in a Honda dealership back in the Midwest and we ride Harleys and Honda and honestly I'm going to start riding my aspencade more because the Harley just keeps breaking down I'd rather go to Sturgis on my Harley but I've been there on a Honda doesn't matter what your ride as long as you're on two wheels and your hair is blowing in the wind and that's a good life

[@padrescout]

There was that guy with a BMW K75 that put like 350,000 miles on it before he got hit and the bike totaled as well. Bikes will do miles, 85k is no big deal.

[@Jrock420blam]

There is a guy who pushed two Harley's over 1 million miles each. Taken care of they can run nearly forever.

[@padrescout]

I am having trouble believing a million. Even given that theoretically the engine should have the crank turning on a film of oil so the only main bearing wear you see is at startup.... that's a long time. But sure - could happen, hell a bunch of those old Volvo red blocks hit a million, hell so many they made little badges you could request - so yeah, I'll go for that. Bikes last a long-ass time. It tickles me when people ask "I found X bike I really like but it has 20,000 miles on it (or 30,000 - some low number) is it worn out?" People are crazy.

[@Jrock420blam]

You can Google it. Bike is retired in the Sturgis museum, it's pretty cool. lol ya so many people are like that, miles aren't a big deal specially when the other guys been taking care of it. Good owners often have receipts for everything they've ever had done. Usually it's just Cam work at 35k and then around 80k

[@padrescout]

Cool, yeah I googled it and sure enough a million mile Harley. I'm actually more impressed the guy rode it a million miles than the thing mechanically survived a million miles but either way - that's a lot of miles. Good machine.

[@matooleyobrien2918]

Charlie I'll put it to you quick and simple my friend is VP one of the biggest motorcycle clubs on the East Coast they are NOT a outlaw Club.. they have been around since the thirties, any brand of motorcycle is allowed just has to be so many cc. Getting to the point through the thousands literally thousands and thousands of motorcycles in almost 90 years of existence and with meticulous record-keeping of what member on what bike breakdowns blowing engines exedra... no matter what decade how you slice and dice unfortunately Harley-Davidson holds the dishonor of being the motorcycle with the most breakdowns blown engines and repairs and least miles. Now this is based on records and data not opinion or favoritism. Now the old guys that are still around some in their 80s are living Testaments of the continual problems and colossal unreliability of Harley-Davidson compared to Japanese motorcycles. The facts are the facts and it's the same story with other clubs in the United States Canada all across Europe... no matter shovel knuckle pan Evo whatever... no matter pre Evo with engine fixes such as Machining and making oil flow better Harley-Davidson even the Newer ones are 100% absolutely nothing compared to the Japanese bikes their superior quality longevity and low maintenance... as a proud American a retired Union man this saddens my heart. So sad even Harleys of 2018 shifting between gears. Ka chunk Ka chunk... $30,000 + dollars half reliable high maintenance motorcycle. Just pitiful absolutely pitiful how piss-pot poor Harley actually is.

[@KRE03051]

Ive got a 5 speed, 2001 Fatboy 88 CI with 43k miles. It sat for 7 years cause of a new edition to the family, but after an oil change, new tires, cam chain tensioner, new carburetor, and a fuel tank drain, it runs great. My only complaint is the lack of power that the 88 CI provides. Especially riding with others, as they will flat out leave you in the dust. Maybe I have been spoiled by my other bike which is 117 CI fuel injected Road Glide..but I really feel it lacks power.

[@zakkor50]

Test Ride Indian Chieftain 2019 and compare it head 2 head with HD SG. This will be the video of 2019

[@phillipternullo4934]

I’m a Harley guy . My son has a Ducati and he hasn’t had to spend very much money to maintain it . It’s what over 20 years old . It’s a 920 L and runs like a champ .

[@jacspring7729]

Those shield bags...

[@thedefenestrator2994]

Jac Spring. I know right? They obstruct way too much view, and should be mounted lower. A couple inches lower still wouldn't cover the gauges.

[@oneslave3318]

This is good news. Surely with such a solid product, Harley will soon match the Indian Warranty of 1,000,000 miles. That million mile warranty will really help Harley stay competitive and sell more bikes.

