Hi getting ready to buy my next harley, I am looking every were, thinking about a heritage softail with extras....

Plenty on offer many in showroom condishion and the photos to confirm
Also there are several 5 to 15 years old and only showing 7000 to 20,000 ks some evan lower  
How can I trust the owner do people disconnect speedo cables from speedometers is there a way to tell 
 

 Thanks bloodog

They should be able to plug into the ECU. and get all the info including K's done.

You have asked the eternal conundrum, there are bikes out there ten years old with nothing on the clock, and year old bikes with 30K on the clock that still only look a year old! ,
{ I personally know of a Dyna sport for sale with 6,500 on the clock and last registered in 2002} disconnecting speedo's and putting speed dots on the tacho is a bit of a bygone era thing , people that did that were usually just as mean in the rest of their life as well ,changing speedo's is another thing though ,and you will have to judge the horse flesh in front of you objectively , there are indicators of age and high use that are hard to hide , weathering on plating ,marking on front of gas tanks and fork legs ,,is the seat the original ? Fading handle bar switch icons, worn lever perches etc. etc. .
Even if it has very low K’s versus the year of manufacture it needs to have been stored properly, there are a lot of bikes out there that have just been parked up with no manufacturers preparation for storage performed, I see these engines/transmissions from time to time, they usually have bore corrosion under the pistons and surface rust on bearing surfaces ,plimsoll lines on gears, etc . And I have seen high K bikes that are well maintained, honest and have many good years in front of them.

It’s up to you ,and if you are not sure get someone who is experienced in vehicle inspection even if it cost you money ,don’t use a “mate” who seems to know a lot about anything but has a shed full of contradictions if anything at all .

Wow I have read all the above several times Great advise right there..... thank you
S0 would I be right to say I could ask the seller of my maybe new bike 18,000ish $$$$ to take his bike in to HD and get a readout and then send me the retreived klms traveled from the ECU along with a bike inspection 
I dont nead my ass wiped for me but I am learning some good shit today 

Yes 
I have two options right now buy a 1200cc suzuki bandit 2011 $7k and get out with my bitches..... I can almost do this now 
Or hold of and start looking at bikes now for when we have money freed up  hoping in the next 6 mounths or so, then buy the bike I want not just a cheepe to get the knees in the breeze. This time around I'm buying second hand and enjoying looking through whats out there 
I am going to post my thoughts and ask advice here all the way up to my next purchase , hopeing or may evan prompt ..... kiwidave and a few others for thoughts and some imput when things are closer 

Yer may be looking early but will read every thing I can to have a good idea whats going on and be ready to pounce 
Love looking at bikes anyway, just makes it better knowing I'm looking for mine 

bloodog

 

If it was me I would be going with option 2...Start looking as soon as you can afford something cheaper (harley) and keep looking as your budget rises,you may just find a great cheap harley that meets all your critieria..I know I wouldn't be happy with a Jap bike...

Its hard when all yu gear is just sitting around unused, mates planing rides, putting shit on yu for not having a bike 
But to own that v twin again I'm waiting bro

With these newer bikes, because the klms are kept in the ecu, when you change the speedo doesn't the klms update to whats in rhe ecu when it marrys up?

There are some people out there who dont do heaps of kms like myself. So its possible. Id look and see if it has the original tyres . Check usual stock stuff. Checking the ecu sound like an awesome idea

What harley are you thinking of getting bloodog

I have a bike in my workshop now. Its an absolute POS but speedo shows 38,000klms only. The general condition is woeful and I had to have a difficult talk to the owner last week. It obviously has a significan number of K's on it and the speedo (92 EVO) has either been changed or wound back Caveat Emptor.

A new bike could be left to the elements and suffer a great deal.

Note: 'Elements' may include ... weather / retarded owners / secondary influences ...

Bottom line - do your research and KNOW that, as a buyer ... you are in the 'drivers seat' .

I have just had 6 mounths 5000ks on a new 2016 breakout and am still in heavy withdrawals ...altho my look at the bike game is changing. 
I would love to own a rocker becouse of my large cock ...they are holding money well and to me look the guts, a big but is when riding the tar with me bitches and yu get into a turn with the wrong line and to much speed that large rake looks frightening, so not going with a rocker.
I am growing towards the heritage soft tail probley becouse of the great harley look and will be doing a lot of two up. Maybe year 2000 up, second hand with about 15 to 40k on the clock, would love somebodys pride and joy with low ks. I have time to look and plan to be all over it 
 

Bloodog ...

Just how big is your cock ?

Harsh ....

Harsh ....

Well er ummmm its sort of ar about a bit kind of around ok for me I spose yer its that big 

 

 

Little check you can do on softails. 

Test ride it with a few highway speeds and some town stop start traffic, At end of test ride, Wait till bike cools a bit, stick your fingers up under the oil tank, Squeese hoses.

If it got low kays, wont be weeps of oil with oil on your fingers and hoses will still feel firmish.

If its got lowish kays and hoses are soft and easily squeezed, with black engine oil on your fingers, chances are its been flogged in arterial traffic and kms are questionable. Rubber hoses loose there firmness after ex amount of kays with hot engine oil circulating through them. Of course if the hoses are renewed, wont work, but if hoses are fairly firm  with 40-50 thousand kays, therve been replaced. Another thing with spoked front wheels, that have chrome factory hubs, Look and feel under the inside of the curvy bits of the hubs where the spokes are connected too, both sides, If low kays, should have no little bubbles on chrome, if maybe 50,000 + kays, likely would have small or even peeling bits of chrome on inside of hubs.

Sorry about tripple post, Delete button not showing up in edit, Fucked if I know.

 

MICC 44 Thanks mate

Best advice I have recived yet very greatfull and will be putting into practice.... Thanks HD Fourms 

In all my searching of bikes for sale leaning now toward striping down a older road king adding beach bars and smaller pipes 
can take the hand break on long trips put bags back on for weaks away touring with mates  
Love the old school tough look.... dont do white wall tyres though