How to Break Up -- (aka how to successfully trade your bike in)

Yup, I did it. On Groundhog Day no less (at least it wasn't Valentine's!). 

But I'm not talking about the romantic kind.... Well, it was sort of. After a 10 year relationship, and 40,000 miles, I've broken up with my 2004 Dyna Super Glide.

We had some great times together & I'll never forget you!!

I traded her in for a New 115th Anniversary Heritage at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson, and I have no regrets. 

Are you thinking of breaking up with your bike? (aka trading in) Well then, keep reading cuz this is how you do it:

1. Know that you're not going to get out of the relationship exactly what you put in: I bought my Super for $9500, and since then I've spent close to another $3000 on parts & maintenance. NADA.com values my bike now between $2900-$3900... that's a 30-40% return just on my original purchase price. Of course I had the maintenance done and engine upgraded out of love, not for the money. 
2. Leave 'em feeling loved: Yes I rode my bike and I wasn't afraid to put the miles on, and I also got her in for regular maintenance routinely. This is key because the dealership will be able to tell (kinda like when your dentist asks if you've been flossing...).
3. No 'take backs': You put extra stuff on your bike, you told/showed the dealer your bike with the extra stuff - like a Daymaker LED Headlight for example. And the dealership gave you a quote based on that extra stuff. Then you bring your bike in, except now the stock sealed-beam headlight is on it.... Not cool at all. Unless it's extremely personal, leave it. (At FXCHD we can tell you about the personal, interesting things we've found in traded bikes!)
4. Clean 'em up: It's one thing if your trade is a true 'barn find.' But if not then at least wash the dust & bug guts off and present your bike in the best light.
5. It ain't done till the paperwork is complete: Bring in the A) Title, B) Lien Release or Bank info & payoff amount, C) current Registration and D) the Owner's Manual for the bike you're trading. The dealer will need the first three to sell your bike to the next owner, and the manual is nice to give as well. 

Want to get a Trade Value for your bike at FXCHD? Click Here

Looking forward to starting a nice, long relationship with this one!!

Did I predict the future??

Even though I'm not a French physician writing in quatrains, I think I may have predicted the future last week when I blogged, "So, unless you're in an interview with the MoCo., let the Low Rider be in a Softail frame. It's adorable." But did I really perceive the coming of the new Softail frame through my crystal ball? (Yes, that is my crystal ball!) Let's review:

*In case you missed it, Harley-Davidson announced a new cruiser frame to house the Milwaukee-Eight motor for the 2018 model year. And now the Low Rider IS a Softail.

• The Dyna model family as we know it began with the Super Glide, when Harley combined the Sportster with the larger big
  
  twin models of the day, waaaaay back in 1971. That was 45 years ago.
• Nearly 35 years ago the Softail family was born from the brain of Bill Davis, who sold his patents, prototype and tooling to Harley, who produced the first FXST Softail in 1984. 
• For decades people have said that even though a new model year had been announced, the only real difference from one year to the next was engine displacement and/or paint. 
• Traditionally, the newest motor goes in the Touring lineup first, then it makes it down the rest of the family tree the following year. That happened with the Twin-Cam 96ci, 103ci & 110ci motors. But when it came to the new Milwaukee-Eight, it was
  
  too big to fit into the traditional Dyna & Softail frames.
• Earlier this year Harley announced they were moving the manufacturing of the Softail line from York, PA (where the Touring & Trike lines are produced) to the Kansas City plant, birth place of the Dyna, Sporster & Street bikes.
• It wouldn't be cost effective to continue to make four motors - the Milwaukee-Eight, Twin Cam, Evolution (Sportster), and Revolution X (Street). Harley has always been good at balancing the books as well as their bikes- that's one of the reasons they've been in business for 115 years (not many companies can say that). 

So yes, I'm a Witch (told you that crystal ball is mine!), but I really didn't use a anything to foresee the change coming. Anyone who knows the pattern of a successful company knows that they will continue to innovate and push the envelope.

I am proud to keep my 2004 Dyna Super Glide as well as excited to witness this moment in history. I might even possibly add to my collection with a new Heritage Classic 115th Anniversary edition.

