You lucky bastard I stupidly sold my Honda VT 400 thinking I didn’t ride it enough, now I’ve had twins I’d kill for another bike (Iron 883) but don’t have the money
I've got a guy with a 1996 evo sportster that I do all his maintenance since it was new, he's closing in on 200,000 miles, never split cases, 1 clutch, lifters twice, 1 topend at over 150,000 miles, still running strong.
Hey that’s nice to know as a few yrs ago I picked up a 1995 1200 Sportster with 1,500 orig miles in mint cond. I do all my own wrenching & so far have 10,000 trouble free miles & I ride this awesome bike pretty hard. I have no desire to get a newer bike, these older non rubber mounted, non efi bikes run stronger than current ones imo
I've got a 94 883 hugger with 30000 on it. Low miles for its age. Still starts right up every time. I've only changed the rims, tires, grips, and oil. I'm installing a new clutch in the spring, but that's just because of a stretched cable that I caught too late. The cable housing where it enters the case was snapped by the time I noticed. Lesson learned .
One of the best videos you’ve ever done. There are a ton of people out there that think that motorcycles are a luxury that is not affordable. You proved that wrong on every level with this video. You chose the most expensive motorcycle brand and showed your followers how affordable motorcycles can be. There are literally hundreds of thousands of bikes out there like that with every imaginable brand on the tank. You don’t crap on Harley btw. You tell the truth about your opinion and you are 99.9% spot on. You probably just helped a few riders in the making who have been sitting on the fence about a motorcycle. Hats off to you Shadetree for doing that. You are a great ambassador to the motorcycle community. 👍
If you are patient and you shop around any brand or type of bike can be had for a fraction of its new MSRP. mileage is not dea breaker for me as long as the bike is well maintained adult owned and ridden and garage kept. Serious owners keep maintenance records. These are the keys to buying used and not getting screwed.
Aint that the truth . I bought a bike with 4500 original miles that was 15 years old that sat for 10 years and ill be got damned if that shit wasnt having issues CONSTANTLY . It never broke down or left me stranded . But it was just a scary bike because of all the scary shit it was doing . After countless trips to the shop I finally got it dialed in after 2 years and its straightened up and is now a trouble free awesome STILL low mileage bike but . Damn I woulda taken one with 30k on it that I didnt have to break like a wild horse . That being said she's golden grahams now . Great bike.
@@hsmith3844 So the only people that have the skills to properly maintain a motorcycle are certified tech's ok. I guess it kinda sucks to find out my Harley's are destroyed do to the fact that all the regular maintenance has not been done by a overpriced mechanic i might as well scrap the shit.
Thanks for the kind words as always, Sir. And thanks for showing people that nothing is impossible if they want to get in the wind! This sort of thing grows the motorcycle community, and I love it.
This video popped up on my feed 5 days ago. I was in no way in the market for a motorcycle nor had I been watching any motorcycle videos. But as of today I now I have a Harley in the garage. Thanks ShadeTree Surgeon!
My godson just got his 04 1200C for just about the same price. I'm setting up his carb this weekend.. It's a sweet ride, with great wheels and V&H shorties already worth twice what he paid for it. The absolute perfect first street mill. You can get new cans, pistons, and mild head work for way less then 1k if you do the assembly yourself. Clutches are cheap, and easy. What's not to love about that? Have to say, I cried just a little to see a 19 yo excited to get a Harley. We raised him right!
You can definitely get on a Harley for cheap. My first Harley was a 2011 883 superlow with 3k miles, and I got it for $4k. It already had a sundowner seat and V&H short shots. I got the hard leather sportster bags, luggage rack, and sissy bar for $200. Put about 10k miles on it and got $4k for trade in on it when I bought a 2014 Fat Bob. If you're willing to look, you can get on a decent Harley for a really fair, and affordable price.
Creepermoss depends on your situation.. I live in an apartment and a second bike would be one too many for me lol. I'm already storing my old scooter and a parts bike at work until I can fix a few things and sell it when it warms up a little here
When I go out my $6k 09 street bob gets more love than my friends new street glides and road glides and my 03 Sportster that I bought for $2k gets more love than my street bob. Buy em cheap and make it your own
The nice part I’ve always noticed about sportsters, is that you can go up in multiples of 500 bucks in sales price and be in completely different worlds.
That sportster also has the first upgrade you need on a Harley, new grips. Those Kuryakyn Iso grips are glorious on a vibratey v-twin, and look pretty decent as well.
"One more of us and one less of them". I love it. Could you imagine what the highways would be like if they were dominated by bikes? Lots easier to travel. It's cold and damp here today, but I think I'm gonna fire up ol' Maggie and go for a quick beer and dip run...
That sportster is a deal. When I was searching for my first bike earlier this year I couldn’t find a Harley for less then 5k regardless of how old. Weeks later I was able to find a Blue Honda shadow aero that had tons of custom stuff for less then I have ever spent on a car. $2000 can put you on a great bike that you can ride till it falls apart and you end up saving so much on gas and insurance you could buy another one to in a year. I’ve ridden to work every day since June and don’t plan on stopping this winter unless we get ice up here in NC. Thanks for all your videos man! You’ve made me one less of them and one more you y’all.
One of the great things about sportsers, is the engines are a fantastic design, no dumb plastic cam chain tensioner to worry about that can ruin your happiness.
Me: yeah I ride a yamaha virago. Harley owner: oh sweet man i ride a Harley Davidson super street limited dyna heritage road king glide with an extra glide.
