Honda Steed or Harley Davidson

[Witchfinder]

Hey there,
Don't get mad from the title for a start 

I am currently living in Greece and I ride a Honda Steed 400, which I bought for 2k, Harleys here go for around 6-7k for a nice sportster.

I am having a debate with myself considering whether I should upgrade my Honda Steed and spend around 1 to 1.5k maximum, to change the engine and make it look better as well, or just be a bit patient and get a Harley which is a dream of mine.

Harley pros and cons:
It's a Harley
I will be able to cruise much more comfortably since my Steed is going at 120/130 klm per hour tops, which is frustrating when I ride on open roads
I will have to spend more money to maintain it, but my question here is how much more...
I will be a bit stressed every time I take it off to work and stuff since in Greece they tend to steal a lot (usually though they don't mess with Harleys, but overall you never leave your motorcycle out of sight here)
Riding into town for work etc won't be the most comfortable thing since the streets and traffic here are pretty bad

Honda Steed
It feels better to ride it into town and leave it unattended sometimes since I am not afraid that someone is going to mess with it, also it feels a lot better to drive through traffic without worrying that something will happen to it, In general, I don't worry about anything since it's not such expensive in a way...
It is uncomfortable to drive into big highways since I feel it has no power... I do a 100klm trip and I feel like it's about to explode even if I stop like 2 times to give it a rest.
I suppose that fixing it is also cheaper

My current state is that I live in Greece as I mentioned and let's say I make 1k per month... Considering that I buy the Harley, will I be able to maintain it?
Also from what I hear, Harleys tend to "break" more often than a honda steed, I don't know whether that's true or not, but I don't have the comfort of staying without my bike for more than a day (let's say I have to leave it to the mechanic or whatever)
Also, I would like to note that I don't care about the weather, I ride even if it is pouring rain like hell... (Although if I get the Harley I think that I will stop doing that, which will be a hustle for me..
Finally, I am talking about a used Sportster from the 1990s, yes that costs from 6k to sometimes even 12-13.

I understand that reading this can be very frustrating for you Harley Riders, but I want to consider everything since I will have to spend all of my savings doing a move like that... I am 23 years old so no family to take care of etc, it feels like the best time to make a move like this

[RideWithStyles]

sorry but the honda steed only has 30hp and roughly the same torque but weighs 205-225kg= slow...but its an oldschool 400cc pig iron cruiser so thats to be expected...

 

well the harley is more to buy so you're drawing more attention to yourself an dthe bike as its more exotic? 

harleys are not quite as reliable, electrics are middling because they avoid putting anything to it so save R&D and fitting (cost), cost more for parts unless your in the USA.

they have some unusual quirky parts and fittings (odd size bolts with lack or symmetry) that can really annoy even a seasoned mechanic...

so the question becomes can you fix anything yourself and are parts readily available where you are? is there a dealer/supplier for HD bits close by?

 

[Witchfinder]

So basically upgrading the steed is out of the question from what I gather.

Regarding the Harley, yes there is an official HD dealer here and also another guy that is working only with Harleys and distributes them, just not an official dealer, but he s the most reliable in Greece and does an amazing job.

Basically I could find a Sportster for 5k used from a random guy, but I want to get one from either the HD dealership or the guy I mentioned. They sell from 6 to 9k in perfect condition.

Here comes another debate I had with the friends that ride HDs.

I dont remember exactly, but I was suggested to get a Harley before the 2007s approximately, cant remember exactly because of the engines or something, kind of a noob sorry.

Basically I was told that, because I was more keen towards an Iron

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Just to throw a curveball.. I always liked the Honda VTX (1300 or 1800). Best of both worlds.

[RideWithStyles]

yes pretty much no point doing anything to the steed...if looked after will last a very long time.

 

it wasnt the question but maybe their are other options/bikes that you haven't thought? 

 

have you checked the insurance of the HD yet?

 

the reason i suppose is that the earlier ones were simpler, lazier engineering, cheaper because they never changed much as they still just rode on the name it was and people were still buying them rather than the more recent versions.

 

if your happy to pay them a premium for one, id still check it over myself with a fine tooth comb just to ensure its a prime example, rather than the manky one left and forgotten one in the corner.

research that parts are available for it (how much and where for common and uncommon parts) of that bike and the cost of their services then for what its due.

