Any Harley enthusiasts here?

[Idaho45guy]

Getting the itch for a bike, again. I used to own a 1993 Harley Davidson Road King that was heavily customized when I lived in Arizona. I fell into the deal for that bike and bought it for profit. Paid $6500 and sold it a year later for $8500.

I absolutely loved that bike! Only issue was that since it was carbed, going from Prescott Valley to Phoenix was quite a change in elevation, and it ran rich down in the Valley.

A female friend of mine at work has a Honda cruiser and convinced me to get a bike for this summer so we can do some road trips. Bike prices are ridiculous up here, which is silly, since you can only ride them a few months out of the year.

So, since I was planning on visiting my folks down in Arizona soon, started searching that area for bikes and found a deal that has to be too good to be true.

1994 Harley Davidson Road King, with only 31,000 miles, in immaculate shape, for $5000. I believe it is completely original and comes with a lot of factory options.

I was only wanting to spend around $3500 for a used Japanese cruiser bike, but this seems like a great deal. My uncle used to own a Honda motorcycle dealership and is going with my dad over to look at it tomorrow.

One source I looked at said it was fuel-injected, while another said 1995 was the first year for EFI.

Anybody have any thoughts on what it is really worth and if I should get it?

Only one photo...

294642

[truckerdave397]

I have a 2002 Road King. I love it. Mine has a carburetor on it. Some of these Harleys have an issue with the camshaft drive chain tensioners. Mine was one of them. I am not sure what years had issues but do not ignore it. Good luck in your search.

[Bloodhound689]

Harley started with the Electra Glides as an option in 1995. First Road Kings were in 1996.

Good luck. Looks like a sharp bike. Just traded in a Road King on a Ultra this summer. Loved the Road King but don't regret the trade.

[sigep1764]

Not a Harley enthusiast, but am very into motycycles. That is definitely a carb model. Fuel injection did not start for most models til the 2000's. It will need to be jetted for your elevation in Idaho. If it is gonna sit over the winter, start it regularly. I would also go so far as to get alcohol free gas for it before it sits. Marine gas is alcohol free if you're near a lake.

[Evoken]

Evo powerplant. Reliable, easy to work on, easy to maintain.
Couple things I can notice. S&s carb, not factory but a good carb if treated right. That means at the least it should be "stage 1" and possibly have aftermarket pipes or slip on mufflers.

Hard to tell from the pic, but the rear cargo box did not come on the bike. May be a harley add on or may be aftermarket. Seat looks like an electraglude seat. The road king seats had a shorter nose section, once again hard to tell from pic. The bars may be aftermarket, again hard to tell from the pic.

5k$ is a decent price now, that is on the high side but not out of the question pre pandemic.

A few things it will most likely need with that low amount of miles and original.
- flush and change all fluids, including the brake fluid. They use a silicon based brake fluid (dot 4 I think), not compatible with dot 3 and gets gummy after 20+ years.
- may need new brake lines, again 20+ years causes dryrot.
- if they were not replaced it's gonna need tappets/lifters soon. Harley recommends an initial change at 25k on the evos. The factory lifters were junky and prone to coming apart. Much better option out there now.
- the cam bearing may need replaced at some point. The bean counters changed them at some point and I cannot remember the exact year. If yours came with a torrington from the factory it is good to go, ina is bad.

None of this is to dissuade you whatsoever. Just remember this is now a "vintage" machine.....
I love the evos for their simplicity and reliability
But like any other machine older machine they need some care. Certainly not as much as the old shovelheads and iron head sporties though.

The early injection models introduced in 95 are temperamental and can be difficult to work on and diagnose. I have one carbed and one injected, I know a thing or two about them. Evoken

[Bakebfr480]

Brough Superior fan here!

[jonp]

Getting the itch for a bike, again. I used to own a 1993 Harley Davidson Road King that was heavily customized when I lived in Arizona. I fell into the deal for that bike and bought it for profit. Paid $6500 and sold it a year later for $8500.

I absolutely loved that bike! Only issue was that since it was carbed, going from Prescott Valley to Phoenix was quite a change in elevation, and it ran rich down in the Valley.

A female friend of mine at work has a Honda cruiser and convinced me to get a bike for this summer so we can do some road trips. Bike prices are ridiculous up here, which is silly, since you can only ride them a few months out of the year.

So, since I was planning on visiting my folks down in Arizona soon, started searching that area for bikes and found a deal that has to be too good to be true.