I've been trying to explain this for ages!, ^heirloom^ engine, spot on!!, just like a lot of old British bikes, they are made to be rebuilt, over and over, if you ride the bejesus out of Harley's, maintaining them is all you need to do, that's why they're expensive, 40 years from now, it's going to still be rideable, ....or sat in a garage needing a couple of weekends spannerring to bring back from the dead for another 40 years,😀
I just discovered your channel last night, and I gotta say you’ve definitely got one of the coolest channels out there! You seem like such an awesome guy, someone who’s easy to get along with. Thanks for being so chill and making badass content! Keep it up! 🤘
2k for a 1200 Sportster? You could rebuild it( if you HAD to) and customize the hell outta it, and still not spend as much as a new one costs.Great deal!
Put up a tent!! You can always find room for another bike!! Thanks for showing these bikes! With all the hype of new model years, its great to see affordable Harleys. Thanks man!
white lightning yes, the Evo big twin. However, the Sportster is an Evo motor has been pretty much unchanged in it cam and valve configuration since 1986. That’s what makes them so great and really the last harley home mechanics can modify and still wrench on themselves. That was a great price on that 1200.
Hey Josh, today I joined the real biker club and bought a girls’ bike. Haven’t been riding since I crashed my shit mid September. So even though the season is over here in Sweden (snowed today) I am once again a bike owner, and I will be wrenching on shit through the winter. I’m super fucking happy, and felt like sharing that with you. Much love.
My first and current bike is a 2002 Sportster 1200C, it had 7k miles. I paid $2k for it and it had Stage 1 Screaming Eagle kit. It now has 12k miles better seat and 18" apes. Awesome bike and I ride it as much as I can. Keep the awesome vids.
picked up my 09 Nightster with 45k miles for $2k. Year later its around 52k, zero issues. As you said, saw it as a project and its exactly that. Idea was to rebuild the engine but to be fair, its running perfectly so I'll just wait.
@@ericweber1969 private sellers, man. Usually they put up a price you can drop much easier than from a dealership. If they're selling, most of the time they just want it out. Best part of this bike is I can do whatever and not even feel bad about it hahhaha
SouthTX R/T thanks for the response. I haven't bought a used bike in a long time, so I don't have a sense of how much the asking prices are inflated. I see a lot of sportsters offered in the $3500-$5000 range, almost none listed below $3k. What do you suppose those asking prices actually translate to?
@@ericweber1969 I guess it comes down to the owner, man. Look for any defects you can find to drop no matter how insignificant it may seem. That's a point to adjust the price. Dude wanted 3.2k but it had work needed. Not gonna lie, I actually was drown to the condition it was cause it meant more wrenching for me. So go check the bike out, and find any little thing to try and drop price. I bet the 3.5k bikes can be dropped to like 2.5k-2.7k depending the condition. Don't be afraid to check them out. Once there, the seller will be more flexible than through email or phone. Keep looking, man, I bet you'll find a great deal. If you look for it, you will find it.
Bring cash and don't keep it all in one pocket. After pointing out all the flaws you can find, offer him $2 grand cash from one pocket. Make sure to emphasize that you're paying CASH. That often will entice a buyer to jump. If he counter-offers, make another counter offer above yours, but below his. If he still resists, say "Look, $X.XX CASH is as high as I can go." Hold just the first bundle of cash out on an open hand and let that green color mesmerize him like a snake charmer. When he agrees, pull the rest of the money from a couple of different pockets.
That's what I did and it's nice to have extra to customize your way and like you said once you have one you can rebuild forever. That's the real deal for us average folks. Let's Ride
Hey I just started following the channel ...and well ...its as good as it gets ...every coment is precise ...and there is joy by watching ...is remarkably entertaining ...so premium for anyone out there ...I been ryding motorcycles for 35 years now ...plenty of miles in the USA ...as well in Costa Rica and Panamá ...its very different aproach because of the roads and cultural driving hehaviour ...but ...intense that I will say ...hey keep going forward with this videos ...all the luck and blessings to you ...and DONT STOP !!! ....
I ordered a 1200 XL sportster in Nov.of 93 it came January 1994.... of course it hasn’t been stock for many years but it is still screaming fast and of all the Harleys I have a owned over my 66 years my 94 1200 is absolutely my favorite....!
Picked up and 85 Honda magna 700 for $900. Had 30,000 love the bike. Lots of torque and loads of fun to ride. Cheap and different from most bikes you see on the road.
Bad thing about putting so much horsepower in a Sportster is that it will not ride well at high speeds. Slow speed you will have to constantly ride the clutch bc the lope will be so bad it will jerk alot. In the middle though it's a torque machine.
Sporster engine is the most reliable engine design Harley has. I've had a Sportster and now I have a big twin and I wish the big twin engine was made more like the Sportster engine
That's an incredible deal on the 07 sportster 1200 custom! I spent 2 months & 5k looking for a 1200 custom. The only difference is my 08 only had 2,300 miles. Smoking deal on the 07 for 2k
@Brandon Macon It 's all good now. We rebuilt the motor, transmission and pretty much the whole bike. 😂 Now it starts with one kick and rides good too. Check my insta if you are interested.
