The motorcycle industry finds itself at something of a crossroads. People are buying fewer motorcycles than before, and in a market like the US where most motorcycles are leisure vehicles, this is understandable. As such, we have seen almost unprecedented levels of depreciation in some models, often losing up to half their value within the first few years.
In particular, luxury motorcycles are the hardest hit. While touring bikes remain popular compared to some other segments, values tend to tumble further regardless. For shrewd bagger buyers shopping on a budget, there are some bargains to be had, but there is also one bike that seems to be left relatively unscathed.
Buying a used motorcycle always has an element of risk attached, so please do your research and proceed with caution.
Baggers Tend To Get Hit Hard By Depreciation
If you are looking at getting a more traditional American bagger, the Indian Springfield presents itself as a bit of a bargain. These bikes have lost around a third of their value over the past five years. If you want something more modern, the BMW K 1600 B is a fantastic alternative. While the Honda Gold Wing wins most of the plaudits, the inline-six BMW is just as good, and has also lost around a third of its value already. The Gold Wing holds its value pretty well by comparison, losing just over a quarter of its value, but the bike in question depreciates even less.
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2021 Harley-Davidson Road King Special Depreciates The Least After 5 Years
Price Range: $14,000 – $18,000
For the moment, the crown goes to the Road King Special. There is a good reason for this, though. It only just went out of production this year, yet it remains a relatively popular model with something of a cult following. This custom-styled bagger was simply a casualty of a shrinking market, and Harley-Davidson has more than enough options to fill the void it left behind.
Trade value is currently sitting at $13,775, and the retail value is pegged at just under $18,000. With an original list price of $22,999, the Road King Special has lost just under a quarter of its value. While losing $5k is nothing to sniff at, its contemporaries have all been hit harder by depreciation. It is also worth keeping in mind that this figure pertains to a bike with a normal amount of miles on the clock and in good condition.
Some bikes that sell for less won’t have service records, or will have more miles on the clock, but if the deal seems too good to be true, it might be best to approach the bike with extra caution. These prices don’t account for options or paint, which, for this model in particular, could have set the owner back a fair amount. Certain options will be desirable, and others might even bring the price down, but getting a bike in the color you want for this price will be a pretty good deal.
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The 2021 Road King Special Has The Milwaukee-Eight 114 Engine
Power: 95 Horsepower
In 2021, the Road King Special was already into its fourth year and got its biggest upgrade. This came in the form of the 114 V-twin. Most of the touring bikes got this engine back then, and it gave the bagger some much-needed bite to back up its bark. While it always looked the part of a hot rod, the original 107 motor was a little sluggish by comparison. While 95 horsepower might not seem like all that much, this V-twin is more about low-down grunt, and there is plenty of that to go around. Its 122 pound-feet of torque is enough to get this heavy bagger up to highway speed without much fuss at all.
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The Road King Special Is The Quintessential Bagger
One hot take about baggers is that they should leave you up in the wind a little. While the addition of fairings and wind protection is great for comfort, some baggers take this a little too far and lose touch with their cruiser roots. This is just our take on the matter, and it is one of the reasons the stripped-back Road King Special just seems more like a bagger than some of the competition. Although stripped back, this is still a very expensive motorcycle, even now on the used market. This was always a bone of contention, right from when it was first launched. Even though it is supposed to be a stripped-back model, it is more expensive than the tourer it is based on. But there is a reason for this.
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Custom Flavor
For one, its wheels are significantly more expensive than the wheels you will find on the base model Road King. These wheels make the bike stand out and certainly make the bike feel more like a custom cruiser. There are also custom touches to the overall design. It would have been pretty easy to simply remove all the wind protection and call it good, but the hard cases were completely redesigned. That long, sleek design is not just for show, either. The volume of the hard cases was also increased with this redesign.
While it is a little sad that these bikes have gone out of production, it is also easy to see why. There are several great cruisers on the market that just need saddlebags and will offer more or less the same riding experience. This custom-flavored bagger is expensive and an acquired taste. But if you are looking for a bagger to customize, this is a great option. The aftermarket for these bikes is still pretty robust, and you can pretty much go in any direction you want.
Source: KBB