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  #1  
Old 07-10-2013, 11:05 AM
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Shopping for a Harley. Need advice.

After nearly 30 years of BMWs I'm going to try on a Harley. BMW technology has eclipsed my budget and mechanical willingness. I'm keeping several Airheads but am going to be selling the K1200LT and am looking for a two-up tourer. I've done quite a bit of research but am in search of more detail. Thought some of you could add to my confusion.
I'm looking at the Ultra Classic dresser. I like the simplicity of the carbed models which leads me toward pre 1998 models (although some 1995 and up were FI) and the battery was moved from the saddlebag to under the seat in 1994 so that's desirable. My ideal would be a 1994-1997 but there are few to choose from. However, there are loads of pre 2005(ish) models for not much more money.
What's up with the early FI units? (Weren't they Magneti-Morelli or something?) When was the FI changed to the newer ones? What about the twin-cam vs the Evo in power, longevity, fuel economy, driveability etc.? Weren't there some problems with the early TC-88 and when did this get fixed (if ever)?
My go fast days are gone and I'm happy to cruise at the speed limit or so. I'd just like to discuss the pros and cons of the carbed Evo vs the FI Evo vs the FI TC.
Thanks!

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  #2  
Old 07-10-2013, 11:10 AM
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Might I suggest you go to a dealership and rent one for a day? Some have those programs. Rent it and see how you like it. It doesn't matter what the cost is, how it looks, how it sounds or even what make it is. If you aren't comfortable, it costs too much.

My wife's Can-Am Spyder costs more than my Sportster but if you gave it to me, I wouldn't want to ride it. I hate it. I modified my Sportster till I got the feel I wanted since it was a good starting point.

As far as FI or carb goes, I sold my wife's ATV a year and a half later for the SAME thing except EFI. I wouldn't want to screw around with carbs. I'm glad to say that only my yard machines are carb. I wouldn't buy a carbed bike if it was cheap.
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  #3  
Old 07-10-2013, 11:19 AM
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Get a V-Strom or something, not a bike from a manufacturer whose reputation is riding (hah) on the glory days of 60s biking that never were. So many other good choices.
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Old 07-10-2013, 11:58 AM
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I suppose if you have fairly consistent conditions, it might not hurt. The ATVs had to be rejetted for good performance when we took them up to past 4000 feet from sea level. Buddy's machine would backfire on decel once in a while no matter how he tried to jet or tune the thing and he rode it in the same area. With my FI model, there is no warm up or anything. Put key in ignition, roll it back out of garage and go. No choking or whatever.

Wife tried a Kawi Eliminator 125 to learn. What a PITA. It had to be warmed up and choked to start. Glad those days are over.
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  #5  
Old 07-10-2013, 12:08 PM
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I've ridden several and we are comfortable on them for the most part. We won't be buying new, just too expensive and any rental would probably be a new one and not a good comp of what we can afford. I'm very comfortable with carburetors having owned possibly 30 BMW Airheads so the carbed bikes are fine with me. I'm looking for specific advice on the early (Magneti-Morelli?) vs the late (Delphi?) Harley FI systems and the Evo vs the TC engines up to 2005ish.