Good video, great bikes with good prices. Got me thinking about starting to get my bike some company in my garage, variety is the spice of life. At prices like that I could get a couple.First time I watched one of your videos,you inspired me. Thanks Ash
You the man Yes you can get a bike 😀 Got my buddy on his 3 years ago and every ride with him he thanks me for telling him to get that bike Your a beautiful human love your videos Keeping it weard
Sweet Sporty ! Mine has 62000km on it it’s a 883 custom had the engine updated last winter to 1200cc did the valves too and now it’s a totally different bike , love it 😍
brand new 1200sporty kits are like 1200$ DIY so yeah, even cheaper than 1500$ if you already got the tools and a garage. That is one of the biggest reasons I want to get a harley, is that heirloom last forever simplicity of their engines. I plan on keeping the harley I get for 30~40years. top end kits for it can be put in in a weekend and cost 1700$ 1700freakin dollars for a top end is wonderful price. 1700 for another 50K miles? hellyeah.
I think you're completely right. You have to search and search. That way I found my 2003 Aprillia RSV Mille, a superbike with 20k miles on the clock, including a new rear tyre, for about 2500 bucks. Other then some small maintenance I had to do nothing to it.
So true - my Ironhead was only 2,200 English pounds for a running bike. The insurance is a quarter of what I pay for my car (a 1.3 Ford KA) and it's old enough to be exempt from road tax and yearly inspection. It's pretty good on fuel too, which surprised me, and parts are cheap.
I had an in guy at a local HD dealership. The fixer upper bikes that come in on trade and sit in the back go for peanuts at the end of the year. The employee price is even lower. I think the dent is still in their floor where my jaw hit it.
I love sportsters! No clue why people hate on them. Just not a fan of their new XL fuel tank is all. Love the classic peanut tanks. There’s so much that can be done to a sporty and they are often the base for a chopper.
I bought my 06 dyna street bob for 5500$. 9k miles. V&h big radius pipes. Saddle bags. Custom paint... What I'm saying is that there are so many good used Harleys for the right price that anyone can afford one
This is similar to what I just did. I was wanting a KLR 650. I had in mind about $2000 worth of mods and accessories I was wanting to add. Then, I found a 2012 KLR 650 with 12000 miles and every accessory and mod I was wanting to do, for $5000. It even had a binder with all of the receipts for the work done on it. If you look around, you can find the bike you want for the price you can afford, most of the time.
I paid $2500 for my 95 sporty and it's only the 883.wish I could have come across that steal I would have been on it lol.but I'm happy with mine an she's beautiful! honestly I think I'll be keeping it forever and just putting it aside once I upgrade.someome has put a ton of money into it an she's absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!
55k on my '05 xl1200c (same bike in this video) and she still rumbles. I ride from S.F. to L.A. or sometimes Vegas with no problem. Paid $5500 cash back in 2011, still practicallly had cellophane on her, less than 4k miles. Some "lean angle" scratches and typical asphalt rash on the paint in spots but still catch a compliment now and then. Took a tumble tryna cut thru some soft sand years ago, lesson learned. Hit a prairie dog and his head cracked my belt guard. Went for a slide a few months back getting cut-off in traffic and bent a mirror, brake handle, and foot peg that was already scuffed. I just can't seem to break her, wish I could say the same for my wife. Probably could still get $2k if I tried to sell her... the bike of course. That's about as economical a ride as you can find and she never fails to put a smile on my face.. again, talkin about the bike.
2000 883 was my first bike, still have it. I have moved on but i am going to scramble that 883 when $$$ allows...BUY IT !!..1900$ out the door. Soooo many options for sporty builds.
That Sporty is a EFI rubbermounted 1200C with a 4.3gl tank. That’s not bare bones, that’s a top of the line Sportster. As for the Limited, that’s the 1st year of the liquid cooled heads, so you know that bike can idle all day in Sturgis and will never overheat. It also has Bluetooth integration and GPS, rider to passenger comm, hell even has a CB radio. Talk about decked out! Both bikes are a great deal to those budget minded who want a great bike.
Quite happy with my sportster...and it’s only an 883. Plenty fast for me. Gonna doing some mods this winter on mine. Good video, like those older sportsters, look forward to if you do a sportster build.
I picked up the Springer Softail for $8900 out the door with 12k on the clock, because I bought it in February, in the butt cold. Always shop for a bike when it's cold, IMO.
IMO, bikes are even less expensive in Florida in the summer. Just what I've experienced, your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited. CA, NY, NJ residents add a huge stack of sales tax 😂
hell i spent 2 grand on a 1977 XLCR , the frame was bare ( no wiring , no anything attached except for the forks and wheels w/tires . ) the rest ( about 40% of the needed parts ) , was in boxes . it took a year to build , i was raising 3 kids alone at the time , but it turned out great . weighed 422 lbs dry , and had an estimated ( by the math ) to have about 75/80 hp . i ran an S&S series E , Andrews cams , the heads were built by Elmer Trett . it was STUPID fast . when parked on main st Bike Week , it caused sidewalk jams . everybody wanted to look at it and many wanted to buy it .
Great deal on both bikes but the Sportster is the best deal of the two! Used bikes just like used cars is the way to go when buying. Good video! Now go ahead and buy that Sporty! You can't lose at that price!
Great Vid!!!!! Just the other day I was whining about the price of bikes :-). I just sold a 14 Ultra like you rode. It was nice for sure. I just couldn’t get used to the fairing being there. Maybe I’ll go back to a road king, I don’t know. :-) thanks bro!
