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Going to buy an Electra Glide - 2002-2010 - Suggestions?

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Tonysch

New Member
Hello everyone. I must say, great information on this forums.

Over the next month I will be ready to trade in my 09 Nightster and move up to an Electra Glide. Wish I could keep the Sportster but with times as they are... :( Anyhow, back to the discussion. In all my research I am seeing more complaints about the 2007 and new touring bikes. From heat to gear noise and including a rough ride on the highway.
I have ridden a hand full of Touring bikes over the years. But you never really get a feel for the bike until o hit that 3k- 4k mile mark. :) That is why I am reaching out..
My thoughts so far... I know they will give me 10k for my nightster on a 2010 Electra Glide classic... I am also thinking of going with a few year old Ultra. And yes I am planning on purchasing an extended warranty. Fuel mileage is also a thought... Getting 47mpg now.
The big question is.. Should I got a 2002-2006 Electra Glide. Are they better bikes?

Almost forgot. I am 6ft 220lbs, wife is 5ft2 130lbs. Living in Tampa Florida. My normal riding is 25 miles a day, round trip to work and weekend local runs with friends normally 200 miles or so. I would like to expand my long weekend rides up and down the coast Allentown PA and back (1200 miles one way). :)

Any input and suggestions would be wonderful.
Thanks and keep the shiny side up..
 
Welcome Tonysch from south bend,,,,i like my 09 i chained to s/e compensator. shorter shocks. & tfi very pleased. all the rest i did was personal [cosmetic] stuff. i like the new frame & the way the exhaust is run now,,,,,
 
I bought a 10 Ultra Limited. Have 3000 miles on it now and am well pleased in every aspect. The mileage is getting better just over 40 2 up fully, and I mean fully, loaded. The 6 speed is great and you will enjoy it on the 1200 mile ride for sure. As stated they changed the frame and the handling is superb even at low speeds in the parking lot.

I really like the adjustable lower farings when it's hot. I opened them up and with 90 degree temps the heat was no more than I got off my Heritage and if you open the vents on the faring toward you you will think you dont have a faring, real nice.

The 103 motor on the Limited is the bomb. Lots of power and will cruise at 76mph at 2800rpm. Not bad.

Well there is a little summary that I hope helps you make your decision.
 
I own a 07 classic and would not have it any other way. Well unless I was as fortunate as some others and have a stable to choose from.
 
As many have posted already...a nice well preserved used bike is fine. The initial buy in cost should be lower the older you go...as RichardS pointed out, and how much savings you expect to do routine maintenance and add ons will EASILY eclipse any of the initial buy in costs.

That said, the later models do have a lot going for it, and pristine models are tougher to come by...but right now it is a buyers' market, let patience, opportunity, finances and yes "limited" response from your inner voice telling you to buy what initially hits you as "wow" factor emotions, rather than the voice of reason and practicality.
 
bought an 01 for less than 10k. yes it has the tc88 and yes it has the 5 spd tranny, and yes I am a happy camper. no mods, just stock, plenty of chrome. If it makes you happy go for it. There are some good buys out there if you look. happy hunting.
 
A good question with a lot of right answers. FWIW I have an 09 UC that I am in love with. just under 11K mileage and no problems. I like it because:

The new frame is an improvement over 08 and older
The external heat issue was fairly well addressed
Colour scheme ie turquoise/cream is lovely
at my skill level ABS in the rain is a good thing
10s have cats in the headpipes, 09s don't
JMHO

OTOH every bike is a blank canvas and can be modified to fix whatever perceived faults it may have. If my garage was big enough I'd have one of each...
 
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How you road a sportster at your height is comandable . I had a one for about two months and I'm 5' 7" . I road about the same miles you are talking about,as I ride my bike as much as I can...not just on weekends. I ended up finding a 96 classic with low miles at a decent price 6000.00. It's easy to work on and runs great. I sometimes think it would be nice to have a new one ,but can't get over the fact , I love what I'm riding
 
FWIW - Went through all of the same thoughts / process you're going through for the last month or so, ended up picking up a '10 Limited yesterday for all of the reasons everyone else has been mentioning (plus dealer made what I thought was a very fair deal, esp compared to others in the area).

The limited does still put off some heat, again - only a days worth of riding on mine and several test drives to gauge from but it's somewhere in the same ball park that my 08 Fatboy did at first... know that can be corrected with synth oil, and a TFI (which you know will end up being followed up by the rest of the stage one over time).

As already mentioned - I really don't think you can go wrong, no matter what you get there will be something not 100% to your liking and you'll want to change / mod - other things that some gripe about you'll be just fine with... all-in-all these are great machines, just leave yourself a little extra $$$ from the purchase to do a few things to make it perfect for you.
 
Tough question with many answers. Older bikes are great at the lower price. If you can find one with low mileage it is tough to justify a 2010 at 22 to 24 grand.
I love the new frame on the 2010 and the abs is a nice option.
The 2007 I had was a nice bike , but depending on where you live the heat issues are a problem on the 2007. A 2006 with low mileage and the cam chain gear mod is a great bike.
You won't be disappointed if you buy new or used as long as you buy a low mileage bike.
 
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