1994 Harley Davidson Road King, with only 31,000 miles, in immaculate shape, for $5000. I believe it is completely original and comes with a lot of factory options.

I was only wanting to spend around $3500 for a used Japanese cruiser bike, but this seems like a great deal. My uncle used to own a Honda motorcycle dealership and is going with my dad over to look at it tomorrow.

One source I looked at said it was fuel-injected, while another said 1995 was the first year for EFI.

Anybody have any thoughts on what it is really worth and if I should get it?

Only one photo...

294642

I am highly skeptical of that price as it is clearly not a junker or something that needs a great deal of fixing. The owner took very good care of it. If true, I'd buy it, ride it to Arizona and trade it for a new bike like a Boulevard. I loved my 99 Softtail Custom. Bike ran and rode great but sold it last year as I never had time to ride it. No interest in buying another one, though. Harley's are nice but very overpriced. For less money I'd buy a Honda, Kawasaki or Suzuki and not look back. We found a similar deal on an almost new 1200 Sportster that a guy bought, ran one summer then went blind. He kept it several years and used to go out to the garage and run it every so often but then just sold it for a good price. Don't buy one, Sportsters are not made for older people in my opinion. I never liked it but it was the wife's and she never really liked it either.

As a former owner you already know that HD stands for "Hundred Dollars" as that's the min your going to pay for a standard Spring Oil Change.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Hopefully you won't have another scorching summer out there. I rode less last summer because of the heat.

[jonp]

A few things it will most likely need with that low amount of miles and original.
- flush and change all fluids, including the brake fluid. They use a silicon based brake fluid (dot 4 I think), not compatible with dot 3 and gets gummy after 20+ years.
- may need new brake lines, again 20+ years causes dryrot.
- if they were not replaced it's gonna need tappets/lifters soon. Harley recommends an initial change at 25k on the evos. The factory lifters were junky and prone to coming apart. Much better option out there now.
- the cam bearing may need replaced at some point. The bean counters changed them at some point and I cannot remember the exact year. If yours came with a torrington from the factory it is good to go, ina is bad.


I agree but if I bought that bike and was intending a trip from Idaho to Arizona I'd bite the bullet and take it to either a Harley dealer or recommended independent and tell them to go through it.

[Idaho45guy]

If it checks out, then I would have my dad buy it, then I would drive from Idaho to Arizona in my SUV towing my utility trailer. I would then re-pay my dad, load the Harley into the trailer, and drive back up to Idaho.

I would use it for daily commuting to work and back, and weekend trips in the region of no more than 100 miles.

Interestingly enough, I found an even better deal on a 2002 HD Heritage Soft Tail over in Montana for $5400. Beautiful bike with 43,000 miles and all the parts I would want.

294645

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Something like this would turn my crank;
294646

[elk hunter]

Many years ago after owing two BSA's and a Triumph I bought a 1952 Harley and rode it until in the early 60's when Honda started selling bikes here. I bought a 305 Super Hawk and discovered what a real motorcycle was. I'm sure that Harley had to have improved their machines over the years but, with the Honda all I had to do was put gas in it, change the oil and ride the heck out of it. Over the years I bought and rode a lot of Hondas and never looked back. I sold my last one, a Gold Wing, in 2015 after a fire that gutted my garage and shop. I had to leave the bike outside and didn't have time to ride it during the reconstruction of the garage. I've thought about buying a bike again, even thought about a Harley, but I realized that I don't have the strength to pick it back up if I dumped it. This getting old is getting old. I envy those of you that can still ride. Enjoy it, it doesn't last forever. If you see an old guy in a white Jeep turning green with envy as you ride by that will be me.

[rockrat]

I would say get the Heritage. I have an '08 Heritage and really like the balanced engine over the unbalanced one. I know many look down on the balanced engine as its not "traditional" but the older I get, the more I am glad I got it. Don't ride much anymore because of the "cagers" but its paid for and not taking up much room.

[Finster101]

I would say get the Heritage. I have an '08 Heritage and really like the balanced engine over the unbalanced one. I know many look down on the balanced engine as its not "traditional" but the older I get, the more I am glad I got it. Don't ride much anymore because of the "cagers" but its paid for and not taking up much room.

Not to knock anyone here but a 95 to 08 are completely different power plants. You really can't compare the two. The Roadking looks like the nicer bike of the two. You will get a better ride out of it than the Softail. I have a 93 Fatboy and an 08 Roadglide. I bought both of them new. Changing lifters at 25,000 miles in an Evo is news to me and one of my best friends was the parts manager and then service manager at the local HD dealership for years. Usually anything that mentions Harley devolves into a bashing thread similar to Lee reloading products. I would jump on that Roadking. It looks like it was owned by someone who took care of it. A lot of folks just don't ride their bikes a lot and as they get older just decide they are not or can not ride anymore at all. Plus the bags on that Softail look hideous.

