I Did A Thing

"McMike" (mcmike)
03/13/2019 at 12:00 • Filed to: two wheels good, tutu153, harley, motorcycle, FREEDOM!

This last Sunday I traded in the black motorcycle for the least masculine color combo offered in 2016 and I couldn’t be happier because I might have a sweater vest that matches.

The black one (my first freedom-cycle) was just fantastic. I bought it seven years ago at 15K miles, and let it go with 59K miles. Not too shabby. It’s been to Wyoming (from DC) as well as other week long trips around the region. Most of the miles have come from commuting, and it’s been practically trouble-free. It’s never left me stranded in the 45K miles I had it. Honestly, I think I put more money into tires than I did repairs.

The new one is a 2016 Road King. Pretty standard. The big updates for me is a linked braking system, ABS, hard, locking bags, and an option to show RPM on the odometer. Displacement is a little bigger, buy only by 7%.

This is the last year of the twin-cam engine, so this is as developed as it gets. They moved to a new engine design the next year.

Yes, the stock seat sucks. Yes, the handlebars are too high for me, and yes, it’s lacking the super sweet wide white walls. The tires will have to wait, but the saddle and bars are just around the corner.

This was the hardest color to find, since it wasn’t very popular. I fell in love with it before I realized it was only offered in 2016... and well before I realized there were only about 15 for sale in the country.

I found one local to me, and jumped on it.

Oh, and I’m totally going to double the mileage the first owner put on it by the end of next week.

DISCUSSION (42)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > McMike
03/12/2019 at 20:21

|matching sweater vest

Not sure if harleying right.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > McMike
03/12/2019 at 20:24

I approve of everything here.

Future Heap Owner > McMike
03/12/2019 at 20:25

Great color choice!

Have you had any chance to try the ABS? I didn’t know bike ABS was a thing until Decay and AMGTech we’re talking about it at the Oppo meet over the weekend. Blew my mind. Is it the straight-line-only kind, or does it have an IMU to work when cornering, too?

bob and john > McMike
03/12/2019 at 20:25

I always laugh at H-D guys who brag about low milage bikes. I remember I told one of them the line about “not riding your bike to keep the miles low is like not banging your gf for the next guy”

his GF next to us laughed too hard at that. I made myself scarce after LOL.

Chariotoflove > McMike
03/12/2019 at 20:33

Awesome. I didn’t know you had the black one, but I like the new one too. I really like these bikes.

McMike > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/12/2019 at 20:41

I hardly Harley right.

Kinja'd!!!

McMike > Future Heap Owner
03/12/2019 at 20:50

Have you had any chance to try the ABS?

Nope. and I hope I never do.

Not sure how I feel about the linked system. (both hand and foot actuate the linked system above 25mph) It’s safer, but kinda dumbs it down... What if I get a front puncture at speed? I can’t just do the foot brake because it’s linked.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > McMike
03/12/2019 at 20:53

If you wear the sweater vest with canvas knickerbockers, a linen shirt, gaiters , and a scarf, then you’re harleying right for about 1941.

McMike > bob and john
03/12/2019 at 20:53

The dude that bought this one just brought it back 18 months later for something shinier. What’s weird is that he got aftermarket mufflers, grips, and chromed the wheels before he took it home. Why do all that just to let it sit????

I’m not 100% on board with those wheels, but they look a lot better than stock. (I like the laced spokes the black bike had) I photo shopped some whitewalls onto them a few weeks ago and I think I can pull it off.

McMike > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/12/2019 at 21:09

I’m down.

BeaterGT > McMike
03/12/2019 at 21:43

Color scheme r eminds me of an old Bel Air. And low miles too, congrats!

shop-teacher > McMike
03/12/2019 at 21:44

Two. Hundred. And Seventy. Eight. Miles.

I don’t get it. That’s a really expensive garage ornament.

People are weird.

Glad it'll get ridden now.

shop-teacher > bob and john
03/12/2019 at 21:44

I feel that way about cars that never get driven as well.

OmerCarrothers333 > McMike
03/12/2019 at 21:45

Narrow apes look a LOT better, but I feel what you’re saying. Sweet ride, dude. Colors other than black are always good.

Even though I have not been on a two-wheeled death-machine in over fifteen years, I have this itch to get a Harley bagger that’s yellow and call it “The Banana Hammock”.

The Compromiser > McMike
03/12/2019 at 22:17

S weet!

