I really like my little C50, but I was looking at a few things I really want to do and started adding up the costs. Batwing, crash bar, Harley style lowers. pipes, power commander/air filter, Hard bags, DJ drive, stereo and a few other miscellaneous little things. Around $2300 minimum. So I was putting back money and planning it out when a friend who works at a dealer called. They got a 2004 Road king in. Ok it has a salvage title but he's a mechanic and swears it is in almost perfect shape now (already passed the BMV inspection). It has almost everything I'd do to it already done (ok, for now anyway lol) It has 16,000 miles on the OD and they said they'd give me they'd take my bike + $2000 (2007 C50, 1074 miles, in perfect shape) that would be the equivalent of $4500 for the Suzuki in the off season even.
Now the question. I rode it and it rides like a dream. Cam tensioner has been replaced so it should be good for another 50K or so before any real problems. It has way, way more torque-I guess almost double the engine size would do that lol-smoother ride than I remember any Harley having. Most of my riding was always longer trips. So, Harley owners any opinions? C50 guys who have gone down the mod rode, how did it turn out for longer hauls? Figure two up a lot of the time total of around 400lbs on the bikes. The only real reason I'm hesitating is this is the lowest mileage bike I've ever owned.
The RK would be a good bike, but the salvage title can throw kinks in. Some insurance companies won't insure something with a salvage title. I'd recommend doing some homework on that before buying.
You have hit the big question many people face. Adding all the farkles will let you make the bike your own in many ways. It will take money. What are the priorities of what you want more from the c50 and what would it cost to do the most important things first? Up to you. For more 2-up, you may want more power but that depends on the kind of riding you do. 2-up on the freeway trying to 80mph on the c50 - not so good.
Lots of people love the RK. I was really close to going with a 2006 RK. I really like the classic look of these bikes. Just wait until you start pricing the mods for the $RK$. What kind of riding will you do? If you wait until the winter months, you can probably beat that price on a non-salvage bike. If you had $6,000, you could get a really nice BMW RT or LT that will cruise the miles with ease and give you much more fun in the twisties. But, it all depends on what you are looking for.
If you want to lumber straight down the Freeway, the RK will be great. It will be good tour but not much sport. There are lots of great motorcycles on the market depending on what you want to do with them...will you go off road?
My insurance didn't blink at a rebuilt salvage title. Depends on who you deal with for insurance and your state laws.
Thanks guys. Yeah that the problem. I'd like to mod it and make it my own, but I'm using it as a daily driver too.So figure next next Spring I'll be riding 20 miles of interstate {average speed around 75 to 80 mph) two times a day. Not much in town. Plus I would like to take a few long trips before I'm too old to enjoy them. If it wasn't for all of the back roads around me I'd opt for a Goldwing or other land yacht, but I do enjoy exploring the two lanes.
I have been looking at some of the BMWs. There's a really nice 2002 K1200LT but I have zero experience with any of the modern BMWs so I don't know how big of a money pit they could be (or maybe they are as solid as the old R series, I have no idea)? Oh well, I guess with winter almost here I have some time to think this through.
Here's the thing. Your bike is worth $2500 in trade and $3500 retail if you were to buy it all over again. If you were to farkle it up with every creature comfort you listed above, it is still worth $2500 in trade and $3500 in retail. The aftermarket parts add ZERO value to the bike. Now, it will make it more comfortable, especially on longer rides, but underneath is is still an 800cc engine. Nothing you do will improve its performance on the freeway.
There is no comparison between a RK and the C50. The RK wins every time. I would ask why the bike was totaled in the first place (if the steer-stop on the front is bent, the bike is considered totaled... Just saying). If it is something minor and idiotic, I'd jump at the chance to upgrade. I almost bought a RK when my C50 died, but the dealer was a real duche-bag so I bought my Vulcan instead.
It is autumn. A lot of good bikes will be on the market soon. Don;t do anything more to your C50 and keep an eye out for the next bike. It could be that the RK is it and you already have it picked out...
I layed my C50c down last Oct and immediately found a RK for sale with 16k miles. I've been very impressed with the bike as I do a daily commute on freeway. Recently did the 3 sisters loop here which is the holy grail of hill country twisties. I did the loop on the Boulvard twice before and the RK is certainly not a radical twistie bike. My girl on her Shadow behind me all day was on my tail more than a few times due to me slowing down to take a turn. This bike is heavy....
