Would you buy a Harley used with a custom paint job? Do you prefer the new solid colors over the wilder custom paint that Harley-Davidson used to produce on new bikes?
Another thing to consider, I have my brother's 100th Anniversary Ultra Classic. In order to build this bike for myself, he passed. I'm going to need to paint the frame and tin. I will wrap the tin in pastic and cardboard and see if I can leave the frame factory black. I don't want to ruin the collectibility of the 100th anniversary tin, colors, badging. I know theyre not rare yet but it holds a sentimental value. So off to the recycler I go to get all new tin.
Standard paint from Harley is now shiny primer. Looks like my garage floor. Great job guys! Let's not forget that everything is blacked out, no chrome.
I was thinking that myself when I went and looked at the new bikes, the paint really doesn't pop like it used to. It really doesn't have the depth of color it used to have anymore even on the solid colors.
Harley copied Mercedes spray booth & paint shop 15 or 20 years ago it is state of the art & your right they turned out some nice paint jobs but they were not custom painters by any means !
I have a 2015 Road King that is part of a numbered paint set. The name was Artic Flash, and my bike is numbered 2 / 150. I've called Harley Davidson several times to confirm the story behind the paint set. Harley selected 150 bikes, a combination of Road Kings, Street Glides, and Road Glides, to send to the Custom Paint Shop. The MSRP for the paint set was $3,200. My bike also has the big extended, wrap around bags. The MSRP on them was $1,800. I'm very proud of this unique Road King. Two Harley dealerships in the Oklahoma City area have told me they have never seen a bike with this paint combination. It isn't a CVO, but the paint makes it as close as possible.
Harley-Davidson World and Iron Nation and or Fort Thunder down in Moore? I've heard rumors of that color but I've never actually seen one myself. It's awesome to know it is for real! You're lucky to have one!
That's exactly why Kawasaki became lime green, they always been a very defiant "asshole" company. For Top Gun the original they approached Honda, Honda refused because Tom Cruise wasn't going to wear a helmet. Kawasaki took the opportunity to promote the 900 Ninja and give a middle finger to Honda.
@graemedalgleish8944 Army Green was considered bad luck. The reason was, soldiers riding Army Green Harleys during WW2 sometimes got shot off of them. Bit of trivia for ya...
I bought a 2016 Ultra Limited three years ago and was just looking for a certain color. I already knew i was going to buy an ultra limited. So we ended up finding my bike, drove 8 hours and 531 miles one way to get it. What i ended up getting color wise was the Cosmic Blue Pearl which has a darker metallic blue paint with streaks of silver-grey throughout the bike. I know its not for everybody but i didn't buy it for everybody, i bought it for me. Great video as always. Thank you for makin' my noggin work a little bit again.
Thank you! I am just sad to see colors like that go the ways side, that color stands out and now all the new bikes look the same. It used to be exciting to go see the new bikes and all the colors, it was overwhelming in a way. Now they are all just so plain.
I'm a basic black kind of guy. The vast majority of my bikes have been black with some modest chrome. I like custom paint jobs and enjoy looking at them, but they're a little too flashy for me. I agree that personalized paint jobs make them harder to sell. The factory custom and the paint sets, not so much, but you never get your money back for the paint sets. It's like any other custom mod.
The best paints I've seen recently are the Snake Venom, the Tobacco Fade, and the color scheme on El Diablo. I love cool paint jobs and I think Harley is doing okay. Could they do more? Sure, but we're not in the 90s either
Harley has had some great custom factory paint jobs thru the years. BUT, if you had to have a repair on any of those paint jobs, the cost is out of this world.
I agree 200% , Harley was the leader in beautiful custom paint jobs. The fall from grace I believe was the corporate mentality of greed over history. All companies need positive cash flow, but Harley was different, its customers different, that made it unique beyond normalcy. I hate the new paint schemes , and will only buy vivid black out of all the crap. The Venom paint was unique, I thought “ maybe “ something starting up . But , no, so I’ll stick with black in new bikes. I have an 88 Electra Glide in a plain red and black two tone. I still get compliments. My chromed out black fatboy, nothing 😢. I miss the proud colors of Harley. Maybe before I die, they will come back
I sure hope to see it come back too! You hit the nail on the head, Harley has defied all business logic for years and years. No one else has kept the same engine and used it in everything and been able to do it for decades with minor updates in most cases.
I bought my 21 RKS because of the Snake Venom color. I love the color changes in the paint. Everyone that talks to me about the bike loves the color with the blacked out engine, wheels, etc.
There’s a very stark contrast when you look at Harley’s from 20 years ago vs the bikes on the showroom floor today. Black never used to just be a dull black. They always had great flake in them. It definitely made it harder to repair or match down the road but it was worth it
I had 2011 ultra limited, it was two tone candy apple green on top black on bottom, beautiful bike and Harley-Davidson was painted in a nice flowing script on the tank. Last year I bought a new Heritage Softail it's the billiard blue and Grey two tone which looks really good I think but the 2024 models have pretty boring colors. I kind of want a low rider st but don't like any of the color options.
Sure I'm glad I was involved with Harley-Davidson motorcycles in my younger days. Now that I'm older Harley-Davidson is really nothing to write home about it anymore. Whether we want admitted or not, Harley-Davidson on a short flight and will be landing for the last time in our lifetime.
The original owner of my 2002 softail put a factory paint set on it . Was stock vivid black . It's gold and smoke flames with red pinstripe . # 68 of 150 . Kind of grown on me . Everywhere I've been never seen another like it .
I like the Fast Johnny and the Billiard blue/gray color scheme they were doing last year. The up charge is just crazy. $500 for vivid black $650 for red rock and $700 for Onyx Pearl white is not right. Then the dealers will tell you just get gray and have it wrapped with what ever you want. Just because wraps are more available does not mean we all want to do that.
