Top Five Things to Look For When Buying A Used Harley

Mike Roen takes a few minutes to remind us of the top 5 things to look for when buying a used Harley Davidson.

VERIFY PAPERWORK

Does the seller have the motorcycle’s title in hand? Look over the title, is it clean? Is it a salvage title?

LOOK OVER THE BIKE

Do the major engine components match? If the engine has aftermarket crankcases or different heads or cylinders, that could be a red flag. Does the motorcycle have a lot of random or mismatched parts?

HISTORY

What is the history of the motorcycle? How many owners has it had? Is the seller the original owner and have a long, detailed history of the motorcycle? Or is the seller just “flipping” the bike and have little or no history on the motorcycle. Try to gather as much of the motorcycle’s history as possible.

YEAR GROUP

What is the motorcycle year group? Review Fix My Hog’s Harley Davidson buyers guide videos. There are some model year Harley Davidsons that are known to have specific issues. If you are looking at a Harley Davidson that is known to have one of these issues, it may be helpful in price negotiation. Or, in some cases, it may be better to walk away from a negotiation.

WHO MAINTAINED THE MOTORCYCLE?

Has a licensed shop or dealership been taking care of routine maintenance and repairs or has the owner been taking care of the motorcycle himself? Or has nobody been maintaining the motorcycle? Usually a well maintained Harley goes hand in hand with an owner who has a bulging folder of receipts and maintenance invoices. Ask or look for this.

MONEY

Is the motorcycle worth the purchase cost? If the asking price is high but the motorcycle is needing tires or top end work, it may be better to walk from the sale.

Watch the FMH Buyer’s Guides by Year Group
HD Buyers Guide
1984-1999 Harley-Davidson Evolution Buyers Guide
Buying a Harley Knucklehead: What to Look For
Panhead for Sale: Buyer’s Guide
How To Buy Used Choppers
Used Sportster Buyers Guide
Ironhead XL 1957 – 1985 – What to Look for