S igned,

the guy with the Electric Banana Yellow Honda

McMike > OmerCarrothers333
03/12/2019 at 22:18

Yeah, I don’t mind how the bars look. I care about how they feel. I’m so used to low, wide, beach bars.

McMike > shop-teacher
03/12/2019 at 22:22

It was 250 when it was traded in, and 260 when I left the dealership.

The guy traded it in for something else, which is probably an ornament now in his garage.

I keep saying... As long as boomers with disposable income keep buying these things, there will always be used bikes for me.

shop-teacher > McMike
03/12/2019 at 23:34

Yeah, I’m sure it is.

The Boomers are starting to age out, but you've probably got another decade or so of their bikes to buy.

chicagoE36 > McMike
03/13/2019 at 07:58

The bike will proportion between front and rear brakes for optimal stopping power based on conditions.

The system works REALLY nicely on them.

McMike > chicagoE36
03/13/2019 at 09:06

I know how it works.

I think having the pedal actuate the rear wheel only would be a better idea. Link the lever, leave the pedal alone.

AdverseMartyr > McMike
03/13/2019 at 09:12

Ok, I lived on Oahu with a motorcycle that was broken more than it was running and I put more than 250 miles on it in 18 months. That’s just pathetic.

Pickup_man > McMike
03/13/2019 at 09:25

You think that after a while I’d stop being dumbfounded by these several year old used bikes with basically no miles on them, but nope, it keeps happening.

Good looking ride! That color combo is awesome.

McMike > Pickup_man
03/13/2019 at 09:45

Say what you want about Boomers and their disposable income. As long as they keep buying shiny new toys right before they give it up they’re OK with me. :)

Thanks, the color is “ Crushed Ice Pearl and frosted teal pear l.” I love the names manufactures give their colors.

Mercedes Streeter > shop-teacher
03/13/2019 at 12:05

And this is another factor of why HD is struggling. Why buy new when you can get a three year old bike that hasn’t even been broken in for far less?

Mercedes Streeter > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:06

Oooooh that colour. I’m not sure what it is about that shade of blue with white , but I absolutely adore it!!

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:08

Very nice, conga rats

Snuze: Needs another Swede > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:08

That is a gorgeous machine, sir. Enjoy it, and always remember to keep it shiny side up!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:12

278 miles wtf

punkgoose17 > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:13

It looks good! That looks much better than black.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:15

Colors are good, no matter what. Congrats on the practically brand new bike!

fintail > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:25

I like the new colors a lot more than the prior one.

Surprised they have a digital odo, really.

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
03/13/2019 at 12:29

YEP!!

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:33

278 miles on a 2016...someone paid ~$25 k to ride a bike 278 miles. Let’s say they got even $20k back when they sold it. That means they paid almost $18 per mile at a minimum.

Nice find though. Good looking bike. We may crap on Harley here a lot, some of it deserved, but there’s still a reason they have been in business for over 100 years.

arl > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:38

Looks great!

Tristan > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:39

I passed on a 2005 Road Glide a few months back for the deal of a century... A coworker was retiring and getting ready to live in an RV full time while travelling the country, so he wanted to offload it. Over the last 2 years he’s tried to sell it to me continuously. First at $10k, then it just got cheaper and cheaper until it hit $5k. No amount of begging could convince my wife that it was the deal of a lifetime, so it’ll be the one that got away. I’d love to get back on a big cruiser. Congrats on a gorgeous new bike!

McMike > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
03/13/2019 at 12:40

I know, right?

It also has $600 mufflers, a pair of wheels that were probably $400 each, and aftermarket grips.

That’s a lot of bits for a bike they only rode 250 miles in 18 months.

McMike > Tristan
03/13/2019 at 12:42

Thanks!

McMike > Mercedes Streeter
03/13/2019 at 12:43

Thanks Tavarish. :)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > McMike
03/13/2019 at 12:48

That’s a good looking bike.

McMike > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
03/13/2019 at 12:49

Dude took a bath for sure. The dealership had it listed for 16,750. No way they gave him any more than 13-14K when he traded it in for the new bike back in September. (it had 250 when he traded it in)

Let’s hope he pays a little less per mile with his new one.

McMike > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
03/13/2019 at 12:50

Thanks. I was lucky to find it locally. I was looking into flights and two-day rides back from the other locations they were.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > McMike
03/13/2019 at 13:00

Sheesh...at 13k for 250 miles that pushes it up to around $50/mile. Ouch