Definitely agree, I had a 1986 883 Sportster that was painted a color called candy bronze. I loved that color red in certain light and then bronze in other light. Wish I could get that paint these days.
I love all the wild colors Harley has. My 1995 Electra Glide Classic is Aqua Pearl with Silver Metallic and a Sky Blue pin stripe. My 2000 883 Sportster is a Purple Metallic. I do like the new Forrest Green, that looks really good with the chrome, but I don't think you can get it with black out trim. I also like a color combo from 2014-2016 era on the Electra Glides called Purple Fire and Raspberry Smoke. It looks totally cool! As far as graphics go, I am pretty tolerant to most stuff, but I am not into the Willy G skulls or skulls for any matter. Just not my thing.
I agree. I have a 2003 softail springer which the salesman ordered for me in luxury rich red pearl. It took about 3 months to get it and it was worth the wait. After over 21 years I still get lots of compliments.
I feel like you're right about the bland, opaque colors being the solid bet for resale and initial sales. I compare it to Kilz White Primer Sealer for Landlords. It covers everything and its white which most people don't mind on their walls. The battleship grey I love, but it does pull it's uniqueness in the fact that it is solid, opaque and out of context in the wild wave of paint and colors we're doing today. Don't get it twisted, for me presonally, the only tin that won't be candy and flake patterns is if I'm doing a special project build to imitate an OEM sixties chevy aesthetic or something similar. I grew up in my dad's auto body shop and I have a hard time leaving things stock. That being said you are correct, dad used to say, if youre gonna flip a vehicle paint it red, green, or blue and an oem color code. Idk I cant help feel like I sense a bit of a push back against the Vicla movement that I love so much, and I'm def not saying everyone has to love it but respect and vcelebrate everyone's chanve to express themselves in the bike, wheels and tires, engine, pupes, paint, stereo big or none...different strokes for different folks. I dont feel like it's a cost cutting measure as much as an admittance of the fact that the CVO provided a value feature for the rider who didn't have a painter friend, the market wasn't flooded with custom bike options from the last three decades, and you just wanted to swipe the credit card and get a spanking new harley that wasn't like every other rolling down the blacktop. I think HD knows it doesnt pay to compete in the custom market anymore for them because they are no longer under the illusion that they set the tone or standard for the custom world. Which is fine. Factory was never meant to be kep that way for some folks like me. Great topic. Keep them coming.
Hi GixxerFoo, I do love the custom paint, specifically the candy flake on the Sportster’s and love the snake venom on the Road & Street Glide with the Evil Knieval 1 on the fairing. When I bought my previously owned 2020 FLTRXS in Scorched Orange, I loved the color with the silver flux, but most importantly it was Bone Stock❤️now she is at Stage 2 motor & sound system, a mix of Screaming Eagle and aftermarket performance parts. Always enjoy your content, knowledge which has really help me to make my Harley..mine. Ride Hard💪🏼, Be Blessed 🙏🏽Aloha, Kenneth 🤙🏽
Thank you for the support! I love the Orange Harley has put out in every variations, it looks good and on a side note I think it makes you safer by standing out on the road.
I had a Harley Sportster that I decided to paint green after an accident. It was hard to sell, and someone commented that green is an unlucky color. Since then, I prefer to keep my Harleys in their original color. The color series I liked the most was the red and silver combination that came out in 2004. The color I would never buy is the 2008 edition; they look just like Duracell batteries.
my 05 ultraclassic paint, sunset gold, and vivid black with factory pinstripe separating them. Whether it's a factory custom or a custom paint aftermarket job, I believe it could be a difficult resale, like you said, eye of the beholder. Don't remember the year, but Dragon Fly Green was an absolute gorgeous harley factory color.
I always thought I wanted a Black bike. My Electra Glide is Pacific Blue Pearl & black. I really like it. I get compliments all the time, and not always motorcycle people. I really don’t like the new battle Ship Grey.
My 2013 XL1200CP came in "Big Blue Pearl" and has lots of sparkles in the sun! Too bad they don't offer custom paint like this anymore. I added white-walls and that really sets the bike off
Not just Harley Davidson, but everyone sense of art and creativity are nowadays dulling and descending rather than what we did 20+ years ago. Nothing new but remakes in the glory days.
I thought the flake paint they did in gold as well as the red flake paint in the green flake paint what is great looking on Sportsters but I'm a big fan of vivid black you can't go wrong with a black Harley so now they want to clean you out for vivid black
My first new Harley was a 1984 FXSB Low Rider, the last year of the shovel on a dyna. It was painted pruple and silver with a root beer pinstripe. It was a beautiful bike, and I hate purple. In the showroom there were candies, pearls, metal flakes etc. Even the solid colors were deep enough to swim in. One of the things they had going for them was their paint, but now the standard color is primer gray.
Yeah, I hear Harley‘s gonna come out with a pink bike. Or may be a Budweiser bike. maybe they’re just gonna have a bike with just left-hand control that’s it. They’re just all left. Oh I know a rainbow bike.
My bike is getting a brandywine flake base coat with a primary coat of dark brandywine around the edges spreading into the base coat then triple clear coated. One color basically with darkened edges.
I ride a 2003, 100-Year Anniversary Edition, Road King Classic. One of the things I like about my bike is its original anniversary Two-Tone Sterling Silver and Vivid Black paint colors which makes my bike stand out. There are other Harley-Davidson custom paint jobs I would also have considered.... namely with flames and contrasting colors but I'm happy with my anniversary edition paint scheme. Limiting bikes to "Plain Jane* colors and hiking the price up not a good move for Harley Davidson. Especially considering the extra charge for Black.
I like two tone piant jobs or soild vivit. Custom airbrush jobs i like and if its skulls and fire ill buy it. If im looking. These bikes now arent to my liking with colors and tech and the vvt and M8 im not sure about.