2,300$ I bought a 2001 Vulcan nomad show room quality with no problems. 6 yrs ago I bought a 96 Vulcan for 1800 dollars. Both are 1500s and very good bikes. Can't go wrong with a Vulcan!
I only paid 7k for my 2011 street bob full stage two 25k miles on it has custom paint job 14inch apes Vance and homes exhaust so I do agree with shadetree you can get a Harley super cheap very affordable I’m happy with mine
Bought my '05 Sportster 1200cc for $2200 in 2018. I felt like I won the lottery even though it did have a couple of problems. It was the first HD I've ever owned.
Eh, I love the look of some of the harleys. My whole family has em. My mom has had her own custom sportie, moved on to a bigger harley. Step father has his, my brother has a custom road king and a dyna glide. Uncles both have their own harleys. Shit some of my family would probably beat my ass for saying what im gunna say but I prefer metric cruisers for price. I can buy one barely running for less than a grand, diagnose the issues and fix them for still under a couple hundred even if I need to replace valves. I bought a Suzuki intruder for a couple hundred. Rebuild the carbs, stem bearing, ripped the head off fixing some vavle issues and its still under 1500 for everything. Once back together I can order up a batwing fairing and build my own navigation system. It isnt always an option to own a HD on some peoples budgets.
What an awesome video! Need to do some more of those. I live further south of there ( deals like that aren't available) just might have to take a ride north. Wouldn't mind finding one of those bikes.
96 Sportster 883 commuted from VACAVILLE Ca to San Jose 4 days a week. Blew a lifter on I80 @ 75mph. Spit the bit with 108,000. Miles. Very dependable with virtually zero maintenance.
I'm glad that Ultra is in Florida and I'm in Washington because it's pretty much exactly what I've been looking for to give me a touring bike and a Dyna.
There's plenty of good, inexpensive bikes out there.. I paid around 1400 for my 09 rebel in great shape and super clean with 1500 miles. It ain't fast but fits my needs, needed nothing has been reliable so far and I plan on racking miles on it for a few years. Cheap bikes are a great starting point because you can always sell em later for almost no loss.
I'm a family man living in Chicago. I can't afford to even catch a cold. Glad I bought a bike before having children.
buying the bike is HOW you had children lmao
@@josephmanfredi276
That's the idea.
That's why I bought a new softail
I'll pay it off quick before having kids
Same here man
You lucky bastard I stupidly sold my Honda VT 400 thinking I didn’t ride it enough, now I’ve had twins I’d kill for another bike (Iron 883) but don’t have the money
Next video..."well I got a Sportster!" Lol
I went in to buy a can of chain lube and I came out with a set of keys in my hand
@@Tech-49 yeah, sometimes the lube has keys attached to it.
@@christiancartmale1150 yeah but usually the keys are the door keys to some fruit cakes apartment lol stay out of the Lube aisle
I love sportsters to death
Absolutely nothing wrong with that!!!
I've got a guy with a 1996 evo sportster that I do all his maintenance since it was new, he's closing in on 200,000 miles, never split cases, 1 clutch, lifters twice, 1 topend at over 150,000 miles, still running strong.
Hey that’s nice to know as a few yrs ago I picked up a 1995 1200 Sportster with 1,500 orig miles in mint cond. I do all my own wrenching & so far have 10,000 trouble free miles & I ride this awesome bike pretty hard. I have no desire to get a newer bike, these older non rubber mounted, non efi bikes run stronger than current ones imo
I've got a 94 883 hugger with 30000 on it. Low miles for its age. Still starts right up every time. I've only changed the rims, tires, grips, and oil. I'm installing a new clutch in the spring, but that's just because of a stretched cable that I caught too late. The cable housing where it enters the case was snapped by the time I noticed. Lesson learned .
Holy shit! Thats good to hear.
sportster engines are, technically speaking, flawless engines ... you can ask any Harley mechanic ...
@@doncarlo5 Indeed they are.
IMHO, the Evo Sporty engine is the finest engine they ever built.
One of the best videos you’ve ever done. There are a ton of people out there that think that motorcycles are a luxury that is not affordable. You proved that wrong on every level with this video. You chose the most expensive motorcycle brand and showed your followers how affordable motorcycles can be. There are literally hundreds of thousands of bikes out there like that with every imaginable brand on the tank. You don’t crap on Harley btw. You tell the truth about your opinion and you are 99.9% spot on. You probably just helped a few riders in the making who have been sitting on the fence about a motorcycle. Hats off to you Shadetree for doing that. You are a great ambassador to the motorcycle community. 👍
Kind words, thank you my friend!
If you are patient and you shop around any brand or type of bike can be had for a fraction of its new MSRP.
mileage is not dea breaker for me as long as the bike is well maintained adult owned and ridden and garage kept.
Serious owners keep maintenance records. These are the keys to buying used and not getting screwed.
I'd rather buy a bike with "high" miles that's been properly maintained than a "low" mileage bike that's sat in the garage it's whole life.
But you really shouldn't. :)
Aint that the truth . I bought a bike with 4500 original miles that was 15 years old that sat for 10 years and ill be got damned if that shit wasnt having issues CONSTANTLY . It never broke down or left me stranded . But it was just a scary bike because of all the scary shit it was doing . After countless trips to the shop I finally got it dialed in after 2 years and its straightened up and is now a trouble free awesome STILL low mileage bike but . Damn I woulda taken one with 30k on it that I didnt have to break like a wild horse .
That being said she's golden grahams now . Great bike.