[Evoken]

The lifter like the cam bearing was changed to a cheaper version in the later versions of the evos. I know that it is in the service manuals for the 98 year models, but not sure when they went with the cheaper versions. I believe about the same time that they changed the motor from a bottom breather to a top breather.

That is not to say that it absolutely needs done. My 98 ultra has close to 60k with the original lifters still. But it was something the service manual recommends, may just to be to sell parts. I do know the ina cam bearing is junk and did in fact scatter quite a few cam chests.

I also agree with the difference in years. Different power plant, different frame, etc. Back in the 90's there was no balanced motor. Late 90's touring bikes had rubber mounted engines, softtails and dynas had hard mounted engines.

[Finster101]

Evoken I used the stock lifters in the Fatboy even after doing some pretty extensive motor work. Alas, that was not the cause of that motors demise though. Early Evo cases were too soft an alloy when you started building power in to it and pulled the cylinder studs out of the case. HD changed the alloy in 95, I fixed mine by going with aftermarket cases. Something else to consider, many dealerships will no longer work on Evo's. Not really a big deal there are plenty of really good independent shops out there. Some dealerships may still work on them but the two in my area certainly will not. Lifters are more of an issue with the twin cam motor especially the 110 CI due to cam and head combo's from HD.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Harleys use to go for real high money. But now with many Babyboomers aging out of the riding market, I see more and more of them on the market for reasonable prices. So, I think now is the time to buy one. Myself? I prefer Asian imported bikes, they are just so much more reliable and require much less maintenance...But, nothing sounds like a Harley.

[racepres]

Haven't been without one since 1979... does that count???

[Les Staley]

Pm sent.

[Idaho45guy]

Dad and my uncle, along with a Harley expert went over to inspect it. They all said it is exceptionally nice and a great deal.

Dad sent video from his phone of it being test rode. Sounds amazing!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1TFTWRAAew

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Flip flops and shorts?

[Idaho45guy]

Flip flops and shorts?

Not what I would ever ride in, but I'm not judging.

Bought the bike.

Arranging payment and figuring out when I want to go down there to get it. My trailer is an open 10' utility trailer that is lifted and has AT tires. Dad said I could use his tandem axle 14' covered trailer. Has typical highway tread trailer tires. Not sure which is better for the trip on potentially snow-covered roads.

Leaning towards my utility trailer and buying a cover for the motorcycle to keep road grime off of it.

[jonp]

Sweet! Congrats on the bike. Boy I remember that sound my Vance Long Shots made. Sounds like nothing else. I'm excited for you just watching that video

[memtb]

Back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, I was a big fan of the XR 750’s! From the 1/2 miles, to the TT Tracks to the mile ovals they dominated! memtb

[Finster101]

Don't trailer it with a cover on it. The grime will clean of easier than polishing the abrasions on the paint from the cover rubbing on it.

[sigep1764]

Don't trailer it with a cover on it. The grime will clean of easier than polishing the abrasions on the paint from the cover rubbing on it.

This

[Idaho45guy]

Thinking about driving down there with no trailer, then renting a U-Haul covered trailer to bring it back in. Can't be too much money.

Edited: $144 for a 5'x8' enclosed trailer. Trying to figure out how long the bike is. No specs online. Current Road King is 95". Will have to have my dad measure it. If it's too long, then the next size up trailer is $251, and that is just a bit too much.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Maybe have it shipped to you? Might end up less than the road trip. Or have your Dad keep it until spring time and fly down and ride it back.

[Daekar]

Not a Harley fan specifically, but a bike fan even though I am bikeless for the time being. I have had... err... 4 different bikes myself and ridden Heaven only knows how many.

There are a few that stand out as remarkable experiences to ride, and the 1200 Sportster was one of those. It handled nicely while being stable and substantial, and it was just COOL. I usually prefer lighter bikes with more efficient powerplants, but that was a lovely experience. The Buell XB12S (same engine, basically) was an absolutely hoot to ride, torque for days no matter what gear you were in or how fast you were going.

Don't really care for the full dressers which seem to be so dominant in the Harley space these days, at that point I'll just take a car.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Not a Harley fan specifically, but a bike fan even though I am bikeless for the time being. I have had... err... 4 different bikes myself and ridden Heaven only knows how many.