 

well you have the best of both worlds. a official dealer with connections to the supply network if you need official parts etc, and the unofficial one (will be cheaper to service as the labour count alone will be less, get to know them and they tend to be less flippet on charging you odd things just to keep you happy to come back) that doesn't need to follow the book if they know and most likely will know if certain parts are a weak point and avoid those offical ones and sources aftermarket ones if they know their better...same in the car world.

Edited March 1, 2024 by RideWithStyles
autocorrect

[Nick the wanderer]

Hi,

Those old Sportsters are ok for pottering around on, they have a turn of speed in a straight line, but the brakes are questionable. You wouldn't want to be doing more than 130 kph for long. Best at 80 kph. They vibrate like a washing machine on spin with a broken bearing. If you like the look and buy into the Harley image great. Regular maintenance required.

I'd be looking at a Japanese bike for reliability ,there seems to plenty of choice here, not sure about where you are. But then I wouldn't be looking at a cruiser, I'd be more road bike inspired. Loads and loads of those for half the money of a HD.

Good luck and enjoy searching.

[Fleck]

The Honda CL500 is nice. 45bhp and cheap

[fastbob]

Buying a Harley is not a rational decision . You buy one because you want one . 

I've owned a few bikes , mostly Suzuki's but until I got my first Harley ( Sportster ) I never felt the urge to pull over just so i could dance around my bike giggling like a lunatic . 

[S-Westerly]

Have to say I have that with the Guzzi a bit. Probably incipient senility setting in.

[fastbob]

On 01/03/2024 at 09:28, Nick the wanderer said:

Hi,

Those old Sportsters are ok for pottering around on, they have a turn of speed in a straight line, but the brakes are questionable. You wouldn't want to be doing more than 130 kph for long. Best at 80 kph. They vibrate like a washing machine on spin with a broken bearing. If you like the look and buy into the Harley image great. Regular maintenance required.

I'd be looking at a Japanese bike for reliability ,there seems to plenty of choice here, not sure about where you are. But then I wouldn't be looking at a cruiser, I'd be more road bike inspired. Loads and loads of those for half the money of a HD.

Good luck and enjoy searching.

Nah , not necessarily so . I did 16,000 miles of mostly long distance riding on mine . After 2004 they came with a rubber mounted engine that got rid of most of the vibration . My particular model had twin discs up front so I was able to ride it the same as a sports bike  . Pottering around ? Sportsters are considered slow because people think they should sound like a Shovelhead but they are built to be thrashed . 

[Nick the wanderer]

Hi, 

yeah I can see you are brand loyal Bob, good for you. They are not for everyone though and I stand by everything I said.

[fastbob]

On 18/03/2024 at 09:34, Nick the wanderer said:

Hi, 

yeah I can see you are brand loyal Bob, good for you. They are not for everyone though and I stand by everything I said.

Brand loyal ? Not really . I just fancied a change from Suzuki and was pleasantly surprised . 

[Nick the wanderer]

One day I will get my old 1100 back on the road. The truth is though they are just heavy great lumps to move around in a tight space (my yard)

Hence the lighter and noticeably better everything of the Yamaha.

[fastbob]

5 hours ago, Nick the wanderer said:

One day I will get my old 1100 back on the road. The truth is though they are just heavy great lumps to move around in a tight space (my yard)

Hence the lighter and noticeably better everything of the Yamaha.

I thought that would get your attention . That's a beauty you've got there . I bet that chopped can sounds awesome . Brutal bikes , I had mine for ten years and the WP for another ten years . 

[Nick the wanderer]

Had that over 20 years thought about getting rid of it a few times but it's still there in the shed. Does sound good too, they are a pair of cans, 4 into 2. Had a GS1000 once but they are the only Suzukis I've had.

I've had more Kawasaki's and Yamaha's than anything else.

[RideWithStyles]

On 20/03/2024 at 09:38, Nick the wanderer said:

One day I will get my old 1100 back on the road. The truth is though they are just heavy great lumps to move around in a tight space (my yard)

Hence the lighter and noticeably better everything of the Yamaha.

very nice! but not a fan of the stubby, to me doesn't suit it.

[Nick the wanderer]

Yeah l agree, it seemed to take me ages to get some link pipes that fitted to keep it a 4 into 2. I had to get some Viper ones shimmed up, so when l got those sorted I wanted to try them out as soon as possible. That and me being a tight arse l got those cheap, to try them out. They have baffles and sound really really good so l thought they'll do for now. Still have a search for a pair of cans saved on eBay but l just moved on to the Yamaha, like you do...