13 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles With Terrible Resale Value

Throughout the history of Harley-Davidson, the company’s bikes have always remained aspirational buys. Some of their offerings were iconic for two riders, some were downright strange, others sounded really good, and still others were simply the best-looking Harley-Davidsons. No matter the kind of Harley though, they’ve always been something to aspire to, a milestone purchase, and it remains largely the same today. And when we buy a vehicle, we certainly expect depreciation to have its pound of flesh.
But Harleys, by and large, have been immune to this, with even 20-year old models usually holding up well in terms of resale value. However, with the number of models that the Milwaukee company has released, there were bound to be a few outliers. Some are a decade old that have depreciated like a falling brick, and others are basically brand new that are already selling for 40% below MSRP.
The causes for these falling values vary widely. Some are rooted in controversial design choices, ill-timed launches, and others were failed new products; like LiveWire, Harley’s electric line of bikes. Anyway, with all that said, here are 13 such Harley-Davidson models.
First up, we have the legendary Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic and Electra Glide Touring models. Specifically, the ones produced between 2000 and 2004 seem to be at the bottom of their depreciation curve as per current market standards, with the original MSRP being $14,695 in 2004, equal to about $25,200 after inflation. Today, pretty decent units from this time period can be picked up for about $4,000, which is comparatively a bargain. It’s a lot of bike per dollar, not least because of the much beloved Twin Cam 88 engine that it shipped with.
This beast of a powerplant displaced 1,450cc and was mated to a five-speed transmission that delivered this power to the rear wheel via belt final drive. The setup managed to produce an eye-watering (for the time, anyway) 86 lb-ft of torque, all of which was needed to get this 827-pound behemoth moving.
If shopping around for one of these units, remember that electronic sequential fuel port injection was still not standard in the industry, and thus was an option on the Electra Glide. While models with traditional carburetors look more retro, save yourself the headache of maintenance and breakdowns by finding a unit optioned with the fuel injectors instead.
This next one will come as a surprise to most people, but in a way, the Harley XL 883 is a victim of its own success. It was so well priced and positioned that a huge number of them sold. As a result, many, many used models began to flood the markets after a couple years, driving prices down. And since the retail price for the 883 wasn’t abysmal, coming in at $9,999 for 2020 models, these models are now relatively affordable to own. Riders can pick up a decent-condition Harley-Davidson 883 from 2018 and up for between $4,000 and $5,000 on the used market, which is a fantastic deal.
For that price one would get a relatively new Harley, with easy-to-source parts, and pretty good dealer and manufacturer support. Now, being one of the smaller Harley models, the engine is also shrunk to match, coming in at 883cc, which gives the model its name. This engine is the Evolution V-twin, paired to a five-speed transmission, making 54 lb-ft of torque, which is plenty for its size.
For all intents and purposes, the 883 is simply the smaller sibling of the more powerful Harley 1200, and both share many of the same desirable features. The 883 is considered an