Don't forget you're invited to FXCHD's Fall Open House, September 22-24 and you can see the new Softail family for yourself. Not in the area? Don't worry - just go to a Harley-Davidson dealership close to you.

Where the Rubber meets the Road

Saving money.... we all want to do it, Bikers

included. But to a Biker the term does not mean "cut corners" - especially where tires are concerned.

As someone new to motorcycling, one of the first realizations is that it can get expensive buying the bike & the parts to customize it. Usually the first 'add on' is a Stage 1 Performance upgrade (i.e. exhaust, hi-flo air intake & computer download). 

He thought he was saving a sh*t ton of money, but he nearly cost him & his girl their lives.

Then comes all the riding gear = leather jacket,

Good riding gear = always worth it

helmet, nylon jacket, rain gear, boots, gloves, etc. Over time it adds up, however it's definitely not a place to skimp on.

The same thing can be said about your motorcycle tires. Depending on your tire maintenance, how you ride, how many miles you ride, and how the tire was made, they might only last one or two riding seasons. At about $150 for a front tire, and around $300 for the rear tire (before labor), some 'newbies' look for a cheaper deal.... just remember you get what you pay for.

Old school new tire delivery

We once had a rider with a passenger traveling from NYC, riding a Dyna Super Glide Custom, stop in because they felt a "slight wobble" at highway speeds (FXCHD is right next to Exit 42 off of I-81).

This owner was very cost conscious and believed that getting tires from an auction sight online and having his non-biker friend/home mechanic put them on was saving him a sh*t ton of money.... but it nearly cost him & his girl their lives.

Just remember: you get what you pay for.

Car & motorcycle tires come with a date code because, even if they're not used on a vehicle, there is an 'expiration date' you should know about. In other words, there was a reason the tires this guy bought online were sssooo cheap.

How many birthdays have your tires had?
Check the date code!

The date code on a tire can easily be decoded - the four digits translate into the week and year; so 4708 is the 47th week of 2008. The older the tire, the faster the rubber degrades and likely to fail. Any tire over six years old is best used as a tire swing. 

As a motorcyclist, when you only have two wheels instead of four, you should want them to be the best they can be!!

Money doesn't buy happiness.... but it can buy a Harley - and that's just about the same thing!

Can you believe this guy didn't want a new tire??

Not only was the tire old, but it was the wrong size for his bike (too small), and his friend mounted the rear tire so that it was traveling in the wrong direction. Add in the fact that the tires were grossly under-inflated and steel belts were showing - yes, steel belts! - we were all wondering how they'd manage to survive the 300+ miles getting to us.

Can you believe this guy didn't want new tires?? He thought we were trying to scam him into something he didn't need.... It was only when we were insisting he and his passenger sign a release, that their families weren't going to sue the dealership, that he realized we were literally trying to save both their lives.

So, before that first ride in Spring, check out your tires: How is the tread depth and wear? Tire pressure ok? How many birthdays have your tires had? 

Should you need new motorcycle tires, you can always contact our Parts Department online or by calling 315-583-6177.

Thank you for waving at me as you tried to crush me with your car.....

One of the things that I love about my job at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson® is that we are an advocate for motorcycle safety & riding aware. That's why I jumped at the chance to participate in the Fort Drum Motorcycle Safety Day, representing the dealership.

At the safety day I spoke about motorcycle insurance, motorcycle tires, and the Harley Owners Group. They had other professionals speaking about riding safely as well - blind spots around tractor-trailer rigs, most common accidents, motorcycling myths, etc. 

Ironically, as I left Fort Drum to return to FX Caprara Harley, I put all those safety tips to the test. And sometimes the people who need to hear about motorcycle safety are the drivers (aka Cagers) behind the wheel!!

I was riding along on a 2-lane interstate and a construction zone had the left/fast lane closed off. So I'm in the right/slow lane and there's a silver sedan coming up on an on-ramp. With plenty of room, I was going to allow this car to get in front of me - but this guy had other plans.

The car started slowing down and I took that to mean that I was to go ahead and pass - so I did. And now I'm in front of the car, expecting to see him get behind me, and I'm watching my rear-view mirror to make sure that is what he's going to do.... but I don't see him.