My 2002 Screaming Eagle Road King with Candy Brandywine Radical Paint with Flames is pretty nice. Likely one if the last hand painted flame graphics from harley
When Harley started the grey color scheme, I was instantly transported to the early eighties when all us kids had bad ass wheels and tires and primered sheetmetal. No Thanks.
The prices are out of control, the CEO is focusing on wealthy customers and capitalizing on the expensive bikes. Harley needs to look at Royal Enfield if they want to get some younger people and keep the brand alive. Royal Enfield is killing it on price and quality, not to mention they offer colors like Harley used to.
The last year that Harley a good selection of paint colours was 2020...there were no real "flashy" designs, but there was like 10 - 12 colour options on the touring models between 2 tone with blackout or a solid colour with blackout! Every year since has pretty much soild colours! That being said...I like their solid colour options! Great video...thanks for sharing...stay safe out there!!😎👍🤙👍🤙🇨🇦
Leadership at Harley has really changed and not really focused on what Harley is all about. They've pulled everything back in, condensed the lines and colors, charged more and essentially given us less in an effort to maximize profit while selling less bikes.
Purple haze13 on my 08 Dyna. I bought it used a few years ago and wasn't in love with it. I cut and polished the tins and it came alive. I also changed the bike from all chrome to gloss black. Now i really love the color. Multi stage base color and real gold leaf harley davidson script on the tank. It wasn't limited in numbers and could be had on any version of any model but had to be custom ordered within a few months. After that time window it was never available again. There is no paint code to duplicate it according to harley as well. I'd love to paint a small fairing to match but it would be touch to match without specific code and instructions I'm told.
Good content. You can understand Harley leaving the graphics up to the owner. I enjoy some custom paint jobs but finding one for sale that would appeal to me would be difficult. Yes, they are cutting costs but probably making the bikes easier to sell. Thanks for your info this week. I definitely appreciate your efforts. Take care and I’ll be waiting for your next update. Peace
Thank you for checking out the video! A lot of custom paint jobs I admire the talent and work but it may not necessarily be something I would want to own myself. Now I do like custom paint that's done in a way that would mimic what Harley-Davidson might do from the factory.
I've never really liked the factory "custom" paint jobs. I'm more of a solid color, possibly two tone kinda guy. The problem with buying a factory "custom" is that when you go to a rally or weekend run you run into a dozen other bikes that are "customized" Exactly like yours.
I had a 2016 SGS in Candy Black Gold. Loved it. I got a deal on it because nobody would buy it. Got a lot of good comments on it. Got a good trade in on it for a 2022SGS Crimson and vivid black. I love that also.
I wish Harley would do that all the car companies did back in the day ... allow you to ORDER a custom ride. Sure you might have to wait 3 or 6 months, but you could get EXACTLY what you want. Why should I buy a brand new Road Glide, then have to buy 135 motor, pay to have it installed, then sell my 114/117? That's STUPID. I should be able to order a basic bike and have an INCREMENTAL upgrade right out of the factory. Same for pipes, bars, seats, etc. Even if it's just "Harley Only" parts and not after market stuff. The same goes for paint. Why should you have to get a black bike, then disassemble it, and have custom paint done and put it together again. ORDER exactly what you want with INCREMENTAL upgrades, and then wait a couple months.
Snake Venom paint was the last cool paint color I really remember Harley having, and it was so expensive, you could have bought your own top-tier custom paint in any color, so they really ruin their own chances of anybody every buying it except rich collectors I guess, or someone, I don’t even know who. The sportster 72s all did have great paint, saw them in the video
Snake Venom was the very last wild color Harley ever had now that you mention it. The 72's were awesome and they used to do the 48's with the same colors.
It seems that for the lastbfew years there has been a lot of grey colors on all vehicles the only reason i can think of this is theyvdont build battleships any more and the paint manufactures have an excess of it so they were giving it away its the only thing that makes any sense
There's black... And then everything else. Now HD charges more for it. They're after every little penny. It's the little things like that, thats just bad for business.
It's funny I mentioned that color and I was driving into town the next day, I spotted a Road Glide in Radioactive Green in the parking lot of one of the factories in the industrial row in town.
I have never been a fan of custom paint on any motorcycle. By that I mean, themed graphics, that folks put on their machines. Always struck me as to gaudy for my taste. I do like looking at the old school graphics like Indian Larry did on his bikes. Metal flake can make a bike stand out and that's as wild as I would personally go. I do have subtle ghost flames on my 92 Fatboy tanks and rear fender it is not over the top and I believe if I were to ever sell it, it would be an added value. HD needs to do better. Boring solid colors, pathetic tank emblems. Next they'll sell rattle can kits to paint your own lol!
I like the wild colors to see at bike night or a bike show. It’s just not my thing. I would never own one. Like you said. It’s a hard sell, and they just get played out soon.
I got the 2022 Ultra- Limited with the Apex paint package for my retirement bike / last new bike ever. I love a custom airbrushed theme bike as long as it isn't just a trailer queen. I also think it's mandatory for a chopper/ shovel or older to have candy with flake. Only issue it had was trailer mode did not work correctly when I moved. It killed the battery - the alarm system never activated by the way. But the alarm battery- yes it has a separate internal battery that also died. Tried to charge it but only the alarm battery took a charge, and the main battery was toast.
New bikes are so plain, at least a 2 or 3 tone (Non CVO) wouldn't be a bad thing. I mean it's not like they really listen to customers in what they really want anyway on new bikes. Metal flake or pearl is never a bad thing even on a single color.
My sister and brother in law had an 08 crossbones with the pinstripe paint. I wasn't a fan myself, loved the bike though. I've always been attracted to the clean lines of a heritage classic in 2 tone. I used to say that you can't go to a chevy dealer and get modern 57 Belair but you can go to harley and get a modern 59 duo glide. Welp, not no more. You can pay put the wazoo for a hydra glide but it still doesn't have the class of a twin cam or even an evo heritage. And that's not even mentioning a springer. They're more like Japanese cruisers now
Because most Harley riders today are born to be mild, and so are their bank accounts. I've never even known anyone who bought a brand new Harley, and we used to just do fizz bomb paint jobs on ours, because a fresh paint job usually lasted about a weekend. Good video, as usual.👍
I remember during the EVO years they offered custom factory painted tank and fender sets, so you could bolt on a new job. One can sell a wreck if it has good paint.