@@hsmith3844 I disagree both of my bikes are property maintained and do all of my own servicing.
@@danielpeters4468 I disagree because I was a certified Harley Mechanic for a dealer for ten years. I've seen, "I do My own service" trash.
@@hsmith3844 So the only people that have the skills to properly maintain a motorcycle are certified tech's ok. I guess it kinda sucks to find out my Harley's are destroyed do to the fact that all the regular maintenance has not been done by a overpriced mechanic i might as well scrap the shit.
If I had $2K to let go of I'd be ALL OVER that Sporty.
I would knock shadetree on the ground getting to that sportster.
You are so gay
Me too!
Ive got 2 k saved up, have to see what my local harley dealer got.
Thanks for the kind words as always, Sir. And thanks for showing people that nothing is impossible if they want to get in the wind! This sort of thing grows the motorcycle community, and I love it.
This video popped up on my feed 5 days ago. I was in no way in the market for a motorcycle nor had I been watching any motorcycle videos. But as of today I now I have a Harley in the garage. Thanks ShadeTree Surgeon!
I got a perfect 2005 sportster for 2,500 a few years back.. never had a problem 👌🏻
I got my 2006 XL1200C couple years ago. $4000 and 10k miles. It's a friggin gem . Runs like new
miles?any probs
Rajan Rai Realty 40k and none at all
My godson just got his 04 1200C for just about the same price. I'm setting up his carb this weekend.. It's a sweet ride, with great wheels and V&H shorties already worth twice what he paid for it. The absolute perfect first street mill. You can get new cans, pistons, and mild head work for way less then 1k if you do the assembly yourself. Clutches are cheap, and easy. What's not to love about that? Have to say, I cried just a little to see a 19 yo excited to get a Harley. We raised him right!
You can definitely get on a Harley for cheap. My first Harley was a 2011 883 superlow with 3k miles, and I got it for $4k. It already had a sundowner seat and V&H short shots. I got the hard leather sportster bags, luggage rack, and sissy bar for $200. Put about 10k miles on it and got $4k for trade in on it when I bought a 2014 Fat Bob. If you're willing to look, you can get on a decent Harley for a really fair, and affordable price.
"Don't have room for another bike" is a great problem to have.
Creepermoss depends on your situation.. I live in an apartment and a second bike would be one too many for me lol. I'm already storing my old scooter and a parts bike at work until I can fix a few things and sell it when it warms up a little here
Shadetree Saleman. "Buy a bike dammit!"
"The more motorcycles out there, the better it is for us"...man, you said it. So true 👌
When I go out my $6k 09 street bob gets more love than my friends new street glides and road glides and my 03 Sportster that I bought for $2k gets more love than my street bob. Buy em cheap and make it your own
Well, that Sporty would be a great giveaway / tax write-off.
So happy to see a sporty on the channel I bought my 2004 1200 with 18k miles for 2200 bucks. I love it.
"The more motorcyclists we have out there, the better things will be for all of us." Amen, and well said!
As much as new bikes are it's amazing to see that you can get in a game for a fraction of the cost . Deals!
The nice part I’ve always noticed about sportsters, is that you can go up in multiples of 500 bucks in sales price and be in completely different worlds.
That sportster also has the first upgrade you need on a Harley, new grips. Those Kuryakyn Iso grips are glorious on a vibratey v-twin, and look pretty decent as well.
Just wanna say you make entertaining video's man.. They make me laugh on a regular basis. Thanks man.
"One more of us and one less of them". I love it. Could you imagine what the highways would be like if they were dominated by bikes? Lots easier to travel. It's cold and damp here today, but I think I'm gonna fire up ol' Maggie and go for a quick beer and dip run...
I love the delightful enthusiasm you have for Everyday People bikes. Good find on that Sportster.
That sportster is a deal. When I was searching for my first bike earlier this year I couldn’t find a Harley for less then 5k regardless of how old. Weeks later I was able to find a Blue Honda shadow aero that had tons of custom stuff for less then I have ever spent on a car. $2000 can put you on a great bike that you can ride till it falls apart and you end up saving so much on gas and insurance you could buy another one to in a year. I’ve ridden to work every day since June and don’t plan on stopping this winter unless we get ice up here in NC. Thanks for all your videos man! You’ve made me one less of them and one more you y’all.
One of the great things about sportsers, is the engines are a fantastic design, no dumb plastic cam chain tensioner to worry about that can ruin your happiness.
That was an excellent video, Josh. Those bikes will go quick. You have a great week my friend.
Me: yeah I ride a yamaha virago. Harley owner: oh sweet man i ride a Harley Davidson super street limited dyna heritage road king glide with an extra glide.
Yeah but does that hd owner actually ride or does he go around the block on the weekend lol.
lol
…And an extra Dyna… but a CUSTOM one !
I'm so old I worked under amf
With the extra bald eagle freedom ride pack
I've been trying to explain this for ages!, ^heirloom^ engine, spot on!!, just like a lot of old British bikes, they are made to be rebuilt, over and over, if you ride the bejesus out of Harley's, maintaining them is all you need to do, that's why they're expensive, 40 years from now, it's going to still be rideable, ....or sat in a garage needing a couple of weekends spannerring to bring back from the dead for another 40 years,😀
I just discovered your channel last night, and I gotta say you’ve definitely got one of the coolest channels out there! You seem like such an awesome guy, someone who’s easy to get along with. Thanks for being so chill and making badass content! Keep it up! 🤘
Great prices for those bikes - dont really get bargain HDs over my side of the pond
Me neither bro
Cheapest Sporty I've seen over here in the UK was a 70s Ironhead 1000 and it needed a new brake overhaul, and 1st gear wouldn't engage. £2500
I am really enjoying your videos. Common sense truth and really enjoyable rides with a splash of philosophy. Keep up the good work.