But I enjoy it straight line. With saddlebags, windshield, lowers, luggage, it's a beast for me. Always have to think about where I park whether it's a slope or do I have to back it up a hill to get out.
That salvage title issue does bother me. If I were to own it lifetime, I guess not, but how are you going to sell or trade it later? What's the law there? I know here in Texas, it's a problem. Why does it have that title. Do they do Carfax on bikes? How do you know what the underlying issues are? There's a reason it priced that low. I bought my 2006 RK for $9000 flat. Your saying with trade and cash for this 2004, it's $6500?
Also, it insinuates the bike has been stored or sat for years? Old rubber, old gas, old battery, old tires. Things to think about. These things are expensive on the HD. You say you ride 2up, the photo you offered and it's a beautiful bike does not have passenger pegs or even running boards. Price those!!! Wow. Not cheap and the rear luggage rack is hundreds of dollars.
I have added all, most, of the items you are talking about as well as a few not mentioned. I love my little C50 and do a lot of slab running, bought new July 2014 has over 40k on it now. I do one up riding 99% of the time though. It would be a very hard choice for me at this point to make the change, BUT, if I knew then what I know now I would have done it without hesitation. After spending all the time and money on mine it is still a C50. Also think about all the extra weight of the add-ons on a already under powered bike. Also you will find that the added weight will change the handling, example after adding the fully loaded GPS batwing I had to rework the fork tubes suspension, as the added weight was causing the front end to preload in the turns.
In short this bike will never be that bike.
The larger motor will be an asset with your two up riding that you can never achieve with the C50.
The bike you are interested in may not be the one with all the looming questions about it and as already mentioned adding the needed items for two up riding. But I would consider a larger bike before putting a bunch of money into the C50.
Just my two cents worth.
Lots of good advice here.............the RK's ride pretty smooth. There are better touring bikes available and many more sport/touring bikes available also. If you "want" the HD name I wouldn't worry too much about the salvage title. It knocks off some on it's value but lets face it, it has the Harley name.
Yeah, it's not really the name I care about at all. I just love the look of that bike and the added capabilities. But I'm not really concerned with the brand. I had thought about going the sport touring route. In fact one of my favorite bikes that I've owned was a Yamaha FJ 1100. It was great, and comfortable for the 20 year old version of me, but I'm thinking the 52 (by next full season) me might not be walking at the end of a long day. I love a couple of the newer ST bikes but again, I have no idea how well they'd ride. The one I might look at is a fairly low mileage Honda ST 1300. I've heard people say they are a bit bland in the sport department but good in the comfort department. The real question if it was comfortable enough, would be, could I resist the urge to think I was a kid again and keep my license? lol
I got more trade in for my C50 than current Craig's list pricing. That said, if you get the road king, they are similar enough that you will just ride the RK. You'd only want to Keep the C50 if you bought another style of motorcycle. But check out that RK thoroughly, and if good, don't look back, but if there are issues, keep shopping.
Just my opinion, but, I would never knowingly buy a vehicle with a salvaged title. When I was parting out my C50c this year, I encountered a slight issue with having a certified copy of my clear title. Buyer of the frame and engine wanted a clear title and I had a State certified copy. He balked about it but I educated him about why it was that way due to my home being burglarized and losing valuable documents years ago. The state will only issue a new one at transfer of ownership. Until then, a certified copy is all you get.
That being said, a salvaged title would hold me back not knowing the extent of the damage that caused it to be branded as salvaged. The previous owner must have received a fair value from the insurance company for the bike first and then the insurance company owned the bike and placed it under salvage. Photos indicate very good condition so something happened to it that was significant to cover it as a total loss? Doesn't take much to salvage a Boulevard but takes quite a bit on an HD. Flood? Steering head damage, bent forks, etc. How did the dealer come access it? Auction sale? Previous owner bought it back from his insurance company and he traded it in?
The C50 is around 640 lbs with a full tank of gas. Add a windscreen, bags, accessories and it is up over 700 pounds. The RK is 731 lbs with all the same equipment and a full tank of gas. Apples to apples, it really isn't much heavier at all...
