I'm sitting on the fence between buying a new Harley or getting a kit bike. Any advice on this or engine reliability - comparing custom engines(RevTech, S & S, etc. to H-D)
I love Harley because, well, it's Harley. But if you're going to go custom get something from a builder with a good rep. Keep in mind that cuistoms bikes usally mean custom fixes when something goes wrong so there's no going down to the
BigDog, Vengance, Iron Horse, and Big Bear make some really nice bikes with all the physics worked out and have warranties and BigDog, Vengance, and Iron Horse have dealers throughout the country.
Engines are a matter of taste and what the makers use. Most are really reliable and you can't go too wrong with an S&S or RevTech. TP Engineering makes some really nice engines with some great features that no one else has, like filtering oil BEFORE it goes through the engine.
Just one guy's humble opinion...
I agree with Majic. Having several riding bros that have Bigdogs and Iron Horse, respectively, the breakdowns are interesting, to say the least. But if you are handy with a wrench, you can pretend it's like the old days with the old Hogs, and can be creative.
Glad I could help, Mark. I don't know which way your leaning, but some other things to take in consideration are how you're using the bike and what you like on a bike.
If you like big engines with lots of HP then you have to run a chain and that means more maintanance and getting lube on your clothes and bike. If you want it for a bar hopper then that's overkill. Plus you have to have compression releases which, to me, is just more stuff that can go wrong.
Plus how do you want it to ride? Those choppers look cool, but have you ever tried to ride one? If you live somewhere like I do where there's lot of twisties and potholes a chopper is not what you want to be on, especially on a rigid when hitting some pothole that's claimed lives of anything under the size of a Buick.
Is it something you want to add more things too? If it's a custom job you better order what you want on it when you get it because they probably won't find something you can just bolt on in a catalog. Buts ome makers, like BigDog, have a really nice selection of parts you can put on later. With a Harley you just crack open the catalog (their's or someones else's) and find what you need for your make and model and it bolts right up with a minimum of hassle (usually, and not including busted knuckles and "leaners" that show up and just drink your beer while telling you how to do it). And if there is a mod needed they tell you what you need to do and how to do it, sometimes even offering a kit.
Thanx again Majic. Actually, I'm leaning toward the H-D. I think it's just more sensible. I do like the custom, raked and stretched look but get an uneasy feelin' about it. Also, if I were to jump on a custom and just run over to Daytona for the weekend (about 150 miles), I'm not looking to need a chiropractor when I get there. Like you say, I can get ornaments for my H-D any time later.
YW, Mark. I keep hoping that I hit lotto so I can get a Buell top end on my machine. The 883 gets me around, but some more CC's are always good. But I think for me it's a seat with a wider pillion so my wife dosn't walk like John Wayne after a long ride.
The only bike I've seen that's got a nice raked look and can still handle and isn't a rigid is the BigDog Mastiff. All the curves, plus still has the handling, which is totally non-existant in a chopper. I'm sure there are others but WOW those are sharp.
Mark have you looked at american iron horse? And i guess you looked at h-d . And to finish which would you like to ride? If you what to buy a striped bike and spend $$$$$ to start to get it to look diffrent then all the others. Get a h-d if you want something you wont see at every stop light in town then buy iron horse they are almost to nice to ride and there istnt a h-d man that wont look at it..................
Custom vs. H-D 
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