[@andor8635]

I know someone who has 170000 miles and his Harley and it's still running.

[@ltcavret7574]

Routine maintenance, quality oil, not riding like you're running from an ex wife, using OEM or high quality replacement parts...no reason you cant ride a Harley a good long time...oh and keep the chrome off of your motor

[@rjoetting7594]

This is an old post, but I had to comment on leaking Harleys. I own three Harleys, a 1992 Electra Glide Ultra Classic, 1991 Springer Softtail, and a 1978 Flh bobber. The only one that leaks is 1978, and it only leaks because of sumping. That's when the oil in the tank bypasses the check ball in the oil pump and drains into the crank case. Then oil leaks out the vent tube. Mine only has this problem if it sits for more than a couple of weeks or I don't change the oil every 3000 miles. The 78 flh doesn't actually have an oil filter. It's a screen mesh in the oil tank that is removed and cleaned and then reinstalled. And that can allow debris to get into the oil pump and not allow the check ball to fully seat.

[@billseward8176]

81,000 miles on my 2002 Roadstar. 133,500 miles on my 1985 Vmax. Neither is anywhere near needing an overhaul. Well maintained. Most HDs with over 100,000 miles have been rebuilt at least once.

[@seanoleary1979]

227,000 miles on my Goldwing with several other members of my Goldwing Riding Club with 300,000 and 400,000+ miles on theirs. One guy has over 500,000! Just think, it would take 10 Harleys to get to 500,000 the way they fall apart (like all my Harleys did) at 50,000!

[@kshinn6032]

And it fires right up. Beautiful bike. Love the way old Harley blue bikes patina.

[@YouMotorcycle]

LOL. I have a Ducati and two Harleys in the garage. They're fine. It's all about how you look after them and how any previous owners looked after them.

[@seanoleary1979]

WRONG! Next year will be 40 years on 2 wheels for me. In those 40 years, I've had 37 bikes - 4 of 'em Harleys. Guess which 4 were the WORST f-ing bikes EVER? You guessed it... the HARLEYS! (Coming in a hot second was 5 of my POS BMWs) As for the other 4 brands I've had close to ZERO problems! How/why is that? No cam chain tensioner problems, no cam bearing problems, no shifter shaft seal problems, no electrical problems, no radio problems, no key fob/no start problems, no ABS module problems, no leaks, and best of all - no parts literally falling off the bike! My current Goldwing has 227,000 miles on it with only tune-ups and oil changes! HOW BOW DA???????

[@jimmyday7661]

40 years of riding 37 bikes and only 4 of which were Harleys, I say do the calculation? Why would you have to buy 33 other bikes??? Lol !!!

[@metome1484]

a friend of mine rides his dyna for 160 K miles then he trades it for another brand new dyna and same thing during around 4 years. now that is a Rider.

[@michaelchal8018]

Have a 2003 Kawasaki nomad has 276,000 miles and still running strong!!!!

[@Srkcycles]

Thats nuts! Take care of your bike and it will take care of you

[@davidwheeldon5918]

Hey man, just wanted to say hi! Found the channel and can't stop watching, I follow both channels now. Great work 👍🏻

[@baham9217]

Ask GM about the "fallacy of reliability". They got crushed by Honda and Toyota in the 80's & 90's because their reliability was horrendous. Yes, all things break, especially mechanical parts made by men. But, a lack of reliability will hurt you in the end. Ask GM in 2008, and ask H-D now (although H-D's problems are more related to an aging customer base that isn't riding any longer). It does matter.

[@MonzaRacer]

Todd Baham actually if you run maintenance on a GM Ford chryco as the Asian makers pushed the cars go just as far. As a mechanic I see just as many 150k+ American as well as Asian. I drive a 200k+ Pontiac 2004 model, also have 200k+ 94 Olds.

[@Jrock420blam]

Yeah AMF nearly ruined the company but since the buy back they have been back on top with their reliability and quality. That is a problem all bike manufacturers are having HD are still 50-60% of all motorcycle sales so it's not like everyone is buying little metric bikes instead. Fewer people ride because wages are so low no one has the money to spend on extra things like motorcycles anymore.

