Quote:
Originally Posted by vwbuge
So you're comparing a mid 60's BMW with an '86 Sproty? Apples and oranges maybe.
How many Sportys have you seen (or any other Harley) with well over 100,000 miles on the clock? Now compare that number with how many BMWs you have seen?
Harley's have come a long way and actually jumped light years ahead with the release of the Evo. Light years ahead of the ironhead that is. As far as modern day motorcycles the a Harley is still a little below average as far as maintenance, reliability, and endurance. The BMW, far above.
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My dad has a 1979 R65, and it has had issues with stripped driveshaft splines, rocker arm noise/wear, carb synchronization, poor brakes, speedometer issues, and electrical issues(diode board). These are common to most airhead Beemers, not just the R65.
At least a Evo Sporty can be rebuilt many times over, and don't have the above issues. They have problems, but you can almost always get home. If you lose the chain on the road, just use the master link that should be in all toolkits and you are on your way. Try that with a BMW that grenades the driveshaft. Harleys' have reliable roller hydraulic valve lifters, much less maintenance than on a BMW. A new USA made petcock for the Sporty costs around forty dollars, try buying one for a BMW for that price. BMW uses a wimpy single roller chain to drive the camshaft, Harley uses a gear drive system that will never break. Harley uses a automotive style spin on oil filter that couldn't be easier to change. BMW uses a complicated canister oil filter that is very prone to leaks. I can change the air filter on a Sporty in five minutes, on a airhead Beemer plan on spending half an hour, at least, while you remove covers, air tubes and choke cables. If my dad had to pay labor for all of these common BMW maladies, he would have spent more than the bike is worth, but he loves it. Go figure.