I like custom paint of course but I have to think it is cool if I was to buy it from someone. Solid color custom paints I would go for 100%. I like a good blue.
I feel like the luke warm reception of the new SG and RG was due a lot to the bland color, I would love to see one painted up like the old days when people weren't afraid of some color!
Harley customers have shown they will pay high prices for specialized bikes (CVO for instance). I dont think folks dig the wild colors like they used to.
Cost savings on their part not on their prices though and the younger crowd like em more bland ....everything's blacked out which is cheaper on their overall costs
Different strokes for different folks. It's a personal thing. Yes, the wilder it gets the more personal it becomes. If it's a forever bike, have at it. If it's a bike until the next one, try to be a bit conservative. That's my 2 cents.
Graphics no, tape fades, silver or gold leaf, panels and airbrush fades and the like. Race inspired paint. What I like and since 07 been noticing it's been getting more popular on the west coast. King of the baggers has definitely got everyone in a race for HP, Speed and cornering performance. Paint can't help that. 😅
like everything else the Motor Co is doing these daz.....they don't listen to their customer base.....i told my local dealer (who i get along with) the other day that Harley is making BLACK look good this year....i have never been a black bike guy...never thought they stood out in a crowd....but after looking at some of crap colors for 2024 .....i'm beginning to like black....i have two Harley's ....both have custom paint and they get more looks than the new M 8'S.....just saying....Harley's CEO is a total joke....they are heading for a "REMEMBER WHEN" company....
As for your question, buying a used H-D with a custom paint job would depend entirely on the paint job. (My buddy bought a purple sled whose paint featured large-breasted women slaying mythical beasts with swords. Airbrush gone wild. One of a kind. On the upside, it initiated a divorce.) I liked the factory flame job on the original FXWG (1980) so much that I had it duplicated it on a custom. Haven't found much inspiration in H-D's paint work since then. The company seems to be following the trend of automakers, where most cars look pretty much the same and the paint gets increasingly drab. With Harley slowly circling the bowl, have a look at Robby Starbuck's new video, Harley-Davidson Goes Woke. (RUclips won't let me paste a link.) Very disturbing stuff. It's clear they have completely lost focus under the German globalist CEO. Hard to watch.
That is actually true, the gray is the base color now. I've heard that the cost of the pigment to make black has gone up, but I can translate Harley. "Black is popular, let's make gray the base color and charge more for black."
I have some old parts catalogs from the mid 2000s and they had lots of custom paint sets you could order. I’m not even sure if they make a parts catalog anymore.
I don't believe they ever painted the CVO's in house, they contracted to a place in Colorado that does the custom paint work. I can't remember the name of the shop, I believe they are in Colorado though. They probably had to sign an NDA to get the contract which sadly they don't get credit advertised for their work.
Would you buy a Harley used with a custom paint job? Do you prefer the new solid colors over the wilder custom paint that Harley-Davidson used to produce on new bikes?
Yo-yo yo how’s it going, sir?👊🏻My dad has a 2015 Triglide with the custom paint job on it.
I always liked the turquoise and antique white, but the turquoise wasn't quite right. So I guess a custom variation of some traditional paint job
Older paint schemes were king!
Another thing to consider, I have my brother's 100th Anniversary Ultra Classic. In order to build this bike for myself, he passed. I'm going to need to paint the frame and tin. I will wrap the tin in pastic and cardboard and see if I can leave the frame factory black. I don't want to ruin the collectibility of the 100th anniversary tin, colors, badging. I know theyre not rare yet but it holds a sentimental value. So off to the recycler I go to get all new tin.
I would buy a tastefully done wild paint job.
Black and chrome, old school. Always a fan favorite.
Now you pay more for black.
@@garypayton5081 I agree.
Standard paint from Harley is now shiny primer. Looks like my garage floor. Great job guys!
Let's not forget that everything is blacked out, no chrome.
I was thinking that myself when I went and looked at the new bikes, the paint really doesn't pop like it used to. It really doesn't have the depth of color it used to have anymore even on the solid colors.
Yes, the Twin Cam years were the best years when it comes to paint quality! 👌
Harley copied Mercedes spray booth & paint shop 15 or 20 years ago it is state of the art & your right they turned out some nice paint jobs but they were not custom painters by any means !
They had some killer colors during the twin cam era!
You got that right.
I have a 2015 Road King that is part of a numbered paint set. The name was Artic Flash, and my bike is numbered 2 / 150. I've called Harley Davidson several times to confirm the story behind the paint set. Harley selected 150 bikes, a combination of Road Kings, Street Glides, and Road Glides, to send to the Custom Paint Shop. The MSRP for the paint set was $3,200. My bike also has the big extended, wrap around bags. The MSRP on them was $1,800. I'm very proud of this unique Road King. Two Harley dealerships in the Oklahoma City area have told me they have never seen a bike with this paint combination. It isn't a CVO, but the paint makes it as close as possible.
Harley-Davidson World and Iron Nation and or Fort Thunder down in Moore? I've heard rumors of that color but I've never actually seen one myself. It's awesome to know it is for real! You're lucky to have one!
@@GixxerFoo I'd be glad to send you some pictures if I had your email address.
Back in the day, green was considered bad luck.
Yeah that's what my old club Pres. use to say.
It still is
Unless you have a Kawasaki LOL !
That's exactly why Kawasaki became lime green, they always been a very defiant "asshole" company. For Top Gun the original they approached Honda, Honda refused because Tom Cruise wasn't going to wear a helmet. Kawasaki took the opportunity to promote the 900 Ninja and give a middle finger to Honda.