[@lancedooley7558]

Todd Baham not to mention HD stock prices dropping like old people. 😂

[@apkn1955]

I asked GM and they said the Japanese companies hit the ground running. They did not have to spend any money on technology because the government came hat in hand when it was time to rebuild Japan post WW2. GM went patriotic and gave them the keys to the kingdom. GM suffered helping to win the war. GM had their hands tied by regulation, building one kind of car for California and another for the rest of the country.

[@seanoleary1979]

...an aging customer base and a younger motorcycling crowd that's not into overpriced, heavy, ill handling, low-powered bikes that look and perform as though they are frozen in the 1950's!

[@robertbragg9364]

I think it's just the price of the bikes and the price of parts. Harleys definitely seem to require more maintenance to me but that may just be the bikes I've bought. People just have to be argumentative for the sake of arguing. Your videos are great and all the info is much appreciated by most of us. Thank you and be safe.

[@nicholasmapes]

The bad rep comes from the fact that harleys used to not be very reliable, the AMF days were dark... Also, old harleys leaked oil, by design. Folks saw oil under their bike, or had to add oil from time to time, and thought their bike was dripping or using oil... well, it was dripping oil, but its designed into the engine. New harleys are a world above the AMF days... not even the same company in my opinion

[@timothygallagher5708]

As of now, my 2012 FLHTK has 88k miles on the 103 motor. I love it! Currently I’m riding approximately 8-10k miles a year.

[@paulatradies1474]

If you're driving a Ducati you're probably not to worried about money!!

[@oahukane]

Paul. You don’t Drive bikes. You Ride them!

[@theimmortalsleazus8057]

Ducati's look nasty. I don't mean in a good way yuk

[@ababbit7461]

Sean, "Why would you put the pegs on backwards like that?" So that when you drop the bike at low speeds the peg is not going to collapse inward and be able to stop the bike from falling over too far to pick it up and it saves the crash bar from getting scraped up. It is a trick that Ride Like A Pro's Jerry Palladino shows on his training video. It is for practicing at slow speed and not having to worry about scratching up your crash bar. I bet the person who had that bike was older and got rid of it because it was now too heavy for them. Just a guess.

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

People bagging on you for defending Harley, saying whats the big deal, my blah blah blah did it...but they don’t see clueless knuckleheads trash talking their brand on the internet nearly as much. HD has a big target on their back for their success, not their failures.

[@seanoleary1979]

Success????????? They've closed 3 Harley dealerships here on Long Island in the past 7 years! They're tanking as we speak. Fewer and fewer young people want anything to do with a bike that looks like it was yanked out of the 1950's! Just say NO to drugs!

[@malcolmsmith8234]

I had a 91 Ultra Classic it had like maybe 25k miles on it. Bought from a guy that had it sitting in his backyard garage hardly ever rode it! So I bought it, great riding motorcycle! So one day I decided to look up any recalls on it, yep it had a carb recall on it! Well Something inside the carb! Had that fix! Then everything started going down hill! I was putting more money into keeping it alive than riding! Good running bike when I didn’t have to replace stuff! Also, it had a 5 speed transmission and i always thought the engine needed 6 speed transmission. But 6 months after I got a 07 Ultra Classic! This bike was a breath of fresh air, I actually got it so me and wife could ride together, well she ride it once! I told her if I knew she wasn’t going to ride I would’ve got me a Heritage Softail or street glide! But I still have the 07, bought it with 27k 2 yrs ago and it only has 32,637 on it! Them miles were put in it going back and forth to dealership upgrading mufflers and fuel pak and riding to work! HD should’ve made the Ultra where you could detatch the top truck!

[@telcobilly]

I had an '05 SE Ultra with a detachable trunk. The rack came off with it giving the rear a clean look. My '01 Road king had the quick disconnect mounts as well. I gave it to my son and got myself a '06 Springer Classic..