spdrun, not knocking anyone's personal preferences but how do we go from someone asking for some pretty specific advice on a Harley bagger to a recommendation of a V-Strom? True, there's lots of good choices out there for touring bikes and I've done a bit of adventure touring on a BMW R100GS also but for this one we've pretty well narrowed it down to the choices I mentioned above.
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Old 07-10-2013, 12:22 PM
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I know a guy in Ohio with a '97 Ultra Classic in great shape...$7000, I think. They don't pop up too often
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Old 07-10-2013, 12:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjlipps View Post
spdrun, not knocking anyone's personal preferences but how do we go from someone asking for some pretty specific advice on a Harley bagger to a recommendation of a V-Strom? True, there's lots of good choices out there for touring bikes and I've done a bit of adventure touring on a BMW R100GS also but for this one we've pretty well narrowed it down to the choices I mentioned above.
Fair enough. As to reasoning -- if you look at the Harley dressers and a modern tourer with luggage, they're actually remarkably similar in functionality, minus the retro looks of the Harley of course.
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Old 07-10-2013, 12:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jplinville View Post
I know a guy in Ohio with a '97 Ultra Classic in great shape...$7000, I think. They don't pop up too often
JP that's kinda where I'm at market-wise. Deal is, this bike (from my limited knowledge) could be carbed or FI as an option and the FI is probably an earlier variant-which wasn't used for very long and might not be the best. I'm right on the bubble as far as budget vs market prices and available technology. I'm trying to hit the sweet spot instead of buying an older, cheaper "project" or a newer, too expen$ive cherry.
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  #9  
Old 07-10-2013, 12:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spdrun View Post
Fair enough. As to reasoning -- if you look at the Harley dressers and a modern tourer with luggage, they're actually remarkably similar in functionality, minus the retro looks of the Harley of course.
Admittedly I'm a little out of touch on the metric offerings. What are some other V-twin tourers with full luggage that have long distance range and comfort? I'm not brand-loyal (except to BMW) and I don't care if it's shaft or belt but no chains. Another thing I like about the HD is the low seat height and the ease with which it can be tied down on a trailer for those longer jaunts-something that would scare me on the big BMW.
I do like the retro look and it seems like in my price range (<$10K) the HD will retain the most value at resale time (which could be a long time ahead).
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Old 07-10-2013, 12:52 PM
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What I have been hearing is to avoid the first few years of that sort of FI. IIRC, 02 is the last year?
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  #11  
Old 07-10-2013, 01:18 PM
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I have an 01 Road King with 50k miles and it came with a carb. Put gear driven cams in it right after I bought it. It has been the most reliable HD I have ever owned.
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Old 07-10-2013, 03:18 PM
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Can you tell us about your BMW Airheads? If one was in the market for one, what are some things to look out for?
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  #13  
Old 07-10-2013, 03:54 PM
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Now you're talking my language thorsen!
My area of expertise starts with the 1970 introduced /5 series and ends with the 1995 end of the Airhead line. I gravitated toward them early on and for some reason began buying and selling them, along the way keeping a few.
If you're asking for yourself, e-mail me and I'll launch into a diatribe that would cause most forum members to mutter under their breath.
But basically any of them can be used for about any purpose if you take into account speed, load and distance required. You can take a 1970 500cc bike across country and you can go to the corner store on a 1995 R100. They are light, simple, long-lived and while not as comfy as a full-on modern touring bike they are reasonably suited for a long trip. Many of the models have integral fairings but many are built "naked" and the owners can choose from a multitude of aftermarket vendors for bodywork and luggage.
Right now I have a 1967 R60/2 that is in the process of a more modern (1976 R60/6) engine conversion, a 1976 R90 that I have owned since 1987 and have set up as a naked roadster with some aftermarket upgrades and a 1985 R80RT (owned since 1990) that is original except for an R100 top-end transplant. I also have a 2000 K1200LT that is up for sale, hopefully to finance a different style of tourer.
Don't know what you want to know but I'm glad to share. Let me know if there are specific questions or if you are shopping for a bike for a specific mission.
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1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

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  #14  
Old 07-10-2013, 04:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjlipps View Post
After nearly 30 years of BMWs I'm going to try on a Harley. BMW technology has eclipsed my budget and mechanical willingness. I'm keeping several Airheads but am going to be selling the K1200LT and am looking for a two-up tourer. I've done quite a bit of research but am in search of more detail. Thought some of you could add to my confusion.
I'm looking at the Ultra Classic dresser. I like the simplicity of the carbed models which leads me toward pre 1998 models (although some 1995 and up were FI) and the battery was moved from the saddlebag to under the seat in 1994 so that's desirable. My ideal would be a 1994-1997 but there are few to choose from. However, there are loads of pre 2005(ish) models for not much more money.
What's up with the early FI units? (Weren't they Magneti-Morelli or something?) When was the FI changed to the newer ones? What about the twin-cam vs the Evo in power, longevity, fuel economy, driveability etc.? Weren't there some problems with the early TC-88 and when did this get fixed (if ever)?
My go fast days are gone and I'm happy to cruise at the speed limit or so. I'd just like to discuss the pros and cons of the carbed Evo vs the FI Evo vs the FI TC.
Thanks!
Usually you go from Harleys to Beemer’s as you get older. I went from Norton’s to a Beemer.
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  #15  
Old 07-10-2013, 05:10 PM
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Delphi is better definative, more control parameters and narrow band O2 sensors. Evolution a good engine twin can good, early ones had can chain tensioner issues you can retrofit. Hdforums a good source of tech info

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