My first 30 days in Behind Bars...

You may remember this past February I broke up... with my 2004 Dyna Super Glide. I traded her in and got my 2018 115th Anniversary Heritage from FX Caprara Harley-Davidson.

Except that it was February... Not exactly Riding Season in Northern New York. 

So I had to wait... and wait... and wait... Then finally, on Earth Day no less, we were finally together and Riding.

One month later and 738 miles are in behind bars of this beautiful bike, and it's been phenomenal! 

Even though there are quite a few differences between my new bike and my old -most notably the engine displacement (my '04 was 88 cubic inch (1450cc), new is 114ci (1868cc)... !!!) -the new still felt like my old friend: cozy & natural. 

And yet, the 114ci Milwaukee-Eight motor is smoooooth -so smooth in fact that it's very easy for me to get up to 70mph and not realize it. (I hope no police are reading this!)

The frame of the 2018 Heritage is as agile as my old bike, making it a true joy to lean into the corners, roll on the throttle and go flying down the road.

With the high-performance suspension, the bike is easily maneuverable in parking lots as well as quite comfortable on long rides. 

Then there's the torque... as in there's A LOT of it!! 

In case you didn't know, torque is the feeling you get as the power of the motor gets transferred to the pavement, sitting you back in your seat.

At first it was hard for me to know when to shift, because this bike has torque that pulls through every gear (rather than running out of power forcing the rider to up-shift). 

The power and torque that the new Softails have will truly put a smile on your face! As the MoCo puts it, "...increased lean angle, quicker turn-in, quicker acceleration and more flickability, all with easier lift-off from the side stand."

I'm here to tell you that is truth in advertising!! Beyond the specs of any bike, there is the 'fun factor' to consider when making a buying decision. And all the new Softails, with their Milwaukee-Eight engines, have a very high rate of 'smiles per mile.' 

I am very much looking forward to many more days behind bars, riding my new Heritage for many, many more miles.

If you're interested in what my 'old' bike is doing now, she's gone on to have lots of fun doing wheelies and performing stunts with Hostile Crew -check out their Facebook page and Instagram.

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!!