Outclasses Harley-Davidson big twins in every category especially used price

I`ve had Triumphs, Nortons, a Suzuki dirt racer, Sportsters and full dress FLHs. I still had a 1946 Indian Chief (freight train), a 1985 Yamaha FJ1100 (rocket ship) and a 1942 HD WLA (converted Army) that I was willing to sell. The new Harleys I test rode were a great disappointment.

I got a call from a vintage bike collector I knew (Dale Walksler, RIP) who said a big name dealer in my area was looking for vintage Harleys for their "Museum" and he was interested in my perfect (but slow and impractical) `42 Flathead. I showed it to them, having to demo ride it for them as none of them knew how to drive a jockey shift/foot clutch. Not even the HD Service Manager! They wanted it and offered me a new Yamaha Roadstar in trade.

I test drove one and could not believe how wonderfully it felt and performed. It even sounded like a Harley and THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. So here is a 1600cc Better than Harley clone they`d give me in trade. It ran like how I had hoped the new Harleys would run, but were grossly disappointed.

I had learned not to look down on Japanese bikes after having owned and ridden a wonderful Triumph clone Yamaha XS-650 and still owned a mind boggling Yamaha FJ1100 screamer. I traded and then worked to convert my Harley riding friends. After riding it, they would only secretly admit my Roadstar was as good or better than their Harleys. 

That bike was totalled in an accident that nearly totalled me, so it was a couple years before I shopped again. My wife heard a big HD ride by in traffic one day and sighed noticeably. I said what`s this? She said she missed the big hog riding part of our life, but money was tight. She asked how much money would I have to spend on a big bike like that. 

I told her I saw a Yamaha Roadstar online nearby with 12k miles for $3500. It was like new, and less than 1/3 of what the used HD pieces of junk were selling for. I bought it and have been riding it ever since. These bikes are better engineered, better handling and performing and have innovations that Harley has only begun to consider. 

My Roadstar is 22 years old and has way more innovative engineering and quality than any Harley. Milwaukee Eight? Yamaha had eight valves 22 years ago! And a lot more ingenious designs that make the bikes run way more reliably and run way longer. If you like Harleys, but hate their price and lack of engineering, test ride any Yamaha Roadstar. 

You`ll thank me. I can`t believe they haven`t put Harley out of business, and find it even harder to believe that they stopped making the Roadstar. The "Harley Mystique" is more like a mistake in my long Harley experience.