2k for a 1200 Sportster? You could rebuild it( if you HAD to) and customize the hell outta it, and still not spend as much as a new one costs.Great deal!
Put up a tent!! You can always find room for another bike!!
Thanks for showing these bikes! With all the hype of new model years, its great to see affordable Harleys. Thanks man!
It’s an Evo, it’s got lots of miles left on it without a rebuild.
The evo ended in 98???
white lightning yes, the Evo big twin. However, the Sportster is an Evo motor has been pretty much unchanged in it cam and valve configuration since 1986. That’s what makes them so great and really the last harley home mechanics can modify and still wrench on themselves. That was a great price on that 1200.
@@whitelightning3330 The '99 Softails had the EVO then went TC88 in 2000.
@@seanoconnor6662 big twin evo is a different motor en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_Evolution_engine
Hey Josh, today I joined the real biker club and bought a girls’ bike. Haven’t been riding since I crashed my shit mid September. So even though the season is over here in Sweden (snowed today) I am once again a bike owner, and I will be wrenching on shit through the winter. I’m super fucking happy, and felt like sharing that with you. Much love.
I hate to admit how much I like your show and commentary
Thanks man!
My first and current bike is a 2002 Sportster 1200C, it had 7k miles. I paid $2k for it and it had Stage 1 Screaming Eagle kit. It now has 12k miles better seat and 18" apes. Awesome bike and I ride it as much as I can. Keep the awesome vids.
Ol Shadetree is getting a soft spot for H-D 😁
Thanks again for taking me along on your journey. Nice boat ride!
I’d never buy a new Harley. Too many great used ones out there. That ultra you rode Harley will sell you warranty on it still!
That's exactly right. The MOCO is now competing with their own old bikes.
I could never spend that on a new one , used is just fine for me.
That's the reason, why Harley almost went ruined in the early eightees. Honda wanted to buy the company.
'Cause everyone was riding used bikes.
picked up my 09 Nightster with 45k miles for $2k. Year later its around 52k, zero issues. As you said, saw it as a project and its exactly that. Idea was to rebuild the engine but to be fair, its running perfectly so I'll just wait.
SouthTX R/T jeebus, where do you guys find these deals!?!? I've never seen prices like this in AZ.
@@ericweber1969 private sellers, man. Usually they put up a price you can drop much easier than from a dealership. If they're selling, most of the time they just want it out. Best part of this bike is I can do whatever and not even feel bad about it hahhaha
SouthTX R/T thanks for the response. I haven't bought a used bike in a long time, so I don't have a sense of how much the asking prices are inflated. I see a lot of sportsters offered in the $3500-$5000 range, almost none listed below $3k. What do you suppose those asking prices actually translate to?
@@ericweber1969 I guess it comes down to the owner, man. Look for any defects you can find to drop no matter how insignificant it may seem. That's a point to adjust the price. Dude wanted 3.2k but it had work needed. Not gonna lie, I actually was drown to the condition it was cause it meant more wrenching for me. So go check the bike out, and find any little thing to try and drop price. I bet the 3.5k bikes can be dropped to like 2.5k-2.7k depending the condition. Don't be afraid to check them out. Once there, the seller will be more flexible than through email or phone. Keep looking, man, I bet you'll find a great deal. If you look for it, you will find it.
Bring cash and don't keep it all in one pocket. After pointing out all the flaws you can find, offer him $2 grand cash from one pocket. Make sure to emphasize that you're paying CASH. That often will entice a buyer to jump. If he counter-offers, make another counter offer above yours, but below his. If he still resists, say "Look, $X.XX CASH is as high as I can go." Hold just the first bundle of cash out on an open hand and let that green color mesmerize him like a snake charmer. When he agrees, pull the rest of the money from a couple of different pockets.
I need to move. Its November and Shadetree is riding in beautiful 80 degree weather. Where I live; its snowing.
That's what I did and it's nice to have extra to customize your way and like you said once you have one you can rebuild forever. That's the real deal for us average folks. Let's Ride
Hey I just started following the channel ...and well ...its as good as it gets ...every coment is precise ...and there is joy by watching ...is remarkably entertaining ...so premium for anyone out there ...I been ryding motorcycles for 35 years now ...plenty of miles in the USA ...as well in Costa Rica and Panamá ...its very different aproach because of the roads and cultural driving hehaviour ...but ...intense that I will say ...hey keep going forward with this videos ...all the luck and blessings to you ...and DONT STOP !!! ....
I ordered a 1200 XL sportster in Nov.of 93 it came January 1994.... of course it hasn’t been stock for many years but it is still screaming fast and of all the Harleys I have a owned over my 66 years my 94 1200 is absolutely my favorite....!
Picked up and 85 Honda magna 700 for $900. Had 30,000 love the bike. Lots of torque and loads of fun to ride. Cheap and different from most bikes you see on the road.
I found out just how expensive rebuilding a sportster engine can be. Might as well big bore it with cams, and go for 130 hp.