@graemedalgleish8944 Army Green was considered bad luck. The reason was, soldiers riding Army Green Harleys during WW2 sometimes got shot off of them. Bit of trivia for ya...
I miss the limited numbered paint sets
Buy an El Diablo, then.
Loved the flake paint
The Hard Candy flake was icing on the cake on the Sportster Seventy-two! 👌
Ditto
Yes i have one and get compliments all the time.@brianbayowski9265
I bought a 2016 Ultra Limited three years ago and was just looking for a certain color. I already knew i was going to buy an ultra limited. So we ended up finding my bike, drove 8 hours and 531 miles one way to get it. What i ended up getting color wise was the Cosmic Blue Pearl which has a darker metallic blue paint with streaks of silver-grey throughout the bike. I know its not for everybody but i didn't buy it for everybody, i bought it for me. Great video as always. Thank you for makin' my noggin work a little bit again.
Thank you! I am just sad to see colors like that go the ways side, that color stands out and now all the new bikes look the same. It used to be exciting to go see the new bikes and all the colors, it was overwhelming in a way. Now they are all just so plain.
I luv my big red flake on my sporty 72
The 72's are some beautiful bikes, they got some really trick paint on those models!
Your so right those kool looking paint jobs went away after years back I really liked those paint jobs they really popped I miss those days
They used to have flake and graphics with some stripes and even little hidden details.
The hard candy on the sportster 72’s was sick
Especially the Coloma Gold! 👍
They really popped all lined up in the show room!
I'm a basic black kind of guy. The vast majority of my bikes have been black with some modest chrome. I like custom paint jobs and enjoy looking at them, but they're a little too flashy for me. I agree that personalized paint jobs make them harder to sell. The factory custom and the paint sets, not so much, but you never get your money back for the paint sets. It's like any other custom mod.
Harleys paint schemes have always been something special about them!
The best paints I've seen recently are the Snake Venom, the Tobacco Fade, and the color scheme on El Diablo. I love cool paint jobs and I think Harley is doing okay. Could they do more? Sure, but we're not in the 90s either
Harley has had some great custom factory paint jobs thru the years. BUT, if you had to have a repair on any of those paint jobs, the cost is out of this world.
I agree 200% , Harley was the leader in beautiful custom paint jobs. The fall from grace I believe was the corporate mentality of greed over history. All companies need positive cash flow, but Harley was different, its customers different, that made it unique beyond normalcy. I hate the new paint schemes , and will only buy vivid black out of all the crap. The Venom paint was unique, I thought “ maybe “ something starting up . But , no, so I’ll stick with black in new bikes. I have an 88 Electra Glide in a plain red and black two tone. I still get compliments. My chromed out black fatboy, nothing 😢. I miss the proud colors of Harley. Maybe before I die, they will come back
I sure hope to see it come back too! You hit the nail on the head, Harley has defied all business logic for years and years. No one else has kept the same engine and used it in everything and been able to do it for decades with minor updates in most cases.
I bought my 21 RKS because of the Snake Venom color. I love the color changes in the paint. Everyone that talks to me about the bike loves the color with the blacked out engine, wheels, etc.
There’s a very stark contrast when you look at Harley’s from 20 years ago vs the bikes on the showroom floor today. Black never used to just be a dull black. They always had great flake in them. It definitely made it harder to repair or match down the road but it was worth it
I had 2011 ultra limited, it was two tone candy apple green on top black on bottom, beautiful bike and Harley-Davidson was painted in a nice flowing script on the tank. Last year I bought a new Heritage Softail it's the billiard blue and Grey two tone which looks really good I think but the 2024 models have pretty boring colors. I kind of want a low rider st but don't like any of the color options.
Sure I'm glad I was involved with Harley-Davidson motorcycles in my younger days. Now that I'm older Harley-Davidson is really nothing to write home about it anymore. Whether we want admitted or not, Harley-Davidson on a short flight and will be landing for the last time in our lifetime.
The original owner of my 2002 softail put a factory paint set on it . Was stock vivid black .
It's gold and smoke flames with red pinstripe . # 68 of 150 .
Kind of grown on me .
Everywhere I've been never seen another like it .
I like the Fast Johnny and the Billiard blue/gray color scheme they were doing last year. The up charge is just crazy. $500 for vivid black $650 for red rock and $700 for Onyx Pearl white is not right. Then the dealers will tell you just get gray and have it wrapped with what ever you want. Just because wraps are more available does not mean we all want to do that.
My 2015 has the Black Magic paint and I love it with the flake.
Tobacco fed probably in the top 10 best that Harley has came out with other than the black on the rest of the bike. I love it.
The black pearl on my 09 Dyna Low Rider is beautiful! That's not wild. Just add something to the colors you have. Give it a metallic look.
Tobacco fade in probably in the top 10 best that Harley has came out with other than the black on the rest of the bike. I love it.
I agree it's gorgeous, I was ready to drop cash on a Tri Glide. Too bad they dicked it up with the goofy record album for an emblem. smh
Definitely agree, I had a 1986 883 Sportster that was painted a color called candy bronze. I loved that color red in certain light and then bronze in other light. Wish I could get that paint these days.
I love all the wild colors Harley has. My 1995 Electra Glide Classic is Aqua Pearl with Silver Metallic and a Sky Blue pin stripe. My 2000 883 Sportster is a Purple Metallic. I do like the new Forrest Green, that looks really good with the chrome, but I don't think you can get it with black out trim. I also like a color combo from 2014-2016 era on the Electra Glides called Purple Fire and Raspberry Smoke. It looks totally cool! As far as graphics go, I am pretty tolerant to most stuff, but I am not into the Willy G skulls or skulls for any matter. Just not my thing.