[@thorick590]

umm... so i hung with the whole video and never got the answer to "Why Harley Davidsons can Last forever". Or was the answer the revelation that Harleys were made of 'metal and plastic' supposed to be the reason ? I have 2008 Softail since new that I like. Barring a defective part somewhere, the biggest headache I can see is belt replacement. Having to take apart the entire primary drive and clutch assembly just to be able to install a new belt is testament to the crazy design of the power transfer mechanism. Since they've been like that for decades, any Harley mechanic should be able to remove and replace the primary drive transfer clutch assembly in their sleep without making a costly mistake, I guess that's a plus.. My old Honda 1100 Shadow that I gave up for the Harley had 55,000 miles on it only getting oil and filter changes, a set of plugs and one coolant flush.. It's probably still ticking off the miles for someone right now..

[@chopperman8042]

Harley has a wonderful valve train! Metric bike use Ohc which requires more in depth maintenance. The bmw 1200 runs a very similar valve train an harley!

[@1satisfiedmind]

True, but 2 metrics, the 1100 Honda Shadow, and 1500/1600 Kawasaki Vulcans have self adjusting valve tensioners. Put 75 k on my old Honda and 85k on my Vulcan. Never needed valve adjustments. Basic plugs, lube oil and filter maintenance bikes.

[@geraldscott9446]

My 1997 Superglide has 72,000 on it. Never been apart. My 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, bought new, had 128,000 on it when one of the 4 cam chains snapped. The motor is now history. It cannot be rebuilt because most of the parts are only available as super expensive complete assemblies. The same thing applies to the H-D Twin Cam. When H-D designed the Twin Cam, they did it the Japanese way. Individual bearings and other small parts cannot be replaced separately. It would cost several times more to rebuild a Twin Cam than an EVO. Why do you think late model Twin Cams are available so cheap on Craigslist? Because they are disposable motorcycles, just like Japanese bikes, and they depreciate just like Japanese bikes. Look at the price of an EVO compared to a Twin Cam. Usually twice as much. But you're buying a bike that can last half a million miles, then put a new S&S engine in it and start all over again.

[@seanoleary1979]

The Vulcan is a cheap Asian copy of a Harley for people who cannot afford the true dysfunction of a Harley. I have 227,000 miles on my Goldwing with only tuneups and oil changes. There's 2 guys in my local Goldwing Riders Chapter that have over 400,000 miles on their Goldwing without a single glitch! One has over 500,000 (with a valve seal job and universal joints in the driveshaft only). The 4 Harleys I owned couldn't make it to 50,000 miles without transmission problems, electrical problems, radio, keyfob, tail-light, and ABS module problems. Face it... they're simply disgusting motorcycles!

[@ckelley63]

@@seanoleary1979 Lol your just mad because you can't afford one Goldwing BAHAWAHAWAH!!!

[@seanoleary1979]

@@ckelley63 ...ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, I have 2 Goldwings. A naked 1977 GL1000 and a 2010 GL1800 with the Comfort/Navi/Airbag package. CB too. So much for "BAHAWAHAWAH," eh?

[@donmichigan8201]

S&S makes twin can engines also

[@kevinlam1868]

Harley isnt the only brand of bike to leak oil. Ive seen plenty of other bikes piss oil long much earlier than expected

[@ColinAverill]

You got a subscriber when you started reading Proverbs.

[@chrisseletzky6244]

Wow, I just realized I'm only an hours ride down rt30 from you guys. Keep up the good work!

[@rickykraus7450]

I know a guy with a 2003 Honda Gold Wing with 515,000 miles. You can keep the Harley.

[@fordblue3400]

ricky kraus yeah but to have to be seen on that geek machine for that many miles 🤭😬....the emotional toll the embarrassment would have from riding a goldwing will put them right back even

[@rickykraus7450]

ford blue true! Lol it’s not my first choice either but you can’t deny the longevity and reliability of Honda. I do like your name though. Lol

[@bingo90210]

ricky kraus gotta 57 Harley with over 300k. Still starts first kick. At least I look cool and not like an astronaut in training hahah

[@rickykraus7450]

Christopher Wilson Maybe cool in you own mind! Reality is Harley’s aren’t that cool. You can keep that crap thinking you are so called cool. Basically what I’m saying is everyone has a different perception of cool.

[@bingo90210]

ricky kraus old shit is cool no matter what it is. Old bikes were cool then, they’re cool now. I have a 74 goldwing. That’s cool. I have a 1960 comet that’s cool.