Motorcycle Trade
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 4:32 pm
One of my most pleasant days ever on a motorcycle was the day many years ago when I rented a H-D E-Glide Ultra, and took a long, Autumn ride with my wife through the northwest quadrant of Penns' Woods (aka, "Pennsylvania"). The comfortable seats, the great stereo, and the smooth power of the V-twin provided the perfect platform to see the trees in full color. The crisp Fall air made for a totally invigorating experience (there is a lot you miss in a car, especially the smells) that I have often thought of in the intervening years.
So over the past six months or so, I've been looking around for some sort of "touring" bike that I could, in effect, trade for my mega-cruiser. I really don't want to spend any more money at this time. I looked at Yamaha R.S. Venture's, E-Glide's, and BMW K1200LT's, all selling in the $7-8 thousand range, and there are a good number of them out there, even with low mileage and in apparently-excellent condition. I have never been a fan of Goldwing's - they just look too big and bulky for my taste, but I spotted an ad on Craigslist for a '99 model that had low miles, all the Goldwing goodies (it was the "SE" model), and was a color that I liked (white). The last line in the ad read, "Might trade for a Harley." Hmm.
My Kawasaki 2000LT was (I checked) approximately the same value as this Goldwing, so from that standpoint I might have something to talk with this guy about. I called him and told him my thought process. My cruiser is at least equivalent to any standard cruiser that H-D makes, and comes very close to the Roadking Classic in appearance and concept. He sounded receptive, if not enthusiastic.
When I saw the Goldwing up close, I was tempted to just tell him to forget it, because it looked so big and heavy - top-heavy, in fact. We started conversing about what he had been using the Wing for (vacations with his wife), the equipment it had, the extra stuff he had added (some chrome, lights, wind deflectors, crash bars, etc). I suggested that we go to a parking lot (it was a Sunday) so I could ride the Wing and he could take mine out for a spin. Long story short, I loved the GW and he loved my bike, and a few days later we met at the local AAA and traded titles - no cash involved.
After putting a couple hundred miles on the Wing (half with my wife in the back seat), I've concluded that this bike is everything that E-Glide was and more. With the adjustable suspension, I was able to dial in the perfect settings for the two of us, and as soon as I get the helmet hardware installed (maybe an hour's work) it will be the perfect two-up touring bike. It is not currently wired for MP3, but that shouldn't be any problem. I hope it holds up. This weekend we intend to ride up to the Lake Erie wine country and tour a few wineries. Not too chabby.
So over the past six months or so, I've been looking around for some sort of "touring" bike that I could, in effect, trade for my mega-cruiser. I really don't want to spend any more money at this time. I looked at Yamaha R.S. Venture's, E-Glide's, and BMW K1200LT's, all selling in the $7-8 thousand range, and there are a good number of them out there, even with low mileage and in apparently-excellent condition. I have never been a fan of Goldwing's - they just look too big and bulky for my taste, but I spotted an ad on Craigslist for a '99 model that had low miles, all the Goldwing goodies (it was the "SE" model), and was a color that I liked (white). The last line in the ad read, "Might trade for a Harley." Hmm.
My Kawasaki 2000LT was (I checked) approximately the same value as this Goldwing, so from that standpoint I might have something to talk with this guy about. I called him and told him my thought process. My cruiser is at least equivalent to any standard cruiser that H-D makes, and comes very close to the Roadking Classic in appearance and concept. He sounded receptive, if not enthusiastic.
When I saw the Goldwing up close, I was tempted to just tell him to forget it, because it looked so big and heavy - top-heavy, in fact. We started conversing about what he had been using the Wing for (vacations with his wife), the equipment it had, the extra stuff he had added (some chrome, lights, wind deflectors, crash bars, etc). I suggested that we go to a parking lot (it was a Sunday) so I could ride the Wing and he could take mine out for a spin. Long story short, I loved the GW and he loved my bike, and a few days later we met at the local AAA and traded titles - no cash involved.
After putting a couple hundred miles on the Wing (half with my wife in the back seat), I've concluded that this bike is everything that E-Glide was and more. With the adjustable suspension, I was able to dial in the perfect settings for the two of us, and as soon as I get the helmet hardware installed (maybe an hour's work) it will be the perfect two-up touring bike. It is not currently wired for MP3, but that shouldn't be any problem. I hope it holds up. This weekend we intend to ride up to the Lake Erie wine country and tour a few wineries. Not too chabby.