Don't really care for the full dressers which seem to be so dominant in the Harley space these days, at that point I'll just take a car.

Me too unless i was going on a longer ride. I like twins though, had 2002 SV650 thta was a hoot to ride. Now i have DL1000A V Strom294718 photo from 2017 at Sumatra Montana oN HWY 12.

[Idaho45guy]

Maybe have it shipped to you? Might end up less than the road trip. Or have your Dad keep it until spring time and fly down and ride it back.

Shipping is about the same as the gas, since my SUV gets 16 mpg on road trips. 3500 miles for the last trip(multiple trips into the desert and mini-road trips into California) was over $800 just for gas.

Airline ticket is $315 one way. I'm assuming this Road King gets as bad gas mileage as my last one, which was 22 mpg on the highway. It's 1400 miles one way, so $230 for gas based on local prices.

Flying down and riding back would be about $550, which is less than the road trip option. If I just drive there and back and only do one or two trips into the desert, then figure 3000 miles at 16 mpg, 187.5 gallons of gas, at $3.65 a gallon, is $685.

But, I was planning on driving down there anyway for vacation in the next month or so. I love going to Yuma in the winter!

I get to leave this...

294727

And enjoy this for a week or two...

294728

[osage]

It's nice you got the bike. I think a road trip is the right idea.

[Idaho45guy]

Harley is back from service. Was tuned and oil changed. Transmission fluid was like new. Dealer said throttle cable needs replaced because it's sticky, so seller took $300 off the price.

$4700 paid in full. Should be in my folk's garage tonight.

[Finster101]

You should be getting at least 35 to 40 MPG. My 93 Fatboy gets that and it's pretty built.

[fastdadio]

You should be getting at least 35 to 40 MPG. My 93 Fatboy gets that and it's pretty built.
I agree. At 22 mpg that bike must have been gargling fuel. Here's mine;
294732
Bought new in the fall of '98' Even with the mods, it gets 52-55mpg. Still have it. I have 6 other bikes also. I lean mostly to dual sport riding now. The idiots out there are keeping me out in the boonies in the dirt. Like I like. These are the hooligans I ride with:
http://www.gldsmc.com/

[Idaho45guy]

You should be getting at least 35 to 40 MPG. My 93 Fatboy gets that and it's pretty built.

The problem with the old bike was that it was rebuilt with all S&S parts and built pretty hot. The owner said it was around 100hp (liklely exxagerated). The other problem was that on my daily ride, I was commuting from an elevation of 5050' down to Phoenix at 1080'. The bike was tuned for 5050', so for half of the daily trip, it was running very rich and you could smell the unburnt fuel in the exhaust.

[Finster101]

At altitude the mix should be leaner as the air is less dense. If it was tuned for elevation, you would be lean at sea level. Lean is not good on a motor and really bad juju on a Harley.

[racepres]

The problem with the old bike was that it was rebuilt with all S&S parts and built pretty hot. The owner said it was around 100hp (liklely exxagerated). The other problem was that on my daily ride, I was commuting from an elevation of 5050' down to Phoenix at 1080'. The bike was tuned for 5050', so for half of the daily trip, it was running very rich and you could smell the unburnt fuel in the exhaust.

Maybe the best... perhaps Only, argument for Fuel Injection... Push the Button, and Go!!!
If it gives problems!!! Call ThunderMax... Problem(s) solved....

[Idaho45guy]

At altitude the mix should be leaner as the air is less dense. If it was tuned for elevation, you would be lean at sea level. Lean is not good on a motor and really bad juju on a Harley.

Duh! You're right! Back in High school, when I would go to Lewiston, ID to cruise the main drag in my muscle-cars, I always had to retard the timing at the lower elevation to eliminate pre-detonation and back the fuel screws out to richen the mixture. Good times.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Maybe the best... perhaps Only, argument for Fuel Injection... Push the Button, and Go!!!
If it gives problems!!! Call ThunderMax... Problem(s) solved....

Yep, i crossed the Rockies and the Cascades without a hiccup on the Suzuki back in 2017. My mileage went down with intake, fueling and exhaust mods but man, does that thing go!

[oley55]

Been an on and off again scooter rider my whole life, but always liked my Harleys the best. My first, a brand new 1976 Sportster that earned me a citation from the NC Highway Patrol for excessive of 110mph in a 55mph zone. Total BS cause everyone knows a 1000cc Sporty could only hit 110mph if it were in the bed of decent pickup truck. Although the newer EFI engines seem to be mostly maintenance proof, I surely do love to hear the sound of a loping carbureted V-twin at idle.