And now the on-ramp/merge lane is coming to an end.... Where is this guy?? I look to my right and he's right next to me, smiling and waving..... and coming right towards me in his car!! I have no choice but to slow down and let this driver get in front of me - again!! 

What made it worse, I'm wearing my waterproof gauntlet gloves and cannot give the proper finger.... so I just raise my left arm and my voice to yell at him. His reply: lifting his arm out his window to wave at me.... Wow, really??

Then the interstate opens back up to two lanes, and I immediately speed up to 65, move over to the left/passing lane, and pass this guy. As I'm riding past this driver, of course I'm looking at him - as if I'll magically be able to figure out his motive for trying to kill me. And he waves at me.... again!!!

I'm not sure why this driver thought smiling and waving at me as he

tried to crush me with his car was ok. Was he mesmerized by a woman riding a Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide? Did he think/expect me to just move out of his way? Did he want a closer look at my bike without getting out of his car? Was he playing a joke - albeit a bad one? Did he realize what he was doing??

Whatever the case with this driver, I'm here to tell you as a rider, this is the stuff our nightmares are made out of and in real life it's not ok.  It is never ok for a driver to use his/her car to drive into a motorcycle and rider!! Please, for the love of all that is holy, watch out for those of us who ride!!! Thank you in advance!

Please allow me to introduce....

ICYMI, Harley-Davidson released two new bikes into their line-up

2016.5 FXSE CVO Pro Street Breakout

for 2016: the Dyna Low Rider S and the CVO Pro Street Breakout. This is not the first time Harley has released bikes half-way through the model year, but they did not release any 2015.5 bikes last year. Kate & I got a chance to see these bikes up close and personal while we were in Phoenix (these are the pictures I couldn't show you till today!) and now - after seeing the Screamin' Eagle 110 motor in a Dyna frame - I have a problem.

First though, let me go over the CVO Pro Street Breakout FXSE.

2016.5 FXSE in White Gold Pearl & Starfire Black

The Breakout model is in the Softail family which got their name because it has the look of a 'hardtail' (no suspension in the rear = a not so comfortable ride) but it does have rear suspension that's hidden. Also, the motor is counterbalanced, providing an even smoother ride. This bike has a seat height of 25 inches, weighs about 730 running order weight, has a 6 speed transmission, and a 5 gallon tank. Security, ABS braking and cruise control are all standard. According to Harley's specs this bike pulls 112 foot pounds of torque - which is pretty decent - and gets 43 miles to the gallon (but if you're buying a CVO (Custom Vehicle Operations), I'm guessing you're not going to be too worried about that). In Phoenix we saw the White Gold Pearl/Starfire Black version, but I much prefer the Black on Black version. Either way, I wouldn't be kicking this bike out of my garage should anyone buy it for me! The price tag on this bike is $25,699 before freight, tax, title & reg.

Now onto the Low Rider S FXDLS. This is not the first outing for

2016.5 FXDLS Dyna Low Rider at Phoenix RRE

the Low Rider - that made it's first appearance in 1977 as the FXS Low Rider (the Dyna family of H-D Motorcycles wouldn't be around till the 1980s - for more on the history, click here if you don't mind babes in bikinis). This bike has long been a favorite - bigger than a Sporster but nearly the same maneuverability. Easy to take for a quick trip or across the country. This version of the Low Rider has 26 inches for the seat height, 4.7 gallon gas tank, running weight is 674 pounds, 6 speed transmission, and is expected to fetch 44 miles to the gallon. And again ABS, security and cruise are all standard. But my favorite number is the 116 foot pounds of torque - yummy!! Plus a very affordable price of $16,699 before freight, tax, title and reg.

[Read even more detail about the bikes here.]

What's my problem?? Last year my 2004 Dyna Super Glide got

My 2004 FXD Dyna Super Glide getting new jugs

new Screamin' Eagle 204 Cams which gives her a nice 'lub/dub' sound to her motor. Now Jeff, FXCHD's Master Technician, has begun the process of putting new jugs onto my her and cleaning out the top end for better compression and performance. But Harley has to tempt me with this 110 motor in a Dyna frame!! Do I trade in my baby on the latest and greatest?? Or do I keep my one of a kind bike I love?? Decisions, decisions..... 

...for the new

the old...