I understand about the banks............the Honda ST1300 is supposed to be a nice bike. Polo in California has one and even when he got a Wing he kept the ST. The CTX1300 is a pretty sharp looking bike also.
I recently switched from a Vulcan 1500 Classic (too heavy @ my advancing age) to a Kawasaki Versys 650 LT ABS. I'm going to have to be careful or I'll be getting a ticket and some young cop is going to be giving me a lecture about acting my age.
Yeah, lol. Those kid cops have no sense of humor. I love the CTX1300. But I think I need to wait a few years for the prices to drop. I'd like to stay in the $6000 to $8000 range to keep from having to carry a loan for more than a few months mostly to prevent becoming single again, Although she is working in Germany right now so I'd have a few months of peace. lol
I may go ride a ST1300 they have at the Suzuki dealership down the road, but I picture bad things happening if I got it. Actually, I wonder how the CTX 700 rides? I was on a CTX forum looking at the 1300, and a bunch of those guys were praising the little one, saying it actually made a decent touring mount. Seems a little small, but it does have a six speed so maybe it's all in the gearing???
I'm with you there. I'll likely upgrade in a couple years and hopefully they will be priced in that range.
The more and more I look into the CTX1300, the more I like it. I mean, I like cruiser style bikes like my C50 but comfort and functionality take precedence IMO. The Honda seems to be a great performer and I'll be heading towards lots of 2-up riding and for longer distances as time passes. The C50 just isn't great for those duties but as my 1st bike and to gain experience, I think it fits that niche pretty well.
I did just ride one today and I have to say I love it. I am seriously tempted to go further into debt to buy a new one (instead of looking at used bikes). One thing I'm curious about is have you taken any longer trips? How's the all day comfort? I'm thinking of a long (3000 miles round trip or so) next summer. That's the main reason I'm looking at going with a different bike. By the time I rented one for the three weeks, it would be an around $3K just in rental without gas, etc. So I might as well use this as an excuse to upgrade.
Insurers know what they are doing when they total a bike. Period. You buy a bike with a salvage title, the frame is tweaked and you hit a bump funny on the highway... You will be dying on it. It's not like a car. If something has been overlooked, it will kill you.
That being said, Craigslist is full of cheap Road Kings, sell your bike and get one.
My only beef with Harley is lack of bang for the buck. With the used market awash in half price Harley's their is no excuse to keep someone who wants one from buying one.
I would respectfully disagree with you about those disparaging comments about the C90. I remind you that all bikes have their issues but the LC1500/C90 is a real undervalued Hidden Gem that has a few minor issues ( at about twenty thousand miles the crappy oe steering head bearings need to be replaced with quality aftermarket ones and a simple modification to the electrical system is needed, it only takes about 1 hour of time and $20 for the parts to make it reliable). The motor and transmission are bulletproof and known to go north of 150,000 miles without any mechanical issues.
It's styling is similar to the C50 and it doesn't have the expensive repair bills that are known to vex many a Harley owner, basically the C90 is the big brother of the C50.
I did look at a C90 but when I ride it out didn't seem to handle well at all. I wonder if it was steering head or maybe just something with that bike? There's a C109T in MI for about 6K with low miles but I haven't been able to get up there to check it out. One thing I'm thinking is that after reading up on them, I will not be buying any Harley with a 99 to 2006 twin cam 88. Even with the drive people are reporting catastrophic failure around 40-60K
If possible I would recommend trying to get a couple more test rides in on a few other C90's and see how you like them, the rear shock preload, the handlebars and the seats are what usually are changed by most owners and they can have a significant impact on the way it feels. The C109t is a real nice bike and can be a real pleasure on the interstate but that extra weight and the huge rear tire can be a bit of a hindrance if you're into the twisties but I wouldn't let that stop me from taking a test ride
I would hold off on the ctx1300. Prices are dropping fast! Dubbsrider gives a good review on YouTube. Shopping myself for a bigger bike but def not a twin cam HD, 98 evo would be my choice. Like most folks say here just ride! Now back to searching for a more comfortable maybe affordable seat for my C50 and bananas for Dennis.
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