I did a few Iron Butt rides in my later years and my most extreme long ride was the first Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in 2010 and chocked up 14,035 miles in 10 days, 18 hours in the ride from Key West to Homer Alaska where I learned about sleep depravation and seeing the 'Black Dog'. Unfortunately, in 2011 I found myself raising a young one again and I retired from Scooter riding. In a couple years I'll be free of child rearing responsibilities again, but wonder if scootering again at 69 is in my future ...

[sigep1764]

Been an on and off again scooter rider my whole life, but always liked my Harleys the best. My first, a brand new 1976 Sportster that earned me a citation from the NC Highway Patrol for excessive of 110mph in a 55mph zone. Total BS cause everyone knows a 1000cc Sporty could only hit 110mph if it were in the bed of decent pickup truck. Although the newer EFI engines seem to be mostly maintenance proof, I surely do love to hear the sound of a loping carbureted V-twin at idle.

I did a few Iron Butt rides in my later years and my most extreme long ride was the first Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in 2010 and chocked up 14,035 miles in 10 days, 18 hours in the ride from Key West to Homer Alaska where I learned about sleep depravation and seeing the 'Black Dog'. Unfortunately, in 2011 I found myself raising a young one again and I retired from Scooter riding. In a couple years I'll be free of child rearing responsibilities again, but wonder if scootering again at 69 is in my future ...

Yeah, but how were the hemorrhoids?

[Petander]

Bought the bike.


Congrats!

Everybody should ride a motorbike. Any style/brand!

I've had about 15 bikes, only one Harley (99 RK). A nice cruiser for sure. My cruiser would be a Harley again if I wanted a cruiser. Street Glide is nice.

I'm soon 59 with a 20 year's old head so I still prefer a sporty feel. Kawi ZX 12r here, my second 12r. Unrestricted original first year 2000.

https://i.postimg.cc/m2KSL7GH/IMG-20210723-WA0001-4.jpg

Have fun,ride safe!

[Idaho45guy]

Wow! That's a lot of bike, Petander!

I was looking at the specs of the Road King and was shocked at how little horsepower it has. 65hp. 770lbs. A new Polaris Razr 570 has 67 hp.

I don't think I'll get into much trouble with it due to the front tire coming off the ground...

Dad sent me more pics of it. I'm going down to get it on February 19th. It's looking better and better the more pics I get of it...

294828

[panhed65]

Wow! That's a lot of bike, Petander!

I was looking at the specs of the Road King and was shocked at how little horsepower it has. 65hp. 770lbs. A new Polaris Razr 570 has 67 hp.

I don't think I'll get into much trouble with it due to the front tire coming off the ground...

Dad sent me more pics of it. I'm going down to get it on February 19th. It's looking better and better the more pics I get of it...

294828
that looks a lot like my 1965 FLH which has been my main ride for well over 30 years. Hi Fi Blue and Birch White. it has been up and down the east coast here a few times. thinking of selling it, as too many people are not paying attention to anything other than their devices, and at 73 my reflexes are not what they once were. its the last one I have, sold the flathead in the spring.
Barry

[Finster101]

Wow! That's a lot of bike, Petander!

I was looking at the specs of the Road King and was shocked at how little horsepower it has. 65hp. 770lbs. A new Polaris Razr 570 has 67 hp.

I don't think I'll get into much trouble with it due to the front tire coming off the ground...

Dad sent me more pics of it. I'm going down to get it on February 19th. It's looking better and better the more pics I get of it...

294828


Just guessing from what appears to be an S&S carb and the sound of it in the video clip it may have a little work done already. While it may not be a race bike I don't think you will have any problems keeping up with traffic. :drinks:

[rbuck351]

I have been riding since I was 15 and am now 73. I worked in a Honda motorcycle shop as a mechanic from about 1967 through 1975. I have only owned about 4 road bikes. A Honda 500 Four, A Kawasaki H1 500 triple, A Honda 750 Four and my current bike a 1994 BMW R 1100 RS. Never owned a Harley but have ridden a couple. The BMW is my idea of the perfect road bike. It's quiet, smooth, handles with a very light touch, fast for a road cruiser, has the best brakes I have ever used, gets about 45 mpg, reliable and with about 94,000 miles on it, I believe it's about broke in. The only issue is I never get to work on it, well not never, I did get to put a clutch cable on it a couple years ago.