Man, I thank the paint used to be better quality as well. My two-tone green ‘98 Road King still sparkles like none of the new bikes
I agree. I have a 2003 softail springer which the salesman ordered for me in luxury rich red pearl. It took about 3 months to get it and it was worth the wait. After over 21 years I still get lots of compliments.
I feel like you're right about the bland, opaque colors being the solid bet for resale and initial sales. I compare it to Kilz White Primer Sealer for Landlords. It covers everything and its white which most people don't mind on their walls. The battleship grey I love, but it does pull it's uniqueness in the fact that it is solid, opaque and out of context in the wild wave of paint and colors we're doing today. Don't get it twisted, for me presonally, the only tin that won't be candy and flake patterns is if I'm doing a special project build to imitate an OEM sixties chevy aesthetic or something similar. I grew up in my dad's auto body shop and I have a hard time leaving things stock. That being said you are correct, dad used to say, if youre gonna flip a vehicle paint it red, green, or blue and an oem color code. Idk I cant help feel like I sense a bit of a push back against the Vicla movement that I love so much, and I'm def not saying everyone has to love it but respect and vcelebrate everyone's chanve to express themselves in the bike, wheels and tires, engine, pupes, paint, stereo big or none...different strokes for different folks. I dont feel like it's a cost cutting measure as much as an admittance of the fact that the CVO provided a value feature for the rider who didn't have a painter friend, the market wasn't flooded with custom bike options from the last three decades, and you just wanted to swipe the credit card and get a spanking new harley that wasn't like every other rolling down the blacktop. I think HD knows it doesnt pay to compete in the custom market anymore for them because they are no longer under the illusion that they set the tone or standard for the custom world. Which is fine. Factory was never meant to be kep that way for some folks like me. Great topic. Keep them coming.
Hi GixxerFoo, I do love the custom paint, specifically the candy flake on the Sportster’s and love the snake venom on the Road & Street Glide with the Evil Knieval 1 on the fairing. When I bought my previously owned 2020 FLTRXS in Scorched Orange, I loved the color with the silver flux, but most importantly it was Bone Stock❤️now she is at Stage 2 motor & sound system, a mix of Screaming Eagle and aftermarket performance parts. Always enjoy your content, knowledge which has really help me to make my Harley..mine. Ride Hard💪🏼, Be Blessed 🙏🏽Aloha, Kenneth 🤙🏽
Thank you for the support! I love the Orange Harley has put out in every variations, it looks good and on a side note I think it makes you safer by standing out on the road.
Motorcycle historians will look back on this period as Harley's "Malaise Era". It might even become more infamous than the AMF years.
I had a Harley Sportster that I decided to paint green after an accident. It was hard to sell, and someone commented that green is an unlucky color. Since then, I prefer to keep my Harleys in their original color. The color series I liked the most was the red and silver combination that came out in 2004. The color I would never buy is the 2008 edition; they look just like Duracell batteries.
Unfortunately, and sadly, HD is not the same company it used to be,
my 05 ultraclassic paint, sunset gold, and vivid black with factory pinstripe separating them. Whether it's a factory custom or a custom paint aftermarket job, I believe it could be a difficult resale, like you said, eye of the beholder. Don't remember the year, but Dragon Fly Green was an absolute gorgeous harley factory color.
It's a real shame Harley doesn't paint bikes like that anymore, they had some talent in the color department back then.
It's pretty sad when a sub 5k dollar Royal Enfield has nicer paint than a new Harley.
That's what l was thinking making this video, Royal Enfield has all kinds of color options like Harley used to.
That white is Deep on those new HD’s.
Royal Enfields are pretty much all flat black now. I have a 2007 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 that is mostly red and chrome.
Thanks, good to know
I always thought I wanted a Black bike. My Electra Glide is Pacific Blue Pearl & black. I really like it. I get compliments all the time, and not always motorcycle people. I really don’t like the new battle Ship Grey.
My 2013 XL1200CP came in "Big Blue Pearl" and has lots of sparkles in the sun! Too bad they don't offer custom paint like this anymore. I added white-walls and that really sets the bike off
Not just Harley Davidson, but everyone sense of art and creativity are nowadays dulling and descending rather than what we did 20+ years ago. Nothing new but remakes in the glory days.
I thought the flake paint they did in gold as well as the red flake paint in the green flake paint what is great looking on Sportsters but I'm a big fan of vivid black you can't go wrong with a black Harley so now they want to clean you out for vivid black
I have a 2013 ultra limited in the crome pearl yellow and black, I bought it because I liked it and it is different than most every thing else
I like a lot of the flashy paint sets but I’m never sure I will like them in a year or two. So- I buy black and chrome. I always love that.
My first new Harley was a 1984 FXSB Low Rider, the last year of the shovel on a dyna. It was painted pruple and silver with a root beer pinstripe. It was a beautiful bike, and I hate purple. In the showroom there were candies, pearls, metal flakes etc. Even the solid colors were deep enough to swim in. One of the things they had going for them was their paint, but now the standard color is primer gray.
Yeah, I hear Harley‘s gonna come out with a pink bike. Or may be a Budweiser bike. maybe they’re just gonna have a bike with just left-hand control that’s it. They’re just all left. Oh I know a rainbow bike.
My bike is getting a brandywine flake base coat with a primary coat of dark brandywine around the edges spreading into the base coat then triple clear coated. One color basically with darkened edges.
I ride a 2003, 100-Year Anniversary Edition, Road King Classic. One of the things I like about my bike is its original anniversary Two-Tone Sterling Silver and Vivid Black paint colors which makes my bike stand out.
There are other Harley-Davidson custom paint jobs I would also have considered.... namely with flames and contrasting colors but I'm happy with my anniversary edition paint scheme.
Limiting bikes to "Plain Jane* colors and hiking the price up not a good move for Harley Davidson. Especially considering the extra charge for Black.
I'm a bit biased as I have one, but the 2022 apex paint set on the touring line is one of my favorite
I like two tone piant jobs or soild vivit. Custom airbrush jobs i like and if its skulls and fire ill buy it. If im looking. These bikes now arent to my liking with colors and tech and the vvt and M8 im not sure about.