Bad thing about putting so much horsepower in a Sportster is that it will not ride well at high speeds. Slow speed you will have to constantly ride the clutch bc the lope will be so bad it will jerk alot. In the middle though it's a torque machine.
Sporster engine is the most reliable engine design Harley has. I've had a Sportster and now I have a big twin and I wish the big twin engine was made more like the Sportster engine
That's an incredible deal on the 07 sportster 1200 custom! I spent 2 months & 5k looking for a 1200 custom. The only difference is my 08 only had 2,300 miles. Smoking deal on the 07 for 2k
I once bought the cheapest shovelhead available. In the end it wasn´t so cheap. :D
@Brandon Macon It 's all good now. We rebuilt the motor, transmission and pretty much the whole bike. 😂 Now it starts with one kick and rides good too. Check my insta if you are interested.
Those look like really good deals. I could buy both of them for less than I paid for mine. Nice video Thanks for posting like this kind of content.
Doing some CAD to US dollar and mileage conversion here, but I bought an 06 FXST this summer for $3800 with 4500 miles on it. The deals are out there.
Damn, those bikes are nicely priced. I wish there were managers specials at more dealerships like that.
Good video, great bikes with good prices. Got me thinking about starting to get my bike some company in my garage, variety is the spice of life. At prices like that I could get a couple.First time I watched one of your videos,you inspired me. Thanks Ash
You the man
Yes you can get a bike 😀
Got my buddy on his 3 years ago and every ride with him he thanks me for telling him to get that bike
Your a beautiful human love your videos
Keeping it weard
Just buy it.
You work hard.
It's an unbeatable deal.
'The only way to get rid of temptation is to give in to it.'
Sweet Sporty ! Mine has 62000km on it it’s a 883 custom had the engine updated last winter to 1200cc did the valves too and now it’s a totally different bike , love it 😍
Nice!
brand new 1200sporty kits are like 1200$ DIY so yeah, even cheaper than 1500$ if you already got the tools and a garage.
That is one of the biggest reasons I want to get a harley, is that heirloom last forever simplicity of their engines.
I plan on keeping the harley I get for 30~40years. top end kits for it can be put in in a weekend and cost 1700$ 1700freakin dollars for a top end is wonderful price.
1700 for another 50K miles? hellyeah.
That’s good math to me!
I think you're completely right. You have to search and search. That way I found my 2003 Aprillia RSV Mille, a superbike with 20k miles on the clock, including a new rear tyre, for about 2500 bucks. Other then some small maintenance I had to do nothing to it.
So true - my Ironhead was only 2,200 English pounds for a running bike. The insurance is a quarter of what I pay for my car (a 1.3 Ford KA) and it's old enough to be exempt from road tax and yearly inspection. It's pretty good on fuel too, which surprised me, and parts are cheap.
I know nothing about bikes but you really teach me a lot thanks man!
I had an in guy at a local HD dealership. The fixer upper bikes that come in on trade and sit in the back go for peanuts at the end of the year. The employee price is even lower. I think the dent is still in their floor where my jaw hit it.
I love sportsters! No clue why people hate on them. Just not a fan of their new XL fuel tank is all. Love the classic peanut tanks. There’s so much that can be done to a sporty and they are often the base for a chopper.
Right on dude, I like your review. Been livin by that moto for 30 years- tons of good values in used bikes
Great video!!! You have given me a new perspective on used bikes.
I bought my 06 dyna street bob for 5500$. 9k miles. V&h big radius pipes. Saddle bags. Custom paint... What I'm saying is that there are so many good used Harleys for the right price that anyone can afford one
This is similar to what I just did. I was wanting a KLR 650. I had in mind about $2000 worth of mods and accessories I was wanting to add. Then, I found a 2012 KLR 650 with 12000 miles and every accessory and mod I was wanting to do, for $5000. It even had a binder with all of the receipts for the work done on it. If you look around, you can find the bike you want for the price you can afford, most of the time.
Also, the dealer I was at had a lot of great deals on Harleys and other cruisers too.
I bought an 01 KLR for 400 it rides.
I paid $2500 for my 95 sporty and it's only the 883.wish I could have come across that steal I would have been on it lol.but I'm happy with mine an she's beautiful! honestly I think I'll be keeping it forever and just putting it aside once I upgrade.someome has put a ton of money into it an she's absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!
55k on my '05 xl1200c (same bike in this video) and she still rumbles. I ride from S.F. to L.A. or sometimes Vegas with no problem. Paid $5500 cash back in 2011, still practicallly had cellophane on her, less than 4k miles. Some "lean angle" scratches and typical asphalt rash on the paint in spots but still catch a compliment now and then.
Took a tumble tryna cut thru some soft sand years ago, lesson learned. Hit a prairie dog and his head cracked my belt guard. Went for a slide a few months back getting cut-off in traffic and bent a mirror, brake handle, and foot peg that was already scuffed. I just can't seem to break her, wish I could say the same for my wife. Probably could still get $2k if I tried to sell her... the bike of course. That's about as economical a ride as you can find and she never fails to put a smile on my face.. again, talkin about the bike.
I recently bought an 06 Road King for $4500, Love it. You are right, Harleys can be very affordable.
At 7min, I'm like "quit talking, and just buy the damn thing!"
"one more of us, one less of them". Freaking love it!!
2000 883 was my first bike, still have it. I have moved on but i am going to scramble that 883 when $$$ allows...BUY IT !!..1900$ out the door. Soooo many options for sporty builds.
