Is it time to buy your Harley?

A fellow I know has a Harley Davidson, 883 Sportster that I'd really like to buy from him. It's been quietly sitting idle in a dusty space in his garage for almost two years now. The biggest problem is that I'm sure I'm not willing to pay him nearly what he wants for it. Even though the bottom has dropped out of the used motorcycle market, I'm certain he'd demand nearly what he paid for the bike. Such is not the case if you shop around a little.

If you're in the market for a used Harley, the time to buy is right now. Never before have I seen The Chopper Exchange, HD Traderso jam packed with desirable used bikes. Baby Boomers who purchased Harleys on a whim are getting older now, and those bikes are losing their practicality and attraction for them. I estimate that as much as 85% of the Harley fleet which was purchased over the last decade is made up of bikes which were purchased solely for recreational use. When you're 45 years old, a motorcycle might still appeal to you, but when you're staring up toward 60, your perspective can change a little.

The confirmation of what I'm telling you is in the recent announcement of production cuts by Harley Davidson. It knows that the domestic motorcycle market is saturated. Harley is successfully gaining momentum in overseas markets, but at home it's losing some ground. Gone are the days when you had to order a Harley one year for delivery the next year. These days, you can go to a Harley dealership and sometimes be riding your new bike home in less than 90 days.

It's a buyer's market in the world of Harley, and they're as great as they've ever been. Just be sure to get yours soon, before someone starts buying them cheap and exporting them to China.