My 2002 Screaming Eagle Road King with Candy Brandywine Radical Paint with Flames is pretty nice.
Likely one if the last hand painted flame graphics from harley
When Harley started the grey color scheme, I was instantly transported to the early eighties when all us kids had bad ass wheels and tires and primered sheetmetal. No Thanks.
Don't care about paint design, but, at current prices, the paint better be PERFECT.
The prices are out of control, the CEO is focusing on wealthy customers and capitalizing on the expensive bikes. Harley needs to look at Royal Enfield if they want to get some younger people and keep the brand alive. Royal Enfield is killing it on price and quality, not to mention they offer colors like Harley used to.
The 6500 dollar upcharge for the
$#!++y paintwork that Cumslinger paint sets on CVOs makes absolutely no sense. Plus, they do a horrid job.
1980 wide glide fireball factory flames is one of the most desirable. There’s one for sale here for 45,000 Australian dollar.
The last year that Harley a good selection of paint colours was 2020...there were no real "flashy" designs, but there was like 10 - 12 colour options on the touring models between 2 tone with blackout or a solid colour with blackout! Every year since has pretty much soild colours! That being said...I like their solid colour options! Great video...thanks for sharing...stay safe out there!!😎👍🤙👍🤙🇨🇦
Leadership at Harley has really changed and not really focused on what Harley is all about. They've pulled everything back in, condensed the lines and colors, charged more and essentially given us less in an effort to maximize profit while selling less bikes.
Exactly why why I went with the traditional flames air brushed paint job on my evo softail.
You can't beat that, I love that look!
Putting those custom colors in today's world would cost a small fortune.
Purple haze13 on my 08 Dyna. I bought it used a few years ago and wasn't in love with it. I cut and polished the tins and it came alive. I also changed the bike from all chrome to gloss black. Now i really love the color. Multi stage base color and real gold leaf harley davidson script on the tank.
It wasn't limited in numbers and could be had on any version of any model but had to be custom ordered within a few months. After that time window it was never available again. There is no paint code to duplicate it according to harley as well. I'd love to paint a small fairing to match but it would be touch to match without specific code and instructions I'm told.
I think the stickers on Ironhead Sallys Sportster look better than anything HD has offered for decades.
Happy trails, Cowpoke
I think Harley finally nailed their own coffin.
Good content. You can understand Harley leaving the graphics up to the owner. I enjoy some custom paint jobs but finding one for sale that would appeal to me would be difficult. Yes, they are cutting costs but probably making the bikes easier to sell. Thanks for your info this week. I definitely appreciate your efforts. Take care and I’ll be waiting for your next update. Peace
Thank you for checking out the video! A lot of custom paint jobs I admire the talent and work but it may not necessarily be something I would want to own myself. Now I do like custom paint that's done in a way that would mimic what Harley-Davidson might do from the factory.
I like a little flare, but not too much. My problem with custom paint jobs is it is hard to fix dents and scratches.
I've never really liked the factory "custom" paint jobs. I'm more of a solid color, possibly two tone kinda guy. The problem with buying a factory "custom" is that when you go to a rally or weekend run you run into a dozen other bikes that are "customized" Exactly like yours.
I had a 2016 SGS in Candy Black Gold. Loved it. I got a deal on it because nobody would buy it. Got a lot of good comments on it. Got a good trade in on it for a 2022SGS Crimson and vivid black. I love that also.
Today’s prices are ridiculous, have priced me completely out. Dealers can eat them for all I care.
I wish Harley would do that all the car companies did back in the day ... allow you to ORDER a custom ride. Sure you might have to wait 3 or 6 months, but you could get EXACTLY what you want. Why should I buy a brand new Road Glide, then have to buy 135 motor, pay to have it installed, then sell my 114/117? That's STUPID. I should be able to order a basic bike and have an INCREMENTAL upgrade right out of the factory. Same for pipes, bars, seats, etc. Even if it's just "Harley Only" parts and not after market stuff. The same goes for paint. Why should you have to get a black bike, then disassemble it, and have custom paint done and put it together again. ORDER exactly what you want with INCREMENTAL upgrades, and then wait a couple months.
Snake Venom paint was the last cool paint color I really remember Harley having, and it was so expensive, you could have bought your own top-tier custom paint in any color, so they really ruin their own chances of anybody every buying it except rich collectors I guess, or someone, I don’t even know who. The sportster 72s all did have great paint, saw them in the video
Snake Venom was the very last wild color Harley ever had now that you mention it. The 72's were awesome and they used to do the 48's with the same colors.
Bring back some flames
It seems that for the lastbfew years there has been a lot of grey colors on all vehicles the only reason i can think of this is theyvdont build battleships any more and the paint manufactures have an excess of it so they were giving it away its the only thing that makes any sense
Even pinstripes have faded away...
I'm old school.....plain and beautiful
There's black... And then everything else. Now HD charges more for it. They're after every little penny. It's the little things like that, thats just bad for business.
I had a Radioactive Green Street Glide, now that paint had POP!!!
Never saw that color before this video. Now I want one.
It's funny I mentioned that color and I was driving into town the next day, I spotted a Road Glide in Radioactive Green in the parking lot of one of the factories in the industrial row in town.
I have never been a fan of custom paint on any motorcycle. By that I mean, themed graphics, that folks put on their machines. Always struck me as to gaudy for my taste. I do like looking at the old school graphics like Indian Larry did on his bikes. Metal flake can make a bike stand out and that's as wild as I would personally go. I do have subtle ghost flames on my 92 Fatboy tanks and rear fender it is not over the top and I believe if I were to ever sell it, it would be an added value. HD needs to do better. Boring solid colors, pathetic tank emblems. Next they'll sell rattle can kits to paint your own lol!