That Sporty is a EFI rubbermounted 1200C with a 4.3gl tank. That’s not bare bones, that’s a top of the line Sportster. As for the Limited, that’s the 1st year of the liquid cooled heads, so you know that bike can idle all day in Sturgis and will never overheat. It also has Bluetooth integration and GPS, rider to passenger comm, hell even has a CB radio. Talk about decked out! Both bikes are a great deal to those budget minded who want a great bike.
Quite happy with my sportster...and it’s only an 883. Plenty fast for me. Gonna doing some mods this winter on mine. Good video, like those older sportsters, look forward to if you do a sportster build.
I just started riding few months ago. I got a 2005 Harley Sportster 1200 for $2500. It my first bike ever
I bought a 2010 XL 1200 C for 5k. I have done a bunch of work to it, but I love it and love riding it. Buy cheap and fix it up. Only way to go.
Good prices for both. Yep, you can get the bike you want for the price you want but keep in mind the adage: “good, fast, cheap. Pick two.”
It's a harley so it won't be fast so you're golden
Great Job my brother Josh !!
😎👍🌴☀️
I picked up the Springer Softail for $8900 out the door with 12k on the clock, because I bought it in February, in the butt cold. Always shop for a bike when it's cold, IMO.
Winter bikes!
IMO, bikes are even less expensive in Florida in the summer. Just what I've experienced, your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited. CA, NY, NJ residents add a huge stack of sales tax 😂
Definitely a deal on that Sporty! Traded in my 2012 with 25k on it and got $6k for it towards my Softail. Still ran like a top!
hell i spent 2 grand on a 1977 XLCR , the frame was bare ( no wiring , no anything attached except for the forks and wheels w/tires . ) the rest ( about 40% of the needed parts ) , was in boxes .
it took a year to build , i was raising 3 kids alone at the time , but it turned out great .
weighed 422 lbs dry , and had an estimated ( by the math ) to have about 75/80 hp .
i ran an S&S series E , Andrews cams , the heads were built by Elmer Trett .
it was STUPID fast . when parked on main st Bike Week , it caused sidewalk jams . everybody wanted to look at it and many wanted to buy it .
Great deal on both bikes but the Sportster is the best deal of the two! Used bikes just like used cars is the way to go when buying. Good video! Now go ahead and buy that Sporty! You can't lose at that price!
Great Vid!!!!! Just the other day I was whining about the price of bikes :-). I just sold a 14 Ultra like you rode. It was nice for sure. I just couldn’t get used to the fairing being there. Maybe I’ll go back to a road king, I don’t know. :-) thanks bro!
Id love to have a RoadKing but they are too top heavy because you sit on them instead of in them. So i got a StreetGlide.
This video helped me realize I can afford a bike. Ty Shadetree I'm now on two wheels and loving my Harley 🤙
2,300$ I bought a 2001 Vulcan nomad show room quality with no problems.
6 yrs ago I bought a 96 Vulcan for 1800 dollars. Both are 1500s and very good bikes. Can't go wrong with a Vulcan!
I only paid 7k for my 2011 street bob full stage two 25k miles on it has custom paint job 14inch apes Vance and homes exhaust so I do agree with shadetree you can get a Harley super cheap very affordable I’m happy with mine
Bought my '05 Sportster 1200cc for $2200 in 2018. I felt like I won the lottery even though it did have a couple of problems. It was the first HD I've ever owned.
I bought a '95 883 for $2K. It's reliable AF and not fast enough to get me in trouble. Best transportation deal on the market IMO.
Eh, I love the look of some of the harleys. My whole family has em. My mom has had her own custom sportie, moved on to a bigger harley. Step father has his, my brother has a custom road king and a dyna glide. Uncles both have their own harleys. Shit some of my family would probably beat my ass for saying what im gunna say but I prefer metric cruisers for price. I can buy one barely running for less than a grand, diagnose the issues and fix them for still under a couple hundred even if I need to replace valves. I bought a Suzuki intruder for a couple hundred. Rebuild the carbs, stem bearing, ripped the head off fixing some vavle issues and its still under 1500 for everything. Once back together I can order up a batwing fairing and build my own navigation system. It isnt always an option to own a HD on some peoples budgets.
What an awesome video! Need to do some more of those. I live further south of there ( deals like that aren't available) just might have to take a ride north. Wouldn't mind finding one of those bikes.
96 Sportster 883 commuted from VACAVILLE Ca to San Jose 4 days a week. Blew a lifter on I80 @ 75mph. Spit the bit with 108,000. Miles. Very dependable with virtually zero maintenance.
I live in west tn and I see sportsters like this all the time with less than 20,000 miles on
I'm glad that Ultra is in Florida and I'm in Washington because it's pretty much exactly what I've been looking for to give me a touring bike and a Dyna.
Great Video... the attainable ride, you should do more of these. I picked up a '04 Fat Boy w/13k miles for $3k just this month.
I'm happy for the rider who ends up buying that Sporster.
There's plenty of good, inexpensive bikes out there.. I paid around 1400 for my 09 rebel in great shape and super clean with 1500 miles. It ain't fast but fits my needs, needed nothing has been reliable so far and I plan on racking miles on it for a few years. Cheap bikes are a great starting point because you can always sell em later for almost no loss.
6:07 wow that's a lot of traffic lights.
I wish I live in the USA where I can go to those big ass Harley stores and being able to bargain those bikes.
Here, that does not exist here.