The new normal. Less for more.
I like the wild colors to see at bike night or a bike show. It’s just not my thing. I would never own one. Like you said. It’s a hard sell, and they just get played out soon.
I got the 2022 Ultra- Limited with the Apex paint package for my retirement bike / last new bike ever.
I love a custom airbrushed theme bike as long as it isn't just a trailer queen. I also think it's mandatory for a chopper/ shovel or older to have candy with flake.
Only issue it had was trailer mode did not work correctly when I moved. It killed the battery - the alarm system never activated by the way. But the alarm battery- yes it has a separate internal battery that also died. Tried to charge it but only the alarm battery took a charge, and the main battery was toast.
I really like the skunk works road glide. Those bikes still fetch a high price.
New bikes are so plain, at least a 2 or 3 tone (Non CVO) wouldn't be a bad thing. I mean it's not like they really listen to customers in what they really want anyway on new bikes. Metal flake or pearl is never a bad thing even on a single color.
They don't even really offer a two tone on the 2024's unless you get into the CVO models. The Street Bob is about as wild as it gets now.
My sister and brother in law had an 08 crossbones with the pinstripe paint. I wasn't a fan myself, loved the bike though. I've always been attracted to the clean lines of a heritage classic in 2 tone. I used to say that you can't go to a chevy dealer and get modern 57 Belair but you can go to harley and get a modern 59 duo glide. Welp, not no more. You can pay put the wazoo for a hydra glide but it still doesn't have the class of a twin cam or even an evo heritage. And that's not even mentioning a springer. They're more like Japanese cruisers now
I bought mine for the paint job and the turbo. Didn't know that it was a fatboy until I transferred the rego.
Mine is a 2014 Hard Candy Custom Breakout, with lots of beautiful CHROME, never letting it go…👌🏍️💨🔥
I love the Twin Cam Break Outs in those years!
Because most Harley riders today are born to be mild, and so are their bank accounts.
I've never even known anyone who bought a brand new Harley, and we used to just do fizz bomb paint jobs on ours, because a fresh paint job usually lasted about a weekend.
Good video, as usual.👍
I agree who ever is deciding on HD colours is shitting the bed
They are very lackluster
I remember during the EVO years they offered custom factory painted tank and fender sets, so you could bolt on a new job. One can sell a wreck if it has good paint.
I like custom paint of course but I have to think it is cool if I was to buy it from someone. Solid color custom paints I would go for 100%. I like a good blue.
1990 FLHS candy brandywine with graphics,,2001 road king concord grape,both mine and both stock colors.
All I can say is “ thank goodness for the independent paint shops “ . Out west Rolling Art Design has got very good opinions.
I feel like the luke warm reception of the new SG and RG was due a lot to the bland color, I would love to see one painted up like the old days when people weren't afraid of some color!
Harley customers have shown they will pay high prices for specialized bikes (CVO for instance). I dont think folks dig the wild colors like they used to.
Cost savings on their part not on their prices though and the younger crowd like em more bland ....everything's blacked out which is cheaper on their overall costs
Different strokes for different folks. It's a personal thing. Yes, the wilder it gets the more personal it becomes. If it's a forever bike, have at it. If it's a bike until the next one, try to be a bit conservative. That's my 2 cents.
Graphics no, tape fades, silver or gold leaf, panels and airbrush fades and the like. Race inspired paint. What I like and since 07 been noticing it's been getting more popular on the west coast. King of the baggers has definitely got everyone in a race for HP, Speed and cornering performance.
Paint can't help that. 😅
like everything else the Motor Co is doing these daz.....they don't listen to their customer base.....i told my local dealer (who i get along with) the other day that Harley is making BLACK look good this year....i have never been a black bike guy...never thought they stood out in a crowd....but after looking at some of crap colors for 2024 .....i'm beginning to like black....i have two Harley's ....both have custom paint and they get more looks than the new M 8'S.....just saying....Harley's CEO is a total joke....they are heading for a "REMEMBER WHEN" company....
Can't argue with that.
It's getting worse with the things starting to come out from corporate.
this CEO is a little LEFT leaning.....he has to go...sell motorcycles not your ideology
Probably has more to do with those factory painters retiring then anything else.
I think there's something to be said for 'The Stressed Look'. It's one step above a row of skulls on a chain. Hahaaa
As for your question, buying a used H-D with a custom paint job would depend entirely on the paint job. (My buddy bought a purple sled whose paint featured large-breasted women slaying mythical beasts with swords. Airbrush gone wild. One of a kind. On the upside, it initiated a divorce.) I liked the factory flame job on the original FXWG (1980) so much that I had it duplicated it on a custom. Haven't found much inspiration in H-D's paint work since then. The company seems to be following the trend of automakers, where most cars look pretty much the same and the paint gets increasingly drab.
With Harley slowly circling the bowl, have a look at Robby Starbuck's new video, Harley-Davidson Goes Woke. (RUclips won't let me paste a link.) Very disturbing stuff. It's clear they have completely lost focus under the German globalist CEO. Hard to watch.
Yes I like the S.E. paint on the 2023 120th Anniversary Road Glide. Heck, enough to buy one, 445 of 1600 Herlom Red Fade
You know how scuttle butt goes but I heard harley was charging extra for just gloss black pant now
That is actually true, the gray is the base color now. I've heard that the cost of the pigment to make black has gone up, but I can translate Harley. "Black is popular, let's make gray the base color and charge more for black."
I have some old parts catalogs from the mid 2000s and they had lots of custom paint sets you could order. I’m not even sure if they make a parts catalog anymore.
I think it's all about money. I also think that it's odd that they don't paint their cvos. Did they ever paint their cvos?
I don't believe they ever painted the CVO's in house, they contracted to a place in Colorado that does the custom paint work. I can't remember the name of the shop, I believe they are in Colorado though. They probably had to sign an NDA to get the contract which sadly they don't get credit advertised for their work.